The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1911-12-21

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excellent cigars.
The house was very quiet, for his sister
ana her husband had gone out to dinner,
an engagement which they could not put
off, even when the ~long-absent Jervis re-
turned to them SO unexpectedly.
The children were in bed, the servants
no doubt enjoying a little reasonable fun
on their own account, and Jervis, COM
fortabiy tired by his long journey, lounged
in his easy chair and thought how good
1t was to be back in England once more.
The weather was as unreasonable as it
usually is at-Ghristmas. Instead of a keen,
anVigorating frost and snow-white land
'scape, a drizzling rain beat against the
window panes and the wind moaned
.drearily.
Jervis drew his chair well up to the fire,
crossed his legs, closed his eyes and fell
into a pleasant dose.
Presently. above the moaning of the
wind, another sound forced itself upon
his dun ear,
a voice, clear and sweet, In spite of the
unequal rivalry, scared above the noisy
elements.
watts he murmured. complacently.
How delightful, Quite makes one realize
that It really is Christmas eve and hoEae."
N voice rose and fell, rose and fell
again IN plaintIve melody.
Only one VOICE" muttered Jervis, rous-
ing himself to listen. "But, by Jove, she
can sing Must see what she is like"
He got UP. and. going into the hall,
opened the front door.
The carol was almost finished, and he
waited silently TIL the end. Then the sing
81. errr6achcd him and he gave her half a
crown and a CHEEKY Happy Christmas"
as he tried to make out her features in
the darkness.
She thanked him In a low voice. and then
hurried down the drive. while Jervis still
stood and watched the shawl-wrapped fig
ure until 1t had disappeared.
Somehow the sight of her had taken all
the lazy seIf-satisfaction out Of his mood
and left some vague, uncomfortable sug-
gestions behind 1t. He was not sorry
when his sister and Bob GRAVITY returned
home, full of questions and gossip. Then
came the Important Christmas eve rites
of filling the two great stockings that as
suredly would never fit the owners Of the
little white beds from which they were
suspended.
AS he played the part Of Santa Claus
20 his two small nieces. Jervis thought of
the singer again.
Poor singer1 She looked young and not
roo strong. He wondered what sort of a
Christmas hers would be.
Christmas day broke serene and fair.
1he sun. shone. and the air was fresh and
sweet after the rain of the previous night.
JerVis Chandler walked to church be-
tween his two little nieces. who kept up a
regular bombardment of questions till they
reached their destination.
1t was a quaint old country church, and
the happy memory of similar jATistmas
services of long ago ran riot within him.
Suddenly, in the middle of the first
hymn, a voice fell on his ears with a
strange note of familiarity. 1t came from
n IA an ,t- ~ &; --@- 1-,,-s. 49,
two ladies', one old, the other young. 1t
was the voice of the young lady which
had attracted his notice, and as he
strained his ears to catch its sound
Through the remaining verses of the hymn,
Jervis became convinced that 1t was the
same voice that had sung a Christmas
carol in his sisters garden the previous
evening.
who are those two ladies?' he asked
his sister, as the congregation trooped out
into the sunshine again.
Mabel Grantly's eyes followed his own.
"oh, that Is Mrs. Broughton and her
daughter" she replied, carelessly.
where do they liver
AT the other end of the village, close
to the old mill. They are very poor, and
take people in In the
what is the daughters name?' per-
sisted Jervis, still watching the figures in
front of them.
Ad l. 'ialttl NdS " iJlticSl'u III
the Broughtons, and her attention was en-
gagged by an acquaintance who had just
overtalten them, so it was his elder niece
who gave Jervis the information he de-
sired.
Her name IS Margaret, but her mother
calls her 'Madge,'" she said, sedately.
And she made our frocks when we went
to Gertie Harrlson's party" supplemented
Lily, the younger.
II was Bo-peep, and I had a long crook
thing with ribbons on 1t, and Lily was a
fairy Will wings"
Dear me, you must have looked fine
said their uncle, laughing. And does
Miss Broughton do anything else besides
make frocks and sing?" he asked.
"Oh, yes: lots of things. She teaches
the Harrisons music, and she paints flow
ers and things; and she cooks the dinner,
too"
And her name is Madge, is it?'
Only her mother calls her that-we may
not" replied Lily. primly.
"Madge Broughton-Madge B%roughton."
Jerv.s repeated the name over and over
to himself as they walked home.
NOW, where the dickens have I come
across that name before?" he muttered.
The question remained unanswered, but
still rankled In his mind. when, some
days later. the following conversation took
place between his sister and himself:
81 have been thinking that perhaps 1
had better stay on here the rest of my
leave, Mab,.. said Jervis.
Mable GRAVITY looked troubled.
ut is awfulIy nice having you here, Jer-
WIS., she began, In a rather embarrassed
tone, butt know 1t sounds awfully In
hospitable-would you mind II we got you
a bedroom in the village? You see, when
the children's governess comes back, l
really don't know where I can put you to
sleep, for we are expecting Bob's mother.
too. for her annual visit"
Jerpts laughed.
My dear Sis! You did not suppose I
intended putting myself on you and Bob
for the remainder of my holiday, did you?
What I mean was. as rave next to no
friends IN England, and the season is not
such as makes one wish to knock about
In a homeless condition. I might be able
to find some comfortable dfggings near you
which I could make my headquarters. as
1t were"
That would be splendid, Jervis,'' re-
piled Mrs. GRAVITY, enthusia sticaliy. 81
Will see IL Miss Pratt can take YOU In.