The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1911-12-26

year would have stayed down in
Panama and eaten my Christmas din
ner in the shade Of the palm"
"Then we will find some way out of
it II we have to go down and open tho
farmhouse" said Arthur Adds decid-
edly.
"Brrrrrrrl" shivered Bessie. stretch
ing out slender fingers to the steam
radiator. IT'S mighty cold down
there, boys Last Christmas little Bess
caught a horrible cold. You remem-
Der, don't you, Arthur
"Of course. only / do want Blake to
have a good. old fashioned Christmas
once in Eve years. He will be going
back to Panama again before spring. F"
II was half joking" protested Blake
warmly. "Of course / 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
required all the brain and sinew of
strong men. leaving them little time
for vain regrets. When Blake Pres
toms engagement to Edltha 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 Eve
years. neither were they surprised
when he suddenly returned to New
York week before Christmas.
you'll spend your Christmas with
us, Blake" pleaded his sister. you
won't go of to any horrid old club
dinner orr
"Of course I'll spend it here. Bessie,
he said. leaning down to kiss her sun
ny hair. II shall stay here all day
and take up much more room than you
can really spare. suppose you buy q
fat tree for fat Christmas, ehf"
Don't you worry about the tree, old
man." assured his brother-in-law. at
will be as large as we can get up on
the dumb waiter"
1.-THE dumb waiter. Bless my soul
l never thought of that. I'll see you
about that Santa Claus business to
morrow. Arthur. I've got an idea
Blake thrust himself into his overcoal
and picked up his hat, for he Slept al
a nearby hotel.
poor old Baker 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 lately2" asked Adds.
II haven't breathed word to you
but, Arthur, dear, she and her mothel
are living in the Bemislawn too"
Here? In this houseY'
Eyes. l met her In the vestibule thu
other day. She was SO surprised to SCI
me. 1t seems that she supposed vi
were still living down at the farm"
IF we are near neighbors perhaps
she and Blake might meet. VIII
knowsP Adds smiled.
! Blake Preston's preparations TO
Christmas were many and varied, TO
he had planned to enact the part o
Santa Claus and demonstrate to hi
self satisfied relatives the fact that
good old St Nicholas was deprtve'
Of his legitimate mode Of entry, tn
chimney, there had been provided an
other and more modern entrance. 81
would surprise them by arriving on tn
dumb waiter.
This daring scheme involved a lon
interview with the janitor Of the BEN
islawn, who was converted from scorn
full skepticism Of the scheme to be
come warm adherent to Blake's plar
OF course this conversion was accom-
panied by an interesting pantomim
between the two men, Blake's hand &c
ing back and forth to his well nlle
wallet and the janit0r's palm clOstn