Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-12-23
HER CHRISTMAS GIFT
BY BARRY PRESTON.

good humor.
Day after tomorrow Margaret coul
go cheerfully back to her proofreadine
In the meantime this wretched hOli
day obtruded it's grewsome prospect O
loneliness.
o, well, she would make the best o
it.. To morrow morning she woul'
spend reading her beloved Stevenson
in the afternoon the matinee, and af
ter that dinner at the cafe down tn,
avenue, where the linen was snowy an(
the coffee had a delicious flavor.
She would keep up a sort of forced
cheerfulness and forget she was alone
She angrlly brushed tear from hel
cheek.
AS she did, so the bell in the hal
whirred noisily. She went to the speak
ing tube and called 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 Y" he puffed. "Long flights,
these. Ought to move down or have
an elevator to move me up"
Margaret's face frightened percep-
tibly 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"
81 didn't expect you,' she said.
''What ."he exclaimed. II desert
you on Christmas Eve? Never %
She led the way to the front room
and lighted the red.shaded lamp. Carl
ton threw off his overcoat and loupg-
ed comfortably in morris chair.
May ?'' he said, drawing a cigar
from his pocket.
She nodded.
ITO tel. the.truth," she said. 81 all
most had the blue devils when you
came. You. must entertain me"
"All right" he assented. affabIy.
"What'll l do7 Sing ?n
He pulled down his collar and
stretched his neck in mock prepara-
tion.
NO. she said. ''Talk. And make
me forget It's Christmas time"
Nonsense, said he. christmas
is a necessary evil, and we must .lface
it the best way we can. o, 1 brought
you some holly wreaths.''
In moment be was hanging them
in the windows.
"Say," be said over his shoulder, II
had present to day."
Indeed she said. From whom?"
"Some one who loves me.''
Strange person." she commented.
Exactly" he said. sit was from
myself
She laughed.
Haven It been feeling Al lately, so
L dropped in on Doc Higgins this
morning." be went on. "What do you
imagine the idiotic old pill singer told
me ?"
THAT you are as careless of your
health as of your language, I pre-
"Never, my lady" he replied. "Told
me my breathing apparatus was out
of gear again-nothing serious, but
little care needed. Paraphrased Gree.
ley and told me to 60 SOUTH"
She was silently watching him.
Therefore Little Willy hleth him to
the agents of the steamship line and
buyeth himself a ticket for the boat OF |
Monday next. The same he presenteth |
to himself with much gusto as a |
Christmas present."
20, I'm so sorry, she said.
For me?" he said. Look here, you
don't know what Easter Key is like. |
That is where l m going-where 1 was
two winters ago, you know. You 60
down to West Key, 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,
aud green, green everywhere. You
laZe around and fish off the reef-down
there you don't care whether or not
you get a bite-and shoot gators at the
edge of the swamp. And before you
know it your tubes are we'll, and you
wonder whether it will be better to 90
back or to laze here the rest of your
natural life. l wish you could see old
Erstern," he said, half wistfully.
1--we half a mind to develop .bron
chial trouble myself" she laughed.
Say, do" he said, looking at her so
earnestly she flushed.
Don't be silly" she said, weakly.
"Look here" be said, ''by your own
confession you have the bluei.devils of
loneliness. Now, I'm going to give
you Christmas present that will rid
you of them forever-that is, if you'll
accept it,
I'D accept anything that would
drive them away" she said.
"Well," he said, there's the cure.
It's the other ticket"
1.-The other ticket?" she questioned.
"Certainly," ssaid be. IL bought
two this morning."