The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1914-12-25

/XDIM 1df as Leu was COLceIAcu.
Ml ann Dear Ted: If you can
SSlS-S manage to come on to
New York for Christmas and
have the courage to break the
news to brother Bob, all right. !
haven't ever 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
can't 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 be
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 a fake Santa Claus for
them, she just hasn't time to listen.
and brother Bob is such a 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 wei his solitary meal. Hastily
paying the 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 nc 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 q suit
case.
Say, boy" he said to the liveried
messenger, Il want you to go out and
buy "a wedding ring. Tomorrow
being Christmas the stores will be
closed and | can't get it then. All
the stores are open tonight. And
ton on the %eastbound platform.
Here's a dollar for you if you get it
there by the eight-three-and be sure
and buy the best one the jeweler has
What size, sir?" asked the boy,
%grinning.
That's so-thev come in different
sizes" responded Ted, excitedly wad-
ding a handful of cravats into his
suitcase. ooh, medium size. any size.
only hurry. And if you have time,
get some jumping monkeys, and toy
balloons, and tin kitchens and things
ANYTHING kids will like he said,
handing the boy two ten-dollar bills.
The next morning, after a night in
a sleeping car. Ted Beverly was still
breathless as he hurried-laden with
h~alf-wrapped tin kitchens and various
other toys and a suit case-from his
taxi up the unpretentious b~rownstone
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 Bobbie 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
so glad you've come. If those per-
fectly lovely things are for my chill
dren do let me hide them behind the
piano. oh, by the way she added
whispering, you have just come in
time. l was almost distracted. You
always were so obliging. Bob often
says that there wasn't a man in col
lege who would help a friend out OF
a tight place the way you would. ]
expected the butcher boy would do it,
but he's gone to one of those awful
MISUNDERSTANDING that is-and l
had offered him 81 to do It. Now
listen-Oh, here comes Amy and the
children, and l 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 chill.
dren, followed his hostess up to q
third story guest room.
Nov, / will tell you" said Meg,
ClOSlHB The uOOI dAu lOChIHB ~ Uc'
hind her. See, l brought your hat
and gloves because l knew the chill.
dren would suspect something If they
saw them. l was expecting the butch
er's 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 1t myself out of red cotton
flannel so l think you a slip cit
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 looE more like Santa than regu'
lar shoes. Anyhow. | think they arr
Just nice for Santa Claus