l(ffe Majors
JfartlmPattie
..-4:
'HE major felt a vague
sense of personal griev
ance. It was Christmas
morning. Everything was
most agreeable at the
hotel. An he had distrib
uted his customary gold
ttecs to the "bells," the telephone
guds, the check-room boys, his waiter
ad the head waiter, and the chain
beimald on' his floor; he felt oddly
teinrbed.
Tarter, my boy," he told the tall,
nay-haired image in the mirror.
"Too're getting sentimental. You're J
thoroughly disappointed because there I
Isn't a soul In tho world who can
sal out a 'Merry Christmas' to you,
ane mean It from the bottom of his
heart. You're like a boy with nothing
la his stocking I'm ashamed of you,
sir: ) am indeed."
Yet that didn't help matters. He
wandered r.round the deserted hotel
jorrldors In the morning feeling ut
terly lost. Nearly every one seemed
,tc be going out to dinner to some
place where he was urgently desired.
Wour times he strolled over to the
,4esk and looked casually up at his
Ike, bnt there were no mail and no
prenerts for MaJ. Pobert Lee Carter.
The last time he had really oV
Med to give up and ring tip sonic
bnrtr.irs associate to take dinner with
Win at the hotel. Hut he saw a let
tor In his box, and the clerk hauCed
him a curiously shaped parcel, ruther
balky ana oval. He took it up to U
room a. and onened it with a
fnnT little thrill of anticipation. '
Py George, he was wrong. There
was somebody, he didn't know who ;
H was, but there was sonichody who '
had remembered him. The last wrap
pur fell off, and he ttood startup down
lit h little homemed? willow basket,
firw d with mistletoe. A card on top
read, "Iove and Merry Christmas ;
firm Pam."
Pam? He remembered no Pam.
lie opened the letter for enlighten-;
nw-nt, and 88 he read, his heavy gray
YbrowB drew closer together, and
every now and then he ejaculated,
"Wd bless my heart and soul!"
"Yem won't remember me at all, but !
I'm Pamela Grayson, and my mother
wan your sister's daughter, so I'm
ynnr grandnlece, see? Mother died
about a year ago, just after we came
imrth, and I have been here alone
ver since. I didn't even know you
ere alive until cousin Florrie, o
nrters Landing, down home, wrote
iflMtl told me to share this mistletoe :
.with you, for Bhe had gathered it in
the eld oak grove where you used to j
H when you were a little boy. Here's :
winning you a merry, merry Christ
saaa, and I wish I knew you, because ;
h does certainly get fearfully lone-'
se-sse here in New York holiday time ;
when you haven't any one of your
ywy own." :
The telephone bell rang sharply ;
Just as the major was about to say '
"God bless my heart and soul" once I
again. But he lifted the receiver, and j
smiled at the aoice that answered his ;
"all. ;
"Delighted, Ralph, delighted, my j r,rivate UB ln ne major's reception
W. hot you see, I am going to have , room and ghe wondered what this dis
a young lady guest here to dinner (at C0U8la woui be like,
wtth me, my randnlece. sir from ,Ie wa M ghe had wanted Mm tf)
Virginia. Now, instead of my Joining ; h(i Even pam couI(, flnd n0 fault a8
la your bachelor apartments, sup-, Bestt0 hlra ,.t tne round (We.
olng you Join vs. and try and com- -r-vpara of lonelv striving
Seasate to her for having a surely old
kap lor a dinner partner. Name's
Mhss Pamela Grason. Come right
linwn,"
Tlien be smiled, and kept on smil
ing In the oddest, kuppiest way. And
be leaned back In his deep leather
chair, and lit a cigar, and watched the !
smoke rings form overhead, and
unified up at them. He had four bis
tetn. Pam's grandmother had been
Ihe youngest. ' And now Bomehow,
they were all gone, as he thought,
"the way of the roses," and he was
alone. He had rather lost track of
all the Lleces and nephews and grand
rteces and grandnephews. Sentiment
does not thrive In the New York at
monphere, yet as he looked at the
letter, he felt an odd glow of pride,
nd he held the little basket of mls
lletoc out at arm's length, smiling
retrospectively. Many a time he had
gone up to the old oak grove to gather
11 for his mother to decorate the great
hall at Christmas. And now this lit- ;
tie Pam
The major rose suddenly with quick j them,
lateation. Five minutes later he was j "God bless my heart and soul, boy,
n his way up to the address In the ; can't you see she's under the mlstle
eUer. Upstairs two flights he climbed, I toe. I hung It there on purpose."
d tapped at the low top door with j Ralph stooped, and pressed a kiss
ta asodest card
"Faaiela Grayson."
