The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1879-12-31

much she might have been doing in the
four long, weary weeks. But DR.. Will.
loughby came then and put stop to all
this. Miss Thundercloud WAS of reso'
lutte nature, and in another week she
was allowed half-hour airings in the
middle portion of the day. Soon she
was making hasty visit here and there,
on her old round, and as the holidays
grew near she had taken up the good
work just where she had dropped ii
when the fever overlook her. But her
nurse watched, and while she was never
out of his mind she was rarely out Of
his sight.
It was the day before Christina.
Along the streets there was wide
spread feeling of festivitY. Quite late
in the afternoon Willoughby ordered
the bays to the stable, and started afoot
on sort of dog-trot, down an uptown
side street. He thought he would run
over to the ''Home," and carry few
things for the inmates to make merry
over. for Christmas was coming. About
two blocks from his destination, be
dove into corner grocery, and COM
menced making purchases in rather
wild sort of way; citron, raisins, almonds,
apples, lemons, oranges and pickles.
He ordered several pounds of an assort-
ed lot of crackers, kind to be found
only at corner groceries. He bought
two jars of unpleasant looking jam, from
off very high shelf where they must
have been for years. His last purchase
was q mammoth gobbler with a very
big paper rosette on it's broad bosom.
He had an idea that such an enormous
rosette would make a sensation among
the inmates; he had forgotten that the
sightless eyes would pass it unnoticed.
Collecting his purchases he made a
dive ont of side door and nearly collid-
ed with a young lady who was passing
rapidly, we'll ladened, like himself, and
from out of torn, tapping mass of yel-
low. brown paper, the heads of two
plump pullets dropped in the resigned
way of their kind. Miss Thundercloud
was bound on the same errand as Will
loughby. She WAS far from home;
heavily .ladened; the night was closing
in on her, and she was hurrying along
quite frantically. She was feeling, too,
how quite alone she was, and not unlike
crying. When they recognized each
other; both grasped the situation with
remarkable clearness; and his very
shadow calmed and rested her. In
stead of only two blocks, Willough-
by wished there had been two miles
ahead OF him. It was Christmas eve,
and he felt as if there could be no 9TH
er gift so good for him, so satisfying, as
the gift of the little woman by his side.
On the instant he decided on course of
action. When they we're in the hall of
the "large, REQ building" after giving
the janitoress reasonable time to disap-
pear down the rear stairway, DR.. VIII
loughby called Miss ThundercIoud to a
halt. 1t was very big hall, lit by a
single, weak-looking, little gas-jet,
neither promising nor brilliant, which
gave to the place pale, unnatural look,
not unlike the light in an undertaker's
window. There were two lonely-looking,
stiff-appearing chairs near the double
doors. It was an odd sort OF thing to
make love there, but Willoughby was
sure that it would do. He laid his bun
dies and the turkey on one of the
unwelcome-looking chairs, and then
assisted Miss Thundercloud to unload
her burden. She was looking sort of
dazed and doubling. Then, standing
quite near to her, he said
"Miss Thundercloud, I am going to
ask you for my Christmas. I am more
impatient for it than was ever any child
to know the contents of his stocking on
Christmas morning. I really cannot
wait" Then some words were spoken
in low, earnest tones, and then Will
loughby drew back little, and stretch
ed out his arms to her said, almost be-
seechingly, "Will you come to me9"
There was unspeakable love in the ges-
ture. She hesitated not an instant, but,
like an obedient child, willingly she
went to him and made an offering of her
valuable self, and, being very fond of
her, knowing her worth, as he binds her
to him with his arms, he kisses her pas
sionately, again and again. She was
the bride of his heart.
Then Miss Thundercloud freed her.
self, and holding up trim package,
said saucily, CDR. Willoughby, here
are three pounds of fresh peppermint
drops; you know about such things, do
you believe there will be enough to last
those dear old ladies over Christmas2"
But he made answer with another kiss.
And then they took up the burden of
their purchases, and aseended the
G fo;ro ar, fb air orrop1 of 1oua both fool
ing richly rewarded.