The Twin City star. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1910-19??, 1914-12-04

relation. During tbs Weary period
when nutrition h,ls ~. II he of the two
great problems ti,.. tremendous impulse
that has nourished the world was alive
IN the faces of the two women, a kind
of creative fire, such as had burned in
Mary ut the cutting Of her pattern.
Asparagus escallOped with toast
crumbs and butter was for the moment
symbol Of all humanity's will to keep
alive.
Ladies'" said Mis- Winslow, with
no other preface. what do you think?
Mary Chavahs little boy is coming
from Idaho with a tag on. and when do
you s'pose he's going to get here2
Christmas eye"
christmas eve" repeated Mis-
Bates, whose mind never lightly for
sock old ways or embraced contre-
temps. what funny time to travel"
Likely catch the Group and be down
sick on Mary's hands the first thing"
said Mis- Moran. tits pity it amt
the spring Of the year"
Mis- Winslow looked at them search
ingly to see If her thought too far out
distanced theirs. @
"What struck me all of heap" she
said, "is his getting here then. That
night. Christmas eve."
The three women looked at one an
other.
"Thats So" Mis- Moran said. -..
"Him-that child" Mis- Winslow put
it, getting here Christmas eve, used
to Christmas all his life, ten to one
knowing in his head what he hopes
he'll get And no Christmas. And
him with no mother. And her only
month or so dead"
SWELL" said Mis- Mortimer Bates.
its too bad it's happened so. But
it has happened so. You have to say
that to your life quite often. notice.
don't know anything to do but to
say it now"
Mis- Winslow had not taken off her
cloak. She sat on the edge Of her
chair, with her hands deep in its pock
cts, her black knit "fascinator" fallen
back from her hair. She was looking
down at her cloth overshoes, and she
went on speaking as If she had hardly
heard what Mis- Bates had interposed.
"He'n get in on the express" she
said; MARY said so. She don't have to
60 to the city to meet him. The man
he travels with is going to put him
on the train in the city. The little
fellow'll get here after dark. After
dark on Christmas eve"
"And no time for anybody to warn
him that there won't be any Christ
mas waiting for him." Mis- Moran OBJ
served thoughtfully.
"And like enough he'll bring little
something for Mary for present"
Mis- Winslow went on. How'll she
feel them" -
saint it too bad it amt last year,"
Mis- Moran mourned. Everything
comes too late or too soon or not at all
or else too much SO. Seems though"
Mis- Bates impulse to nonconformity
had not prevented her forehead from
being drawn in their common SYM
pathy; but 1t was sympathy that saw
no practical way out and existed tame
ly as high window and not as a
wide door.
well" she said. MARY amt exact
ly the one to see it so You'll never
get her to feel bad about anybody not
having Christmas. l dunno, If it
was any other year. as she'd be plan
ming any different"
NO" said Mis- Winslow thoughtful
ly, Mary won't do anything. But we
could"
Mis- Bates forehead took alarm--the
alarm Of the sympathetic bearer who
is challenged to be dOer. .-.
"Do?" she repeated. You can't 60
back on the paper at this late day.
And you can't give him Christmas
and every other Of our children not
have any just because we're their pa
rents and still living. There amt
thing to do
Mis- Winslow's eyes were still on her
overshoes. 81 don't believe there's
never not thing to do" she said.
II don't believe it."
Mis- Bates looked scandalized.
That's nonsense" she said sharply.
"and it's sacrilegious besides. When
God means thing to happen there's
not thing to do What about earth
quakes and-and cancersY' -..
81 don't believe he ever means
earthquakes and cancers" said Mis-
Winslow to her overshoes.
Prevent 'em, thenr' challenged Mis-
Bates triumphantly.