She stood at the easel with her
"Mk to him, a big blue apron on, and
was singing,
"Oh, holy town of Bethlehem,
atlll we see thee He.
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
Hent stars go by."
Th, major stood at attention, but
turned and caught sight of
tare a little cry of Joy. '
J "le Bob! How did you come so
to Met"
( t !, ';vt she was bonnio, t'... v.
'2 iiiujir approvingly; very i: - id
. . t In r grandmother in her girlhuoi..
II. brow n bands of hair iirouiic hi r
mail li'Md. and wlBtful, childish tray
cis. !t took him about ten wluutei
' r"r,x Iht into a "real" dress, as
f-'ne siiid, and down into the v. ailing
taxi.
Ad how fast sha talked. Therti
v-t.ro years to catch up, sin; told him,
;;:-d us long as there was only the
vi of them left in N.v York to up-
icld the pride of the Carters
"Tin re's one more, child." w arned
he major. "Ifut he is very distantly
oiinrcted, very. He is about your
nineteenth cousin hut lio U t rline
v i'li u:s, Ralph Carter"
Pam eat very fi -II, and did not
-peak, looking straight ahead cf her.
Tver hear of him?" asked the
major.
"I just love his shadow," said Tarn
solemnly. "If it's the same one. I've
tried mid tried to point pictures that
would sell,-and finally I coaxed an
eld dpaler on the avenue to let one
of my Virginia gardens stand in his
window awhile. You know Aunt Anna
bel's rose garden with the sun dial,
Mid the old white coach house In the
back? Well, It was snapped up by a
Mr. Ralph Carter. And he wanted
to know if I had more Virginia scenes.
So I sent down the oak grove at sun
down along In November, with a big
orange harvest moon stealing over
the edge of the hill, and he bought
that. And now I'm painting the old
lagged walk under the grape arbor,
ith it all sunshiny, and Mammy
Martha 'Ann coming along from the
outdoor kitchen with a big covered
platter of fried chicken, and he's gc
inn to take that."
The major leaned back his herd,
laughing and shaking with pure en
joyment. Up on the Hudson, at Hast
ings, stood Ralph Carter's bachelor
home, and he had made it almost a
replica of the old one in Virginia.
She Stood
at the Easel
Back to Him.
Successful in erery way in New York,
he had clung to the old southern tra-
dilions almost fiercely, this tall, lean,
clear-eyed lawyer,
"And so he's been hanging your
pictures all over his walls," exclaimed
the major. "God bless my heart and
. oul, child. This is certainly a merry
Christmas for us all."
Pam was ra(ner grave, though, as
they went through the splendid red
nnA ,n1H ,lliorll of the ereat hotel.
Tho rilnnsr -ma a In ha VrV IwlMl MXtA
among etrangers, how It mace nt-r
cheeks glow and her heart beat lo
hear these two, the splendid old
:i:i.i-T and Ralph, l: with each otl: r
in their delightful courtesy and com
pliments. "Y( u don't know how good It Is to
rind some one of your very own," she
siid. when the major had gone out
jl'ter the dinner was over.
"Don't I?" said Ralph, smiling down
at her. "I've put in about fourteen
ears un here, and only the major 1
to give me a cousinly greeting now f
and then. I'm mighty gian to una i
: i If olio la n nine. I'
' . , ,, ,
'-l-IIU Ulltr. 1 lie iiiuju s ,io ... .... -
poinr; to take a house for you and
himself."
"Why," Pam caught her breath
quickly. "1 didn't know that."
"So I will see a great deal of you,
I hope."
