Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-11-21
slowly that she did not dream how he vel.
coined the opportunity to share tho heat

slowly that she did not dream how he vel.
coined the opportunity to share tho heat
with her.
This stove is not large enough to heat
such q big ROOM" she suggested.
Hardly" he replied, grimly, as remn-
niscent SILVER ran down his spine Then ne
turned his undivided attention 10 anoto.
poster showing a COW done In seven coiore'
His uncommuncativeness lrr't aven n With ga
desperate, was better than this moooy
silence She looked at his clean-cut 1eso
lures. They did bear slight resemolahcss
to those of her friend, Grace CaIleton. a. 90 a
it must be true about his having mace q
dead rush for the train In Chicago 1or sne
caught sight Of his dancing SHOES pene au.
the rough tweed trousers Last, nut ~. iS"Ss
to Lucy Danforth. whose Iatnef fot hI bore
Mason the charm on Carleton's 1oo poie
the emblem of the Mystic Shrine.
what gave you the idea OF passing yous
self off as Jack Carleton?' she asked soo-
denly. c-,,-
ton" he answered shortly. And belng an
honest man, 1 am not ashamed OF my
name. l never supposed you would treal
me like a criminal nor question my
motives"
but Mr.. Carleton had beard"
"XNhen YOU knew me, yes. That was one
of the follies Of my youth. Then ne Dqls.
forth in all his pent-up indignation. I iaom
in time could have known VINO you We" eis.
about you if I hadn't received tnat .eie
gram from Grace? And do you suppose tiiae
desperadoes jump off of Pulimans' Natins
luggage and overcoat behind 10 capsus
maidenS In dlStfeSS-e'eh - '
are pretty" ,..,o
Iucy Danforth blushed. The last phrase
was so obviously conciliatory ana ih'ei,ueu
to offset the sharpness OF the "orus "iAeA
had preceded 1t. M, ,.
then. YOU know. I am not New YORKER
and do not rise quickly to the sltua t,on
Conversation languished again Carie!on
was still singing from the sehse y, Ia ths
been misunderstood, and Lucy under ihe
equally uncomfortable sense OF having
made a mistake for which she could not
adequately apologize. 1t was hardly an
suspicious beginning to the fllenuSnip Will
she had sincerely desired to establish Win
Grace's brother A busy man, Always away
when she had made her flying, visits 10 the
Carleton home, she had just heard enough sl
about him to feel plqudhl HUI N ~
Thanksgiving meeting.
The station agent returned bringing with
him a faint odor of fried ham. He threw
some coal on the fire, and passing ln'o tne
cubby hole conducted prolohseu 'ei ere
graphic conversation. When he came out
again he looked oddly at the two young
people
Il guess we're up against it, he said with
rough pity in his voice. Everything
showed up an there amt goin' to be any
train out of Bradford junction tonight It's
the worst blizzard we've had in years, an
comm so sudden like, the road WASN'T pre-
pared to meet 1t.
What are we to do?" murmured Lucy
Danforth, turning a white face toward
Carleton. Before the latter could answer
the station agent spoke again.
There amt no place here to stop except
my house There's the grocery store at
the Courts, but his clerks sleep in the PACK
ROOM and the blacksmith an his Wlfes got
just two rooms. But If the young lazy
dent mind sharin' rooms with my wl1e' you
can sleep with me on the front room floor
There was nothing else to be done, ana
the three were soon plunging their way
through snow drifts to the station agent
three-roon house. Mrs. Johnson met them
at the door,
you'll have to make the best of things,
she Whined looking at Lucy's furS with
envious eyes. I'VE don't life half decent
here, but if you can stand it, why we can.
That was the keynote of Mrs. Johnson
conversation, and Lucy doZed off to the &C
compartment of the wifes wall that if her
husband had any gumption they dldn
have to stick in such mean place.
Jack Carleton, rolled in Johnson's fur
coat, slept the sleep of the just, which in
cluded visions of red-haired girls standing
against the bleak blue gray of north
state sky. And all the while the drifts
mounted higher and higher, and the wind
shut them out from the world which had
always been theirs.
A
again entertained them with her views on
the unpleasant and lonely life led by sta
ton agents wife. Mr.. Johnson ate his
bacon and fried potatoes in gloomy silence.
Miss Danforth and Mr.. Carleton looked
distinctly uncomfortable.
1t was Lucy who broke into the domestic
monologue.
Did you say the trains would not go
through until after noon, Mr.. Johnson?
How Jolly! Then you will take us for
guests at your Thanksgiving dinner"'
She looked coaxingly at Mrs. Johnson.
The brows of that worthy person contract
ed I'VE amt had a Thanksgiving dinner
for three years 1t don't pay in this Cod
forsaken hole to try an have anything"
Then you and Mr.. johnson must be our
guests. You have been so kind to US
The two men looked at her in wonder, but
she went on merrily:
Mr.. Carleton is pining for action. I know,
and he will pillow over to the store for things
which Mrs Johnson will help me to cook.
oh, can cook, If l am not a reader of
character she added laughingly to Carrie
ton.
The latter never knew just how it hap
pened, but somehow he was soon plunging
through the snow, with Johnson's comfort
and fur coat and high boots on. Later
he sat behind the kitchen stove and watch
ed Lucy Danforth. with bright eyes and
flushed cheeks, actually melting the rapid
Mrs. Johnson into enthusiasm. Now she
was gravely inspecting cranberry Jelly set
out in the snow to harden, and then coax
ing Mrs. johnson to let her take some old
fashioned china off the mantel to deck the
feast. 1t wasn't a course dinner in the end
but Johnson, eating it with the slowness of
one who wants. to make a good thing last
as long as possible, was filed with visions
of his boyhood home and a mother who
could have concocted a Thanksgiving in the
heart of desert.
Jack Carleton, toying with a three-prong-
ed iron fork, decided that there were worse
faults than a failure to rise instantly to
situation, and that woman who could
make the best of things was worth ten who
could recognize a gentleman beneath the
eccentric makeup of tweeds and dancing
pumps.
And that was why, when the engagement
was announced, that Jack Carleton main
tained he owed his happiness to the twenty
four hours which the N. Y. c. railway had
allowed them for Thanksgiving dinner at
Bradford Junction.