THE WAYNESVILLE MOUNTAINEER
ML
rSnowball
-tHvcr.
J Gntoain J
r Donner
Ai'K IihiI not been
home In seven yeiirn.
T bey li a l gone
quickly enough la
t li e way I h h t
yeurn will gn, Imt
i)o that lip as
back. It seemed un
tliotili they hint
been lunger. He had
llllsHcl SO llllllll.
It was not that
tilings hud cluing".!. Of course, I here
were, chiinges In the looks of the town.
There were few slclghx lineil up slung
he main street; liiteiiil I here were
aiutoinoliiles.
He hml been thinking how the
lelgh-bells would Jingle iih the horses
I 'U I toil the sleighs over I he crNp win
ter snow. Hut insteinl of sleigh -hells
there were the Rounds' of firm rubber
Tires oreflkln! oer the froren. snmv-
oered Ktreets. There Imii been uu
loinohlles used in lluit lnier of seven
iHri iast hut I hey hint not hern oe
liHiiiiiiiui. The sleighs hivl a rlmni'i'.
N'mv die sli-ighs were iiiile missing
'l ite iiutnmuhiles hul cluirge.
lie unmleri'tt if he stayed awsy for
ini'tlier seven years If he would see
iiglns from nli'i'liines iind hem' I hem
loiz.ing oer t li- building. Yel. even
if he illil, he did not feel as though
the -lure would really ihtinge
There ns something ahoul the
town thiit would never change They
might hullil mole modern kIiois, nlr
I'lnue landings might I like the ilares
"f -o nuiny gtirnges as the gni'Hges
Mid t.iken the plures of hlaeksmith
hois, hut the essential iUa!llifN of
I he town would never change.
Always Christmas would he Christ
inas here with Its hully-fllled windows,
its wreaths over doors. Its trees for
'hrlslinns lining the main slreel.
Imuhtless that wan the way Chrlst
inna won lit always he In many places.
Hut here It would seem more Impor
tant. Christmas would lie deep In (he
whole heart of the town which always
expanded and became go generous and
big and open at this season of the
year.
I'rohahly hecause It wad, Christmas
illd deem different here from that of
my other pi nee.
He remembered the Christmas be
fore. There had been gayly decorated
shops, hurried, happy shopper, lighted
I'hrtstniHs tree In the streets, crisp
-now and Christinas greeting.
Hut It hadn't been the same. Christ
mas seemed to belong no much more
to Ills own home, in that other place
he hud felt a little lonely and a little
out of it. Hut here he had no feeling
of loneliness. Kven though he was Just
in k an-'l as yet had met few of the
people he knew and had vaguely rec-
gnlzed some who were grown up now
ho had heen children before he left,
he did not feel out of It.
They might not recognize him, but
lie was at home and he wlis hnppy
i:nd loneliness had heen banished from
his dealt In a gloriously complete
fashion.
He had gone home as soon as he
Ion arrived. And now he had come
up to get the 1 1 it 1 1 . It was not thai
Ire cpcriel any mall. Ills Christina
card and bovs of cigars and neckties
1 1 ti -1 such would he sent to his business
olilress, for it was not until the last
minute that he had been sure he could
make tin- Ion; nip and reach 'mini' In
It Surely Was Wonderful to be Blck
Agi'.n.
time for I hrivtinas Kve. His telegram'
had coinc before him. hut his presents'
lir 1 : Iready been serf iiiit, and Ins'
nut I v icihl he waiting for him at hi
i. Mice l.i lie sine, he knew the fain!','.
Mould ipiicMi all I iimrvelously lin ' '
I'llle giif to out H hU place on the
t'bri:i:i:is giil table. I'.ni ruin : !
for the inail was siinrih :i ites're ' .j
do what he hud always done. In ruin,-' ;
ui'h the people, to see his o' n to,i: !
folk.
It surely was womb riul t,, . '
again. Wonderful heicl cvrn w'.ir
lie hud drtMi I it would be. lb. !
lucky that the train had been on liuu-j
and he had been able to have a ou ,
Chiistmus I'.vv. '
Christmas trains, he thought, shout :
always be on time. Momenta in Chrlsi ,
maw mean so much.
He was leaving the post office. He
bad seen a number of people lip knew '
Just outside he met a group of men
who I ad been gradtiuted from high
school in lils class They were pii-:,-Ink'
up sc'iie of Hie now I; !l s:i,.v
and tbrnuin snowballs m n ginnp of
laughing, red-che.ked girls.
"You remember them." he was lulil.
