The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1900-06-29

Co.. New York. Price 81.
This j. collection Of uncommon
ly good short stories by Anna FL
lot Trumbull, author of white
Birches," and "a Masque Of Cul-
ture," most OF which originally APP
peared in the Atlantic Monthly,
McClure's Magazine and some OF
the other better magazines.
The first of these "A Christmas
Accident" is capital story OF mis-
understandings and complications,
with a palpable thread OF romance,
and some very wise conclusions,
and j. as strong in action a. II l.
healthful, helpful and entertaining
in telling.
Mr.. Clifton and Mr.. Billion lived
in two houses, in the suburb Of a
city, each house being an exact
copy Of the other. They were just
two OF those little red brick dwell
ings that one is a ways seeing in the
outskirts Of city and looking a il
the occupants must be alike too,
but in this case they were quite
different
Mr.. Clifton, who with his wife
lived in one, was a pretty cross sort
OF a man, childless, and was quite
well TO do as cross people some
times art
In the other house there were tive
children. After a lawsuit over q
partition which Billion lost, with Q
pile of costs to ray, the yards began
10 take on those little differences
that soon grew 10 be very marked
Clifton regularly hired his grass cut
smoothly while Billion only found 9
chance to cut his himself once il
two weeks. Then Clifton bought ;
. red garden bench and put it unde
a tree. OF course there was an a.
sortment of minor difficulties, bu
, things reached their climax wher
Gilton's dog was found poisoned
and Clifton was loud in his accuse
ton OF the Billion boys and thei
!, father. After that no member Q
/, either family spoke to any membe
, Of the other. Thus matters stoo'
the day before christmas.
Ii was one Of those cold bluster
ing days, and was showing hard
Mrs. Clifton wished she could sem
some present to some one. ;
: strong was the impulse that sh
/, said } her husband There ar
|. a good many Of them Billion chill
dIen 10 get presents for"
More fools they that get 'er
! presents then" hs had pleasant
: replied.
! II don't suppose he has much I
buy them with, - she continued.
''He had enough to buy poiso
for my dog" he exclaimed, givin
his paper an angry shake.
I'D almost like to send them i
some cheap little toys.
"Well a. long as you don't qui;
!. like it won't do any harm, but yo
!, see that the liking doesn't get an
! father"
"It's christmas you know" sal
7 his plucky wife.
.Oh. no, don't know itln b
= replied grufily. II havn't falle
over forty children minute in tn
!. street with their ridiculous parcel.
7 and | havn't had women dro
!. brown paper bundles that cam
undone all over me, Oh, 10, di
= not know ii was christmas.
After numerous annoying inc
dents in the city in which his ten
: per was not improved in the leas
Clifton came home that night in
blinding snow storm carrying a tu
: kew in his hand. Nistaking III
Billion cottage for his own he entel
and before he i aware what he hs
!, done he is inside in the midst Of III
Billion family. "Oh, its San,
: Claus" screamed one Of the Chi
. . dren. "and he has come an
brought Us a turkey
!. Mrs. Billion with a woman's tao
4 comes to the rescue extends he
I ! hand and invites him to a seat, an
!, explains to the children that
Z is their neignbor, Mr.. Clifton.
!, "But you did bring Us the turke
didn't you," cried the child again.
!. "Ies," said Clifton, while whit
!. beads stood on his brow.
! ! The story goes ahead narratin
! = the events Of the evening, shown
how the families finally becam
fully reconciled. 1t is delightful
/, told, and will be read with intere
! by young and old. One woul
!, have to 90 far to find better sele
= ton of stories to while away du
evening. and | have no hesitanc
=, accommodating tho hook n ar