Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-08

threshold, whence the old man picKeo
them up.
Happy Christmas. ONeill.' she SAID,
There's a lot more holly back there III
he carriage '-indicating 1t with mo-
ton of the head-"which l don't suppose
YOU need in the least
The servant shook his head IT'S
pritty We luke In the white. MISS Mirlam'
he observed taking her cloak from her.
NO. there's lashin's Of holly an every
thing else in the place, but ye're the nrst
wan to wish anybody happy CHRIST
mas, let alone a merry wan. Not put "hat
they're kaping up very we'll They're
mostly upstairs answering the inquiry
In the girls face. From the upper rooms
descended a confluence of voices. snril
above them all rising the eSciteo sa.eai ~ ~
child who finds himself the center OF
attention.
''worshipin' the baby" commented
O'Neill
"Oh. yes, little Rod-Roger." For the
first time the clear cheerfulness or the
girls voice seemed in peril. O'Neilis oio
crumpled face gave no sign; but ne aodeo
with unwonted quickness:
Herself veil find in the dining ROOM
with Miss Anna. An the ju dge Is KIND
of wanderin' about
nI'l go there first" She slipped past
him. even while he was speaking, and ad-
vanced through the evergreen-wreatheo
doorway of the dining room. soho,
old-fashioned house of sixty years this
full Of the mingled pretentiousness ana
simplicity of our forefathers. The tortu-
Gus and ornate walnut woodwork was such
as is today under esthetic ban. But INTO
the glooms of its wide hallway Its spa
.et1., al tT-lt
glitter, modern taste had imported bright
touches OF crimson carpeting and rich
weIters of coor from stained glass VIII
dows. The result was something lneHa-
bly, homelike, suggesting growth not the
GREATNESS creation of the art decorator.
And Miriam. in the moment she had STOOD
in the hallway in her white frock, with
the black walnut and the crimson for
background. had added to the picture the
last intimate gracious suggestion OF hfe
which battles the decorator ONe1ifs eyes
followed her through the doorway.
"rTis pritty she tukes out OF the
black" he unused. Yet pretty she never
was; only charming. inevitably graceful
in each motion of her girlish body, put to-
gether with a few swift exquisite touches;
black-haired. deep-eyed-a tiny diamond
spark showing in the center of each pu-
pill, when she looked levelly at you; with
pale fine skin. mouth sereneiy sealed on
grief spiritual. sensitive. no rose or Gu
pid's bow-such was Miriam; not beau-
tiful unless. like SO many others, you
loved her. But I've seen her luke wan
enough" continued O'Neills thoughts. Il
couldn't find 1t in me throat to wish her
The same to you Twas Mrs. Roger
she would have been this day"
In the dining room an elderly woman
and a girl of fifteen were moving about
the table placing holly sprigs on the
shining napkins Both wore deepest black.
AS Miriam appeared they looked up. with
pleased faces flashing welcome, and the
elder tenderiy opened her arms. impeded
as they were with prickly branches OF
holly. To her Miriam did not wish a
happy Christmas She laid her face down
on the black shoulder which tremoled
little under 1t, and faltered:
Mother"
Anna came and chung about the other
two All their arms were full Of holly
Its going 10 be $3.50 hard she Whls-
pered. her young eyes full of tears. we
can't think of Christmas, only of-of-
But he would have wisher US to do
lust the same az ever" swiftly reminded
Miriam. raising her head
you think so. too. don't your asked
the mother, wistfully. She was small and
fra!l, with a white. parched-iooking face.
full Of gentle strength-full. too. of nne
lines which were not there year ago
some of the neighbors / know-not that
j ever cared for them; but l could not
bear to seem lacking in respect to the
dear boy. Yet we have always gathered
this way on Christmas eve-it would be
a second break. almost like another death !;
and with little Roger growing up. and
all" She spoke-they all three spoke
with tie elisions, the eloquent pauses.
of those who are in subt,est accord OF
spir I, and e almost ready TO dispense
with language altogether.
.'Why, mother. not to 're-une, as ne
used to call it"-she spoke with a smile
that was wonderful to the young Anna.
would only remove us farther from Rod.
don't YOU see? He was always with US
he seems TO be part of it-indeed. under
stand now he was it, 10 me"-she crushed
sigh and turned to meet the judge. VINO
had Just entered with low step and alb
sent air. O'NeilPs word wandering" was
we'll chosen.
A tall thin stopping Old man. with
handsome aquiline features. courtly man
ners. old-fashioned and heavy as the
house and Its furnishings. he was not
dressed In black having emphatic views
on the subject of weeds of grief. as in
deed on almost all subjects But his head.
ike his wife's wore the silver mourning
Of the old. He had never been the same
man on cTu0e, pathetic pIIdSe, Hdi-
lowed with long usage. saturate with sim
pie human pity-since the day, a bare
seven months before. when his youngest
lad been drowned while bathing In a lake
on the grounds OF his college. The never
ending ache OF their loss both drew him
and his wife closer and at the same time
impalpably held them aloof. For her
faith was not his. she trusted in the nom
finality OF things which seemed TO him
final and was able TO find comfort and
sustainment where he stood desolate He
suffered only the stern can suffer; she
endured as only the tender can.
He stopped lower and kissed Miriam
with an air of struggling cheerfulness.
Why he said. You are all In white.
You look pretty"
$50 every one seems to think" she said.
Like you" turning to Rods mother,
did not care what people thought. l
knew / always had worn white at these
been engaged TO Rod and coming to them
four years is IL not?-and that he
would have wished nothing changed. Or
or sad. save he inevita BILE fact of his not
being here. He hated black on women"
Eyes. | know" agreed his mother. hum
by. But ! could not leave it Off I am
100 old"
Miriam pressed her hand and dropped
II then abruptly directed her attention to
the commonplace responsibilities of a
hostess Anna was a little dear. she volu-
bly, declared, but did not know how 20
make dollhouse roses hold up their he ads
in vase About the table and around