Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1901-12-24

even turn her face toward his in the moon
light. They trudged on in silence.
The town was glad to see them. 1t gave
them the best it had, and none suffered.
But its heart was not wholly in the work.
One long-gaited citizen, evidently orig
inally from the south, explained it:
"Yeh see, we IS a-goin' ter hev' the
Chris'm doins ternight at tn hall.
"What? I'd forgot that it was Christmas
eve" broke in Marvin. Let's all go over.
The passengers from the Pullman car, find
ing that they could not continue their
journey until the following day, as well as
many of the others, agreed. Well bum
died up, they took their walk through the
chilly streets, where blew the bitter north
wind of the plain.
The hall was nothing more than the
upper room over a store. 1t was filled to
the aisles, but the exercises had not yet
begun. The southerner, who was master of
ceremonies, tiptoed back to Marvin.
eve need two more to help in the doin's,"
he whispered. Wont you un's come"
Frank laughingly arose, and the dainty
Miss Reisen, having no other choice, fol
lowed him.
Behind the curtain, what sight met
their gael A Christmas tree it was, to
be sure There were no evergreens nearer
than the mountains, and to make up for
the deficiency the plainsmen had secured
a dry cottonwood and wound its struggling
branches with green paper. The appear
ance would have been ludicrous had it not
been little pathetic.
Not much like the pines of the beach
where we used to rest last summer, whis-
pered Frank to his companion.
L..
mean," was the whitening response.
"Alice-Miss Reisen, what do you
mean" but the gaunt captain interrupted.
you, young lady, I'd like you to be the
fairy. Our leadin' lady is sick, an you
look like her"
Entering into the spirit of the occasion,
Miss Reisen accepted the task.
You'll have to wear some wings, and
there will be little scene, but nothin' fer
you to do but look pretty-you don't need
no coachin,' he added, calamity.
Great admirer of yours" suggested
Frank, as the functionary moved away.
Alice did not reply.
The wings were brought, and they
seemed almost large enough for the wearer
to soar with. She put on the costume and
danced two-step across the rude stage.
''Yeh mustn't do that, lady; this is fer
tn benefit of tn churches, an tn folks
wouldn't like it" said the manager, with
a grin.
Then came up one of the women of the
town, who seemed to have a part of the
management. She gave some instructions
as to what would happen, and Miss Reisen
listened intently. Another listened, but
she did not know it.
The programme of the evening opened
with a number of songs and recitations, to
which the passengers from the train gave
the most earnest attention and hearty APP
plause. Marvin seemed wonderfully at
home, Miss Reisen thought, and was call
ing men by their first names as if he knew
them. He was behind the scenes a good
deal; too much, she thought, also, and it
worried her, for he was the only one in an
the house that she counted on as a friend
no, was he a friends She wished she knew
if the story her chum told her were false
or true.
Then came the time for the Christmas
tree "doin's," as the manager called the
exercises. The big curtain was dropped,
and the children of the prairie farms and
ranches gave an audible "Ohl" as the beau
tiful reen-paper-wrapped cottonwood,
lighted with candles and glistening with
tinsel, all brought from the city 400 miles
away, burst on their eyes. Many of them
had never seen an evergreen, and this was
fulhllment of all their anticipations.
Before the tree stood the fairy, her wings
and robe making her almost ethereal in the
sight of the little ones. Behind wa the
open mouth of chimney, and far off rang
the horn Of Saint Nicholas as he approached
over the housetops on his sleigh. 1t was
cold enough outside for his biggest furs,
and when he came laboriously down the
chimney and stood amid the group OF the
stage he was the very picture Of the Santa
Claus of their dreams.
Swiftly he made the rounds of the tree,
and in cultural tones told the little -olks
] to help themselves. Then he did what was