Mountain advocate., 1913-12-05

k&AAxd Allen made
combination to
try his soul. The words, the glances.
the smiles that he felt we're meant for
him were being coolly appropriated
by p Wilmering Worse than that, p.
Wilmering was able to sip his tea
without allowing the holly to slide to
his shoulder. Nor was the holly tick
ling the wrist of p. Wilmering as 1t
was that OF Rev. Sinclair. p.
Wilmering acted as II he might have
slipped tea with both hands cuffed be-
hind him. Rev. Simms-Sinclair al
most wished his rival we're in that pre-
dicament, and about forty miles away
at the same time. Now, Jones, who
was patiently putting holly and ever
green about the woodwork and pictures
1.-THE three men had graciously come
70 help get things ready for the chill
dren's party)-Jones, we say, was not
bothering Rev. Simms-Sinclair. Jones
was not bothering any one. In the
main, II was Ursula Allen who both
cred the reverend young gentleman.
Women-young women-can bother
the mind of man without intending 30
TO do. Ask them. They will assure
you they never have any such inten-
ton. That is exactly what Ursula AL
len would have told you. but she would
not have believed her own statement,
for Ursula was a woman, and she be-
ieved herself to be attractive. This
belief was shared by Rev. Simms-Sin-
clair and p Wilmering and-but Jones
didn't count.
"Ah." mused Rev Simms-Sinclair,
doing Hermann the Great movement
and capturing his cup before II Jumped
from the edge OF the saucer, "ah,
what would Christmas be without
. the children?" His eyes took on a
mellow look and he gazed tenderly at
the two young people before him.
What would Christmas be without
the children
Were you speaking to me?" asked
Jones. after neither OF the others had
supplied Rev. Simms-Slnclair with a
reply.
"Er-ah-that is. my remark was
purely a general one" explained the
rector OF St Paul's.
Kind Of an echo answers-why prop
osition?" said Delaney.
"Or the children without Christ
mas" asked Ursula, handing another
bunch of evergreen to jones. "One
poor family down in Abbledale alley
has sixteen children. Sixteen. Think
OF that"
Fellow ought really to think of six
teen children in instalments," de-
clared p Wilmeriag. earnestly. IF
have TO think of ell OF them at once
I'd rather think Of an orphans home
and be done with It,"
Rev. Simms-Sinelair saw his oppor-
tunity TO watt himself into the wave
OF sympathy that was engulfing Ur-
sula. II was one of those opportuni-
ties which Rev. Simms was continu-
ally looking for, and few Of which es-
capped him when offered by P. Wilmer
ing.
What can the father OF those little
ones do?" he inquired, with pathos In
his voice. To hear him. one could con-
jure up pictures OF worn, weary
man coming home in the gloomy twi-
light. disentangling himself from thir-
ty-two arms and trying to answer six
teen simultaneous requests for penny
z -What can the father of those poor
little ones do?" he repeated. at the
same time giving Ursula a glance OF
yearning affection which that young
lady might, or might not, INTERPRET as
being intended for herself or for the
suffering father of sixteen children.
Write to Roosevelt" suggested
Jones. who was standing on a chair
and trying TO harmonic a strand Of
cypress and holly berries with a rubi-
cund yisage OF good old Uncle Jethro
Allen. who had fought. BLEED and died
IN the Mexican war-and lived TO tell
OF IL.
OF course Jones had no business
butting In at such a time He was
there TO assist only In the work of
decoration. and not to umpire the love
game OF the Rev. simms-Sipclair and
p. Wilmering
Ursula dimpled. Il want everybody
20 be happy on Chrlstmas day. and n
there IL anything ! can do or say for
them on Christmas eve. I am only
no glad OF II And II Is simply noble
Of you men 10 help so much In getting
the house ready" ir4f
Jones. who was posing as one az.
IRE OF the LAGOON group. with some
a. yards OF greens representing the