The Washington herald., 1907-12-25

lnSs ala It through sense OF pity, but
10 learn that he was also the man who
wrecked my mothers life-that-that was
too much. 1 have come 20 return your
money and ask the return of my cards
II you have not already destroyed them.
MY dear girl" expOstUlatcd The man,
who had turned strangely white around
his lips
Please do not interrupt me-" contin-
ucd the girl passionateIy My mothers
I brother-perhaps you remember him.
Henry Johnson. is here. He went 10 the
shop and found out where my cards had
gone and-oh. il is such a miserable lit
Tie farce 20 you-a successful man. I
thought / could be an artist. They told
me so at home Against uncle's wishes I
came here 20 make my little ight and
failed. When YOU bought those things /
/ thought perhaps-but uncle. VINO wanted
me 10 20 home sifted the story 10 the
( bottom and found-yOu. ! ara going home
with him tonight. am not sorry came
II IS good thing for a girl 10 learn what
she cannot do. then in later years she
has no vague regrets. But I want my
cards. Here is just what you paid the
stationer for them.
] James Macy looked first al the little roll
Of bills she had laid or the polished table
and then. with Infinite yearniug and en-
treaty. into her flushed face Her lips
were quivering now, and ar sight OF them
the man sighed.
Miss Leigh. I want 20 beg favor OF
YOU. This is Christmas Eve. and 1 am
q lonely. desolate man. II ever the
Christmas message Of peace and good
Will means anything. II is tonight. and
want your good viii Those little Christ
mas cards you painted are the only
touch of real Christmas that has come
into my life-and I want 10 keep them
and tell you why 1 want 70 keep them.
( VIII you kindly be seated?"
The anger died in the girls face Her
( eyes turned violet once more. and she
/ followed her host to "a deep chair beside
/ the fireplace.
You say l wrecked your mothers life.
/ Well, then. know that hers was not long.
/ My season of regret and penitence has
/ lasted longer than you have lived. 1
/ loved your mother. but 7 did not under
/ stand her. l went out into the world 10
make fortune. not for myself. but for
/ her; and | thought that the fortune must
/ come first and loves dream afterward.
! with women 1t is different. The dream
/ must come frst-the fortune is a second
] airy consideration. Your mother-God
! bless her memory-thought had forgot
/
| passed out Of my life and into your
| fathers
But she had you; I had nothing. moth
/ Ing but money and the memory Of one
! happy summer Of her life l never ex-
| pected TO know what peace and happi-
| ness meant again, until that day I'm the
/ store when your eyes your voice.
! thought it was the other Sylvia. my Svl-
via. come 70 life And I bought those
cards because you painted them. Every
/ night, every morning, 1 have taken them
/ from my desk and touched them one bv
one because your hands had touched
/ them. too 1 meant 70 call on Won later
/ after 1 had become more accustomed to
| the thought that you-were. well. Just
you"
| The girl rose suddenly and turned away
from hlm- The man stepped in front of
her and held her gaze with his.
And now YOU come to me in anger
and take from me my one Christmas 9
! happiness-the work Of your hands SvI-
via, Sylvia. haven't I paid my debt of
! repentance? Can you not extend forgive
ness-ChTistmas forgiveness-in vour
mothers name.
There was mist now between the
violet eyes and the earnest face of the
man. He was watching her hungrilv
with the eyes Of a man who had striven
to accustom himself to heart-starvation
] Sylvia turned toward the door.
l must go now. We are leaving on
the o'clock train. Uncle is waiting
for me downstairs in a cab. We are
going home"
Home" The man echoed the word
mechanically. DULY.
The girl hesitated. then held out her
hand
Yes. back TO dear old Hestonville. Why
don't you come. too? Why don't YOU
run out tO-morrow-for dinner?"
| The man turned his back on the
artistic room. the wealth of green and
! crimson decorations, and stretched out
| both hands
sylvia. child. do you mean IL? Do
you understand that if I come II will
be to see you?"
Bravely the violet eyes were raised 10
meet the searching look in the brown
ones Slowly the long lashes drooped
to hide the violet depths. and the airl
sighed softly. but she did not withdraw
her hands from his.
rs it peace and good will for me.
! Sylvia?~
The tender lines around the girls
mouth relaxed in a smile. She stepped
TO the door, laughing at him over her
shoulder
"Yes-and meys Christmas II you come
tomorrow
Tomorrow" he echoed happily. as he
held the door open for her And to-
morrow is the day Of Christmas gifts. I
am coming to claim mine withou, fail. &"
Copyright laE. by E. C. PsIcellsl