Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1910-12-08

S@L country % De with n
XAV out roaring
= fire in the crate?
- Theodore, two
" years older spoke
in a take-it-for- granted manner that
caused the other members of the
large family to look at each other.
Wood is more easily burned than
bought" remarked a still younger sis
ter, "and you know father isn't as
rich as a banker this year. Now II I
were q boy or If Willie we're little
bigger, we could go out in the woods
and hunt some stumps and wood for
our Christmas fire"
'If," repeated Patricia.
"Yes; we really need big brother,
don't we, Willie?" asked Theodore of
the small boy who was sitting on the
floor trying to make his improvised
engine run on two laths for tracks.
The little lad paid not the slightest
attention to the remarks of his sis
ters. He was surfeited with that sort
of relative and they were as SO many
uninteresting flies to his diminutive
masculine mind. He was the young
est of the family and the only boy,
much to the regret of the hard-work-
ing father and gentle mother
'I say. Willie" persisted his sister,
why aren't you big enough to get us
some logs for the Christmas fire? We
want you to hurry up and be big
brother"
I'm as big as Carl Jenkins, an he's
bigger'n his sister," argued Willie
half-heartedly, still struggling with his
obstreperous engine.
That's logic for you" laughed Pa
tricia, patting the bland curls on the
head at her feet.
IT'S logs-not logic-we're crazy
for" added Theodore, wisely.
And l might inform you. inciden-
tally that that is the lowest form of
humor-it isn't even respectable. my
dear sister" observed the sixteen
year-old with a withering glance.
Miss Theodore was properly sub
dued for the next few moments, while
the remainder of the family discussed
ways and means of getting the logs
Tor t0e christmas 0Te.
But then Theodore had been more
or less subdued for the last three
weeks-ever since the visits of a GER
tain young man had ceased abruptly.
No one dared to ask the reason for
the unexpected absence and every
time the name of Harold Van Kenton
was mentioned Theodore would flush
g. ha - lof h.
subject irrelevantly.
For almost a year Harold had been
a bi-weekly guest at the Morton home
and he had always Joined in all the
gayeties of the young folks, albeit, OF
recent weeks. he had seemed more
anxious for the solitary companion
ship OF the oldest daughter than of
the whole family At last. though an
engagement never had been an
nounced, IT was generally conceded
among the friends of the family that
Theodore Morton and Harold Van
Kenton were betrothed
Then-his visits had ceased and his
friends had noticed that his genial
smile was less spontaneous and that
he was less ready with his Joking re-
marks 70 them all Furthermore, he
studiously avoided all social gather
ings AZ which II was possible Miss
Theodore might be found certain
reserve in matters purely personal
kept even his most intimate friends
from asking what had happened
And In the case Of Theodore II was
much the same She was kind and
sweet In her family circle. but the
ioyousness OF her temperament
seemed strangely lacking She was
beautiful and the somewhat wistfu
smile she now wore more than ever
enhanced her tyne She was tall and
strongly built. but pale rather than ro
bust; her deep blue eyes were pro
tected bv long dark lashes and her
hair neither light nor dark waved
softly about her broad white brow
For her the approaching Christmas
holidays so happily looked forward "a
hy the others, held little promise OF
gladness That Harold would not be
one OF the merry party about the
cracking IRE made more difference
than she dared 90 admit. even 10 her
innermost conscience
But be had been az fault And n
he could not come 10 her like a man
and say 50. what could she dos She
vas TOO proud 20 tell him 20 come
anyway thus admitting herself un.
able 60 exlst without bin Aud when
she VAS not IA che wrong how could
she apnlogiEe7
tie ln his masculine way. had n
arranged ~ HIS mlnd differently. n
Theodofa after al there had been
between them. silli persisted iu con
tin4iHs her correspondence with John
ST. haze NhsH f Naa contrary 20 his
Nish BE could 500 eouutenanrs a. n
she eared more for che carFenpon
denre ~ this man she had knawn au
Zee HfH hut sha aaH uas midshlp
WHH iH fhF naFB Hhf sli he euuid
'a aa man n hauar aaa ~ leave