The San Francisco call., 1897-12-19

there was high carnival The Christ
mas tree had been pushed into a cor
ner, ithe furniture was jammed against
the wall and the center of the room
was cleared for stage. The children
were playing 1.-The Night Before
Christmas" joey was stage manager.
To begin WITH he said, "Ruthie
and Teddie must be the children all
snug in their beds"
The children pulled off their stock
ings joyfully, but Teddie refused to lie
still in the imprOvised bed, so Agnes
exclaimed: Lets have Teddie for St.
Nick. He'll be so funny and cute"
She took fur tippet from the hall ta-
BILE and knotted it into high fantastic
cap for Teddie. Jack pulled his rock
ing horse into the middle of the floor
and the children piled it full of toys,
while Millie made bundle of toys tied
up in a table cover. The boys dragged
a sofa up beside the piano. The next
thing was to harness the reindeer to
the sleigh. This they did by each TAX
ing an end of some bright jingling
reins, while the other ends were tied
together for Teddie to hold. Finally
Teddie, with one bare pink foot in the
Stirrup, was mounted. Now, Teddie,"
shouted Joey, and Teddie, raising him
self in the stirrups, yelled, Now dash
away, dash away, all" Up they sprang,
jingling their bells, the boys leading,
the girls following, on to the sofa, on to
the piano, while Teddie roared himself
hoarse. 1t was at this moment that the
anxious mother opened the door.
"Oh, childrenl Oh, Agnes What in
the world are you doing? Don't you
know that Mr.. Grosvenor-oh, what
shall I do? Teddie, where are your
stockings? Oh, did L All, here they
are"
The visitors took in the scene at a
glance.
"Wel,' said Mr.. Smiley, Christmas
evidently comes but once a year here"
Mr.. Grosvenor caught Teddie up in
his arms and tossed him to the ceiling.
why, how is this" he cried, your
reindeer left you behind, didn't they?"
Helen joined in the fun and Mrs.
Hunters embarrassment disappeared.
| Dinner was announced, and in another
minute they were all standing before
a table bright with Christmas decora-
tiOns. The children had effectually
driven Uncle George and his failure to
| appear from the hostess mind. Mr..
and Mrs. Hunter were opposite each
the table. Mrs. Smiley sat at Mr.. Hun
ter's left instead of at his right, where
Helen found herself with Mr.. Gros-
venor beside her. At Mrs. Hunters
right was Mr.. Smiley, and next to him
Aunt Bessie. On his mothers left sat
the irrepressible Teddie. The chair on
the other side of him was the one re
served for Uncle George. Next this
chair sat Ruth, then Agnes, upon whom
her mother depended to keep an eye
on both the little ones. The two boys
and Millie were at the other end of the
| table 1t must be born in mind that
the empty chair was opposite Helen
and Mr.. Grosvenor and between Ted
die and Ruthie.
AS Mrs. Hunter took her seat she
said to the servant standing near her
Move that chair back quietly"
| A few moments later the girl was fill
| ing Mrs. Hunters glass. 1T won't
move ma am" she said; 'it bees stuck
to the floor"
| Mrs. Hunter saw that the girl looked
a little pale and at the same time q
shiver passed down her own spinal col
umn. Never mind" she said, but
| shut the window; 1 feel draught."
The dinner moved on from oysters to
dessert. The pudding was gone and the
dessert of nuts and fruit and bonbons
was placed upon the table. The glasses
were filled and Mr. Hunter gave the
| Christmas toast, ITO Our Dear Ones
Absent and Present. God Bless Us All
Every One"
Mrs. Hunter, looking at Helen, saw
! that every vestige of color had left her
! face and that her eyes were fixed or
! Leaning f0r-
ward to see what could cause this un-
mistakable terror she felt the blood
slowly freeze in her veins. Teddie and
Ruthie were looking up and smiling
| into a face that was not there, their
| chubby little hands, resting just above
| the arms of the chair, were clasping fin
gers which were not there. A sud
! den silence fell on all at the table
| Mr.. GrosvenOr, looking at Helen, saw
with a shock of revusion, the soft
! curls about her face unroll and
straighten out. He turned away with
a feeling of disgust. He had seeen at
the beginning of the dinner that there
were the fateful thirteen at the table
and he thought that she had just dis
covered it. He could not forgive this
! weakness of character, and he told
himself that he could never marry her
Ihen ms eyes rel on Teddle, who
picked UP the boutonniere of glossy
leaves and holly berries.
"Hy don't 90 wear oo's fowers?" he
asked, presenting them to something
in the chair.
The short-cropped hair on Mr.. Gros-
venor's head rose slowly, until he
| looked like an animated window brush,
for it took the boutonniere and placed
it in it's coat. No one moved or spoke
at the end of the table. Mrs Hunter
tried to moisten her lips with her
tongue, but it was stiff and cold as ice.
"Oh, papa" cried Jack, who had no.
ticed nothing unusual, and who sud
denly realized that dinner was almost
over; you promised to tell us a story
'N-No, my son, IL think not. II
d-don't remember
why, papa, you always tell us a
story at Christmas dinner. Tell us a
real creepy, creepy ghost story, won't t
your
Mrs. Hunter raised her eyes to the
chair as if to ask mercy for the rash