He .itopped and looked Into her
eyes. Someway they wavered under
his gaze. The major's voice hailed
on the warm, half-averted pink cheek,
while the major drank their health.
"And to our nex Christmas to
gether, the little Pam. and you, my
boy, and this old chap who'll never
be lonely again."
"To next Christmas," pledged
Ralph. "Will you kiss me then.
Pam?"
liut Pam's eyes only shone with
happiness, and very demurely she an
swered the toast:
"To next Christmas!"
ifnpyrlifh' Mi-Crturft Newepupir tyndicat.)
DORCT::V0
Curst;
Gipt
zucR&a
AY, believ
i i t
were to
ia- 1 :
again, t.aiu Iildi-.o I t i i i
to tiie i iiul v nt. tl. n 1. 1
ner table. rvi,ies.-or i .
said I l.i:.t:i 1 li!:.i a c
lege niHi:. ? ic r.l! the i
lows fr-a:d I had cban:;cd a great , i ;
since September."
Oeorge had just crrivej a f nv l' ei"
before for his finst vacation b:u
from college. Ho bad, indeed, lr i :i '
very anxious to get homo apuin i
ainVng his old frienda. The wciify
hours on the train he had v!:ii il -away
by telling tho other boys about j
all the dances he was goins to at- j
tend with Dorothy Smyth, "some j
classy girl from Bryn J'awr,"
In the course of the dinner Doctor j
Torter could not but take down his j
son a little. The all-important fra
ternity man was roasted considerably
for his overbearing manner. However,
George took it all with the stole dig
nity of the captain of the freshman
football team. As a matter of fact
dad sank considerably in his son's
estimation.
After dinner George's older sister j
Mary asked him whether ho was r"- 1
inj lo cfill p Dorothy for iho Cl.":; :
mas fiance at the Hadley's.
"Aw, pshaw, here a fellow worki
liis head off at school," said deor;-'1 '
in bis ht-t blase, "he roir.es home for
a little rest, and then you exper'
him to dance. And half the girls u .
school have it on Dorothy anyhow."
"What are you poing to give her
for Christmas?" said Mary, hiding a '
smile, for she knew just how Gooi;;'
1 felt about Dorothy. ;
"Oee. I never thought about that :
and I've but ten cents to my name.'
This last statement showed jus' 1
how good a time he had with hi ! '
frntrrnliy brothers the last days be-
fore vacntion.
"Make it C. O. D., Georgie. Call j
on dad; he'll give all you'll need." I
"Not on your life," came back !
George, "a college man must be able
to shift for himself. Why, half tho
fellows work their way. I'll go out
to arn the money myself tomorrow.
Uesidos, I've been roasted enough."
True to his word George Porter wrs
out enrly the next morning looking
for remunerative toil. A window-cani
in a large cafeteria, "Help Wanted."
arretted his attention. He strolled up
to the fat proprietor, seated behind
the cash register, and honored him by
offering him a college man's services.
"Any experience in the kitchen?"
he w-as asked.
In hpite of the fact that the Irvil
ef Georne's kitchen experience con
iKtfd of a Tew evening's fud'-'e-maU-ing
at Dorothy's, said boldly, i
hurp havp."
"Where?"
. This confused hi-n a little. "Atc
er at a friend's last winter."
"So you've been at Friend's cafe?
Well, 1T1 take yon. A dollar ad a
half a day and meals. Just go to t'ao
kitchen and get a white coat."
Cecrjre had Muffed and he v.-as po
ing lo make good the bluff, lie
rnshed around at a great speed semi
ing the soiled dishes trt the kitclvn.
Accldently he "picked up half a piee
of lemon pie the owner of which ha 1
just gone to tho ice water faucet t
reprpr.Ish her glass. "Wait a
mlriTjtp with my pi". if you pi :s" "
said the old maid victim of 'Geor'e'3
real. "No, I won't take miythii '
back rot of the tivrs cn your tr;.v.
' ;. Yen i;'' vv.''. ,,' i i;r....!: .. .
( irr cupcnse."
The hero of many a football lint''-"'
ber showed a yellow streak. l o
boncht the pie for the injured sue.-;.
