Mntka&anmnfTJumei
rT"\OBY BARNES, just homtf
I ffef the office, stood regard
ihg his wife with amusement.
"You have the manner, Kay, of be
ing about to leap up and wave a
flag. What's happened?"
"I've just discovered something
important about myself." Kay's
ahort, light curls were becomingly
haphazard. Her eyes were of an
intense blue. She was slender and
young and vivid. "I'm supremely
?elfish." She rose to her feet and
gesticulated with both hands, "I
want to be utterly, gloriously en
grossed in ME!"
They both laughed. Then Kay ran
forward and dragged her husband
down into a wide, comfortable chair,
squeezing in beside him.
"You're a perfectly grand guy,"
?he smiled, "but this Christmas, my
man, I'm going to be superbly self
ish, as an experiment. Will you
try it too, Toby?"
"All right," he agreed, "I'll take
you on."
The next morning Kay tilted a
pert gray hat on her curls, and
walked imperiously to the shopping
district. "I'm fed up with being
poor, and scrimping and saving so
I can be generous in mean, little
ways. Today I . . . spend on my
self!"
She felt guilty and ridiculous, and
she turned her eyes away from a
haberdasher's window where gentle
men's furnishings were invitingly
displayed. Toby needed masses and
masses of things. No, just this once
she would spend with a bang all she
had on something frivolous for her
self. Toby had promised to do the
same.
At noon she happened to notice a
tail person standing by the next
store window. He was absorbed in
thought Kay hardly breathed while
the man suddenly plunged into the
store door. She crept close to a
sheltering pillar while she watched
what happened inside.
She saw the man point to a wom
an's rich, quilted housecoat. She
saw him pay for it, and leave, but
without a package under his arm.
Just the sort of housecoat for which
she had yearned hopelessly.
She gasped in dismay. For one
hot second she was possessed with
anger. Toby wasn't playing fair.
Be had no right to make her feel
ashamed and abject on Christmas
morning!
When Toby's flapping overcoat
was out of sight Kay slipped into
the same shop, going straight to the
counter her husband had left. "May
I Inquire," she asked crisply, "it
that quilted housecoat just pur
chased, is to be delivered to Mrs.
Toby Barnes?" She gave the house
address. The clerk was startled into
admitting the fact.
Kay threw up her chin. "I asked
my husband, Mr. Barnes, to step
in here today to buy that for me.
I've changed my mind. May I ex
change it for something I prefer?"
The clerk weakly nodded.
Christmas eve found Kay a bit
cryptic. Toby carelessly inquired
it a package had been delivered
that afternoon. Kay said yes; it
was waiting in the closet. As it
was, though not quite what Toby
supposed.
Kay was excited as a child on
Christmas morning. There were
waffles for breakfast and especially
good coffee. Afterwards Mrs. Toby
Barnes shoved her tall husband into
his big chair. "Sit there." she com
manded him, and left the room.
"When is this fine exhibition of
selfishness going to begin?" he
shouted after her. "I want to see it
la action!"
Kay returned with a large pack
age elaborately wrapped. Toby
looked pleased. "There you are,"
he said. "I'm sorry, Kay, to fall
down on our agreement, but I knew
70a wanted the darned thing."
"There you are!" cried Kajr hurl
tog the box at him. "Isimply will
not let you squander your money on
expensive things for me. Toby."
Toby opened the box, drawing
forth ? manly, well-tailored dress
ing gown (or a tall gentleman. "You
know," muttered his wile in a small
?nice, "you haven't a thing to sit
?round in at home."
"So this," be raved, "is the great
exhibition of selfishness I And where
i* your housecoat, I'd like to know?"
Kay, in a thin, <iuivering voice,
begg?0 him to be kind while she ax
^^^Thom?Tm)lor
THERE was not to be any
Christmas tree at the little
church at the head of Smoke
Creek that year; and of the several
families who lived there, not more
than half were expecting Santa
Claus. The dark days had left the
dismal little valley or hollow even
more gloomy than it had been in
better years, when the mines across
the ridge in the next hollow gave
some employment to the heads of
the families of Smoke Creek.