And then It was explained hi hii:i t i a?
Iheso grow ii up young people win' tJie
youii-icrs of seven years ii:i.
lie ji.ir.id in tlie . hum hull Iiu: T
Evidently le was a good shut, lor u
loa.l sh'-irk froi'i one of the girls prio
ri. limed Hint lac:
"li. oh, Unit's not fair! Vo:ir -hkw-ball
v ent right into my dice. I.in-ky
it was fresh snow ot I'd have llnlsbi'd
J ou ."'
I'm so sorry," he said to her an 1
r ojtiied her then as thai .nice 111 tie
Ail. ii is kill lie used to teach to b.ik'ii -e
i n her bicycle and whose school l:ig
he sMiuctimes carried home for her.
She had btseti younger than lie mil
flic had always htvn such a gooil lit
tle sp.r:. ready to enter Into every
llcng. eeger to try.
, you remember me.
'I':
Adams gasped just
ilo:i"t
r I :-
lac!;
ion. Connie
Cotitanct
tie.
"Why. of course I" do ;" she ex
clainiol. ' Tint I didn't expert lo lin I
you hitting .me with snow bulls. TIiuI'm
a tine kind of greeting!"
How beautifully she had chan.'eii.
All her same nice essential qualities!
seemed Just the same, but her change
were merely additional attribute..
She dresseil with more taste than site
bad when a youngster, she was grm-e-fill
now Instead of torn boyish.
She was like the town. In Its spirit.
Its homeyness would always be tin
same, no matter with what sitcceeilin
fashions and customs it kepi apace.
"Look here," he said abruptly,
"would jou mind if I left the mail
home anil then came around far n
nice chat with you';"
"I won't be home until ever so
late," she said, "or only for a moment
at any rale. I should lie there now to
It Wii Late When They Got Back t
Her Houee.
get the baskets with the presents. I
haven't delivered any of my gifts yet."
l!uuldn't I rone, tesfT"
"Indeed yes. yoa'd b fra ttp
in -Hrryin the basket. I 1
like school bug and ttaafcefa raoitA
for me."
She looked up at bin mU tangheA.
The general smuwlKinhBS fca4
Kiopiwd :imum wire 0ing 8 l
ge'ber. ell bent tbeJr "fcriHti;i
K e ncllvilii.
"I'll lie oliligias," iVwuante a5J.
"Vim lake the i-irtil 'Uti JWI rii Y
r -::dy as sism as inn rtvrw. I wi
keep ynu vvuitlng. "lliinr V rtuit. AtOt
tbe.v hi str'ei!"
Sbe ;iiiinl. n I J1V tKucrii s-.ei.
r..-!s:i!es 1 .xnt to pH Iktwl." fl
at!, li d ii. tiil.v. -i've tm ntanf .i
u b'l e I itc.jsi
1 1 sol nded in hVs rars J"; a 1ir.w.
fill r-."i-.iin. almo.s4 like nieWf.
wmi'i keep ynu wailij;?. I vaTl Veei
Mi-i waiting."
-aid it over iinl iija
I: r:i i ll .Nor did lie l;eej. Iter K.litjas-'
lie was tliere in mrvrly amy limr A
all. His family hud ir&rtiTstonKl The;
i ml si-emeil hain.v tl1 he b:i fnxa t
himself mi nuickly at Iww lTe
lov.n It wluit they Stlv
fe: : "i lie wmihl uot he.
What a Ray thia; tliat !a'lg
iirmiiid CbriMmas imwnt in li.1seta,
n wishing iieople 1iriMtauw rtieer mid
liolidny greelingsi. in havhts ifcmr
opened to one where a whiff f balKuae
ii ml shadow s or firelight mt a g1
oer one's whole heart and mind .and
soul.
It wus lute, very late, wlwn they'
goi back to her hutue. lie sappoaed
be sdiould wall. He Mipiusd he vhimtM
l;ee i"l''t 'lr 'W
this. Kill lie couldn't. ItesnAes, It
was Christmas and at dtrlsmxa. feed
ings weren't wip-posed to Tie liidde.
One wasn't nshamed of sentiment, auae
ilidn'l barricade one'a affei-liua. i
"t'onnie. yon may ay 1 kmt Vmjtf,
hut I do." he began. "I knew ait mm-.
I think I've always kuaus. to leas
lieen tliere, unreal lied perfcapfc.
you know even as a Vid n- (
usual. You weren't lite xr ti
iilhera all nice enough tu yni' j
"1 wish I'd nimle a ait ivtth .
thing other than ;i famndall V bej
ended. f!
