The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-12-25

lf s
\ Still she could not whistle him dow
II the wind. she was proud, ambition
n luxury loving not the least bit suite
II to be farmers wife. And Norrie Co
Il don loved his land and his vocation to
well ever to be anything but farmer
With sigh, she told herself she shout
no doubt end by taking Ennis Lorlnl
Suppose he should accept her casual In
vitation and come down TO Lonely, tn
Baker place, for the holidays2 HOY
, bare and cramped the life would ap
. pear to hm--a life wherein the circu,
made the event Of the year and goins
70 church of Sundays was as much di
version rs duty,
Something Of all this foated nehu
sously through Leona's mind as she
watched Norrie at his Joyous obedi
enca
II 1.-THE best branches are over on that
lEfgr side" he said. filnging off his coat
AMI scuffilng out of his shoes. Wen
rake JUST helf dozen The tree won't
miss en- I'd hate to leave 1t ragged.
iSomehow this ciump seems to belong
TO me | found 1t first when | was lit
tile more than a boy"
Almost before she knew 1t he stood
among the branches, breaking and cut
| ting slender stems Leona ran to pick
them up as they fell. stand back"
| he called TO her At the same time
reaching for m especially tempting
| bougt. The wood OF II was tough.
1t bent where be thought to break 1t,
and. instead OF swapping, II crushed in
to stringy fibers. Norrie had the Inn
pulse of mastery even over inanimate
things. Forgetful that he was twenty
FIVE feet In air, he gave the bough
Jerk so energetic 1t made him lose his
balance and come crashing earthward.
But there We're houghs lower down.
and somehow he clutched one with his
right arm, swung himself up to It and
elambered back 10 the trunk. Coming
down this. Leona saw him hitch him
SELF along Ia a way wholly unlike his
ascent. She did not know the reason
until he stood By the wagonette, saying
almost apoiogetieally: Il reckon you'd
better drive on the way home. My
left arm hit that big limb when l fell
and put itself out OF business"
Longly farm at Chrlstmastide made
the neighbors stare. Amy had insisted
upon a party. Ii would never. never do |
to waste all Leona had brought 10 pass |
simply upon the family, Greens were |
eyerywhere-over doors and windows,
In neoks and corners and up and down 1
the broad stairway The tree too, was /
d vision with tapers cleaning through /
its coral wealth and all manner Of tin |
sci ornaments sparkling amid its green /
LEAKAGE The tinsel had come from the
city 4 SO had the other fellow.
Leona had been panic stricken at
the outset Now sunny peace pos
sessed Ter spirit. Since she had seen
Norrie topping against the evening
sky falling, II might be. to his death
for bis lady's within she had begun to
question her own heart more closely
han eyer before. What answer had re-
Narded the questionings she did not
ell But Ennis Loring bad found her
more softly more subtly fascinating
han ever and was ready for her sake
% keep terms with all the rural world.
It amused him, OF course, that the tree
lore such wondrous fruitage. Trees
we're A5t Christmas commonplaces
Longly, 30 all the people
hereabout had sent their gifts TO be
,iled Of the trees foot and thence dis.
ribltsd, After they We're distributed
here. would be supper. uer the Gnncc.
sorrie would have 70 be 4 locker on.
lis broken arm was not yet out of the
ling
Amos ought to have been Santa
)lans, but had fatty refused So Leo
"a herself. made up into a startling
christmas fairy. with a black half
III ana pair Of realistic wings, APP
0rtloned properly the Christmas trees
rult, snying things that fitted most
ascs beautifully and so doubled the
alue Of the presents Nobody had
cen forgotten. Ennis Lorihg stood
juggling a huge tin horn Sorrie's
ound arm was fairly heaped with
nlglng parcels, topped with toy an
Dmobile. Then the fairy lifted from
be litter of moss and greenery at the
reefs foot huge pair of spectaclcs
nd clanped thcm upon her own eyes d
am looking for-the person | belong
D. Sue said clearly. Everybody held
reath as she walked UP TO her two !
gyers, who by some chance stood side Q
y side For breath she studied their I
aces lntently. beautiful flush show
u below her half mask; then. with a O
tile laughing cry she laid her hand
pom No.rie's, saying very low. This ?
what you get for finding me these
hristma5 green's" o
Good story, Dad Copy. =
The lunrasgiDn thar only about Ia Is