Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-11-25
sr,ers ART,
hearts are softeneu

poignant
After supper Row ,ul Dellmoro
lighted their pipes ana At down to
read the week old ue,I papers they
had brought over from TIE Falls. II
there was hint of approaching Christ.
mas in. the air 1t might have cmanated
from the holly printed calendar Eben
had hung on the bare walls or Il might
have been waited In from the kitchen.
where Wah Lee was chopping mlnce,
meat compounded from the united rem.
iaiscences OF his employers There was
plenty OF meat in II. and juicy apples
and prunes, because there were no raj
sins in the house. a whole orange aud
spoonful OF every sort OF spice In the
pantry.
A wind sprang up and sent the pur
pie sunset clouds to mask the starry
sky. Snowfakes huttered slowly down
In the outer world. fell faster. thicker
raced before the wind and battered
dryly against the windows.
'"Play crib" asked Eben Rowe after
awhile
Dellmore nodded and produced the
cribbage board and a pack of cards
from drawer.
All was silence again except for the
chop, chop. chop of Wah Lee in the
kitchen. and dry patter of snow against
the pane and the muttered counting OF
the two men as they played.
-'Flfteen Northumberland Dell
more was counting when suddenly
there came a muffied thud against the
outer door, followed by a Gathering
oh, hn dn NJ -, rll oh
ish cries.
Without a word the two men sprang
to the door and tore II wide open. The
scene that met their nstonished gaze
was strange one indeed.
Half sprawled on the low veranda
was small horse. Crowded behind
him, the front wheels fitting on the
steps, was~n long top wagon. Frnm
the gloom of the wagons Interior glow.
ed small lantern hung high against
the inside, and from the wagon there
came the childish cries.
'.Ierry drunk again. muttered Del.
more with disgust as he yanked out
the form of sleeping man from the
wagon seat. Jerry Mink dropped heav.
lily on the snow of the vernnda and
slept again. quite undisturbed.
Eben went around to the back Of the
wagon. made inquiries and removed
from under the canvas dap small,
slender woman. mufled and yelled and
Ehivering with cold and fright. and two
little boys. The two children he car.
ried inside and set down before the
stove. and with brief direction to the
woman to draw near and warm herself
Eben returned to the veranda and help
ed Dellmore to throw a blanket under
the PROSTATE horse and presently to
get the animal upon his feet and Off on
to the ground. One wheel of the wag-
on was broken beyond repair.
While Eben led horse and vehicle
out to the barn and put them up for
the night Dellmore thumped the drunk
en- stage driver into peevlsh conscious
ness and drove him into the lean-to,
where there was an extra bed near
Wah Lees immaculate couch.
The partners having discharged these
duties reached the kitchen door togeth-
er and entered the house. Wah Lee,
unbidden. was making pot of tea
and warming milk on the stove. Dell
more nodded approval and strobe to
there as though paralyzed. and Eben
came and stood beside him.
The woman had removed her wraps
and muffling black veil and disclosed
a small. dark eyed, pale face, above
which rippled soft black hair. She
was warming the chubby fingers of
the three-year-old twins. She seemed
very much at home there in this room.
and 1t was all the more strange be-
/ cause she had been living In the hearts
! of the owners for many years. 1t was
! Lucy Farr-Lucy Graham now.
| She looked up and recognized them.
! With little cry of delight she sprang
| up and held out her hands.
! you two-my old friendsI'' She
beamed upon them.
Silently, sailing stifiy in each
others presence. the two men who
loved Lucy Graham came forward and
shook hands with her 1t was simple
/ story-she told. but very wonderful to
have happened to all of them that
| Christmas eve
| She had married Graham and gone
to Ohio. He had died year ago. and
she had failed In her efforts to sup
| port her two children. A distant
bachelor cousin had offered them a.,
home on his ranch next to the one
owned by Dellmore & Rowe. and she
had been on her way there when
! Jerry Mink had blindly driven bis
horse almost into the door of the Dell
more ranch.
ITS twenty miles farther along
You can't get there until some time
tomorrow said Eben decisively. "You
| can stay here just as well as not. One
Of us will ride over to the Falls and
ret some Christmas for the youngsters
in the morning.
I'm CO." said Dellmore gruhiy.
| Lucy protested and then yielded
gracefully. She talked a great deal
to Eben Rowe. but the twins climbed
on Dellmore's knees and went to
sleep In his arms. AS his cheek was
laid against the chubby hands on bis
shoulder and he felt the pressure Of
the warm little bodies against his own
bis heart melted within him and tears
: came into his strong gray eyes, All