"I'm rather t!';'d U """nil siiow-
Imll." Ciinstiiiice uiiseitvl ttlo,.li. "It
ivus like gelling bark t ane to the
lays when I was a iUMt-mI ym rere
so nice to me and lri ise le isrlinded
in s many of lle idil.T iKys," an '
girls' Bniiics."
I'd like ,! include m. i eArlt
sively Include yim. !n my uiiole lie.
;e !Sihl geirly. "I'oaliln't you led
ia that ynu woiib!u'i ke:j me r;i;l-
ng?"
"Well, uuiylie 1 iotiV 7ip ettdil.
very seriously, "and msybe I'd mean
I. too! Merry ('hritnian. lr dear!"
"Only i years o'der. ynung tunarty,
nt Merry Christmas Just ibe earje!"
And the idil town Jasl seemed to
sparkle and twinkle that Tirisleius
live us ft never had tiefore
aceoowtficicBoeorOOi
Gifts Made of Ribbon
""" 'Si s
-wrlWtteag IU of joy awaits any
member f the family who wakes up
riirMnK Bkornio to find herself o-
i-!osietf a. T finery like the pretty
bam p toe Riartecs hnwn here. The
bag i stiajitx made of two pieces of
rlde. black rlliboa cut rounded at
ne esd aatd sewed together. 'Two
xltirtrM Inrfca are run In above the
wnara. H is Ttaed with colored silk
ami xatfcwref a filigree silver
Kmnrrttng. fiamm Wa and pink
Bar an wIMum lOffa-ned -rer flat e'as
Uc for the garters, wMA are flushed
ariath bws and rtalnesOone ornaments.
"Parchment TorcKerea
SmmmI W.s? s ,u-s s ariMl
AnHiru; ther unique devices for
Hofleuing e!e-tric lights are the fash
innable puretiment torcheres which
may be bongW ready for minting.
They may be Hated with soft yellows
and reds blended together, or dec
orated with floral at other decora
'tiMU. One who ia Dot clever at patnt
cn; can get beautiful efferiri by cut
tmx oat dcidgtia from crepe poper,
I'ltMlVg them on the torchere and then
painting over the entire surface with
thin, traaparent, amber eallng wax
paint.
MHHHKHOHHHMOO
Gay Holiday Apr6ns
Here Is a gift that everyone, from
grandma down to the youngest Ktibdeb,
will rejoice In at Ohrlstmaa time nnd
long thereafter. It Is a gay and quaint
pinafore, made of brilliant, flowered
cretonne, bordered and finished with
black sateen, and Is prettiest In cre
tonnes having a black background with
many-colored garden flowers blooming
against it. The black sateen borders
the bib and pockets and makes the
long shoulder straps.
SOtKHW0ttWKH
Ribbon Vanity Case
,
lip ISl
Santa Claus will find himself dis
tributing a lot of new vanity cases this
Christmas, for nothing Is more popu
lar as a gift. Here Is a rich and ele
gant homemade one, that requires
about twelve Inches of gold brocade
ribbon, six Inches wide, and about
eighteen Inches of rose-colored satin
ribbon for lining and pocket. The
case Is bound with narrow gold lace
and two tiny brass rings are sewed
to the top. A gold cord, attached to
the bottom of the onse, slips throogh
these lings and serves to close and
suspend IL The little pocket enrrhwt
compact, powder, rouge and ony other
desired fl'ting.
ynesvil
.Book
Store
THE OLD ESTABLISHED
I ! : i 7 'if
jfllf
SANTA CLAUS HEADQUARTERS
Gifts of Every Description and Kind too Numerous to
Mention Them All
Christmas Gifts
FOR THE GIRLS
DOLLS
TEA SETS
STOVES
LAUNDRY SETS
DOLLS BEDS
DOLL CARRIAGES
PIANOS
FOR THE BOYS
IRON TRAINS
IRON TOYS
MECHANICAL TRAINS
"WAGONS
HORNS
DRUMS
BLOCKS
FOR GROWN UPS
BOOKS
PICTURES
SMOKERS' ARTICLES
SHAVING STANDS
MANICURE SETS
VASES""
NOVELTIES
FLOiVERS--We Call Your Attention to Our Grand Stock of Boohs, Framed Pictures, Musical Instruments
We Are Agents For Flowers and Plants of Every Variety. Call Upon Us When in Need of the
Services of an Expert Florist. For Quick Service for FIovkm for Every Occasion, Sec Us.