The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1910-12-18


Reuben was mentioned. Reuben
panied him. He felt at once thai
he did not care for Reuben.
Mrs. Wilbur entered the room
smiling. In one hand she bore a
pair of heavy woolen socks, ami in
the other a pair of gaudy carpet
slippers.
Pa she said, Il was gon' to
hang these slippers on the tree for
you, but / guess it'll be a good be-
ginning for them to be worn by
the stranger"
Now, SALLY" exclaimed Mr.. VII
bur, IF that amt just like you,
to go and spend your chicken mon
ey on me | guess you know ! don't
need nothing to let me know it's
Christmas. You certainly are the
thoughtfullest woman / ever see. |
don't know anything I'd rather had
than a new pair of slippers"
Now, pa" she beamed, you're
just saying that
mo, | amt he declared Il mean
it. | been wishing | had a new pair
this two months back"
Mrs. Wilbur laughed with pleas.
ure.
What you think Reuben said
when / went upstairs?" she asked.
He must have heard you and the
gentleman talking. He says, Ma,
who's downstairs? Is it Sanity
CLAUSE And | says, Yes well,
he says, I'll shut my eyes real
tight You know, she explained to
Mr.. Wallingford, we tell them thai
they mustn't peek on Sanity Claus.
That's so we can fix up the tree
without them peekin' in."
'Reuben's a cute one, sure
enough" said Mr.. Wilbur. 'Im dy
ing TO see what he'll say wnen he
sees the tree in the morning"
The tree stood in one corner of
the room, and it's branches already
bore numerous strings of snow-white
popcorn and few glittering orna'
merts, but the task of decking it
was far from complete.
IF you don't mind" Mr.. Wilbur
continued, '1ll just go ahead fix
ing it up. We've got quite lot to
do yet"
Mr.. Wallingford had no objections.
The warmth was making him sleepy
Mrs. Wilbur set cider and apples
before him. which he refused to
touch, on hygienic grounds. He ask
ed and learned that they had no
telephone; learned that the only
train that stopped at Weston's was
a 1870 a. m. local ami that it was
annuled on Sundays and holidays,
and resigned himself to his fate He
was in for a day of children and
Christmas nonsense.
If you don't mind" he said, when
he had watched Mr.. Wilbur ar
range yard after yarll of popcorn
strings on the tree. I'll retire"
They did not mind. They were
TelTeved. Nh WaNAngford's face
dampened their pleasure, and was a
restraint. Mrs. Wilbur gave him a
sQuatty oil lamp and led the way
to his bedroom.
Mr.. Wallingford cast a glance Of
distaste about the room. The cell
ing sloped almost to the floor at
one side, but on the other three
walls was the most hideous wall
paper he had ever seen. The only
chair in the room was one that
had evidently outworn its parlor
welcome and had been degraded to
place in the bedroom. The floor
was unpainted and bare, except for
square of rag carpet near the bed.
The table was the kind that thrifty
housewives get with a can of bak.
ing powder for fifty cents.
Il guess" said Mr.. Wilbur, with
a glance of approval at the room,
you'll be comfortable. You won't be
cold when you once get into bed and
you'd better go to sleep as soon
as you can, for the children don't
sleep late Christmas mornings. They
are up as soon as there is light
enough to see by"
Mr.. Wallingford bowed and closed
the door almost before she was out
of the room. The Window were
coated with thick frost; he glanced
into the water pitcher and saw
that a thin scum of ice was already
forming there, but what displeased
him most was the sight of his
bedfellow.
The curly yellow head lay with
its back toward him, and the quilt