Saturday news. (Watertown, S.D.) 19??-19??, 1914-03-26

II
Jane swallowed q lump In her throat.
.,Tain't what You give mo how
much you give that counts said Mary
in a low voice. its the feeling that
goes with 1t
Jane Gray was silent for a long time.
The sun dropped behind the most dis
tant peak, and twilight fell in the lit
tie room.
Cousin Amelia Sturgis always want
ed the four rush bottomed chairs"
said Jane suddenly. .I,ye got two sets
OF them, you know
II remember. Why don't you give
'em to herr"
Il guess I will. And Belle Sturgis
said she'd die happy if she could have
some Of her Observation-Disclosures old
bedquilts.. !
give her some
81 will," decided Jane. 4And Sarah
Smith can have the cherry table. and
Elsie Finch wants a clothes hamper.
I've got two. Then Elsie's husband.
would set store by fathers saddle. I'll
send that to him. You know, he's
fond of riding that mare he raised.
Then there's an old blue teapot that
belonged to my great-aunt, Flora. why,
Mary Moore, I do believe I could fit
out the whole family with things they
want! One OF Dora's girls would like
that wine colored velvet / used to.
wear. She could make 1t over for this
winter
isn't it great?s cried Mary enthusi-
astically. and then after you've tied
up all the things I'll have Lew bring
the box wagon around, and he can
cart your presents around to all the
folks. And then you can have q big
Christmas dinner and invite them all
to Gomez
christmas dinner! Mary Moore, L
can't afford to buy a turkey for my
selfr'
"Has any one invited you to dinner
yet?'
yes, every one Of them, but some-
how it hurts me to CO.
Foolish Jane.!.' laughed Mary ten
Derby. Now, listen to me. You told
me you had 400 cans OF fruit and pre-
serves in your cellar that you brought
from the big house. Well, you know I
was sick last summer, and j didn'tput
up a speck of fruit. I'll make a trade
with YOU. Give me some canned fruit
and I'll sell you one of u biggest
turkeys, and I'll make you a plum pud-
ding and some pies. and you can trade
out all the vegetables you want.
What sayg"
MARY, there's nothing to say except
vest" cried Jane tearfully. II have
a feeling this is going to be a wonder
full Christmas"
tive no doubt it will be the happiest
one you ever spent" said Mary as she
folded up her work. sPll come over in
the morning, and wen plan out the
whole thing"
It was certainly the happiest Christ
mas Jane Gray had known since her
childhood. 1t is n thing to set out
to+do Christmas shopping with a vel
filled purse and a fine disregard of the
price of things. and it is another and
more pleasufable thing to go over ones
belongings and select things that will
directly appeal to the heart of the re.
cipient. If the giving implies a sacri.
fee on the part of the donor the gift is
the more blessed.
Jane smiled happily as she pulled
out the carefully preserved articles OF
furniture from the carriage house and
wrapped them up in gay papers, and
the searching through her twenty
trunks was like straying through for,
gotten chambers of her memory,
There were pretty fans and laces and
quaint trinkets and bits of jeweIry to
gladden. the hearts of the girls and
their mothers. old fashioned books and
toys for the children, and for the mer
folks there were books and interesting
~curios from the collection of her ia.
ther, a retired sea captain.
:. And all the relations who had feared
to give very much to rich Jane Gray
because it might be interpreted as Z
desire to seek favor with her gave
layishly from their grateful hearts OF
this particular Christmas day. And
each one accepted James invitation t.
dinner until the little house was over
flowing with merriment and gooG
. cheer. They set two tables. one in tht
dining room for the groWnups ant
another in the sitting room for the chill
dren, and when the delicious meal wa
over they all declared 1T was the hap
. piest Christmas they had " known.
Seems as IL we love each other more
this Christmas said little Sammy
Finch wisely. and the elders all smiled
, at each other. The young girls whs
had always feared Jane a little gath
cred about her and kissed her for tbt
j pretty old fashioned gowns she haC
i given them TO make over, and Jant
recognized that warm glow tina
Mary Moore had described as the righi
!, Christmas spirit.
Seems as IL I'd just learned how t.
be happy" sighed Jane Ms she watched
the last sleigh drive away under thu
Christmas stars.
Al dark form came scndding through
II - 40