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

kindled in the parlor and neigh
bors came from the dark and fell to
work at the baskets they had brought.
1t was marvellous what homeiy cheer
arose. The dining room table, stretched
at its fullest length and white covered,
was various with the yellow and red
of fruit and salads, the golden brown
Of cake and rolls and the mosaic Of
dishes. The fire reared in the fiat
topped stove on whose wings" cover
ed pans waited. and everywhere was
that happy stir and touch and lift. that
note of preparation which informs a
time as sunshine or music will strike
its key.
my land, the oven-the warming
oven! Mary amt got one. However
will we keep the stuff hot?" Mis- Wins
low demanded. What time Is it?'
WED ought to had my big coffeepot.
We'd ought to set two going. dunno
why didn't think of it." Mis- Moran
grieved. SIG
"Well,'' said Mis- Mortimer Bates
when the men get here-if they ever
do get here-we'H send one Of 'em off
somewheres for the truck we forgot
What time is itY'
Here comes a whole CARLOAD Of
folks" Mis- Moran announced. II
hope and pray they've got the oysters
they'd ought to be popped in the
baking oven minute. What time did
you say it ISL"
Its twenty minutes past ~ Mis-
Winslow said, pushing her hair
straight back regardless Of it's part.
land we amt ready within 'leven hun
dred miles,"
"Well, if they only all get here"
Mis- Bates said, ringing golden and
white stuffed eggs on Mary's blue plat
ter. ''1t's their all being here when
she gets here that l want. amt
worried about the supper-much.'
1.-The roads black with folks" Mis-
Moran went on. Pm so deadly afraid
l didn't make enough sandwiches. Oh,
dunno why it wasn't given me to
make more, I'm sure!" ...
who's seeing to them in the par
lor? Who's getting their baskets out
here? Where they finding a place for
their wraps? Who's lighting the rest
of the lamps? What time is it?'' de-
manded Mis- WinSlow. cutting her
cakes. .-... --.. .
"Oh," said Mis- Bates from cloud
Of brown butter about the cooking
stove, II dunno whether we've done
right. l dunno but we've broke our
word to the Christmas paper. dunno
whether we amt going to get ourselves
criticised for this as never folks was
criticised before"
Mis- Winslow Strengthened up from
the table and held out hand with fin
gers frOsting tipped.
"Well," she said, with a great period.
IF we have broke our word to the
Christmas paper I'd rather stand up
here with my word broke this way
than with it kept so good it hurt me.
Is it half past yet?'
81 wish Ellen Bourne was here" Mis-
Bates observed. "She sent her salad
dressing over and lent her silver and
her Christmas rose for the table, but
come she would not. ! wonder If she
couldn't come over now IL we sent after
her last minute?'
4 Simeon Buck. appearing a few min
utes later at the kitchen door to set
basket inside. was dispatched for Ellen
Bourne. the warming oven and the cof-
fee pot collectively. He took with him
Abel Ames. who was waiting for him
without. And it CHANGED that they
knocked at the Bournes' door just after
Ben Holders had driven away with the
little boy, so that the men found the
family still in the presence of the little
tree
"Hello" said Simeon, aghast, Christ
massing away all by yourselves, I'll be
bound, like so many thieves! l rec'lect
not seeing your names on the paper"
mo, didn't sign" Ellen said. 81
voted against it that night at the town
meeting. but guess nobody heard me-"
well" said Simeon. land so here
you've got Christmas Of your owr
going forward. neat as kittens
foot .--s.
"Ain't you coming over to Mary Cha.
vah's?" Abel broke in with a kind OF
gentleness. "All of your"
Ellen smOte her hands together.
81 meant to go over LATER" she said,
land take She paused. 81 thought
we'd all go over later" she said. 81
forgot about it. Why. yes. / guess we
can go now, can't we? All three of
us?''
Abel Ames stood looking at the tree.
He had guessed that she might have
dressed it for no one who would see
1t. He looked Mt Ellen and ventured
what he thought.
Ellen" he said. IF you amt going
to do anything more with that tree to-
night. why not take. some Of the things
Off and have Matthew set 1t on his
shoulder, and bring 1t over to Mary's
for the boy that's cOming?"
Ellen hesitaied. would they like
it?" she asked. Would folks?"