Semi=weekly graphic., 1896-12-26

bling with Gle sac n ei8hs "How that little gal oriedl eain't stand ii. yit l must Thar aI1't no other way. not unless D.
 He broke off there and ralloped furi. ousiy away For r zHaps a mile he held his oourse then turned square about and went toward Co county town at the same hreakneck pace
 
 Tho day before Christmas shone warm and moist, with blue sky so soft and springlike the nipped chrysanthemums under the edgeof tho south piazza pork ed themselves up with q semblance of blossomiug anew Human nature seeta- ed ii like kindly mood All day A stream Of wagons had rolled up to leave logs cut in fire lengths st the Walton back gate. Then Uncle Billy Trotter and Aunt Nan had come their big bug gy loaded down. Saeh big, splendid bronze gobbler as peered from between Uncle Billy's knees. such Il thick frost cd pound cake as Efrs Trottor held in her lap, such cid ham and pickles. tho buggy bez disgarged, not to mention q pig for Pete and pain of bullets for Mmianl
 1eared you had started in tho chick en business " Uncle Billy said. pinch. ing the ehild's eur. So ma m me thought maybe you'd like some o' our red game breed You're sorter game chicken yourself. oh, MarianY'
 "Yes, fight when I have to, Mar ian returned. "An am goin to raise eggs an chickens next year. Woall said wed put the money that fell down the chimney in somethia we could work with an try to buy back Lightfoot. Y"
 a4euH git her. Uncle Billy said. ehuekling hard, while Aunt Nan said aside to Betty:
 8i9f it's itten weather, Betty I'm comin in the eaTyall next preaebin day to take you all to church. .
 Before Betty could answer q black lad rode gp with a big basket before him. Dropping biz has, he said eheerily:
 q Miss Betty, Miss sairey Pellew say here's CT piece CT fraish beef an soma mineh meat she done made petiekler gcodi case Obris'm mus don comes but once CT year
 T don't know how to thank every body, Betty said 10 Mrs. Trotter. with wet eyclidF, when tue boy had gone away.
 Don't try, honey that good wom. m returned, bending to kiss Tess rose. bud mouth. Then she drove away, snug and smiling at her husbands elbow leaving Betty te receive yet other ma --,1;5.5 '6@eHe ez ,4I1 day of peace and good will They came from every hand fiat sacks of meal and -four, applea. potatoes, preserves hememade wine, flake crusted pies and sagary crisp sweet cakes.
 Some way thesupef wound. ed Betty. albeit hle knew it was but some slight exaggeGafion of the friendly neighborheod custom She was iu fact, a triae morbid. Sho would have re- eeived as graciousiy and gracefully as any might but fer thinking that the giving had the spur of her supposed ne cessity.
 There is nobody else to send any thing We can rest lttio while, Irab said after supper, but even as he spoke there came q laundering knock at the front daog Nobody was thcre when it opened, but they heard wheels rolling away.
 "Bahl Blind eoosasl Don't you see the box2 Therel Al your feet, Marian cried darting past frab and Pete to snatch a square wooden something from the floor in frontof her brothers When she had wrencheJ t open there lay, amid wrappings of pink and silver pa per, all manner eff Christmas cakes and Christmas toys, fireworks galore, and at tho very bottom a serawly slip, Tommy Adkin wishes his friends Trab and Pete and Patty and Marian and Tess q very happy Christmas "
 "And am left out entirely, though Tommy used to claim me for his sweet heart when he wore dresses, Betty said, laughing to save herself from cry ing Marian kicked the bax eontemp- tuously, saying
 We must be aettin popular when MT. Storekeoper Adkin thinks it worth while to be good to Us"
 Marian, Marian, Betty said "Wha5 a speech, and Christmas tool am afraid mustmaEa you write and thank Tommy, and remomher doars, Christ mas means above everything peace on earth and good will to men.
 "If Christmas makes folks good, why don they paBpy come homer Tess asked with round, wet eyes Patty was staring hard in the tre Without stir ring she said over her shoulder; be- liove he will come, and Lightfoot too There is 9 road in the fra--a long one and man aud a horse coming along it. "
 
 Betty slept dIaamlsssly that night but all the next day she was the prey of nameless terrors Tier mind went back constantly to tbe beginning of the trou- ble. It seemed to her il had truly be- gun when Johnny Gtates the richest, idIest. most dissolgt3 yoangsfor in tho county, came coartlgg her aad was sent about his business. Yet he 1t was who had brought her word Of her fathers ar rest and in tho same breath had beg ged her to marry bin When she gave him q frantic refusal he looked at her, his face erown. bard and white, his eyes burning, to s3Y: Whatever your father suffers, Bet. t will lie tt your door. You might s.ve Itim, and you let