Jim Knox, who lived at the very
head of the stream, was perhaps
Be Noticed Something Like a Card
Tacked on Hathway's Door.
the most unhappy of all in the
little "settlement." His wife and
only child, a son of seven, had died,
and his nearest neighbor was Joe
Hathway, a bitter enemy with whom
he had had many difficulties. So
that loneiy night of Christmas eve
as Jim sat before the open wood
fire, with the light of blazing hick
ory logs his only company, he was
not without fear for his own safety ?
he knew Joe Hathway had threat
ened his life.
As he sat dreaming his eyes hap
pened to rest upon his rifle standing
in the corner of the log room. "That
gun or Joe Hathway's will some
day tell the tale," he said to him
self. He meant that one day, like
so many others down the lonesome
stream, either he or Joe would go
? and using a common mountain ex
pression, "with his boots on." He
did not care ? life had come to mean
but little for him.
While Jim was thus dreaming,
Joe Hathway sat in another log
cabin but a few yards down the
stream. By chance Joe's attention
was called to a book on a shelf.
The school teacher had given it to
his daughter who had died from
the epidemic on the creek. The title
appealed to him ? "The Christmas
Carol." He took the book and be
gan to read. Page after page and
chapter after chapter, he read on.
It was the first book Joe had ever
read. It filled him with new visions
and new ways of thinking. He read
on till midnight and had b?.en so
impressed that he decided to read a
chapter from the Bible before going
to bedf By mere accident the chap
ter was one on the birth at Bethle
hem. Its teaching overpowered him
? he had found the more abundant
life.
? ? ?
On Christmas morning when Jim
Knot went out to the spring for a I
pail of water he noticed something
like a card tacked on Joe Hath
way's door. He saw no smoke from
the chimney. Taking in the water,
cautiously he approached Joe's cab
in door, and read the note which
said:
"Dear Jim: You will find me
gone. I was reading some last night
in 'The Christmas Carol' and in
the Bible. I read that verse that
told of peace and good will to man.
Said to myself, 'My family is all
gone ? the last was Mary. She left
the book to get me on the right
track. There's nothing in this hol
low for me any more. Maybe I can
find work by New Year's over on
Cedar Creek' You and I never could
get along. So to make things better
for us both hereafter I am leaving
at daybreak. And Jim as I say
'Good-bye,' I also wish to say,
'Peace on earth good will to men.' "
And as another result of "The
Christmas Carol" two mountaineers
were better men, and though they
had no Christmas cards or presents,
and no holiday programs, the pines
on the hillsides seemed a bit green
er and the music of the streams
seemed sweeter.
? Western Newspaper Union.
Boxing Day Is Time for
Making Christmas Gifts
TP HE first weekday after Christ
* mas, Boxing day, is a legal and
bank holiday in England, Wales and
Northern Ireland but not in Scot
land. This is the day on which
"Christmas boxes" or gifts are ex
pected by, and given to, errand
boys, servants, letter carriers, etc.,
observes a writer in the Detroit
News.
The name "Christmas box" is
often applied there to the ordinary
gift at this season of the year, apart
from this usage. References to the
"apprentice's box" and "butler's
box" as far back as the Sixteenth
century indicate that these gratui
ties were at one time placed in an
earthenware box, which could be
opened on Boxing day only by
breaking it. It appears also that
the early church had alms-boxes
which were opened only on that
date.
Chambers' Book of Days states
that the institution of "Christmas
boxes" evidently is akin to that of
New Year's gifts and, like it, has
descended from the times of the an
cient Romans who at the season of
the Saturnalia, practiced universal
ly the custom of giving and receiv
ing presents.
TkeTule Sing
TOM MADSEN sat beside the
fireplace and gazed moodily at
the blazing logs, as the sparks
spiraled upward. Outside flakes o f
snow beat against the window pane
to the chime' of the church bells
ringing peace and good will to all
the earth.
"Peace," Tom muttered. "Was
there such a thing on earth? Not
for him, anyway." He had staked
everything on his boy. Been both
father and mother to him ? given
him the advantage of the best
schools, with a law partnership
waiting for him in his own office;
and what did he get? "Sorry to
disappoint you, Dad, but I don't
seem to be cut out for law. Sally
and I want to And happiness in
our own way. I mean to buy the old
Wormley farm and Sally and I will
be married there, in our own home.
