The St. Louis Republic., 1902-12-21

| Up went the hand 10 tne mouth again, ant
nothing Miss Johns could say or do had tn
| effect of inducing Nan to tell what sht
| knew
The fall drtfted into winter without pro
ducing any change in the season.
The roses bloomed, the birds sang, ant
the apple trees. mistaking the portents. be-
| gan to clothe themselves with blossoms
The sun shone with the warmth of spring
| and the delicateiy crisp breezes were lader
| with the odoYs of the season of flowers
Well, it was upon the bamy wings of this
perfect season that the days drifted toward
Christmas and when that day was near the
| word went around that Mr.. Valicombe the
shoemaker. had returned TO the village. He
had not come upon the stagecoach.
| No he had not been passenger on the
stagecoach. In Malvern he mad hired 4
conveyance and had timed his start from
| that city 81 as to arrive at Harmony Grove
after nshtfall.
And the driver who had his supper at the
tavern, declared that Mr.. Valicorbe had
brought 4 companion with him. This driver
further said that the two passengers talked
outIandish; they talked all the way. and he
| couldn't understand word they said.
| The day after his return Mr.. Falconbe
appeared to be in very high spirits.
He saw Mr.. Sanders the street and
| called to him. and after che two had talked
together Tor a few moments they went to
Mr.. Valicombe's shop, and here they had
another consultation, which lasted an hour
or two.
After that they went to the tavern. where
Mr.. Sanders mad. 4 Very Iecuiiar inquiry.
He asked if anybody had - en Nan Dorring
ton.
Well. os course somebody had seen her.
but nobody knew where she at that
particular moment. Home the last
place to look for Nan, but she happened to
be there when the two men went by on
| their way to Shady Dale
They called for her and then the three
| went on their way.
Mrs. absa!om Goodlett. Dorringtons
| housekeeper. watched from her window.
saw the three piotters stop in the middle OF
the road and stand there talking. Then all
| OF a sudden she saw Nan jump at the shoe
maker and throw her arms around him.
| This done the child seized Mr.. Sanders by
| both hands and tried to swing him around
| in wild dance.
| Owing TO circumstances Mr. Sanders was
| not swingable.
| He simply turned on his heels and allowed
| Nan 10 whirl around him, and when she had
| finished this series of gyrations she threw
her arms around his rotund figure and gave
/ him good squeezing.
| And certainly Nan seemed to be very
pleased this time for when she and her
! companions reached Shady Dale she rushed
| at Miss Johns and came near smothertng
| her with hugs and kisses. and she repeated
| the same performance with Sarah Ciopton.
Nan! Nan! You are smothering me.'
| cried Sarah CIopton. struggling and laugh
| ing. What does 1t mean?'
oh. don't you know exclaimed Nan.
| "Its only two days to Christmas. Nonny'
her pet name for Mrs. Absalom-''was
| saying t'other day that If this spell of
| weather keeps up wen have ripe peaches
on April Fools Day and figs in May"
This being a matter beyond dispute. Mans
small audience could only laugh at her en-
thusiasm.
However, when no one else was looking
Mr. Sanders winked and Mr. Valicombe
shrugged his shoulders after the manner Of
his people.
And then-how ii was done no one seemed
to know-Nan inveigled Miss Johns into TAX
ing walk; whereupon Mr.. Sanders. re-en-
forced and supported by Mr.. Valicombe's
eloquent shoulders and hands. gave Sarah
Clopton to understand that it was the de-
sire of certain influential individuals to set
out a Christmas tree for the especial pleas
ure of Miss Johns.
Are you deserting Nan?'' the lady asked
"By no manner Of means" replied Mr..
Sanders.
Nan is to be the ringmaster, an me an
Peter will be the trick clowns. as you may
say. Anyhow, Sarah, you're likely to rarn
something from this tree. The fruit it'll
bar will surprise you nightly"
Ta11 hat L ind of nrp yVin civ
the chiIdT' Sarah Clopton inquired.
IT have a number Of things to give her.
and I've been trying to think of some way
to surprise her pleasantly. 1 confess like
the old way the best. I'm great believer
In Santa Claus, old as I am. and once took
1t for granted that all girls are alike in that
respect. But it is not so.
'Zepherine tells me that among her people
Christmas is n religious celebration, and the
giving Of presents is reserved for New
Years. when the young people come from
far and near to kneel before their parents
and ask their blessing
Yes yes; that is so,'' said Mr.. Valicombe.
TT is the old, the very old, habitude.''
We'll. it's mighty different here" re-
marked Mr.. Sanders.
I'm this State an section even the half |
grown children give their parents blessin'
out any Qay IN tne year. AZ tney are So |
superior to them that raised 'em that they |
seem to git along mighty well wi'out a |
blessin' of any kind.
But that's a gray hoss of another color. |
This is a case whar We can't hang up stock |
ms, an even bags is. barred. One Of the |
presents we'll have the honor to give the |
young lady has got so many sharp ends and |
corners that II can't be showed into any
thing less'n a hogshead.
'Havin' no hogshead Wen have to stand |
1t up by the tree"
And SO the matter was arranged. That |
afternoon the rree a lusty young holly, |
with rank growth OF foliage, was brought |
in from the woods and concealed in the car
riage-house.
1.-THE next day there were various mysteri- |
Gus consultations going on. Miss Johns was
with Nan, and if she observed anything out |
of the ordinary she gave no sign.
But the day before Christmas she could |
hardly fail to note that something extraor-
binary was on foot. Nan was not visible,
and when Miss Johns would play on the
piano she found the parlor door locked, and
pausing a moment, she heard muffed and
mysterious sounds within.
For a secord-oh, it was the briefest mo-
ment-a sharp pang of loneliness Tor was it
jealousy?) seized and took possession of
her; and then. in flash, she remembered
her pleasant surroundings and all that had
been done to make her happy.