Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-12-19
z@ II prospect of spending Christ
mas eve and part Of Christmas
day at .'the hospitable Pines"


in Bixby was not especially
pleasing to me: but, since cousins of
the WEIGH persuasion are few and far
between, l did not feel justified in re-
fusing Cousin Claras invitation. Be
sides that, Bixby was only a few miles
distant from Mayville, where expect
ed to put in a more or less painful sea-
son Christmas evening.
Therefore | wrote Clara that I'd ar
rive on the $50 train Christmas eve
and remain with her until o'clock the
tion l mentioned neither my destina-
ton after O'Clock nor any prospective
delight there.
Truth to tell, in my thoughts I was
leaving that evening call as far as pos
sible in the keeping of Providence,
realizing from past experiences that
the atmosphere of Mayyille had a
curiousIy unnerving effect on me. The
only preparation I had made was to
secure Christmas offering in the
shape of a very small gold band carry
ing handsome diamond and engraved
inside with the Ito mel musical name
"Rey Day.
ssBut whether it will ever see the
rays Of day" ! said aloud, grimly pun
ming as stuffed the tiny box into my
pocket, remains to be seen, as she
must take with it such big blunder-
er as myself oh, for slice of Har-
olds assuranceT7 I added, catching up
my umbrella and running for the street
car.
Harold Welch was my cousin and
the sother man in the case" / did not
love my cousin, but then we We're even
there.
Z wonder" / thought as / raced
across the platform and sprang on the
already moving express, If Clara has
invited sHaroldfs
Ten minutes later my question was
answered in the person of that gentle
man himself strolling leisurely down
the aisle of the smoker.
What a deueedly well set up fell
loWr' said man behind me to his
seat mate @Looks as if he had walked
out Of bandbox, doesn't hep
Harolds appearance was always Of
the bandbox type, but | well knew that
his actions were not always, and Miss
Day
Hello, Robr' he cried, surprised, but
not any better pleased than myself at
the meeting. aGoing down to Clara's?"
I emerged from behind my newspa-
per long enough to nod. Eyes. Are
your
He did not reply at once. He was
taking my measure, as usual. with an
air of quizzical, CALLING amusement.
The cad has way of making me real
lie my inconyenient length, the inferi-
GRITTY of my tailor and the cowlicx that
adorns the right side. of my hair His
eyes wandered upward to the rack
over the seat and lodged on my high
hat, the first had ever INDUCED in,
while over his face spread grin
which made comments needless.
Then he replied carelessly: "Oh, yes,
shall get around to the Pines on the
10 o'clock train in the morning Please
tell Cousin Clara, will you, and give
her my regards? Tonight''-he threw
the chill inducing remark at me over
his shoulder as he moved away-tsI go
on to Mayville..
MayviIlel The blood pounded at my
temples and burned my face. "Its all
up with me" was my solemn thought
as / searched my pockets for my
match case. My fingers encountered
the tiny jewelers. box. Ruefully
pressed it-poor useless little trinket
and looked out of the window at the
weather.
! could not have looked at anything
less calculated to impart consolation.
There was storm on, driving storm
OF sleet, rain and snow, with a heavy
leaden sky overhead and shoe deep
mud underfoot, the outer world, espe-
cially that part of it containing Bixby.
being an exact counterpart to my feel
ings
I had never seen Bixby before, and
/ think one view would satisfy any
reasonable person. 1t consists of a
small implanted station set down I'M
protected in the midst of the river flats,
tempting all the winds Of heaven, and
/ discovered the moment had set foot
on the platform that none of the winds
was resisting temptation. An infant
cyclone wound the tails of my long
coat firmly around my knees and
forced me to hang on to my tall hat
with death grip, all of which graceful
maneuvering Harold was viewing with
relish from window Of the rear car.
AS the train rushed on down the val
ley I whirled around and around to
liberate my legs from the embrace OF
my coat tails, at the same time view
ing the nearby landscape in search Of
proper means Of locomotion to the
Pines. Saving my own patent leather
shoes, none was in sight.
From the station a road wound back
among the foothills CARRIED in gaunt
sfQhing pines. which concealed any