The St. Louis Republic., 1900-12-09

weather. Intent on the last Of their Christ
masing. You'd always krow il was Christ
mas. said Kate. IF you hadn't any al
Inanac. Something in the air / do wish
Fad get back. | wonder If johnny went
aiter MN or course. he did: i don't know
i Wonder-wcll. If Johnny diI 20 after
him and does come back with him | won't
stand out about the weddin' gown any
lonse-. I'm half 4 mind TO run up 10 Elder
Iiniss and ask him to drop round this
evening. I've got a mufher I car give him
| in case nothing happens" And It did not
take Kate long to carry cut her intention,
every one OF all the busy Christmas thronC
turning on the street with n good wish for
tie smiling. rosy. hurryng young creature.
She had faint hope. when she cama
running back against the wind. that she
would find the place lighted. and hear the
rough voices that had begun to seem to her
sweeier than any music. But il was all
dark and still. and she repienished the fire.
and set the table, running every few min
utes Ia look out. II was growing toward
twili2ht; people made haste with the new
skates under their arm the dolls head
psering from the parcel. the turkeys legs
In evidence. sometimes whi-tl!ng Urchin.
50 metirnes a forlorn and empty-handed
woman. But no Captain Billy came lum-
boring up the wharf: no Johnny.
IL was quite dark now. She could hear
the great lee foes splitting in the river.
Her fathers boat-she had grown very
restless. She walked the floor. pressing her
forehead on the cold pane at every turn.
"Oh. it's n pretty Christmas I've made for
us ail,' she cried. And then she walked
the floor again. and wruns her hands. and
could not see the glad and say pso9le go
ing by. for the squirting tears lCr hear the
children shouting Merry Christmas to
each other. for the sound of her beating
heart and the cry of the rising gale. "Oh,
pa. oh. Johnny" she sobbed again. Il don't
L..
back III never speak sharp word again
till the longest day l live." But neither pa
nor Johnny replied.
In fact. Captain Billy could not have re-
piled If he had heard her. lie WAS at that
moment down in the harbor On II cak, u.
ice. floating out to sea. What had hap
pened he could not have told accurately:
whether. when the dark coal steamer came
plowing to her moorinss. his skiff was cut
in two, or whether she sent the great cakes
Of ice crashing and fitting about and some
OF them did the business for him But here
he was. suddenly landed high and dry on
ore OF those cakes. and clutching the slip
perry edges for dear life. halloOins for help.
seeing the town lights slipping away be-
hind him. the harhor lights a live emerald
and Il ruby. following. bearing the long note
nf the bar before him. by king" said
Captain Billy, Il guess it's come this time
/ wisht Id left my bank books 10 hum
tn Kate. said the poor old soul
IT'S turrible Christmas she's a-coin'
ter hev. an she settin' so much by the day.
ever sense she went to Sunday school, |
amt ben good farther to her" he said
presently. between his shouts I've bon
real miserly- She's allus seemed happy
though-the little. busy. frolickin' crcatur,
I'd orter made her happier. | hope Johnny
WILL It's too late now. | wisht she could
jest fOrcit Ia ever lived. I hato fer hoy,
her 90 mouTnln'-an' she'll think twas bar
fault. Twasnt! Twas ies' nv damn
meanness. DO'no's twas my fault. eytber
Way | was made. Wal, shell know
more'n l do now by to-morrer. Fee in
kinder sleepy. Expect it's as well ter give
into II. Golly. There's the bar roarin'
for all ifs wuth. Lend hard here, Ship
ahoy! I'm drowndin'. mates, Wal. wal,
the little house to huns bright-an' deaths
a dark place. 1 hope the Lord'H hey marcy
on me. and on Kate. tOo-Hullo. What's
that
That was dark form looming on the
darker night: boat grinding alongside
a strong voice. strong arm. a stout heart.
Come along. Capn Billy" cried a great
voice. as If 1t were roaring through a truu-
pet. Roll over, Tumble in: BY Georgei
this was tough on you. Close call Here
you! take an oar. Twill warm you up.
There. there-there's lot of you left-pu,I-
ing the ebb this way. Well make II
before you could say Jack .Roberson! 1 ex-
pect there's a little bcdy'li be glad to see
the two Of us. an wouldn't give a copper