Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-12


uratively-by suspending their pictures from
hooks made of bent pins and affixed to the
backs of the chairs. He could see each pictured
face from the position he had reserved for him
self at the head Of the table. ~.
'Amuse yourselves now while | spread out
the feast" he called out to them when that
part of the ceremony was completed. Please
talk about yourselves. | want to know what
you have been doing since saw YOU last" He
began to transfer the different articles of food
from stove to table, talking necessarily as he
did SO.
TOM I've been wondering all winter how YOU
were getting along with the great painting
YOU began just before | came away. What!
Finished and sold. Well, WELL that's fine Pm
proud of you, lad, yes, indeed! Aren't you
pleased with Your brother, Katherine, chr Orr
brother? Sure! I'm proud of that, too Agnes,
do take little notice of Royal; he has been
trying to attract your attention for long time.
Say, Dad how IS business anyway! Iou are
looking as If the hard work of the winter had
agreed with YOU, all right Phil, what's on
your mind. Ell, Nothing muchs Oh, come
now, that isn't fair, you know If had half as
much slowed away in my mind as you have in
yours-well!
There you are!'' he exclaimed when the
food on the table. Draw up! Draw upi
Make yourselves at home, all of you- You'll
find that roasted sagehen the finest thing
you ever tasted. Turkey isn't in it with sage
hen! Tom. you carve for Agnes and yourself.
and, Phil. YOU do likewise for Edna. You'll
find everything within reach. Katherine,
sweetheart. what | do for YOU! Dad Just
one slice of this boiled ham, it goes splentidlv
with the sagehen. Edna, are those chaps tax
ing good care of you. If not, sing out, and IL
bear hand nv own self.
Il sure do wish that some of you people
would open up and give me all the news that's
happened since We been away; but | suppose
you're too modest. You'd talk about it if YOU
could en- but YOU are all too busy eating-is
that it, Oh, well, ri Orgive YOU. | can Wait.
| have waited SO long already that little time
more or less won't count. Royal, be quiet
You're only dog, don't forget that but love
YOU almost as we'll as do these friends of mine.
Katherine. dear, will you assist me with the
presents,'
WHILE Garfield talked he ate At times
" he laughed aloud, gleefully, and often he
brushed hand across his ewes to drive away
suspicious moisture that had gathered in them.
Beside the hearthstone he had arranged large
platter, and whenever he helped himself to a
portion of sagehen, another portion, just as
savory, was tossed on the platter for ROYAL.
He kept up running fire of conversation with
his imaginary guests Joking, asking them qlle+y-
tons concerning things he wished to know
about, and replying for them just as he be-
leved they would have replied. had they been
present to do SO. He bantered them, and per
mitted them to respond in kind and 50 he
brought his friends to him almost literally,
The photographs became personified; they took
shape and form: the chairs were filled; the
room was peopled.
He gave his imagination full swing, and he
no longer alone in that snowbound cup OF
the Bitter Root Range. He called upon Phil
Hooper for a recitation and did it for his
friend; he requested Tom to play of Bee
thoven's sonatas, the Pathetique, and sat in
silence while it was rendered. for he could think
all of it, lust as he had heard Tom play it time
and time again. Agnes sang the Rosary. in the
same way. Edna Hooper gave a recitation.
Garfield, initiating his father, told several fish
ing stories about the Wisconsin lakes.
1t was shortly after o'clock when the
feast began it was past three when Garfield
stood up in his place and raised one hand for
silence exactly as he would have done had his
friends really been present. Then, in low
tone, solemnly and reverently, he said:
May it please God to bless us all this day,
whether here in spirit or in the flesh! May He
bring together again as happily and as har
moniousy as now! Amen!''
TT was near the shortest day of the year. The
sun disappeared behind the mountain peaks
soon after three: by four it was quite dark.
Garfield lighted every lamp he could muster.
He drew the several chairs round the open fire
place. seating himself in the center of the group
of photographs, with Royal stretched drowsily
on the floor beside him. He talked and laughed.
he sang songs for the others and for himself
he told stories; he joked his imaginary guests
about things they had done or had failed to do