The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1909-12-23
M

= -. %-SS[I vi udAUh0TCulSlS las
begun" she OBJ ~,
served in a dry but humorous voice. ~
This is from Lottie Preston. This"
lingering a thinner envelope ginger
~. lis probably a pin cushion cover
1rhm Geraldine, and this very fat
envelope contains a linen initial
handkerchief from Molly Drew.
Last year, Aunt Sally, I received
II handkerchiefs and three EN-.
bro1dered cushion tops that bore
unm1stakable marks of previous
Christmas travels. I received three ~,
Invitations to spend Christmas with ks1 VI
relatlves-Salina and Pauline, of MI
course, and the Prestons-all of NtUH
whom had gaps to be filled in, and N"
l nlled them as usual. I spent $32 ~
Tor Christmas gifts that I didn't en-
Joy giving because I knew they
were expected. and made three trips
70 the city for the express purpose
Of suiting everybody as nearly as i
possible, and In consequence I grew =
so tired that I was cross to Won for
TWO whole days before I left on nv 1
Christmas tour.
This year I shall not make a ~
e!ng1e present outside of my imme. III
aiaIe !amlly-wh1ch means Just us MI
two, Aunt Sally, for I intend to //N
make myself a handsome Christmas I////N
!: !: !: !. ! ! . ! ! !: !: !. ] ! ! ! !. I. ]. . ]. ]. !: ] | . I. !. !: !: : . !. !. !. !. !. !. !: !: !: !: !: !: !. !: !: !:
present instead of wasting my mon. Y///M
ey On tne relatives who dump all I//UM
tnelf ieft'overs on me. I shall not tN/IAW
ACCEPT a single invitation, either lUUM
nave lost the Christmas spirit" \WlNNh
Auht sally's honest black faco lWM
COOK on a look of perplexity, where. \1NM/
upon MISS Pamela went on tn or. \VLWf
plain the situation. VlUl
Il am tired of being a Chr,stmos wv
scapegoat, she declared with snirit NJ
Everything unpleasant is loaded Y
on my shoulders because 1 happen
to be unmarried"
i do wish to goodness sake vo,
nao,a-marrled!" exclaimed Aunt "z
Sally in a tone that gave Pame1o [ =
to understand that all hone had SO,
been relinquished, A"u ~
You never was cut out for an
ola maid" Aunt Sally maintained.
solIo"1ully, whereupon Pamela shrugged ha,
"ell.set shoulders in half humorous desnair
sne dearly loved her faithful old seryan,
ana friend, who had descended to her togethe,
with the little country home which was tho
most undesirable of effects mentioned in tn.
pateFnal VIII TO be equally divided among my
three daughters" 49,
Pamela being unmarried, had no need O
tne negotaple property which her sisters hus
bands eagerly desired for the purpose of en-
larging their business operations. so Panel,
mad accepted the country house and a thirt
OF a maternal income, which barely suficed t.
cover the taxes and repairs.
"Now we shall see what Salina has to say
observed Pamela as she opened her sister,
hurriedly scrawled letter.
Dear Pamela" she read aloud. "Pleas,
don't take offense at what 1 have done, for
simply had to take advantage Of your irrespon
sibility at a pinch. The Kensingtons-you re
member them. don't you, Jim's sister and fam
Aly?-have just come back from Texas, o
course expecting to be invited here for Christ
mas. That is what we'd have to do if
didn't have you to fall back on. I'm sendin,
them all down to you to spend the holidays
as we simply can't have them here, for tn
reason that we've invited the Masons, JIM
business friends, you know. 1t is likely tina
Tom Mason will be here II he can get ava.
from a pressing business engagement, and a
,he was rather attentive to Geraldine last sum
,mer ut the mountains something may come o
Gus Tom is and how a crowd Of noisy children
would annoy him. I know men Of his kind
they are as sensitive as girls, and I don't pre-
pose to spoil my daughters prospects for tn
sake of the Kensington's.
, Geraldine is packing a box Of things TO
the Kensingtons which re will send by ez
press today, so you needn't go to any expens
buying Christmas presents Tor them. l mop
you'll have a real pleasant Christmas an
come to see US as soon after the holidays a
possible"
Pamela threw down the letter with a deter
mined gesture and for a few moments sh
thought deeply, painstakingly, with her smoot
forehead puckered in a very unusual frowr
Aunt Sally" she said suddenly. could 20
possibly make out to spend Christmas week 4
the pasture cabin?"
"For what, Miss Pam?" asked the negres
In a puzzled voice.
"For peace-Im going to spend Christina
as I please. The Kensingtons can come IT the
like and make merry in my house, but I III
MT going to be a Christmas scapegoat an
longer. Can you make the cabin do. Aun
Sally?",
"Deed an 1 can, was the confident answer
ct can cook the bestes' kind In a fireplace, 1es
like nv old nanny could. Ben can haul u
down all the bed close an things we need"
Fortunately salina was at home when Pan
alas telephone call reached her, 80 there wa
N delay. She was surprised to receive . mel