Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1914-12-20


 news to brother Bob, all right. l haven't even been able to explain that we are engaged, much less that we were about to be married, but as long as Meg and Bob really like you they
 cant object. Come in the morning II
 you can manage, and stop on your way from the station and ask old
 Doctor Good to drop in for the great
 event in the afternoon-that will De
 better than going to his house. tried
 to explain to Meg, but you know how
 excitable she is. and with Christmas
 coming, and the children's presents,
 and getting fake Santa Claus for
 them. she just hasn't time to listen,
 and brother Bob is such tease
 haven't the nerve to tell him."
 Great hat!" gasped Ted, jumping
 up from the dining table, where he
 had been reading his last letter from
 Amy oyer his solitary meal. Hastily
 paying tho waiter, he darted with all
 speed through the hotel corridor, up
 to his room. He had written to Amy
 asking if she couldn't manage to be
 married during the holidays, but he
 hadn't supposed she would consent.
 Now there was no time to be lost, for
 New York was fourteen hours away.
 Ted rang for a messenger boy, tele-
 phoned to the office, and when the
 messenger boy arrived was throwing
 his necessary belongings into a suit
 case. ts
 Say, boy" he said to the liveried
 messenger, T want you to go out and
 buy a-a wedding ring. Tomorrow
 being Christmas the stores will be
 closed and can't get it then, IAN
 the stores are open tonight re.i.
 bring it to the w. & P. rer Ana
 ton on the eastboul Gfoad sta
 Here's dollar for ysf platform. .there bu. the.1 1e.ktso0 if you get It GaQggS ylgnsthree-and be sure nd buy the beat one the jeweler has.
 What size, sir?" asked the boy. 
 That's so-they come in different izes," responded Ted, excitedly wad- ling a handful of cravats into his "Oh, medium size, any size, ,nly hurry. And if you have time, get some jumping monkeys, and toy balloons, and tin Kitchens and things kids will like" he said, landing the boy two ten-dollar bills.
 The next morning. after night in ] sleeping car, Ted Beverly was still oreathless as he hurried-laden with tin kitchens and various other toys and a suit case-from his +axi up the unpretentious brownstone front of the home of his friend Bob Saunders Bob was Amy's brother and Amy lived with him and Bob's wife, Meg, and little Robbie and Peggy.
 Mrs. Saunders-Meg-met him at the door.
 "How do you do?" she said in the most matter-of-fact tone, just as if she had seen him the day before. Do come in out of the cold. Bob will be 80 glad you've come. If those per fectly lovely things are for my chil- dren do let me hide them behind the piano. Oh, by the way" she added you have just come in time. was almost distracted. You always were so obliging. Bob often says that there wasn't man in col lege who would help a friend out of a tight place the way you would. expected the butcher boy would do 1t, but he's gone to one of those awful barbecues-whatever that is-and had offered him g to do it. Now listen-Oh, here comes Amy and the children, and I told her to be sure to keep them out for two hours. wonder why she came back so soon. Come, hurry upstairs before they see you, and bring your suitcase, please, Ted, although he didn't know whether he was intended to get the butcher boy away from a barbecue or simply to conceal his presence from the chil- dren. followed his hostess up to al third story guest room.
 Now, will tell you" said Meg, closing the door and locking it be- hind her. See, brought your hat and gloves because I knew the chil- dren would suspect something if they saw them. I was expecting the butch CTS boy-he's just about your build to play Santa for the children. What you have to do is to dress up in these things-this red suit. It's very thin, made it myself out of red cotton flannel 50 l think you can slip 1t on right over your coat, don't you? And this false face and this nice white beard and these galoshes. They may be hard to walk in, but they look more like Santa than regu- lar shoes. Anyhow, I think they are just nice for Santa Claus"
 .Is Amy well?" asked Ted rather pointlessly.
 Meg simply nodded her head in the affirmative. She was still thinking ahopt tho galoshee. 'lt's funny how