Dad, on Christmas eve."
Young Tom had choked a bit as
he saw the look on his father's face
? "I'm sorry. Dad; I do appreciate
all you've done for me, 'but the
hand writes and moves on,' and it's
all settled. Be a good sport. Dad,
"I'm Sorry, Dad; I Do Appreciate
All You're Done (or Me."
and come to our wedding and give
us your blessing." But he had
turned on his boy. "Never!" he
cried. "See my son married to a
cheap dancer; a common" ? Young
Tom's face was white. "Stop, Dad,
or I might forget you are my fath
er" ? and he had rushed out of the
house.
That had been three long months
ago. An eternity for him. He had
been too hasty; had been governed
by his prejudices. One couldn't
pleasure the present generation by
the one of his day. Tom, Jr., was
no fool; he should have trusted him
to do the right thing ;* what right
had he to interfere; to say how any
life should be lived?
Suddenly he wanted to have a~
share in the joyfulness. He reached
for his hat, but remembered it was ,
too late for shopping, but there was
his ch?S""fcook. What if Tom re
fused his tardy offering? The eager
look died. There was a loud ringing
of the door bell and the sound of
rushing feet ? the door was flung
open. There was Tom, looking just
like he used to when he came to
him for comfort. "Dad, we just
have to have you. Sally sent me to
bring you. It's Christmas." Tom,
Sr., held out his arms. "We won't
disappoint Sally, aon."
? WMllfi Newspaper VwHm
?harina\
A (Thristmaf
? Joeile U)fbb Pearson
v
I AM a happy little tree. I stand
beside the front entrance of a
white cottage on a quiet street.
Each Christmas time I bloom out
in beautiful colored lights, and all
who pass share my beauty and
catch something of the joy of Christ
mas.
But I was not always happy like
this. Once I lived in a great forest,
surrounded by trees so tall I could
only catch a glimpse of the blue sky
above me, and I felt very small and
lonely. X, too, wanted to be tall; to
look out on the big world like the
others and feel the sun shining
through my branches. I would
stretch out my limbs as far as I
could, and send my roots deeper in
to the earth, but my progress was
so slow I grew discouraged.
One day I saw a man and a boy
coming through the forest. The man
carried something over his shoulder
and they seemed to be looking
for something. Then the boy saw
me and cried: "Look, father, there
is just the tree we want." He ran
over to me and fairly hugged me in
his eagerness. The man looked me
over. "Fine," he said. But when
he began digging with the thing he
had carried on his shoulder I be
gan to tremble. I felt my roots
snap one .by one and soon I lay a
tumbled heap on the ground. Life
seemed over for me.
Next I was tied to a funny looking
thing on wheels, that sputtered and
growled when the man and boy
climbed in and we started off down
a twisty little road that wound
through the forest, then out on a
big shining highway until we came
to a wide driveway that led through
a sloping lawn to a white cottage.
Here I was untied and put into a
large earthen jar filled with sand
and carried into the house, and set
in a corner of a big room beside a
sunny window. Oh, the joy of hav
ing the sun on my branches. I be
gan to feel less scared and to look
about me.
In a big mirror opposite I could
watch the man as he fastened me
upright. Then he put a string of
Two Little Faces Pressed Against
the Window Pane.
' lights from my 4op to my toe,
whistling softly as he worked. Then
I heard a door open and a rush of
feet ? a little boy and a girl dashed
into the room crying: "Mamma,
come quick, and see our Christmas
tree." They clapped their hands
and danced about me. Soon the
mother came with a box filled with
shining lovely things and my plain
green dress was covered with
sparkling jewels. I hardly dared
look in the mirror for I remem
bered I was only a humble tree
after all, and what I saw could not
be me at all; but the great silver
star on my topmost branch made
me feel very happy. I seemed to
draw courage from just looking at
it.
After a time I was left to myself.
1 was glad, as I needed to rest up
a bit and get used to my strange
surroundings. It grew dark outside
end snow was falling; but inside
my star shone and a quiet peace
came over me.
