Evening star., 1914-12-25
THE EVENING STORY.
After Christmas Gifts.
Copyright. 1914. by ". Werner)

| fCopyright 1914 by W. Werner)
| Asenath Holden had intended. yes,
had striyen. to get back to Westmore
in time for Christmas. But 1t seemed
everything had conspired against her.
Her steamer had been forty-six hours
overdue and promptly upon reaching
New York she had been held up by
grip for the space of ten days. When
finally she emerged from her hotel she
found Christmas gone-ft had flown
out on the wings of a terrific storm,
/ from whose violence the country was
| still trembling-a1l the shop windows
stale and the omnipresent spirit OF the
season gone into retirement for an
other twelvemonth. Which was all very
saddening to ASenatb, who had felt
the Christmas call as far away as the
Riviera and had made the best time
| she could in response.
! She had written of what had nap
pened to Mrs. Meeker. Mrs. Meeker had
been keeping the Westmore house dur
| ing Asenath's absence. She had no
| place to go to, and it was kindness to
install her in security and independ,
ence. Besides, Asenath had not liked
the idea of leaving the dear old house
dark and cold while she was roaming
about Europe trying to lose heart
ache. Nothing or nobody was to blame
save herself for that. She would fali
i'll love with Carus Lindley even when
there was no prospect of his faiilns
in love with her. 1t was no more than
she might have expected that sud
denly he married the model whose per
feet face was upon all his later can
vases. Asenath having stayed away
until she could stay no longer, re-
solved that, heartache or no heartache;
she would go home to Westmore and
to Mrs. Meeker at Christmas.
She was week too late when nnal-
l1 he
platform beclouded with furs ana
wearing the suit and hat which she
had not been able to leave a certain
shop on the Rue de la PaiN without
buying. There was nobody to meet her.
| But she made the lone hackman very
happy by giving him double tip and
bidding him carry her and her luggage
to her own door.
! Mrs. Meeker opened the door and
then her arms when she saw who was
there She drew Asenath into the
warmth and cheer of the steam heated
! and electric-lighted sitting room. Ase-
uath took off her things and looked
around. She sat down in the big leather
chair by the radiator and toasted her-
hustled in with a trayful of hot choco.
late, thin bread and butter. and still
thinner cold roast beef. While Asenath
was eating, Mrs. Meeker prepared her
full, warm and content, to fall. asleep
Immediately.
1t was past when she awoke to
find that a change had come in the
weather overnight. 1t was showing
hard The old town had dressed itself
up in white to celebrate Asenath's
arrival.
| I'VE didn't exactly have, a green
Christmas, but they want snow enough
to turn sheepskin on" Mrs. Meeker
said.
After breakfast Asenath handed over
to Mrs. Meeker the furs which she had
! yS,$ fny- he n
| Never had she seen anybody so
pleased as Mrs Meeker was.
MY, amt this grand" she exclaimed
II never expected anything like this
You knew it's such hard times here
this winter that folks didn't give many
presents round. All 1 got was one pin
! cushion. But this more'n makes up for
ii. | guess they amt no gift pleasanter
| than the after Christmas Gifts
/, 1t was then the idea came to Ase-
,!ath which swiftly became plan. She