Probably due to his anger over "tit 1
eld hen" hp next scattered the s:h i r
nil over the floor. Without the lea-:
thought of sanitation he replaced it
on the stand. Suddenly the boss to; !
htm to carry all the silver to il .
itchen to have it v ashed. Here th i
Hilary Irish cook gave Imp. a hot re-
I'ption. "Why didn't yeu just t:ik
to iho kitchen and b.'ck. The iie
would have thought it was clean. 1- '.
now they kicked to the bos-i. T: '
a boy, ho has no Idea of cleai.lh.e;- "
Christmas shoppers coming into t o
rafetiria reminded Gerrs" of his ;
One dollar-fifty was i:nt much, bet 1..:
vwmld net ask dad fer more n.ider rr .
consideration. Finally lie decided en
something that has been the last re
tourre of many a young man a b ":
of candy.
A whole day with soiled dishes,
half-consumed food, and scolding was
bad enough, but the worst cam? when
two of George's pain came in durirs
the afternoon. Like a maiden sur
prised at her dip at the spring.
George went Into hiding. The man
agir happened to see him ducking
behind the counter and asked him,
what ailed him.
"Pst. don't let them see me!" s.iid
George.
"Who? Are the police after ye?"
said the manager and grabb'-d him by
the eoHa.
This was too mt'oh fer Ginr-re. !!
bowled over the niaaij,or 2t'.i ru..J'. J
( 1
the swell
Archll.nld.
ir pi-i-i , y i.
i in tho
n 1
: bean." I,
I 1
I r'
h-
it in tiie i;
I:' :
'it t
l.il Cuilel I
s' miiers Iip
rv penis i
r-'cre ,,. nt t
er;in:' i'l the.
did toward
lull he mi iti"
. 't in tho pate
I n i-
,t o";
I buel.el
d 'l 1 I
impal ler.t s'lo-.i -ot.
mer.? clrl'.e. -
all v at. six o :e
i"d. ileonie le;i ,
i..-t j, hit d- 'r
'. -s: "Wl-at would
:1 ahdit
l-ll3 S.1V?
w George
'.'.'hv at tho
n'.i'jut to if
tf t'i
tine
..iiisiiiii after the i!
i?hi. she turned t
e? en t'hri. i,.:
bi'.l tu say. ' G
ill uv
a inly
hins.
.i. oi kiii
rros'onts I 1!! ed your box t
best. It wrs the sm-.:
And Donald say.-i he smv y
; for it. You shouldn't go t
I miich t-ouble jiiFt for me, Georr
"Trouble, Dorothy? Dcn't men'
." And with somewhat of pa e:'.'
-'.II !l, ! P Xr.?iul W X
i.
"I Sure Have."
e added, "I had lots of tun; be.'.1
1 was worUing for you."
Dorothy's head i- -' just n H"
w, r.
"Dorothy," said George, so.-;;
couldn't I work for you all my life'.
George placed hit; hands on Dor'
tliy's ftir cap and pressed back ge:
;ly. Her head rose slowly and the:
iips met for one long second.
Then George fastened his fraternit
nin on her gown, the emblem whir
he rules permitted to be given onl
:i "fiancees and wives."
(Copyright. W'eatt rn Kcwpaprr Villon.)
The Spell of Christmas.
Once more, we ara under the pp'
fit Christmas. We cannot be sour iv
irritable or pessimistic, do onr utmos
'A'e have been subjected to a showe'
"oath of gladness; kind thoughts ar
circulating with fullness and vigor
through all the avenues of the mind
we are elated, even jubilant, read:
for laughter and tears, sympatheik
with the children In their glee, tender
oward the poor and forlorn, stranre
! ly accessible to life's best memories
j reverent toward rrliioim faith, one
! nlmost w illing to go to church Al'
: 'his may seem to our paean mind as
foolish as a revival of religion, scn:e
thinp Inconsistent with proper c
eoivie austerity, a senseless revel
iuiiunity at the expense of t
moods, habits. ar"1 "ule" nt so':t' !!
re
pounded into submission and sytvw- ,
thy. overrvip for p few hours or d iys !
i'-y the tides of an Ideal existence. -
Georw A. Gordon, in Atlantic
Jloiithly.
