New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-12-30

nal.us o, Ilme move. nike tbecoming mo.
ne1tarily conscious Of the swing. and
rush Of the earth, like perceiving the
sweep Of the stream Of stars In which
our system moves. She was startled
and abashed that the news 60 seized
upon her. Little that had ever hap.
pened to herself seemed 90 poignant,
SO warmed its place IA sensation.
While Mis- Winslow's mind marked
time on details Of time and pounds. as
is the way with us immortals when
another Joins our ranks. Mary was
receiving more consciousness. There
are times when this gift Is laid on
swiftly, as with hands, instead s>f com
ing when none knows. Rather than
with the child whom she was to meet,
her thought was with Jenny as she
left Mis- Winslow in the doorway and
went down the street. i
Expect you back in about half an
hour il the trains on time.'' Mis-
WinsloW called. -.-,
Mary nodded and turned into the
great cathedral aisle that was Old
Trail street, now arched and whitened,
spectral in the dark, silver with star
light.
The night before Christmas! And in
not one home was there any prepara-
ton for tomorrow, Mary thought, un-
less one or two lawless ones had brok-
en- bounds and contrived something
from a little remembrance for some
body to suet pudding 1t was strange,
she owned. No trees being trimmed.
no churches lighted for practice and
the shops closed as on any other night.
Only the postoftice had light-she went
in to look in her box. After was there
at the telegraph window, and he ac-
costed her.
''Little boys comm tonight, is hep
he said, as one Of the sponsors for that
| arrival.
''1'm on my way to the train now
Mary answered, and noted the Christ
mas notice with its soiled and dog
cared list still hanging on the wall. 1T
was good move," she insisted to her
self as she went out into the empty
street again.
"You got merry Christmas without
no odds of the paper or me either,'
After called after her, but she did not
answer save with her "Thank you, Mr..
Affer.'
''Why do they all pretend to think
It's so fine for me?' she wondered.
ITO cheer me up. guess" she thought
grimly.
Tonight they were all sharing the
aloofness from the time. an aloofness
which she herself had known for years.
All save Jenny. To Jenny's house, in
defiance Of that dog cared paper in
the postofice, Christmas had come
Not Christmas of present trading"
not Christmas Of things at all, but
Christmas. Unto them child was
born.
"Jenny's the only one in this town
that's got real Christmas" thought
Mary on her way to meet her own lit
tie guest.
The Simeon Buck North American
Dry Goods Exchange was dark. too.
and from it's cave of window the gray
st. Nicholas looked out, bearing his
fag-and he tonight an idle, mummy
thing of no significance. The Abel
Ames General Merchandise Emporium
was closed, but involuntarily Mary
stopped before it. In it's great plate
glass window a single candle burned
She stood for moment looking.
"Why, that's what they do some
places to let the Christ child in,'' Mary
thought. II wonder if Abel knows
How funny-for storev'
Some one whom she did not know
passed her and looked too.
kind O. nice,' said the other.
Real NICE" Mary returned and went
on with little glow.
At Mis- Moran's house on the other
side of the square the children were
waiting for her-Bennet and Gussie
and Tab and Pep and little Emily
They ran before Mary in the road, all
save little Emily, who walked, clasp.
ing Mary's hand.
aren't you staying up late, Emily?
Mary asked her.
"Yes," assented the child content.
eddy.
won't you be sleepy?" Mary pur:
sued.
II was going to stay awake any
how" she said. II amt goin' sleep all
night. We said so. We're goin' stay
wake and see Santa Claus go BY"
60 by?'' Mary repeated.
EYES," the child explained. "You
don't think thatll hurt, do your" she
asked anxiously. .'And them" she pur.
sued, IF we don't see him we'll know
he's dead everywhere else too. An
then we're goin' bury him tomorrow
morning up to Gussie's house."
At the station no one was yet about
Utter peace was there, not the primeval
peace that is negation, but silence
that listened.
while shepherds watched their