The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1902-03-14
NILES
G. | FIT
BY Fritz KorSmeyer
Copyright, 1901. by F. Korsmeyer


When the maid opened the door, a
gust of December wind, carrying with
! it few flakes 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 lie had put aside his things and
/ turned to her again, she said:
"AIr. Robert is in his room, sir. Shall
I ! tell him you are here, or will YOU
I'll 20 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 Il few minutes. Sit down and
make yourself comfortable, won't
you:"
/ GRANGER took the proifered cigar and
smoked in silence few minutes while
! his friend worked at his cravat.
Il had 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 l was going into
Hopes to look at few Christmas
things He had such a long face on
that | thought he needed jollying up
. Mt "a, ,ln ic
itl"
Scarcely" assented Garrison. with
an uneasy laugh. But of course you
know that Charlie has had some occa-
sion to look slum lately"
"Oh. yes; I've heard the family for
tunes have been rather going to pot
Well. rs | said, | started in to chaff
him about Christmas gifts. | bought
few trtlcS, but most of the time
was showing Miles things that | said
man with Il tancee ought to be in
tercstcd ill., 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
walked up the street together and
Miles fell to specializing in Il general
way as to what girls expected of their
frances at Christmas time. He seemed
to want my opinion. Queer of him to
come to me with that sort of talk,
wasn't it, Bob:"
Yes. 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 gcncralitics, while they
haven't a thing in mind but their own
particular affair, suppoSing other peo-
pie won't know it. What did you tell
him.
We'll, l said it depended largely
upon what girls had been taught to eX-
pect. From that we drifted into a dis
cussion as to what man should do
when his prospects changed during his
engagement. Miles said that to the
sort of girl man would really care
'. for it would make no difference. Good
Lord the sort of girl man would
really care for" told him a 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 | said that
if | We're engaged to a girl l wouldn't
take any chances at Christmas. lie
responded rather weakly that most
girls of our acquaintance already had
everything they wanted"
(Which is quite true put in CARR
son.
"Oh, yes, true as far as it goes, but
you know very Wen 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 he 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
90 on, expecting joyous establishment
every year"
Still, | don't believe Marthas just
like other girls in that respect
ooh, | 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 light across the hall when |
came up. Is that
yes, 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 looked 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 you?" she urg.
ed. you must be nearly frozen. l
like snow for Christmas, but without
this freezing temperature" She push.
ed Il chair nearer the fire and then
crossed to a stand where huge roses
were noddlng over the edge of a cut
glass jar and gathered them in her
arms.
How do you always manage to find
the most perfect blossoms for me,
Charles?" the girl asked indistinctly,