The French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1896-1912, 1906-12-20

cake and plum pudding. She manned
Tor turkey and Tor chicken. pie. n
her husband eyed her In gloomy retro
specton Of the glad old times, growl
Ing out to her that she seemed to be
preparing for an army, and she fash
Cd out that this wasn't the time to be
stingyN and perhaps there would be
some poor TO feed-there always had
been SO far.
Then came the oath day OF Decem-
Der, a heavy snowst0rm and much
embarrassment FOR the old couple.
Each had secretly sent all the children
presents and q letter, neither mention
Ing the other, and the lawyer had call
ed on them and told them that 1t was
time to drop the divorce business and
make up or push II and have Il over
with. They almost drove him from the
house, and he laughed as he went down
the street.
About noon John came In, gru6 and
shy. and put q great armful Of holly
on the white kitchen table. She looked
at him till he explained
" O0J O01G " a. IL WSs AAS4 Ahu
too much at tbs church, and she give me
no chance to say I didn't want tt
you know Mays way. She said the
Christmas tree was the biggest the
church ever had and there were more
children needing things. She asked IL
you had anything pretty or useful you
didn't want, and I said I would ask
you"
They had missed the church woeful-
II and had always helped out with ev-
erything. They had always been cheer
full INC charitable. This appeal touch
ed them both.
Mary rummaged about and sent an
Offering that reJolced the hearts OF
those who were trimming the tree.
John took 1t to the church, and every
body shook hands with him and In the
general gladness seemed to have for
gotten that anything was wrong.
About 4, while Mary was alone rest
Ing after putting up all the holly, q
telegram came for John. She did not
know where he was, and she suffered
the usual agony OF simple people un-
accustomed to receiving kilograms. She
dared not open Il and Imagined the
death and burial OF all her children
and grandchildren, one after the other.
While she was-in this frame Of mind
another message came, and the boy
had scarcely gone when a third ar
Rived Then she sent a neighbours boy
for her husband and received him al
most fainting. He was as frightened
as she, but the hrst read: Meet 6
O'Clock train tonight. Mary" The Sec
ond said: Meet 8 o'clock train tonight.
Paul" The third babe him meet the 8
O'Clock train and was signed eliza
beth" While they stood staring at each
other q boy brought another. This was
different.
"Meet 8 o'clock train from west for
little Christine. Alice died suddenly
yesterday. Mother. give her a home
till fcan get to you. Letter later" 1t
was 8 then. They stood staring a mo-
ment and then Mary fell to pillng
wood on the fire and spoke briefly to
John.
"Father, you'M have to hurry to get
20 that train" He went out to the barn
and hltched the team to the double cut
ter. When he came back he lifted
down to their grandmother's arms her
daughter Mary's three children, three
OF Paul's and n of Elizabeth's. They
were all laughing and shouting and
each was ticketed merry Christmas.
I am a gift to grandpa and grandma"
They were barely fed and warmed
when John went to the later train and
returned with the motherless three
year-old Christine in his arms. She
had been put In the conductors care
and was sound asleep. with tears on
her cheeks and her yellow curls tousied,
on her grandfathers shoulder. Her
grandmother reached up for her.
"John," she said, "she Is ours. We
must keep things together for the chill
dren! John, I'm awfuily ashamed of
how hard I've been, and I amt asham-
ed to say SO. viii you forgive meT'
He stopped suddenly and kissed her
as he put the child IN her arms. "
MA" he said, "I've been an old fool,
and I'm the one to blame! I'll go and
straighten things at church and If you'll
have me for a Christmas present all
right" And she smiled happily up at
him.