The Holly chieftain., 1913-01-03
,steaa she began talking .bou,

rIco uttlo FIJI WIG: ! Know
she's just dear. father. and do you
know. I think II IL because her own
people are all dead that she vas 20
anxious to know uA l think II was
sweet Of her to write that frst let.
ter. II takes women to hold families
together"
The days raced BY like telegraph
poles past . car window. The post
man came and went. leaving pact
never wavered In her intention OF
buying . gift II none came At Arse
It seemed dresAful to suily the pure
white Christmas time with lie. Her
New England conscience never let
her call II anything elsa But the 70
membrance OF Martha's crucial ques-
ttons nefved her. She didn't care for
herself. but she wasn't going to have
Fred and Neelie weighed in the tam
lily balance and found wanting.
Mindful Of the warning Of the con
sumers' league. she did her Christmas
shopping early. 30. apparently. did
everyone else. The crush bewildered
her. Everybody was buying madly.
EVERYBODY seemed 20 rich.
Late In the afternoon Of the day
before Christmas after the last mail
delivery. she went down to buy the
present that had not come. Her one
little gift from Neelie had been .
daintily embroidered towel sent n
the middle OF tho year. Just because
she wanted to. s, ~
She stood At the counter. hard to
please. Everything was 80 overdone.
She thought she would buy scarf for
the dresser In Fred's room, the room
they would have when they came
home. How could the weary sales
woman know that she was trying -
find something that looked a. II
Neelie had done 1t? She had one
narrow escape. While she was wait
ing for her package Martha came by.
We'll. for two women who did their
Christmas shopping early!" said Mar
that. "But Of course there's always
some last thing that one forgets. I'd
forgotten to get anything for Eileen
Atkins baby. And John its god
father. She would never have for
given me. That's what brought me
down."
Mother was, less communicative.
She merely said she was sorry she
had had to come down. and how was
Etieen's baby, and would John and
Martha be sure and come to breakfast
on time in the morning: 8 O'Clock
seemed late. to father. And then
she hurried home guilty through the
early dark with her secret.
I saw mother downtown tonight.
John. at Untermeyer's. She looked
tired and worried. I wish she would
let me do things for her. And I've
made up my mind to one thing; II
there's nothing from Fred and Neelie.
I'm not going to say one word about
1t. Neither do you.-
Late that night mother put the as
sembled gifts at each plate and chair.
Luckily she had Neelie's card. undat-
ed. and she laid It in plain sight on
the dresser scarf. It might save
questions
The surprise Of opening packages
was over. and the pleasure Of show
ing them to each other had begun,
when the doorbell rang. She looked
around the table. They were all
there. And then in q minute Fred
was In the room with a queer little
bundle in his arms which he pressed
into hers-a little bundle that stirred
and woke. and set her trembling with
more happiness than could well be
borne, even on Christmas morning.
And father was kissing a little wom-
an whose wistful face was little
thinner than In her picture, and bit
travel worn, and in another minute |
her new daughter was in her arms.
''You see," Fred was saying, I'VE
just thought we'd surprise you, and It !
has taken everything we could scrape
up to make the trip. That's why we
didn't" Something in his mothers
face stopped him. But nothing could
stop the little woman.
%. yes, that was why. You see. I
made all the baby's things myself,
and had no time or strength left to
work at Christmas gifts"
"But there is something from you,
Nellie, with your card" Fred had
made the round Of the table and he
and Martha met above the accusing
card. The little woman looked pug
zled.
But I didn't" she began.
Mother rose to the occasion. "Yes,
dear. But 1t was the only thing I
could do to make 1t seem as though