Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-12-09

MACMILLAN Company
and other gradual approach and a Soc
ratio questioning cleverly winning dam
aging admissions from Pep. he looked
up in his fathers face thoughtfully:
IF they amt no Christ's birthday
this year. is it n lie that Christ was
born" he demanded.
And secretly the children took coun-
sci with one another. Would Buff
Miles. the tenor I'm the church choir.
take them out after dark on Christmas
eve To sing church choir serenades at
folks gates or would he not? And
when they thought that he might not
because this would be considered
Christmas celebration and would only
make the absence of present giving
the more conspicuous. rs in the case
OF the Sunday schools themselves. they
faced still another theological quandary.
For IL it was true that Christ was
born then Christmas was his birthday.
and If Christmas was his birthday
wasn't it wicked not TO pay any atten-
ton?
Alone Of them all little Tab winslow
rejOiced. His brothers and sisters
made the time fearful with questionings
as to the effect on Santa Claus. and
how would they get word 10 him. and
would it be Christmas in the city. and
why couldn't they move there and 9th
er matters denoting the reversal of
this their earth. But Tab slipped out
the kitchen coor to the corner of the
barn. where the great turkey gobbler
who had been named held his empir;
trusringly.
'Oh. TheophiIus Thistledown." said
Tab to him. you're the only one in
this town that's going to have Christ
mas You amt got to be et''
The placard was tackled to the Old
Trail Town postofiice wall between
summons to join the army and navy of
the United States and the reward Of
fered for an escaped cOnvict-all three
manifestoes registering something of
the stage of society's development
NOTICE.
owing to the local business depression
and to the current private decisions TO get
I'D very few home Christmas celebrations
this year. and also To the vote Of che
various lodges. churches. Sunday schools.
etc, etc. etc. to forego the usual Christ
mas tree observancss. the merchants Of
this town have one and all united with
most OF the folks to petition the rest to
omit all Christmas presents. believing that
the Christmas spirit Will be kept up best
by all agreeing to act alike All that's
willing may announce IL by signing below
and notifying others
THE COMMITTEE
There were only 800 folk living I'm
Old Trail Town. Already tWo-thirds
of their signatures were scrawled on
the sheets OF foolscap tackled beneath
the notice.
On the day after her return home.
Jenny Wing stood and stared at the
notice. Her mother had written to her
OF the towns talk. but the placard
made il seem worse.
III 20 in on the way home and see
what Mary says" she thought. and
asked for the letter that lay in Mary
Chavah's box. next her own. They
gave her the letter without question.
All Old Trail Town asks for its neigh
boris mail and reads its neighbours
postmarks and gets to know the differ
ent writings and TO inquire after them.
like persons. Gle amt got so much
of a curl to his NJ today" one will
say of a superscription. Better write
right back and chirk i'm up" or.
Here's her that don't seal her letters /
good. Tell her about that. why don Z
you:" Or. This writings n stranger
70 me- I'll just wait Il minute to see il
birth or death gets out of the enve /
LOPEZ
As she closed Mary'S gate and
hurried up the walk. in keen wind
flowing with little pricking fakes.
Jenny was startled TO see both parlor
windows open. The white muslin cur
tains were blowing idly as If June were
I'm the air. Turning as matter of
course TO the path that led To the
kitchen. she was hailed by Mary. who
came out the front door with rug in
her hands.
step right in this way" said Mary;
this doors unfastened."
.'Forevermorer' Jenny said. Mary
Chavah. What you got your house all
open for? You amt movingT
A gust of wind took Mary's answer
She tossed the rug across the icy rail-
ing Of the porch and beckoned Jenny
into the house and into the parlor. And
when she had greeted Jenny after the
months OF her absence:
see" Mary said exultantly. don't II