Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1914-11-27

relation. During the weary perIou
when nutrition has been one of the two
great problems the tremendous impulse
that has nourished the world was alive
IN the faces Of the W. women. a kind
of creative fire, such as had IMrned In
Mary at the cutting of her pattern.
Asparagus escalloped with toast
crumbs and butter was for the moment
symbol Of all humanity's will to keep
alive.
Ladies' said Mis- Winslow, with
no other preface. what do you think?
Mary Chavah's little boy is coming
from Idaho with a tag on. and when do
you s'pose he's going to get here?
Christmas eye."
christmas eve," repeated Mis-
Bates. whose mind never lightly for
sock old ways or embraced a contre-
temps. what a funny time to travel"
Likely catch the Group and be down
sick on Mary's hands the first thing"
said Mis- Moran. Its a pity it amt
the spring of the year."
Mis- Winslow looked at them search
luSiJ u oSe IL uef luou5ul lOO iai Jul
distanced theirs.
What struck me all of a heap" she
said. lis his getting here then. That
night. Christmas eve"
The three women looked at one an
other.
That's So" Mis- Moran said.
"Him-that child" Mis- Winslow put
1t. getting here Christmas eve, used
to Christmas all his life. ten to one
knowing In his head what he hopes
he'll get. And no Christmas. And
him with no mother. And her only a
month or so dead"
"Wel1." said Mis- Mortimer Bates.
its too bad it's happened so. But
it has happened SO. You have to say
that to your life quite often. l notice.
/ don't know anything to do but to
say 1t now"
Mis- Winslow had not taken off her
cloak. She sat on the edge of her
chair. with her hands deep in its pock-
cts, her black knit 'fascinator" fallen
back from her hair. She was looking
down at her cloth overshoes, and she
went on speaking as If she had hardly
heard what Mis- Bates had interposed.
Hell get in IN the express" she
said; Mary said so. She don't have to
go to the city to meet him. The man
he travels with is going to put him
on the train in the city. The little
fellow'lI get here after dark. After
dark on Christmas eve"
And no time for anybody to warn
him that there won't be any Christ
mas waiting for him." Mis- Moran OBJ
served thoughtfully.
And like enough he'll bring a little
something for Mary for a present"
Mis- Winslow went on. How'll she
feel thenY
"Ain't it too bad it amt last YEAR,"
Mis- Moran mourned. Everything
comes too late or too soon or not at all
or else too much so. seems though"
Mis- Bates impulse to nonconformity
had not prevented her forehead from
being drawn in their common SYM
patty; but it was a sympathy that saw
no practical way out and existed tame
ly as a high window and not as a
wide door.
"Well," she said. MARY amt exact
ly the one to see it so. You'll never
get her to feel bad about anybody not
having a Christmas. l dunno, If it
was any other year. as she'd be plan
ming any different"
mo-" said Mis- Winslow thoughtful
ly, Mary won't do anything. But we
could"
Mis- Bates forehead took alarm-the
alarm Of the sympathetic nearer who
is challenged to be doer.
"Do?" she repeated. You can't go
back on the paper at this late day.
And you can't give him a Christmas
and every other of our children not
have any just because we're their pa
rents and still living. There amt a
thing to do"
Mis- WinslOw's eyes were still on her
overshoes. II don't believe there's
never not a thing to do" she said.
II don't believe it."
Mis- Bates looked scandalized.
THAT'S nonsense" she said sharply,
land it's sacrilegious besides. When
God means a thing to happen there's
not a thing to do. What about earth
| quakes and-and cancers?"
81 don't believe he ever means
earthquakes and cancers" said Mis-
Winslow to her o~vershoes.
prevent EN-. then" challenged Mis-
Bates triumphantly.