Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-12-21
BIN DAISY WEIGHT FIELD
a 1912 by American Press Association

vi va seven, hulll y ~ NphhNNh
twice on her slim brown fin
w gers, and each time she Sigh
. doleruI sigh Seven unlocked
~ sor y cnests coming to eat Christmas
S,oner with us and not a sign OF any
csr,stnos dinner or of the wherewith-
"" ~" tn procure It, There isn't a thing
~ Snt bocon and potatoes and turnips in
%o y bouse unless It is an onion or two"
Wv svon forget the squash, Kathryn"
-,ndry interposed her brother Tom,
,',,b mock serious visage and dancing
eyes
had attempted an elaborate and ultra
scIond6c garden the summer before
9Th tangible results in the form Of
single well grown squash, drought, Ill
moporement and various pests having
nlovod havoc with the other things.
Eathryn's dreams of a tidy income
.rom the sale Of fresh vegetables and
n A possible prize at the fall fair van
iobed into thin air. But the squash
was tenderly borne to the cellar by
Tom and carefully guarded as a me-
mepto of Kathryn's brave II futile at
tpmpt to stave Off the evil day when
tbe dreaded mortgage, like dark bird
of prey. should swoop down and carry
of the little home.
Kathryn was considered a very clev-
or Girl at boarding school and by all
her legion friends at home. She could
OaInt strange birds that a naturalist
would have been at loss to classify
and flowers unknown to the science Of
botany, do fancy sewing and marvellous
embroidery and write charming verse,
though, alas, the editors were surpris-
tnqly obtuse to the latter factl Be-
sides which she was able to talk vol
uby in French and could rattle of
some lively two steps and schottisches
on the piano-if she had possessed such
an instrument
But none of these accomplishments
were exchangeabe for coin of the
realm in the little country village on
the outskirts of which they lived, and
as they had only Toms meager salary
as q grocer's clerk to fall back on, 1t
soon came to pass that shabby gar
ments and the plainest Of plain fare
were the order of the day, In their
household. Kathryn's fingers itched
TO help her brother bear the burden
Of support. She longed to add her mite
TO the family income, but as yet had
not struck her niche" She did moi
know quite enough to teach, and there
was no vacancy in either Of the two
village dry goods stores.
On this Christmas eve there was less
than a dollar In the house, and be-
sides herself, her mother and Tom
they had received notice that sever
guests would be with them for the
Christmas holiday-distant relatives
who had standing invitations to "com'
up to our house for Christmas some
time and who by coincidence hat
chosen the same date to accept the In
vitation. There was Aunt Matte ant
her twin boys, Cousin Wilbur and hi
new wife, Aunt Sue and Uncle Hiram
quite tableful at any time, and Ger
tainly an enormous crowd to be provid
ed with Christmas dainties with a fun'
Of less than a dollar.
It began to look as If they mus
break their rigid rule never to go Il
debt, even for the necessaries OF life
and ask the village grocer to trus
them, very humlliating alternative.
After Toms brilliant remark, whlc
she had been expected to take as
rarely humorous hit, Kathryn gaze
at him admlrlngly for a moment.
"You think you're funny, ToI
Wrennet but you're not" she toi
him. Squash pie will be a gratefl
addition to our boiled potatoes an
turnips and onions and other Chris
mas dainties. Surely no one can sa
that blstered my fingers and frecl
led my nose in vain over that ga
den, since its one and lonely produt
Is to feed the Christmas guest"
Never mind, children" broke
their mother, laying down the lett'
that had just come from Aunt Ma
tie, announcing the arrival on Il
morning train of herself and her twl
boys, I'VE can at least do our best
make our guests feel at home and u
to enjoy their visit 1t Is hard not
De able to entertain them as they hay
US In the past, but what cant be cure
you know. must be endured"
Mothers a brickp exclaimed impr
slve Tom. And | move that we te
der her a vote Of thanks for her lit
Christmas speech" Whereupon
gave her a rousing kiss and a be-
mug and went out into the yard al
uown into the cellar after the squash
When he came up from the depths
The darksome cellar to where Kathrl
stood expectantly waiting, he dropp,
IMPLY on to an upturned box near
and famed himself weakly with !
old hat. He opened his mouth twl
In vain and apparently desperate
Tempt to speak and then subsided III
silence
Tom Wrennet." demanded his $
ter giving him an impatient snat
drop your nonsense and speak. VIVA
the matter?"
"lts-it's goneg" gasped Tom, gu
as If lit" had been a diamond nee
lace instead of a warty and pleol