The Republican journal., 1902-12-04
CHRISTMAS COMEDY.
CHAPTER L.
Ian had determined to spend

o.rdon had ettlIiiiilOu W . 'oAu
lobn G0 l,,ss vacation in plugging"
,Cbrisl n%1 law student had no bust
4cond .i yfal t ten days out of his years
j ID ,!looSStially If he were working Tor
tnn a a,19 eyed.
: lie ,15 III lis home was far in the
,do0gI ,J returned for Christmas
4 lt ny Tbis was, in fact, his first
yeal AVA, from home, and now
i;rIa,. 1 oniy the day before he be-
III Wa vs., Strangely i'll at ease. He
70 IL hest to study-had filled
plea ,. .ti' smoke from his black
pol- % M his excited attempts to
tgOo' nd away from home and to
bis ID IL II mon the interesting case
'lyl,.rsley versus Smith.
A, though the Fates them
'SS aDre against him.
9 sa,t5 SO the case read, chad
]l5 .,@ me Hammersley, on
n ..as pay Christmas Day!
s..1, uay Those two words were
! .'@' IL Danish from his mind
li'I-u smmersley, the law, every
u t., large rambling white house
.Us,p. smiling faces.
. o. ''' r. muttered, Il can't stand
'sl, threw the book with fierce
a ~. ,eros. the room. Then he
y. = w s1I down the study and call
.nsr'i uames.
MS ps4 THE spirit of Christmas had
ID -gmrI4 Of the grocery wagons on
,,s.r below lin as they hurried on
i i,'e file Inst few turkeys forbade
W HE shouts Of the newsboys do
.t.i- hest to sell their last few
..l IN -ieI to hurry home and pre-
= I'M the morrow forbade study.
r- Irir trained by the habits of
,,tir-4 wears, forbade study on
h. i4r wlore Christmas.
M r0iusea TO twilight, twilight to
..,, and jalkness again to the
'rlt .t t4 electric lamps without.
In ot SLOW had begun, and
m@us sounds on the street
.orsI little. He had done
,a sy but struggle against
.1 -ur,s. and now he gave it
g.pH- his Lead on his hand he
a..ru Ha dark room and let his
.u.uaf where they would.
.rti.s-. until the din of whistles
. M nm that it was six
4 I.. .e arose, put on his hat.
0lr uat collar, and went out
M ,s.u4 He had reached that
vr took a kind of gruesome
Ia. .. very misery. He want
r; miserable as possible.
m quit, and get wet, and
mNl~. and be jostled and
.g nd feel just as forlorn
qUs- uIessly down the street,
3 na -ump interest in watch
itttH lllti pdSSeu Hill,
..t... of this he walked with
0u-.u the sloppy sidewalk, and
Hs- pockets. He cared not
Lbs aU. strides were leading
r. wet and cold, and was
49l became conscious that
ti r against somebody, and a
H.- ae heard a soft, feminine
-ct ooh. N.Y. as a bundle
Il lwu fey arms, and fell upon
-f,a.ra.h He looked up quick
. sse before him young woman,
t4-eF Aushed. partly by reason
Vs5 md partly through vexa-
A. H rgmsIness. A little curl,
Ft Que snow, hung Imply down
ltrutu Idir Of liquid brown eyes.
.aQ t.Huk cheerful face, and a
capable OF producing a simply
sr5.r SMILE.
K Wg, slsolutely unconscious that
is ST. ing there with the wet
eu as and, looking rather long
Dr. iae- pefore him. at is just
ee chat goes with Christmas-a
Christmas face" he thought.
e.a- turned a deeper red be-
et- Wlt it was not until the
sniff rrte said:
wN, SIR, if you please" that
.mr imself.
.g- tau PARDON" he exclaimed,
'e.W LIS tUrn at what he knew
2MHf very strange to her.
must ua1 Your pardon twice, /
'"te TOT my clumsineSs, and
iol hl .uleness. | think you
forgive me both if you knew
Fas l.klng about"
-tH.y ! forgive you, and with
5'@u- Sue replied simply. Jack
ft Wrdle IN his hand.
Nue eilange psychological phe-
l.0 .e 1=lt nay, he was sure, that
u. whom he had at first thought
I".- Of thristmas was in fact as
7, lis We Was. The face did not
~ -'-f conversation so far had
IDLY nni revealed it. The impress
,'3ia Lave seemed absurd had he
I. explain il. He didn't, he simp-
itpted It.
bundle SIR she said again with
at Slaor OF a smile on her face.
lihe Jack turned as red as a
! BIOS
lls JIG terrible? Now have an
M'don to ask, and [ cannot ex-
5a'lIt lotglveness without explain
-!seii. May | walk a little way
TX. s.s" IL was her duty to become
AaAl but his face was so very
, ana kindly looking that it seemed
! N'al 1t would be absurd. Fur
4yle be aid not wait for a reply,
ID. down the street beside her,
a.l 0tI bundle still in his hand.
Ou Set he began, cit is Christmas,
oil. here in the city studying law,
: sol olue, and thought | would
,o, SaIR to drive it away. When |
'0o you seemed to be so complete
l li OF Christmas that you threw
IvusAlS INTO their old channels.
Mas why was so rude as to stare
9. ou made me think of a very
friend of mine"
M a% . frankly and simply, and
3u' embarrassment. She felt per-
d, a.. ease, 1t seemed for the min
y I t mat he should be walking