Would Spoil the Shew.
"I ii grieved to f:ee disbyere fee''e
') srTi-'bness crrpp'n' out in oe"
- reparations fob do rhri.-tnir.s c: !'l I ",
i:i ;i." said Parson Snow ball. "Dr:;t'
i-T i'.i ml s;;, v ho insirts on bein" .
.nt.i eb ie 'casirv., is er .rood in;1:
i a er true one, bi t Inn' saks! ! '
..ugriter lc.cw da' wheist
i!'-a"ei!i' 'bout d:H tree wif dem bo'v
'.p o liis'n, dey ain't a chil? in dis
i . i'(h whut pwine b'lieve bo evai'
-ii! fi''o any cbi:r.bly wif tech er
bai'dli fp. Xo, sub Hit des gxiine
-pilo n'l do ronanee er de 'f-ilr. fi '
T ::iieves ter see Pruddor Dentlej"
iictin' de hav.g, des 'case he got k
i:n'y Sr.nta Claus suit in de con'ga
t;on." What Interested Him.
Vr. Sijuiggs I hear that Professor
Wiseman, the prophet, has decided
that the world will come to an e" )
t'.ext Christmas day." '
Tummy S(i"ir,SS Hefore or afK""
di:ncr, pa?
Why He Changed.
Mad-'o 1 tlouglit yo.i and G.rr
were .;oi:t.; sl;..-tii!s;
Marjorie So we wer". bnt when
y I h: i r:y hat. t.-t-ntr.i .1 i ii .e
'i-'t'-e he a.-ked um 'j l.: ici- ,i si.
VA 7v F
CJ1U V'.JL
( hnst mis eve. K-i
I iv reei i , e i luis 1 Iter
i'm A;..y s;:ui.lfrs- tun
no elrl l.i t.ie v. oi: .
,:r aa Te.i i ; :."
"Dear To-l: I. you i.ir
!j:uiag3 to cM- y e- "
-j
. York for Clirisi ma :n.-
-. me t'jurapc iu ui i-un i"
-x i to brother Dob. all right. I
rn n t even boon able to explain Utu
e Ere engaged, inuch 1'"'3 " '
ere r!.uii to be married, b'li a
c and Itob really lika you the:
nu t etji ct. Come in tho mcn,ii:y. if
a; cm manage, and "i ' '''
::y fro. a the stntlo-i a. 1: ''1 '
r-'er G':d to drop i:i fir ':. -'' '
:t in the afternoon - tha' wil'
'"' r than going to bis iiue.se. i tr'- o
evpbiin to Meg, b it you Knov. a i
amiable she Is, and wl'li Christmas ;
mi;-..'., and the children's ip.-.i.is !
i d j;ettin3 a fake Santa Clans fo.'
in-ill. she jurt hasn't time to lister,
eil h-othor Hob ia such a tease !
"'.n't the nerve to tell him."
"Great hat!" gasped Ted, jumping
ii iroai the dininc table, where be
,.d b en reading his last letter from
m- over his solitary meal. Hastily;
the waiter, he dariod wi'li a1:;
, ti rei;i,b the hotel cor.idor, v.;;
. ,iis roiiiu. He had written to A...;
, .-., if shc couldn't manage to b"'
;iTi"d during the holidays, hrt bf
".lii't srpr.osed she would ton---o'..(
av: there was no time to be lost, for
w York was fourteen hours aw o
Ted rnt.tr for a messenger boy, t'l
e ned to the oflire, and wl:c: '
. : .-1, t boy arrived w as throw in-' '
,t necessary belonginrjs into a fui' :
"say. boy." ho said to the liv:'; !
.'. sender, "1 want you to to oi.t an-'
'v a a wedding ring. Ton.nri'ov
inc Christmas tho stores will b- '
iv.l and I can't get it then. AV
,P stores are open tonight. And
-.rg it to the W. & P. railros.d i t i
,n on i.i;t eal'uuai.d platform,
f re's a dollar for you If you get it
' ere by the eight-three and be sum
; d buy the best one the jeweler bus,.
"What size, sir?" asked the boy,
'Inning.
