Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-19

1t was before the sunset or a cloudy
Christmas eve that DR.. Lloyd went over TO
Old Place TO bring the children to fes-
tivity Marina and Benson had prepared.
"Huccom dem ar chlluns ain come in
an done hab DER faces wash? Nanny
Rose was saying. 'Dey's dess maturity
gone wild ober dem skates. Pears like
ain yeered 'em racketin' dis yer long
time. Marse Monty: Marse Johnny! Oh.
Nance And her voice, ringing out like
a bell, came back like an echo. no other
sound replying.
'Oh. Nanny Rose. cried Paula. fins.
ing down her needles, you don't believe
oh, DR.. Lloyd
My gracious, Missy Paula. you don't
reckon dey's in de ribber? Sho. chile. do
ribber's done froze stiff to de groun',
Dem limbs is more bodder to me dan all
my money. Marse Johnny" And her
voice rose to concert pitch.
But no Marse Johnny replied; nor were
any children i'm sight when. catching UP
cloaks and hoods. they ran outdoors.
where it was already twilight with the
coming storm.
They have probably gone down the
river said the doctor, 'or, could they
have gone up?" And he looked about him
anXiously, for upriver was the pond with
its airholes. and downriver was the big
stream where at the junction there was
sure to be broken ice and trouble. Il am
going after them,'' said the doctor. 1T
will be pitch dark in half an hour. Ben
son shall go UP stream. and I will 80
down. In the meantime let us have a
torch that will throw light as far as
light fiies,' And when he came back with
his skates. two Of the farm hands fol-
lowed. their arms full of kindling stuff.
with which they made a pile at the base
of the dead pine tree. LAS soon as II is
fred he said. bucklng his last strap.
take burning brands and fire the branch
es' And then he was of one way and
Benson the other. calling as they went.
And Paula and Nanny Rose stood shud-
dering and shiverinS on the bank, calling.
too.
my. Tain no use addin' to trouble an
reskin' yoser sick; wen dem limbs o. Ynis-
chief comes home dey'n need us bofe. I
reckon. YO' come in along O. nanny.
DR.. Lloyd had not skated far down the
UcuuS anu TcdCIcS VI TIC utIlS SIIC0f1 Uc-
fore he saw how bewildered children
might become. Suddenly, through the
stiffness following one Of his stentorian
cries. from far off, round the bend Of the
shore beyond the Long Wood. came q
frail pipe like that Of bird fallen from
a nest; and then another and another.
The doctor never stopped to listen; he put
fresh force to his strokes and sped on
to find the little people at last huddled
together in mortal terror
''Oh, we knew you'd come" piped one.
as he approached, hearing, IL not seeing.
him. 'Only we were afraid" whispered
another. land we got turned about. We
didn't know which way to CO., And
very truly, the doctor felt, as he rose
from comforting them moment. He.
himself. didn't know which way to 60.
He had given his last match. too. to
Marina with the farmhands, and he could
not even see the face of the compass on
his watchchan. He waited, seeking some
thing that might seem familiar. But all
was still and blank. Out here, with these
children all night in a storm. His heart
failed him. And then a great glow shone
in the sky. Gomez he cried quickly.
That is the way home.' And as they
rounded the bend a pillar OF fire made
the darkness blench before it.
.'Oh, who did it," cried Monty.
''You did it," said MILFORD.
God did it, said 10.
81 guess this is Christmas tree" said
little Mary.
1t was the next morning. the storm.
blown away, that DR.. Lloyd saw the pro-
cession of little people carefully crossing
the slippery beams and coming up his
snowy lawn. Paula was with them, IN
the cloak h&rriedly thrown on at their de-
mand. 1--WE haven't told Paula!' they
cried, as soon as they were in the wide
hall down whose depths the fire blazed,
because We thought she might make a
time. But We came to wish you a merry
Christmas-and make you a Christmas
present-you gave US the big Christmas
tree, last night
And it was glorious
And it saved our lives"
And we want to give you the best thing
we've GOT
And SO we're going to give you Paula.'
And part OF them fell upon Paula. slip
ping off the cloak. and part Of them upon
the QOctOT. 1ou IC SOlTS u stay mere
now, Paula" they said. Wen come
over every day
And all day long
You may marry her, if YOU like.
May 1, Paula? May I?' whispered DR..
Lloyd.
She's your Christmas present. they
went on. I'VE will try to do without herr
and the lips began to tremblc, the voices
to falter, the heroes to cry.
1T is present I have wanted very
much. But Paula herself must give it.
Paula"
She stood there flushed. beautiful. ap-
pealing, downcast. But for one moment
she raised her luminous eyes TO his, and
there he read it all: and he took her in
his arms and doubted il he were not
dreaming some dream of heaven.
Il think" he said presently. still hold
ing Paula, I'VE will have a wedding here
today And then you won't have to do
without Paula. For you will stay, too"