The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-12-18

realization like a black wave, and some
how 1t seemed worse than yesterday.
Her mother was asleep when Sarah
crept through her room and down to
the library agaih-everyone in the
house was asleep. All the world was
cold and gray INC eerie.
1t did not surprise her to find her
letter still on the hearth rug. She had
expected to md 1t there, but it de-
stroyed the little hope that had sprung
in her heart last night-the tiny hope
that Emerson had been mistaken.
The day h a followed was q terrible
thing to Sarah. Everywhere was an
atmosphere of excitement. Of hilarity.
Apparently the theater had not been
darkened the night before.
In the dining room she heard her
mother singing as she hung holly
wreaths in the window. In the kitchen
amid a nne odor Of baking things.
Hannah was chatting the butcher 10Y;
tneir ak was all of s~weethearts and
Christmas gifts. Before her father
Sarah on his knee and graphically de-
scribed the packing Of Santa Claus
pack. When h had hidden her face
on his shoulder and trembled he trans
sisnifying ecstatic Joy. oh. 1t was ter
ilble-terrible. that in all the house,
In all the world, apparently only she
and Emerson knew the truth. Conflict
was raging, in her heart. She yearned
.or 1or consolation. for
from infiicting the thrust that would
give her all. A very sickness OF soul
fell upon her when she thought Of
speech.
She brought out her paper dolls n
sat staring at them listlessly. Pres
emily her mother came in and she be-
gan to play with them almost fur
iously.
That's right. C~hickabiddy, her
mother said. II shouldn't wonder IL
santa claus knew what a good little
girl my daughter is and intends to
bring her o a pink bonnet and a
blue bonnet, too"
Sarah laid her hand on her mothers
dress. Would you care. very much, IL
he didn't-she faltered-"if he didn't
I'd cry my Eyes out" said her
mother.
Obi" gasped Sarah, "oh."
Her mother laughed tenderly. Don't
worry, honey" she said. N dropped
a quick kiss on sarah's blond curis as
she went on her busy way.
She was very busy indeed, that day.
Early In the afternoon she explained
to Sarah very gravely that she had
letters to write and that Sarah must
on no disturb her. 1t was
eagerly accept Sarah's help at seeding
raisins. Sarah seeded raisins obedient-
'ly for an hour or more, but the toy
OF this. which at any other time would
have thrilled her, failed to stir her
today.
While Sarah's mother was joyfullv
making a mail pink bonnet to match
a blue one and packing them delicately
IN a miniature runk that contained
the wardrobe of the new doll, Sarah
herself was sitting. a little nervous
ham nm tina hno~<I, r,,- --Ia- ~.
library fire. Her thoughts a gone to
tomorrow morning. How terrible it
would bel! In his very room tina every
other Christmas morning contained the
very Joy of Joys. the tree itself. the
new delightfully smelling books, wouid
be nothing. nothing but the old COM
monplace chairs and tables and an
empty white stocking gaping horribly
from the mantlepiece. Sarah's heart
broke as she pictured it. The amaze
ment, the conservation. the question:
Ing. and. finally. h acceptance Of this
hideous thing. Beyond that tomorrow
all seemed chaos. Her tender soul
ached with an almost physical pain
when h thought of all the children
today-how happy h herself would
have been today II h hadn't known.
She fell asleep presently before the
fire and when h awoke 1t was to find
herself in h midst of laughing grown-
ups-her father and mother and the
two very bic aunts who came to spend
every Christmas with Sarah. And evil
IDENTIFY the news OF the disaster had
not cached the faraway town whence
they came any more than it had pene-
trated the place know regularly as
the ONCE" where father spent his
days. ~
The ak was all of tomorrow's joy.
Sarah was handed from one lap to another
while the conversation went merrily on
q conversation made obviously for sarah,s
benefit, n with awful knowledge biting
at her heart she smiled politely. as was
expected Of her. Presently, however, her
lack to take fire. as 1T were. from the sur
rounding enthusiasm aroused comment
anxious and a1ectionate.
Why. dearie. aren't you glad that
Christmas is almost here? Just think Of
that stocking tomorrow. sarah!"
When tomorrow comes!"
When you wake up In the morning"
Oh, that morning-that terrible tonor-
row!
Just then Sarah was having her little
dinner. and her spoon dropped softly n
her ulAtA CHE =Aga -.A 80