The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-12-15

1--WE ASK YOU TO STAY" ter breakfast and
come back with green wreath that had
q red star In its center. Almost every
window in sight had its green wreath with
O red star for heart Dodo was the
churchgoer of the twain. As she pierced
her Sunday hat with long pin she settled
the dinner hour with Nan.
While they were talking the man over
head. was walking to and fro with scarce
ly muff1ed restlessness, which Dodo de-
clarod got into her nerves. Then they
heard door open and the same football
pass down the steps.
II suppose the poor fellow has gone of
to play peace on earth and good will to.
ward man to church full of rich people
who don't care copper whether he has
crust of bread today or not"
Nan looked at her severely. upon my
word, Dodo, wouldn't let my imagina-
ton run entirely away with me just be-
cause man over our heads is given to
pacing all day in breaking shoes and the
janitor's wife called him the lonely gem
tleman.'
When Dodo got back from church, Nan
put her in charge of affairs while she made
ono Of those mysterious expeditions Of
which Christmas day Is always prolific.
When she came back, Dodo was standing
by table in tho kitchen staring tragical-
ly into an open paper bag.
"Come look at tl.is, Man," she said
gravoly.
Nan walked toward her with apprehen-
siye quickncss. OF course something had
gone wrong with the dinner.
"a tin Ian with baked beans and pork
in it? Why, we never ordered any beans"
"Of COURSE we didn't. That Is his
Christmas dinner. Oh, Nan"
"Whosef'
"That poor old mans overhead.
swell, but how do you know 1t is?"
at Just must be. Somebody whistled
up our tube, and went to the dumb
waiter, and there were just two bags on 1t.
/ grabbed the one nearest to me, for I'D
left the sauce for the plum pudding sim
mering on the stove, and the waiter went
OH up. He is the only one higher up than
we, so we've got his Christmas dinner
Sand he's got our plum pudding!"
"Oh, we'll, let 1t go! A miserable little
canned puddinR-I hope he will relish It'll"
"But perhaps no prefers beans and
pork"
Dodo put out her hands tragically.
"Don't speak Of them. camo home
In such asublimated frame of mind! Such
music as have heard today, Nan-I mean
the organ solo! 1t came over me like the
swelling anthem Of solemn ocean waves.
always cry at tho sound Of tho sea. If l
could find out who played that solo,
would pay him all l make in year to
teach me the organ. 1t lifted me clean
out of the realm Of worry and care, and
then-to como back to pork and beansI'
"Ard Mrs. Stone" Nan added as tho
twitter of the doorbell sounded through
the little apartment.
1t was In state of complete readiness
for tho festive occasion. Mans evergreen
wreath, with its crimson star, decorated
their one front window; q beautiful branch
of holly that Dodo had secured a week be-
fore was suspended by her best neck rib
bon from the single gas jet in the center
of tho room. Two mysterious parcels on
the table under it showed where tho mod
est gifts which were to brighten the day
for Mrs. Stone and the lame girl were de-
posted.
Dodo stood absently twisting the neck
Of the bag about the pan of beans. If
there was only some way of sending his
dinner back to him and making him keep
their plum pudding for dessert! Then
she started violently.
Nan was talking to somebody, and some
body was answering In a rich baritone
voice that certainly did not belong to old
Mrs. Stone. What Nan said was: