Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1902-03-20
NILES s.
6 F T
By Fritz Korsmeyel
Copyright. 1901, by F. Korsmeyer

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS nTvTvWUyrwyT"rTTvVyHvv
When the maid opened the door, q
gust of December wind, carrying with
it few fakes of snow, followed the
tall, stiff form of GRANGER through the
vestibule and into the hall. AS the maid
had spent years in the service of the
Garrisons, she ventured a restrained
"Good evening" but GRANGER calmly
stalked by her over to the hall tree.
When he had put aside his things and
turned to her again, she said:
'Mr Robert is in his room, sir. Shall
1 tell him you are here, or will YOU
'I'll go up. He's expecting me-"
At the head of the stairs he knocked
| at his friends room and entered.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, old man;
| ready in a few minutes. Sit down and
make yourself comfortable, won't
your"
GRANGER took the proffered cigar and
smoked in silence few minutes while
his friend worked at his cravat.
81 had a rather peculiar talk with
Miles today" began GRANGER in a tone
that led Garrison to stop whistling and
humble an encouraging monosyllable;
happened to meet him on the street,
you know, just as 1 was going into
Hopes to look at a few Christmas
things. He had such long face on
that thought he needed jollying up a
bit. Not like him to need cheering, is
it?"
Scarcely" assented Garrison, with
an uneasy laugh. "But of course you
know that Charlie has had some occa-
sion to look glum lately"
''Oh, yes; I've heard the family for
tunes have been rather going to pot.
Well, as l said, started in to chaff
him about Christmas gifts. I bought
few trifies, but most of the time I
was showing Miles things that said
man with a fiancee ought to be in
terested in, and he was. Several times
thought he was on the point of buy
ing something worth giving, but he
finally said he couldn't decide. We
Miles fell to speculating in a general
way as to what girls expected of their
fiances at Christmas time. He seemed
to want my opinion. Queer Of him to
come to me with that sort of talk,
wasn't it, BobY
eyes, but / suppose he thought you
didn't know enough about his affairs
to suspect that he was talking of his
own case. Men who are in love always
talk glittering generalities, while they
haven't thing in mind but their own
particular affair, supposing other peo-
pie won't know it. What did you tell
him?"
s'Well, I said it depended largely
upon what girls had been taught to ex-
pect. From that we drifted into a dis
cussion as to what a man should do
when his prospects changed during his
engagement. Miles said that to the
sort of girl a man would really care
for it would make no difference. Good
Lord-'the sort of girl a man would
really care forr told him man never
knows what kind of girl he is likely
to care for or what kind he is caring
for, so far as that goes, and l said that
if I were engaged to girl 1 wouldn't
take any chances at Christmas. He
responded rather weakly that most
girls of our acquaintance already had
everything they wanted"
(which is quite true" put in Garri-
son.
''Oh, yes, true as far as it goes, but
you know very well that the average
girl likes to think her lover has search
ed the town over for something out Of
the ordinary. Now, we men know that
nothing remains to be bought as a
Christmas gift that we wouldn't just
as soon be without, but women don't
know it and never will, and so they
go on, expecting joyous astonishment
every year."
"Still, don't believe Martha's just
like other girls in that respect"
"Oh, 1 don't mean that she cares
particularly for what Miles may give
her, if may touch on such matters.
But wouldn't any girl Of the proper
spirit expect By the way" GRANGER
broke off, interrupting himself and
glancing toward the half open door,
81 saw a light across the hall when l
came up. Is that
eyes, that's Martha's room, but
think she's down stairs" Garrison
went to the door and called his sisters
name. Receiving no response, he re-
| turned.
''Her door was open, but she didn't
| answer, so she isn't up stairs. Shall we
go now?"
At the foot of the stairs they en-
countered Miles, who had just come in.
The three men chatted a moment Then
young Garrison and GRANGER went out.
Miles thought Martha locked at him
more seriously than usual as she gave
him her hand, but her eyes were
bright, and when she spoke there was
touch of gayety in her voice.
"Sit by the fire, won't your she urg-
ed. "You must be nearly frozen. 1
like snow for Christmas, but without
this freezing temperature" She push
eu cHdir HedTef Tue IRE anu CHeu
crossed to a stand where huge roses
were nodding over the edge of a cut
glass jar and gathered them in her
| arms
GLOW do you always manage to find
ehe most perfect blossoms for me,
Charles?" the girl asked indistinctly,
her face hidden in the roses. She rails
ed her head for an answer, but the
man was looking into the fire. She
moved the stand nearer him.
II want these close to us this even
ing. Don't you think they should be7