"That's po they come in difteren
.,:es," responded Ted, excitedly wad
;ng a handful of cravats into his
litcase. "Oh, medium size, any size
nly hurry. And If you have time,
et. some jumping monkeys, and to
;'lloons, and tin kitchens and tlni!'.;-
anvtbing kids will like," he said
landing the boy two ten-dollar bills
The next morning, after a night w
sleeping car, Ted Beverly was st.i
reathless as he hurried laden witn
lalf-wrapped tin kitchens and variolic
ther toys and a suit case from hi
axl up the unpretentious brownstoir
r(jnt of the home of his friend V.c
-aunders. Dob was Amy's broth"
nd Amy lived with him and Pob'
ife, Meg, and little Hobbie an-,
i'eggy.
Mrs. Saunders Meg met him ct
lie door.
"How do you do?" she said in th
nost matter-of-fact tone, just as if she
uid seen him the day before. "De
'fine in out of the cold. Rob will h"
'a glad you've come. If those per
ctly lovely things are for my ehil
hen do let me hide them behind tie
i-mo. Oh, by the way,"' she adiii '
' Vpcr!:.::, 'you have Just cci.n ..
'iuie. I was a...iost distractd. Ye
'w.-.ys v rr so cb'igiiiR. Bob of'.!
:vs tjr, 'i.nr- v i v .. ,
.'. Wei would In -p a Hi nd L.t .
'kilt n'-'o the v.-ay you vei:M.
";pected the butcher boy vrnM do
t he's gone to one of i1iom aw'
ie-eiii's--wbatev-r that. Is and
'I off --red him J'- to do it.
"i oi,. here comes Amy niidt''
iiiMren. and I t-jld her to he ,
I ) t,. Hi out fer two h.-.'iirs
'"'. r v.'.v 'be .:.), huk s- s.'.v..
:i; hirrv tir.sti'rs h'rr-- th -'
end brii'.T your suitt':-v.. p;.
-1. n'i.l.i.ii.-b !v de n't. !::(. w 1
v - in. i-d-.-d to ; t (.,. i,' :e
;ui-iy i;-oui a barhc-cue e.- i--
i erre"-! bis presence from the
ren. I'ol'ovo, his hosl.-ss un !
.' rdory gue?t room.
"N- I v ill toll yen." said "':
'. :r-: ;ieor and lockir.s ii 1
';: 1 lii-r. "See, I brouehi yc;,r '
' ,-ov's because 1 l,i.(-sv th.-- -rn
would fuspect foni'dhin? i1
iv tbeiii. 1 was exiuciiii'-r the ') .-.
-"'s l ' -he's just iilioat your 1 :
:. p'ry s?ant,t for the children. V.'b
hi have to do is to dress up i.i t-'e .
.!i!gs this red suit. It's very h:
i made it myself out of rt co-to
annel so I think you ean s'in
: riuht ever your coat, ibm't yor
d this false fare and this nir
"dfe beard and tliep pain-h-'.
- y m:iv haw-bar! to walk iu. le :
y look more like Pant ft f'.:;;n r;'"--r
shoes. Anyhow-. I t'lirk they a,
t nice for Santa CI '.us."
Is Amy well?" asked Ted r.r.lt
:ntlcssly.
-Vcg si-.iply nodded her h;ad i-:
:' ru'itive she w.isi still thU--ili-i.t
the ghlcfhes. "Il'j fuiti.y I -
.- . in I- . . i. i' ii wuen
,-: u-;i.'i. -,vaiit the in nt tlr- tune. ;.-n t
? I often say but. if you il t ?:"
. I'll hist leave vo n I ve a m i l
:ml thiu'rs to do and Amy said mmiiis
iin" rlniit goina; away this e.iLi-r-
i 1 i i t i Ii it
eb!- to licit) no at 'Hi. il"!'1
:o:::o looks if you ',nm to r:d
t 1 ck t
.- v :"..! 1 be muc :i net" li' 'i il
- - .i -i t in the v.iv if : ' ;-' ne
.: t) til" cl l-i U to sne. u, ..i.
