Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-12-25

fully and with the aid of stimulants
soon had the patient comfortable
Jack, my boy" said the colonel in a
weak voice, you must have been sent
from Heaven"
sJust like Santa Claus" laughed
Vera, happily.
The dawn was slowly breaking,
when Miss North left her post at her
fathers side, for he was now resting
quietly, and moved toward the many
paned window looking out upon the
bleak, wintry scene. The snow lay in
heaps and drifts around the freight
sheds and the world looked strangely
calm and peaceful in the faint morn
ing light. The sun, just escaping
above the horizon, seemed to foretell
a brighter day.
Collins stepped to her side. 81 was
just wondering he began in his mat
ter of fact way" how you happened to
be on that Inflated train
1--WE are bound for the Pacific
coast she answered, for the benefit
of fathers health. We mean to stay
a year.
And your husband Vera?'
my husband" she exclaimed, why
Jack, haven't such an article. l am
Just plain Miss North to the end of
the chapter
why, no." he began, excitedly, you
married Ned Harding a couple of
years ago. | remember reading it my
self in the Brookville paper
81 regret. Mr.. Reporter, she began,
her violet eyes dancing beneath the
curling lashes, ito be compelled to in
form you that you have been misin-
formed. You behold before you the
honored president of the Brookville
Old Maids Union"
But Ned Harding"
ooh, yes, he did marry Vera North,
but you know that was my cousin,
Vera Don't you remember her?"
Something that had been befuddling
Collins brain seemed to clear away
all at once.
Vera" he blurted out, 81 have been
such a fool.''
Hush she answered gently, 81
can't allow you to abuse my friends"
1t was in the sanctum of the Daily
Arrow the following day, when the
first copies of the Christmas edition
had just left the press, that the news
force was gathered together talking
over the extra, the scoop on the rival
sheet, and Collins story. The city edi.
tor had been strangely taciturn about
his nights experience. The Christ
mas story he had woven on his trip
back to the city and it had seemed to
come from his pencil without any eff
fort. The world was all so different
now. But strange to say that violet
eyes with long curling lashes" was
the only description he could give of
his heroine, except to say something
about rare, sweet smile like flash
of sunshine thru the bleak clouds of
winters dawn"
1t was the editor-in-chief who, after
he had read thru the story, grasped
the hand of Collins with tight grip
and said with husk in his voice:
"You have struck a chord in my heart,
my boy, that HASN'T been touched in
YEARS We will have to make it
worth your while to write several
short stories for u.s." And the high
est praise, that of his co-workers, was
showered on him from every side.
"Say, fellows" said Hepburn, the
youngest reporter on the force, who
was spending his first Christmas
alone in the city, 81 want to make a
motion that we establish a fund of
some kind to provide suitable Christ
mas dinner for us poor, neglected
homeless chaps, SO we can fare like
the rest of humanity. Now, there is
you, Edwards, and Jerome, and Park
er, and Collins-say Collins, what dc
Won think of INV cohemaoS
Sorry, "came from behind the pages
of an exchange that worthy was busily
perusing, 'but you will have to count
me out of that. I am happy to say
that I am booked for next Christmas
and I hope some fifty odd more. Bu
I'll tell you what, you are all invited
to take next Christmas dinner will
u.s."
1t was the irrepressible Teddie wht
first found his voice in the astonishet
stiffness that had settled over thu
dingy office, and with one of his hes
Ihand-springs across the floor he land
led violently in Collins arms with IN,
too, Collie? Say you are tip-top."
Bettye Adler.