The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1910-12-27

from ChristmaEft was everywhere.
So he fixed the habit of shutting him
self In his own house during those
holidays
Now be looked longingly at the pack
ages on the beds and with a sudden
impulse crossed the room and laid his
hand on one. It was the first one, and
Cornelia must have prompted its send
ing, for the twins were only three
then Cornelia must have had strong
sense Of duty, he admitted as he cut
the cords.
Inside was a small box containing a
very much soiled and laboriously con-
structed splint picture frame, undoubt-
edly the work of childish fingers. That
was from Bobby, as the attached card
indicated. Another bit Of kindergarten
work was Dorothy's offering-a watch
chain made of colored beads. In the
bottom was little photograph of the
twins. Suddenly the picture frame
and the chain and the photograph were
blotted out from Benjamin Martins
eyes In a mist of tears.
He went through the packages one
by one until he came to the one that
had arrived that morning. All the
gifts were Of home construction-there
was one from each twin and always
their photograph, a new one, In the
bottom. That was Cornelia's mute
contribution. This last package be-
trayed the fact that Dorothy, charm
ing lass of twelve now, was clever
water colorist, while Bobby had cary
ed an inkstand from handsome piece
Of Cuban mahogany.
AS the evening wore on Marlin sat
there on the white fur rug beside the
little bed, his head leaning against the
snowy counterpart, surrounded by the
tender remembrances by the children
who evidently loved their father SO
devotedly The last SIX packages had
contained letters from the twins thank.
ing him warmly for the lovely presents
he had sent them and begging him to
write to them
1t was this last straw that almost
broke Martins proud heart. He had
never sent the children a gift II
must have been Cornelia who had
done that in his name and thus kept
his memory fresh in their loving
hearts.
He did not hear the ringing of the
doorbell nor the excited voices of Ca
leb and Hannah lifted In delighted
surprise He did not note the hush
| that followed and then the soft foot
falls Of several persons on the car
peted stairs. Hannah's pass key turn
ed in the door of the adjoining room
and then, as If attracted by the light
the footsteps approached the oper
| doorway and paused.
Then Benjamin Marlin looked up and
saw his wife and children for the frs
time In ten years-saw them looking
| wistfully at him. Cornelia, more beau
| ttful than ever, with the proud, spirited
eyes humbled in appeal to his; thu
eager loving faces of his own children
turned to his in joyous expectation.
"Can you forgive me for not coming
| to you, dear hearth whispered MarliI
to his wife. Il would have reached
| you In the morning"
Can you forgive me for taking then
away from you, my husbandr sh'
pleaded 81 am so much to blame"
The door closed softly behind Han
nah and her husband, and they tip
toed down the stairs with awed ant
happy faces. When they reached thu
bottom Hannah numbered into the tele
| phone alcove and rang frantically.
what you doing, honey?" demand
| ed Caleb.
I'm ordering de Christmas dinner
Of co'se. / want de bigges' turkey
can git hcIla, we're. is dis de butcher
Caleb executed a double shuttle OF
the parquet floor and then stoppet
abruptly. "Oh, Lordy me! rs got Il
git out and find a Christmas tree fol
dem chillens and some green stuff ant
holly. Well, dis am going to be {
| Christmas at lastr'