Then once more the doors opened
and a merry group of people came
in. This time there were Father
and Grandfather and Grandmother,
too; and Mother leading the little
boy and girl. Everyone was saying
how lovely I was ; but I did not want
them to look at me. I wanted them
to see two little faces outside
pressed against the window pane.
The boy saw them first. "Look,
Daddy, Mamma!" he shouted and
pointed to the window. "There ar?
two children out there. Bring them
in. Daddy; give them some of our
Christmas." And the little girl
clapped her hands and cried: "Oh,
do. Daddy, it's cold out there!"
When they were brought in look
ing rather scared, but glad, I was
so happy I almost shook my baubles
off. Then Mother made music on
a big box with shining keys and
everyone sang Christmas carols.
Then Father told the old story of
the Shepherds and the Star that led
to the Christ Child. Then a jolly
man with a red coat and a pack on
his back gave everyone presents,
including the little strangers. There
were candies and nuts, plenty for
all, and such a babble of happy
voices. I felt the thrill of it myself
and the big star glowed in sympa
thy.
? WMt*rn Newspaper Union.
& Two
Liittle Dolls
? In Blue ?
b ?
Alice B. Pauaer 4
AREN'T the dolls beautiful?"
ZA exclaimed Joan to her
mother, as she gazed upon
the finished product of the "Two
Little Dolls in Blue" which Dorothy
May had ordered from Santa Claus.
"They are quite the loveliest I
have ever seen," spoke mother. "I
do believe that you have put your
very heart and soul into their fash
ioning."
Joan had spent many days and
nights, too, stitching a loving holi
day thought into each tiny garment.
The dainty materials had been
transformed into things of beauty.
The dresses of pale blue silk with
bonnets and slippers to match, had
proclaimed them the "Two Little
Dolls in Blue!"
"Oh, won't Dot love them!"
beamed Joan, as she again eyed the
dolls from head to foot with a happy
smile of complete satisfaction.
"I dare say this will be her hap
piest Christmas, one that she will
never forget," said mother.
Christmas eve, with its bright
lights and cheer, was in full prog
little dolls in blue
were being fon
dled by one of the
happiest little
girls in the world.
Rocking in her
own tiny chair
Dorothy May be
gan singing a lul
laby to the dollies,
wholly oblivious
of the attendant
surroundings. It
was such an ador
able sight that the
others had stopped
their celebrations and were beam
ing upon her with transformed emo
tion.
The spell was broken when Doro
thy May suddenly stopped singing
and called out, "What shall I name
the 'two little dolls in blue'?"
"Well," said Joan, smiling
thoughtfully, "since they are
dressed in blue and are two very
important little ladies, why not call
one Alice Blue and the other Elinor
Blue?" And so the dolls were
named.
On Christmas morning in another
house around the corner. Bonny
Jean awoke with the joy of the hol
iday and shouted, "Mother, did San
ta come and did he bring me a
big baby doll with curls and eyes
that open and shut?"
"Yes, dearie, Santa came and
brought you a very pretty doll."
Then spying it, seated beneath
the tree dressed in scarlet finery,
Bonny Jean clasped it to her breast.
Upon close inspection she soon
learned that it was the same sort
of doll she had always received,
only with new features.
Just as she was about to burst
into protest at her bitter disappoint
ment there came a rap upon the
door and a kindly neighbor was say
ing, "Merry Christmas." Then with
a happy smile ?
"What is the matter, little girl?
Hasn't Santa Claus come yet?"
"Oh, yes, he came, but he brought
me the same old rag doll again. I
thought sure it would be a real one
this year, because I'm nine, you
see."
"Oh, I am so sorry," said Dorothy
May, with true feeling and thinking
Ui Wilt twu ucauvr
ful dolls which
Santa had left tor
her. Then with a
happy Christmas
thought, she whis
pered something
very lovely to her
mother.
They all went
right over to the
big house on the
hill nestled under
its b u r d e n of
Christmas snow.
Bonny Jean forgot
all about the rag
doll when she glimpsed the great
tree through the holly wreaths in
the window. But when she saw the
two little dolls in blue sitting be
neath it her joy was unbounded. She
clapped her hands and danced with
glee. "Such darling dolls!" she
gasped, breathlessly.
