The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1912-12-18
CHRISTMAS IN
!. RAINBOW CANYON
BY ADDISON HOWARD GIBSON.
tcopyright, 1872. by American Press Asso-
ciation.l

I
| ciation.l
+ A FTER sketching for two months
I "a In various parts Of the Rockies.
~ where he had been trying to
forget that he was the most
miserable fellow. in the-West. Claude
Extrun, '.artist unarrtved, LAS he styl-
! ed himself, turned his fesestoward his
| lonely mountain cabin among the pines
in Rainbow canyon.
/. PurposeIy he had ehunned Denver.
| declining the Invitation OF tno artist
| friends to a big Christmas reception
He did not want to run the possibility
Of meeting Adyee. It weuld be pain
ful to both, since her father had de-
neunced him nc q good for. nothing.
fortune hunting dabbler.'' ..
(, Art must frst be mastered, the cold
critics. won, then II Aldyce had not
forgotten. hfs. great dream would be-
nome sweet reality. But What II
she should forget him: There was 4
capHcieusness in the. sex. that was
quite beyond his understanding.
! It was noon when he reached the
large cabin among the pines. The first
room he visited was the studio. gay
with warm colored Indian blankets and
the walls covered with sketches by his
own brush and 4 few copies Of the
masters. On his easel was an untin-
i ished picture. just as he had left 1t
1,o IN lat
of October He drew aside the cloth.
brushed off the dust and looked long
into the laughing brown eyes Of
lovely girl. Underneath was penciled
the name "Aldyce.'
With a deep drawn breath he re-
placed the cover and went into the
kitchen In the large zinc lined pro-
vision box be found that Joe Clark. the
prospector who had looked after the
cabin during Claude:S absence, had
obeyed his instructions by leaving Il
sack of -four. some beans. sugar, part
Of ham ard dried veniSon.
Now I'll have j supper after my
own appetite" he declared. making
IRE III lue litle St'\S
Presently Il pot of beans. with Il piece
of ham to give flavor. was buDb(ing
away. filling the room with its Savory
steam. Then Claude swept the floors.
wiped the accumulated dust off the
simple furniture and proceeded to make
a lonely house look comfortable.
Il must decorate to be in spirit with
the season." he said. after scanning
walls and unadorned maihel shelf.
BY the time the young man returned
with his arms full Of decorations a
cold wind was racing down the pass,
driving steadily increasing fall OF
snow and sleet before it.
Gee. Old BoreaS is sending me some
Christmas weather with all the frillS. '.
he solioquiZed. making run for the
shelter of the cabin
Claude had scarcely put the last OF
the mountain holly on the walls ana
built cheerful biz fire in the fire
place in the studio when the door burst
open. letting in Il dash of snow. III the
midst rf which stood Il slender youth
in q furry overcoat and cap. with huge
goggles over his eyes.
We'll. can't YOU come III and shut
the tioor:" demanded the artist impa
tiently as he stared at the apparltion
before him.
II mus. look like I'm posing as oid
Santa, don't L." laughed the boy. Then
with a start Of recognition. "Clandf
Extrum, as live and whistle. SUIT
ing the action TO the word ne gave
vent to Il prolonged whistle.