The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1914-12-17


4 2MqSG5 most agreeable at the
i $500 hotel. AS he had distrib-
uted his customary gold
lac to the bells" the telephone
p s,s the check-room boys, his waiter
y the head waiter, and the cham
~ on his floor; he felt oddly.
dsurbed'
carter. my boy" he told the tall.
..r.haired image in the mirror,
T w. getting sentimental. You're
,aoroughly disappointed because there
'.nY soul in the world who can
.an mt a Merry Christmas to you,
.nd mean it from the bottom of his
s nor You're like a boy with nothing
n his stocking. I'm ashamed OF you,
DR.. am indeed"
Vet that didn't help matters. He
,ondered around the deserted hotel
orridors in the morning feeling ut
tsrlv lost Nearly every one seemed
n he going out to dinner to some
olsce where he was urgently desired.
Vcur times he strolled over to the
desk and looked casually up at his
boy but there were no mail and no
7 oresents for Maj Robert Lee Carter.
The last time he had really de-
eided to give up and ring up some
business associate to take dinner with
him at the hotel. But he saw a let
ter in his box, and the clerk handed
him a curiously shaped parcel, rather
bulky and oval He took it up to his
own rooms, and opened it with a
funny little thrill of anticipation.
By George, he was wrong. There
was somebody, he didn't know who
It was, but there was somebody who
had remembered him. The last wrap
per fell off, and he stood staring down
at a little homemade willow basket,
filed with mistletoe. A card on top
read, Love and Merry Christmas
from Pam"
Pam? He remembered no Pam.
He opened the letter for enlighten-
ment, and as he read, his heavy gray
eyebrows drew closer together, and
every now and then he calculated,
God bless my heart and SOUL"
"You won't remember me at all, but
I'm Pamela Grayson, and my mother
was your sisters daughter, so I'm
your grandniece, see? Mother died
about a year ago, just after we came
north, and l have been here alone
ever since. I didn't even know you
were alive until cousin Florrie, Of
Carriers Landing, down home, wrote
and told me to share this mistletoe
with you, for she had gathered it in
tne old oak grove where you used to
90 when you were little boy. Here's
wishing you merry, merry Christ
mas, and I wish I knew you, because
II does certainly get fearfully lone
some here in New York holiday time
when you haven't any one of your
very own"
The telephone bell rang sharply
Just as the major was about to say
God bless my heart and soul" once
again. But he lifted the receiver, and
smiled at the voice that answered his
hail.
Delighted, Ralph, delighted, my
ooy but you see, am going to have
young lady guest here to dinner
wltn me, my grandniece. sir, from
virginia Now, instead of my Joining
you In your bachelor apartments, sup
posing you join US, and try and COM
pensate to her for having a surely old
cnap for a dinner partner. Names
MISS Pamela Grayson. Come right
down"
linen he smiled, and kept on smil-
lug IN the oldest, happiest way. And
nc leaned back in his deep leather
.nalr' and lit cigar, and watched the
0wohe rings form overhead, and
sniiieo up at them. He had four sis
&c .sfS' PANS grandmother had been
.ue Youngest. And now somehow,
' lucy were all gone, as he thought,
-, ,ne way of the roses" and he was
",one' He had rather lost track Of
al a.. the nieces and nephews and grand
'ces and grandnephews. Sentiment
uoeS not thrive in the New York at,
oSpnere, yet as he looked at the
.e'IeE' ne felt an odd glow of pride,
s, ne held the little basket of mis-
s nstoe out at arms length, smiling
.aes'rospectively. Many time he had
q e0ne up to the old oak grove to gather
- ior MS mother to decorate the great
=. r"ll at Christmas. And now this lit
Tie Pam
- lne major rose suddenly with quick
~ ,n'entlon. Five minutes later he was
Io.. MS way up to the address in the
o',ef' Upstairs two flights he climbed,
~ rnu tapped at the low top door with
80 modest card:
ramela Grayson."
que stood at the easel with her
Oh seA TO him, a big blue apron on, and
cue was singing,
On holy town of Bethlehem,
How still we see thee lie.
ApoVe thy deep and dreamless sleep
~, Inc silent stars go by"
n, me major stood at attention, but
hue nen she turned and caught sight OF
n1, sne gave little cry Of Joy.
o. uncle Bob! How did you come SO