Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-12-23

course. that he must give them both 10
Jean. even though she might think him
eXtravagant in spending SO much on them
when he was saving up for their home.
While thinking the matter over il sud
denly occurred to him that he could make
things look moro reasonable If he sent She
brooch as Il Christmas present and the
bracelet as Il birthday gift. That would
justify them both. Replacing the jewels
in their boxes with appropriate cards he
took them to the postotlicc and mailed
them so that she would get then the
first thing in the morning.
When he went to Jeans home to have
his Christmas dinner with her. he found
her radiantly happy. The gloom that he
was told always oppressed her on Christ
mas was nowhere in evidence. Her greet
ing to him was more affcctionAtc than il
had ever been before, and he felt that, be-
sides wishing him Il merry Christmas,
she was doing all in her power to make il
so for him. When they We're finally left
alone in the parlor after dinner, she said
she wanted to thank him again for hi,
Christmas present and birthday git.
There is only one way for lovers to rX-
press such thanks, and after Il furiiv"
glance toward the doors and windowS it
was so expressed. After the customary
pause of happy silence Jean whispered
rs she hid her face on his bosom:
81 felt sure all along that You w0u'd
pass the test all right. You are so noble
and so generous loved you 50 much
that | wanted to tell YOU all about il. but
if | did there would be no test. | knew
it was silly, but | vowed once that |
would test ell my friends this way, as
l.,
and You know it has given mo the rcpu-
tation of being odd"
''Rut what is the trst?" asked Harry in
surprise. at the same time rejoicing that
he had passed it successfully.
'Cant YOU guess? No, no; you c"ui
never guess. for you are too thoughtful
and generous ever to think of doing any
thing else than what you did,
Harry puffcd ont his chest and felt
good while he waited for her to proceed.
''You see, it is just like this: | was
born on Christmas day. and supcr,;titious
people say that is what makes me differ
ent from every one else, but no one has
ever guessed the real reason All the
other children had birthday as we'll as
Christmas every year, but | had to be
satisfied with one day for both. Besides.
| usually had to he satisfied with only
one present. When | was Il child, that
used to make me feel cheated. and
brooded over it till | was morbidly srnSi-
tive on the point. but rs | grew older it
occurred to me that it gave me Il chance
to find out which of my friends were
really thoughtful and cared for me very
much. They We're the ones who rcmcm-
bcrcd my birthday and Christmas. Just
as You did. and the ones who beat me
out of a present | just had very li;tIr
more to do with OF course it is not the
presents | think so much about. bat the
thoughtfulncss, though when | was yolin-
ger the presents used to count too"
".And SO that was what WAS mt the
bottom of all the endngS of friendships
that have happened with you every
ChriStmas?"
EYES"
"And was it because Tom Harland did
not think to give you a Christmas pres
ent and birthday gift that you broke off
the engagement with him."
"Don't let us speak about that crra-
turc'
But | want to speak about him. You
have never explained why you broke of