r.ve tl:" .santa nr.!;.'..-!'"" .. ' '"'
re i.iccr-r. You cru f i , ii,..i i-
!... skVll-IU Irenes" I. :
-si!-' ' VI for y-'-r pack lit tne
..:!ii. i! le.ai ' wall i u ' '" "-
: lirs i ne.n you een go bac; .nui
on " -r i.-pi i d !- out the
r. ,i I i--'--; ' i i ii "i".. '
Lll.ire-i '; I'l I . ' !. '
, i!-., :! - for me." .Veg x.'as unlcfl-
r n-,. ,h and l'T- :::5. "You may
; v : '.1 sT'i -ko If . i " '.. art lo.- sr.e
.-.i-l "I - vi r-cing i-i t'tive the--- cur--:
. ' iiifd next - k a-ivway so
it H'i . n't ma'ter it it. y do smuil
V.-u m"bt tell .'.'.ny that I am
' - ." said Te.l.
1 "(V,!. she doesn't mind the smoke,"
replied ieg. "Iiesldes, she almost
never ccuu'S into this room."
Ted felt himself defeated,
"or an hour and a half he remained
in his solitary confinement and then
.".leg came again to see that he was
properly dressed and to give him the
cue for his descent.
"Wait till I get al! the way down
and then start," she told him.
' Does Amy know I am here?" Ted
asked with unconcealed concern.
"Hasn't the remotest suspicion of
it," answered Meg. "I think she must
be expecting someone for she has
eleioned twice to the station to
know whether the trains from the
West were late. Yours wasn't late,
as it? Hut I haven't said anything
..bout your being here."
"It's bard to navigate in these old
jionts," said Tom from under his
:.rd.
Peg was hanging a hugh potato
hi--? full of toys on Ted's back. "I
it the presents you brought to
bby and Peggy in with the rest,"
! e said. "They are really lovely,
y-v.v remember you follow as soon a9
.;! diiv. 'i .- lairs. We will all be in
e iirauiug room."
"t.-d rot safely down the first flight
..'.airs with his heavy pack (hump
'.is on tbe stairs as he came. He
as halfway down the last flight
- hen he caught a glimpse of Amy's
. to' ly forehead and golden hair. He
"I Put the Presents You Brought in
j With the Rest."
craned bis head, er.ger lo see more,
! ,,.,!,. erMicbt fer a tec:nd neninst
the banisters, be miised his looiiug
in the awkward galoshes, and with
d- s;: rjte .Tort to regain his bal-
' ailpaper. Tho next thing he knew
:o was sprawling in a confused
tu.ble ef toys and red cetten fannel
' v.iii:e Lair an.; tack-iij; at tho
oi (if the stairs.
"Hlanie-those galoshes!" was bis
-1st uiKer. inrinioii:-. r-mark as ho
lied liimsolf out .-.f the confusion.
fd tl'.ere stood Amy. 1 1c b and .Mrs.
e;r ami Hobby and I'eggy -all more
r less wid. --eyed and iiicrcduluus.
"::"'a fell downstairs: that's ail.
Isn't ui-ed to ntairs, you know,"
'! )o; with rare pr. n-.u-e of mind
nxicus only to preset vo her chil
- en's faith in the myth of Santa
.-us. She hurrlcdiy adjusted tho
. -Lm? face that had flopped up iu
lir. fall.
"Poor old Santa," said little Peggy,
o-.'tly patting his arm. and nobby was
erly examining the toys that lnai
pilled from the pack.
'Great guns, it's Ted!" began Pc'j
in r.n aside, but Meg clapped her ;
uind over his mouth. j
Meantime Amy was holding a whis
"rcd conversation with the confused
'anta.
' Why. these are papa's galoshes,"
id Hobby.
That's not Santa, at all, anyway,"
m:1 llnle Peggy. "It's Mr. Ted Rev
!y what's going to be our uncle,
e's come to marry out Aunt Amy,
there, and he's Just dressed up
' " Santa bo's to fool mamma and
' a. Aunt Amy told us this morn-
:e war. j-going to marry her this
' Tie:,. Wouldn't Santa laugh If
' see him?"
M. on. r. :;. 4v.ip.-r Syndicate.),