The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-06-16


very last person OF whom one would
have thought IT, but that is the way,
that things so in this world. He was
q newspaper man and successful one,
having worked himself up from the
petty reporter TO first assistant editor
on the Truth and JOY.
He was in love, head over ears, heels
oyer head, any term that can describe
that utterly bllssful, absolutely absurd
and ridiculous condition OF mind or
heart, or whatever It is that at times
oyertakes even the most sensible OF
men. He was In love, but he couldn't
tell her. It's fact he couldn't. He
had tried u dozen times--H dozen! He
had tried hundred, but somehow he
couldn't say to Alice Rogers; ~ love
you
He felt sure she loved him-knew he
loved her-had been dancing attend
ance for over year, sending her aow-
ers, candy-evcrything allowable-had
found all accepted with thanks. and yet
there he WINS just where he had besn on
Christmas eve just year ago that very
day. No. yes, perhaps little more at
home in that big, old house on Tenth
street, and that was all.
But this Christmas eve he was deter
mined to make himself a Christmas
gift to Allce-no, she was to be HIS
Christmas gift to himself. But how to
bring the gift about from him to her,
from her to him; however it should turn
out he could not see, indeed, he was all
at sea. Too absurd. He, Harry Shaw,
with such persuasive tongue and vim
ming way that he could corkscrew In
formation out OF the most Grabbed and
stolid of men interviewed" and yet
with Alice-dumb! He wondered at
himself.
That afternoon he pushed his papers
together impatiently and got up and
put on his coat, took his hat, said, IN
be in about SIT was then in the af-
ternoon-and went out. The air was
full Of Christmas--bIts OF green every
where. He set his teeth.
'.Alice-Allce," he said to himself
ITll-pll-do it to-day or Ut"
He couldn't think what he would do
He went to his rooms at the Benedict
and got some parcels that held gifts for
the Rogers family, big and little, and
then went up to Tenth street. He was
shown into the big, delightful, home
like front parlor full OF books and
work and so Of evidences Of a cultiva-
ted taste. Alice came in ut once, and
led him out to the billiard room, where
the tree was and also her mother and
her aunt.
But even to sober eyes Alice was
lovely. The parcels were at once open
ed-that is, all but the three for those
present-and their contents admired,
and then he began to help tie the bun
dies onto the tree.
Good gracious!" he said suddenly.
what is the matter?" they all three
cried.
"oh. nothIng-thera are very sharp
sort of-er--bristles on this tree-they
prick oue-they really do"
But 1t was not the brlstles that had
pricked him, but an idea.
"In do it, certainly will-but how?
Upon stepladder-two other women
in the room-likely to stay on the step
ladder every minute that am in the
house. Heavens! What a fool am"
So he was. Just then Mrs. Rogers
was callad out OF the room to see a poor
woman who had come Tor her Christ
mas Eft, and Miss Rogers said that
she must go upstairs to get the rest Of
the things. How TO do it, how to do
IT," sung itself IN his head, and aeeI-
dent brought the opportunity.
who is that?" he raid, pointing to
picture on the wall
"a question of 'was-a great great
uncle"
Uncle! What a leading she had given
him.
Curious! Looks like dear old uncle
OF mine"
oh. shade Of Ananias! They we're no
more alike than a turnip and peach.
..He was a Jolly old boy-he really
was an old boy, So when he died-but a
boy all the same. and Jolly one. He
told such capital stories. and he told
them so well-on this branch, you say?
Isn't It a little heavy? Try that lower
one-ycs. thaVs better. About uncle.
you know. well. you dIdR't knox him.
bu. I did. 80 it's all the same"
Here Alice looked up at him, but
he did not see her glance-it was a
swift one. she thought he was ratti'ns
on in an unusual way. but she kept on
tying up bundles with pink ,wins in a
very matter.of-fact fashion. and Harry
went on.
well he used to tell one story that
thought amazingly good. wonder II
YOU viii think so? It was about place
down IN Rhode Island. called Cranberry
center-where psople about a hundred
YEARS agu-realiy, do mean hundred
years-weII. this was the story; they
conducted their courtln tho word