Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1906-01-18

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 an especially tempting
bough. The wood of it was tough
1t bent where he thought to break it,
and, instead of swapping. it crushed in
to stringy fibers. Norrie had the i'm
pulse of mastery even over inanimate
things. Forgetful that he was twenty
five feet in air. he gave the bough n
Jerk so energetic it made him lose his
balance and come crashing earthward.
But there were boughs lower down,
and somehow he clutched one with his
right arm. swung himself up to it and
clambered back to the trunk. Coming
down this. Leona saw him hitch him.
self along in way wholly unlike his
ascent. She did not know the reason
until he stood by the wagonette, saying
almost apologetically: 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"
Iongly farm at Christmastide made
the neighbors stare Amy had insisted
upon a party. 1t would never, never do
to waste all LeorH had brought to pass
simply upon the family. Greens were
everywhere-over doors and windows,
In hooks and corners and up and down
the broad stairway. The tree, too, was
a 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. So had the other fellow.
Leona had been panic stricken at
the outset. Now sunny peace pos
sessed her spirit. Since she had seen
Norrie topping against the evening
sky-falling, it might be, to his death
for his lady's whim-she had begun to
question her own heart. more closely
than ever before. What answer had re-
warded the questionings she did not
tell. But Ennis Ioring had found her
more softly, more subtly fascinating
than ever and was ready for her sake
to keep terms with all the rural world.
1t amused him, Of course, that the tree
bore such wondrous fruitage. Trees
were not Christmas commonplaces
roundabout Longly, so all the people
thereabout had sent their gifts to be
piled at the trees foot and thence dis
tributed After they were distributed
there would be supper, then the dance.
Norrie would have to be a locker on.
His broken arm was not yet out of the
sling.
Amos ought to have been Santa
Claus, but had fatty refused. So Leo
na herself. made up into a startling
Christmas fairy, with black half
mask and pair Of realistic wings, ap-
portioned properly the Christmas trees
fruit, saying things that fitted most
cases beautifully and so doubled the
value OF the presents. Nobody had
been forgotten. Ennis Loring stood
hugging huge tin horn. Norrle's
sound arm was fairly heaped with
bulging parcels, topped with toy au-
tomobile. Then the fairy lifted from
tho litter of moss and greenery at the
trees foot q huge pair of spectacles
and clapped them upon her OWL eyes.
II am looking for-the person | belong
| TO-" she said clearly. Everybody held
breath as she walked up to her two
lovers. who by some chance stood side
| by side For breath she studied their
| faces lntently, beautiful flush show
Ing below her half mask; then, with a
| little laughing cry she laid her hand
upon Norries, saying very low, This
is what you get for finding me these
| Christmas green's"