Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-01-03

yet, V in the hour of victory, he be-
gan to modify the compact, thus DELHI
erately disproving his previous pessi-
mistic assertions about the expected
return favors.
"A bit iv something FIR Maggie an
Terry" he said, "but nawthin' ilse."
Here, however, Maggie objected. If
there was to be any such arrangement
she wished to be included in it. There
was no reason why she should receive
any presents if she was expected to
give none; indeed, as she was receiv-
Ing an independent salary for her
work as a teacher, she told herself that
there was all the less reason why her
parents should incur any Christmas
expenses on her account. AS for her
own money, she could do with that as
she saw fit. 1t was right that they
should be relieved of a burden that
vas rather hard to bear in the exist
ing circumstances, but that was no rea-
son why she should be deprived of the
pleasure of giving. Here, it will be
noticed, was another blow to Police
a Flynn's views of the s%elfishness
that marks the modern Christmas, but
of course he didn't know it. Maggie
kept her opinions to herself, and mere
ly insisted that she should be includ-
ell in the compact
Now this is an agreement that many
nnop1o of EmitaJ n bo1o op+oroJ
into at various times, and they will
appreciate the difficulties that con.
fronted the parties to it. The Christ
mas spirit is contagious, and more
than once Policeman Flynn regretted
that he had been so far-sighted. When
he saw anything that he wanted to
buy for Mrs. Flynn or Maggie, he
tried to console himself with the re.
Election: "Niver mind! T will be
ma-arked down afther Chris-mus.'
But with this came the haunting fear
that the stock might be exhausted be-
fore the day of bargain sales arrived
This occasional queries at the station:
What are We goin' to buy tn good
woman?" also worried him, for he
feared a truthful answer would be mis-.
construed, and he would be put down
as a misery wretch with little affec
ton for his family. He had one con.
ISOLATION, however. By tacit agree,
ment Terry had been left out of the
arrangement, as being too young right.
fully to appreciate 1t, and so there
was an opportunity to make some fam
lily purchases. Thus it happened that
Christmas eve Policeman Flynn told
his wife that he must get something
more for Terry.
But we ha-ave a plinty FIR him." ar
gued Mrs. Flynn.
Are you tn wan that's dom this
or am II" he demanded, with some as.
perity.
"Oh, g'wan, if we wa-ant to-" she re.
whats that"
"Ray-mimber Cullen, tn la-ad " tn
big hear-rt that niver meant FIR to dc
it."
Policeman Flynn departed with the
uncomfortable feeling of a crimina'
who fears he has been found out, and
Mrs. Flynn chuckled. Then she re.
tired to her room and made an inves.
tigation of one of the bureau drawers
Twill niver do" she commented
as she held up one of Policeman
Flynn's socks and regarded it critical.
ly. "'Tis a Shame tn min don't wear
shtockin's. Now what'll | ta-ake fl
to ma-ake it seem fright an proper
Terry noted his mothers mysterious
movements that night, but he was alb
solutely barred from the kitchen un
til morning, and Mrs. Flynn kept a
close watch of him. Maggie was SUI.
perintending or assisting to superin.
tend a waits Christmas celebration
and did not get home until late. Wher
she did come she made a mysterious
trip to the kitchen in the dark and
deposited some packages on the table
With the stealthiness of a thief Pc
liceman Flynn came still later, and
his movements were the most extraor.
binary of all. He removed his boots