The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-12-30

As he looked the need to express
what he felt beset Ebenezer.
"Quite little town." he thought,
quite little town."
He closed the glass and groped in the
darkness to where the roof, sloping
sharply, met the door. There he touch
ed an edge of something that swayed,
and he laid hold of and drew out that
for which he had come-Malcolm's
hobbyhorse. ..
Downstairs In the hall he set 1t on
the floor, examined It, rocked it with
one finger. The horse returned to its
ancient Office as If 1t were irrevOcably
ordained to service. Ebenezer, his
head on one side, stood for some time
regarding 1t. Then he slipped some
thing in its worn saddle pocket. Last
he lifted and settled the thing under
his arm.
81 dunno, but I might as well walk
around by Mary Chavah's house." he
thought. II needn't stay long,
At Mary Chavah's house the two big
parlors, the hall, the stairs, the dining
room, even the tiny bedroom with the
owl wan paper, were filed with folk
come to welcome the little boy, and on
the parlor table, set so that he should
see 1t when first he entered, blazed
Ellen Bourne's little tree. The coffee
was hot on the stove, good things were
ready on the table, and the air was
electric with expectation, with the ex-
element of being together, with the
imminent surprise to Mary and with
curiosity about the little stranger from
Idaho.
"What'll we all say when he first
comes INF" somebody asked.
might say Merry Christmas two
or three suggested. ' ~
"Mercy, no." replied shocked voices;
mot to Mary Chavah especially"
But, however they should say it, the
time was quick with cheer.
At quarter to 8 the gate clicked.
The word passed from one to another,
and by the time step sounded on the
porch the rooms were still save for
the whispers and a voice or two that
kept unconsciously on in some remote
corner. But instead of the door open
ing to admit Mary and her little boy
q hesitating knock sounded. w..
Those nearest to the door questioned
one another with startled looks, and
one of them threw the door open. On
the threshold stood After, the telegraph
operator, who thrust In very dirty
hand and yellow envelope.
I'VE don't deliver nights" he said,
"but I thought she'd ought to have
this one. I'm going home to wash up,
and then I'll be back" he added and
left them staring at one another around
the little lighted tree.
Before they could 60 out to find
Mary, as a dozen would have done, she
was at the threshold, alone. She SEEM
ed to understand without wonder why
they were there, and with perfect nat
uralness she turned to them to share
her trouble.
HE hasn't come" she said simply.
Her face was quite white, and, be-
cause they usually saw her with scarf
or shawl over her head, she looked al
most strange to them, for she wore q
hat; also she had on an unfamiliar soft
colored wrap that had been her moth
er's and was kept in tissues. She had
dressed carefully to 60 to meet the
child. 81 might as well dress up lit
tle," she had thought, land guess
he'll like colors best"
Almost before she spoke they put In
her hands the telegram. They were
pressing toward her, dreading, speech
less, trying to hear what should be
read. She stepped nearer to the light
Of the candles on the little tree, read
and reread in the stiffness. When she
looked up her face was SO illumined
that she was strange to them once
more.
"Oh," she said, Its his train. 1t was
late for the local. They've put him on
| the express, and it'll drop him at the
draw"
The tense air crumpled into breath
ings. and soft clamor filed the rooms
as they told one another and came to
tell her how glad they were. She pull
ed herself together and tried to slip
into her natural manner.
"It did give me turn" she confess
ed. II thought he'd been-he'd GOT
She went into the dining room, still
without great wonder that they were
all there. But when she saw the WON
en- in white aprons and the table ar
rayed and on it Ellen Bourne's Christ
mas rose blooming she broke into q
little laugh.
"Oh," she said, you done this a-pur
pose for him.
II hope, Mary, you won't mind,
Mis- Mortimer Bates said formally
1T being Christmas so. Wed hav,
done just the same on any other day.
"Oh," Mary said, "mindv'
They hardly knew her, she moved
| among them SO flushed and laughing
and conformable, praising, admiring
thanking them.
Honestly, Mary" said Mis- Moran
finally, "we'll have you so you can
tell Christmas from any other day
it'll be SO nicer
The express would be due at TIN
draw" at 8:30-S:33, After told he
when he came back washed up.
Mary watched the clock. She had no