Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1904-12-17
.GARET WILSON sat By

OF WnOm carried DunQieS ana lOSlle0
and were jostled with rare good hui
nor.
Day after tomorrow Margaret could
go cheerfuily back to her proofread-
ing. In the meantime this wretched
holiday obtruded its grewsome pros
poet Of loneliness.
o, well, she would make the best OF
It, Tomorrow morning she would
spend reading her beloved Stevenson;
in the afternoon the matinee, and
after that dinner at the cafe down the
avenue, where the linen was snowy
and the coffee had a delicious flavor.
She would keep up a sort of forced
c~heerfulness and forget she was alone.
She angriy brushed a tear from hoE
cheek.
As she did 50 the bell in the hall
whirred noisily. She went to the
speaking tube and called a dispirited
Hello"
Hello came the cheerful response.
"That you. Margaret? Merry Christ
mas! Kindly unlock the door and I'll
ascend"
She opened the hall door and waited
on the landing. Presently from the
semi-darkness Of the place Jack Carl
ton appeared, putting prodigiously.
"Hello!" he pulled. Long flights.
these. Ought to move down or have
an elevator to o M up"
Margaret's face frightened percep-
ttbly at the sight Of him.
I'm glad you came" she said, fer
vently.
Course you are," he affirmed.
"Knew that beforehand or l wouldn't
have come"
Il didn't expect you,- she said
What" he exclaimed. ct desert
you on Christmas Eve? Neverl"
She led the way to the front room
and lighted the red-shaded lamp.
Carlton threw on his overcoat and
lounged comfortably in a morris chair.
May II" he said. drawing a cigar
from HE pocket
She nodded
ITO tell the truth" she said. II al
most had the blue devils when you
came. You must entertain me-"
"All right" he assented, affably.
'What'u I do? Sing?"
He pulled down his collar and
stretched his neck in mock prepare
ton
NO" she said. Talk. And make
me forget it's Christmas time"
Nonsense" said he. Christmas IL
~ - o~xtl nrl rxn xox.cx fonn a
the best way we can. o, l brought
you some holly wreatha."
In q moment he was hanging them
In the windows
Say" he said over his shoulder, II
had a present to-day"
Indeed" she said From whom"
"Some M who loves me-"
Strange person" she commented
Exactly" be said. 1T was from
myself"
She laughed
Haven't been feeling Al lately, so
I dropped In on Doc Higgins this
morning" he went on. -What do you
imagine the idiotic old p~in-slinger told
me?"
That you are as careless of your
health as Of your language, l pre-
sumo"
Never, my lady," he replied. Told
me my breathing apparatus was out Of
gear again-nothing serious, but a lit
tie care needed. Paraphrased Greeley
and told me to go south"
She was silently watching him.
Therefore Little Willy hieth HIM to
the agents Of the steamship line and
buyeth himself q ticket for the boat OF
Monday next The same he p~resenteth
to himself with much gusto az a
Christmas present"
20, I'm 80 sorry" she said.
For mee" he said. "Look here, you
don't know what Easter Key is like.
That is where I'm going-where I was
two winters ago, you know. You go
down to Key West. and from there
Old JEFF takes you over to Easter in a
crazy old launch. You're no end sea-
sick going over. but after you get
there-O, it's all white. shelly beach
with big blue rollers coming in. and
palms standing out against the sky,
and green, green everywhere. You laze
around and fish on the reef-down
there you don't are whether or not
you get a bite-and shoot gators at
the edge OF the swamp. And before
you know It pour tubes are well, and
you wonder whether IT will be better
to go back or to haze here the rest OF
your natural ina l wish you could
see old Easter" he said. half wistfuIly
-rve half q nind 70 develop brona
chial trouble myself she laughed
Say, do be said. looking at her SO
earnestly she flushed
Don't be silly" she sa1d, weakly.
"Looa here he said. by your own
confession you have the blue devils
Of loneliness Now, I'm going 10 give
you a Christmas present that win rid
you Of them foEeve1that Is, II you'll
accept II"
"Id accept anything THAI would
drive than away." she said,