The Anderson daily intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1915, 1914-12-25

oA0 OonN VI NJ u LAD
box, but there were no mail and no
presents for Maj. Robert Lee Carter.
The last time he had really de-
cided to give up and ring up some
business associate to take dinner with
him at the hotel. But he saw a let.
ter IN his box. and the clerk handed
him a %curiously shaped parcel, rather
bulky and oval. He took II I'D to his
W rooms. and opened it with q
funny little thrill OF anticipation.
By George. he was wrong. There
was somebody. he didn't know. who
II was, but there was somebody who
he'd remembered him. The last wrap
per fell of. and he st6od staring down
at a little homemade willow basket,
filled with mistletoe, A card on top
read. Love and Merry Christmas
from Pam"
Pam? He remembered no Pam.
He opened the letter for enlighten.
ment. and as he read, hts heavy gray
eyebrows drew closer together. and
every now and then he calculated,
God bless my heart taud -soul!"
You won't remember me at all, but
I'm Pamela Grayson, and my mother
vas your. sisters laughter, SO I'm
your grandniece. s,e? Mother died
about o year ago. just after we came
north, and I have been here alone
ever since. ] .didn'tieven know you
we're alive until cousin Norrie, CT
Carriers Landing, down. home, wrote
and. told me To share this! mistletoe
with you. for she. had gathered IL IN
the old oak grove where you used to
go when you were a little boy. Here's
wishing you a merry, merry Christ
mas, and / wish ] knew you, because
1t does certainly get fearfully lone
some here Ia New York holiday time
when you haven't any one OF your
very own"
The telephone bell rang sharply
just as the major was about to say
God bless my heart and soul" once
ngain. But he lifted the receiver, and
smiled at the voice that answered his
hall. i.
Delighted. Ralph. delighted, my
boy. but you See, I. am going to have
a young lady guest here t dinner
with me, my grandniece, sir, from
Virginia. Now. instead OF my joining
you In your bachelor apartments, cup
posing you Join U.S., and try and COM
pensate to her for having a surely old
chap for a dinner partner. Names
Miss Pamela Graysons Come right
down."
Then he smiled. and Kept on sfail-
ing In the oldest, harpieat veg. And,
he leaned back In hfa ldssp leather
chair. and lit q cigar, and watchad the
smoke rings form overhead. and
smiled up at them. He had four sis-
ters. Pam's grandmother had been
the youngest. And now somehow,
they were all gone. as he thought,
"the way OF the roses and he was
alone. He had rather lost track OF
ali the nieces and nsphews and grand
nieces and erandnephewB. Sentiment
does not thrive III the New, York at
rlosphere. yet as he looked at. the
letter, he felt an odd glow OF pride.
and he held the little basket OF mis-
stletoe out at arms length, smiling
ratsospectively. Many 81 time he had
gone up to the old oak grove TO gather
81 for his mother, to decorate the great
hall at Christmas. and now this 1T
tle Pam
The major rosa sudaent5 with Quick
intention. Five minutes later no was
en- hfs way up to the Address In tAss
letter. Upstairs tWo lights he climbed.
and tapped at the Low top door with
sts modest card
ePamola Graysoh.
She etood st tbs s&nei, with her,
back to hin, Z sfg blue hpfon on. ana
she was singing
AOh. holy town OF Bethlehem,
How still we s4S thee he.
Ahcse thy deep ana dESafHtses sfsep
The silent stars 90 BY.
The major stood al aktsatscu, but
when she turns6 and caught sighs sE
Dim, she gave 9 little sfy Of ySy.
Uncle Bobt How did ron cons III
eootf to nfess