Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-11-20

how would they get word to him. and
would it be Christmas In the city. and
why couldn't they move there and 9TH
er matters denoting the reversal of
this their earth. But Tab slipped out
the kitchen door to the corne of the
barn. where the great turkey gobbler
who had been named held his empire
trustingly.
"Oh. Theophilus Thistledown." said
Tab to him. you're the only one in
this town that's going to have a Christ
mas. You amt got to be ct"
The placnrd was tackled to the Old
Trail Town postof11ce wall between a
summons to join the army and navy Of
the United States and the reward Of
fered for IN escaped convict-all three
manifestoes registering something Of
the stage of society's development.
NOTICE.
Owing to the local business depression
and to the current private decisions to get
up very few home Christmas celebrations
this year. and also to the vote of the
various lodges. churches. Sunday schools.
etc, ETC., ETC.. to forego the usual Christ
mas tree observance, the merchants of
this town have one and all united with
most Of the folks to petition the rest to
omit all Christmas presents, believing that
the Christmas spirit will be kept up best
by all agreeing to act alike. All that's
willing may announce 1t by signing below
and notifying others.
THE COMMITTEE.
There were only 300 folk living in
Old Trail Town. Already two-thirds
of their signatures were scrawled on
the sheets of foolscap tackled beneath
the notice.
On the day after her return home.
Jenny Wing stood and stared at the
notice. Her mother had written to her
of the towns talk, but the placard
made 1t seem worse.
"I'Il go in on the way home and see
what Mary says" she thought. and
asked for the letter that lay In Mary
Chavah's boy, next her own. They
gave her the letter without question.
All Old Grail Town asks for its neigh
boris mail and reads its neighbours
poStmarks and gets to know the differ
ent writings and to inquire after them.
like persons. Gle amt got so much
of a curl to his M today" one will
say of a superscription. Better write
right back and chirk i'm up" Or.
Here's her that don't seal her letters
good. Tell her about that. why don't
your Or, This writings a stranger
to me. I'll just wait a minute to see If
birth or death gets out of the enve-
lopez
As she closed Mary's gate and
hurried up the walk, in a keen wind
flowing with little pricking flakes.
Jenny was startled to see both parlor
windows open. The white muslin cur
tains were blowing idly as If June were
in the air. Turning as a matter of
course to the path that led to the
kitchen. she was hailed by Mary. who
came u the front door with a rug in
her hands.
''Step right in this way" said Mary;
"this doors unfastened."
"Forevermore!'' Jenny said. MARY
Chavah! What you got your house all
open for? You amt moving?r
A gust of wind took Mary's answer.
She tossed the rug across the icy rail
ing of the porch and beckoned Jenny
into the house and into the parlor. And
when she had greeted Jenny after the
months of her absence:
"See.' Mary said exultantly. don't it
look grand and empty? Look at 1t frs
and then come on in and I'll tell vol
about it."
The white papered walls of the two
rooms were bare of pictures: the floor
had been sparingly laid with rugs. The
walnut sofa and chairs. the table for
the lamp and the long shelves Of her
grandfather's b~ooks-these were all
that the room held. A white arch di-
vided the two chambers. like a benign
brow whose face had long been dim
med away. It was all exquisitely clean
and icy cold. A little snow drifted in
through the muslin curtains. The
breath OF the two women showed.
"What on earth you done that for?'
Jenny demanded.
Mary Chavah stood in the empty
archway. the satisfaction on her face
not yelling its pure austerity. She was
not much past thirty-three. but she
looked older. for she was gaunt. Her
flesh had lost its firmness. her dress
making had stopped her. her strong
frame moved as If it habituaily shout
dered its way. In her broad forehead
and deep eyes and somewhat in her
silent mouth you read the woman-the
rest of her was obscnred in her gentle
reticence. She had a gray shawl. blue
bordered. folded tightly about her head
and pinned under her chin. and 1t
wrapped her to her feet.
81 feel like a thing in a new SHE'LL"
abe said. Come Oh in where it's
warm."
Instead of moving her dining
table to her kitchen. as most of Old
Trail Town did in winter. Mary had
moved her cooking stove into the din