Morris tribune., 1911-12-15

"Brrrrrrr!'' shivered Bessie, stretch
| ing out slender fingers to the steam
radiator. "It's mighty cold down
there. boys. Last Christmas little Besa
caught horrible cold. You remem
Der, don't you, Arthur
| "Of course, only l do want Blake to
| have a good, old fashioned Christmas
once in five years. He will be going
back to Panama again before spring"
| "I was half Joking" protested Blake
warmly. "Of course l believe that
home is where the heart is and that
Christmas can be celebrated on a des-
ert island if one has the right spirit,
! but somehow / seem to have lacked
the proper spirit Of late years. Guess
I was homesick."
Adds and his wife exchanged swift
glance Of understanding. They both
knew what had driven Blake Preston
down into the canal zone. where there
was big work to be homework that
strong men. leaving them little time
for vain regrets. When Blake Pres
toms engagement to Editha Wayne had
been broken neither his sister nor her
husband, Arthur Adds. put out a de-
tanning hand when he packed his
trunks and went away. They under
stood. Sometimes they talked it over
together. but they were not surprised
because Blake remained away five
years, neither were they surprised
when he suddenly returned to New
York a week before Christmas.
you'll spend your Christmas with
us, Blake" pleaded his sister. You
won't go off to any horrid old club
dinner or
"Of course I'll spend it here. Bessie"
he said. leaning down to kiss her sun
ny hair. Il shall stay here all day
and take up much more room than you
can really spare. l suppose you buy a
fiat tree for a fiat Christmas. eh?"
Don't you worry about the tree, old
man." assured his brnther-in-law. sit
will be as large as We can get up on
the dumb waiter"
"The dumb waiter Bless my soul.
never thought of that III see you
about that Santa Claus business to-
morrow. Arthur. I've got an idea
Blake thrust himself into his overcoat
and picked up his hat, for he slept at
nearby hotel.
Poor old Blake" murmured Adds
regretfully after he had gone.
Bessie sighed softly. I've always
hoped that some day"-she paused and
kissed the top of her husbands head
that Blake and Editha would make
up and be as happy as we are"
"See Editha lately?" asked Adds.
Il haven't breathed word to you,
but, Arthur, dear, she and her mother
are living in the Bemislawn too."
'Here? In this house"
Eyes. l met her in the vestibule the
other day. She was so surprised to see
me. 1t seems that she supposed we
were still living down at the farm"
eff we are near neighbors perhaps
she and Blake might meet. Who
knows?" Adds smiled.
Blake Preston's preparations for
Christmas were many and varied, for
he had planned to enact the part Of
Santa Claus and demonstrate to his
self satisfied relatives the fact that if
good old st. Nicholas was deprived
of his legitimate mode of entry, the
chimney, there had been provided an
other and more modern entrance. He
would surprise them by arriving on the
dumb waiter.
This daring scheme involved long
interview with the janitor Of the Benz
islawn, who was converted from scorn.
full skepticism Of the scheme to be-
come a warm adherent to Blake's plan.
OF course this conversion was accom-
panied by an interesting pantomime
between the two men, Blake's hand 60
ing back and forth to his well filed
wallet and the janitor's palm closing
upon cracking paper money. After