"Their names are Alice Blue and
Eleanor Blue," said their little mis
tress, proudly.
"I want to give you one of them,
Bonny Jean; which do you like?"
With unbelievable surprise, her
eyes fairly dancing with joy, she
clasped the beautiful doll in her
arms and asked, "Is ? it ? really ?
mine ? for ? keeps?"
"Really and truly for keeps," said
Dot.
Dorothy May explained it all to
her mother after the happy little
girl had left, that somehow she just
did not miss Eleanor Blue very
much when she saw how happy she
had made Bonny Jean.
In her heart she felt that it was
truly "more blessed to give than to
receive," and hugging the one little
doll closely, she whispered, "Mer
ry Christmas, Alice Blue."
? Western Newspaper Union.
CLASSIFIED
DEPARTMENT
OPPORTUNITY
Imi investment fer alert bajtri. low
proved well cultivated Carolina Farm*
owned and operated by large Insurance
Company. Buildings now in good repair.
Land in high state of cultivation. Moder
ate down payments, attractive terms. Write
S. M. Byars, 410 Bibb Bids.. Macea. Ga , er
B. C. Pratt, tit Maasea Bldc.Celambia. B.C.
.Ask Me Another
0 A General Quiz
1. How many bachelor Presi
dents has the United States had?
2. What does the abbreviation
"non sec" stand for?
3. How does a twelve-year-old
dog correspond to age in a human
being?
4. What is wind?
5. Who was the Greek cynic phi
losopher who lived in a tub?
6. What is the procedure when
a bank certifies a check?
7. What was the last federal
territory to be admitted into the
Union as a state?
8. What states have women as
secretaries of state?
Answers
1. Two ? James Buchanan and
Grover Cleveland, but Cleveland
was married while he was in the
Presidential office.
2. Non sequitur (it does not fol
low).
3. A dog twelve years old is as
old as a man at eighty-four.
4. Air naturally and horizontally
in motion with a certain degree
of velocity.
5. Diogenes.
6. It withdraws the amount of
the check from the drawer's ac
count, and holds it for the purpose
of paying the check which it
guarantees.
7. Arizona.
8. There are two women who
are secretaries of state, the Hon.
Goldie Wells of South Dakota and
the Hon. Elizabeth F. Gonzales of
New Mexico.
On the Block
Boss (storming)? You're fired.
Stenog ? Fired. How you talk. I
supposed they sold slaves.
Backward
A high school girl, seated next
to a famous astronomer at a din
ner party, struck up a conversa
tion with him by asking, "What do
you do in life."
He replied, "I study astron
omy."
"Dear me," said the'girl, "I fin
ished astronomy last year."
Not One of 'Em
Mrs. Duff ? Some things go with
out saying.
Dulf? Yes, my dear, but not
your tongue.
Eye slowness of blondes makes
them less safe as drivers, la ti
optometrist's warning, but most
men will just wink at it.
In Figures
Mother-in-law ? Why don't you
and Nellie stop scrapping? A man
and his wife should be as one.
Hankins ? But we really are 10.
Mother-in-law ? How's that?
Hankins ? Well, in Nellie's mind
she's the one and I'm the naught.
HELP KIDNEYS
To Get Rid of Add
and Poisonous Watte
rmorttxam imparitj* thn mmf to
Burning, ?canty or too fraqonrt art.
nation may b? a warning of aont kidon
or bladder dirturbanc*.
Yon may matter nigging badtark,
pantotaot h? dirtw, attacks erf illnfiii.
getting ap night*, awciling, iiataiM
**
??" I4 h "*r ?? ?
BMdldM tint turn won eoontiy-vU*
Mdmiti than on ?ymrtkln, la. I.tot
?bly known. Dm DoaVi PxtU. A Mlti
&?aSZS?JS& 4
Doans Pills
THE CHEERFUL CHERUB
I love to wt?cV> the,
5 now flakes Pt.ll ?
5o slowly tkrou^k
the cold <5r%.y *_ir
I f\in would Floajt
around like them
And never
hurry
anywhere.
Vrc*re