Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1915-12-20

ASA -
Christmas day. Outside upon the froz-
en- path a robin hoped. the sky was
clear, cold and blue. The tall chrysan-
themums fringing the lawn stood stiff
~ at attention like sentinels. A pale
December SUI lay like a ghost upon
the grass.
But Miss EmmeIIne Barton, staring
idly u of the window had no eye for
h beauty of it all. Because it was
Christmas day. she was dressed in
lavender silk and her mothers rings
sparklcd codlly upon her fingers. The
orthodox holly and mistletoe were
scattered in vases and behind picture
frames about the room, Miss Emme-
line herself had but recently returned
from early morning service in the
little church, tucked cozily away in
the churchyard.
But of the Christmas peace and
beauty there q no trace in Miss
Emmeline's heart. Instead, she MOTTO
ed with annoyance, as she stared out
OF the window, that some OF the
shrubs wanted cutting and thai one
OF the gardeners had left a pair Of
shears on the ground. and when her
gaze wandering presently TO the hills
that stretched beyond, found shadow
marks oil the snow that bound them,
IN hnls hoy Nynrn n,nrolN- thn rfofnc
LETT by the leafless trees, instead of,
as perhaps they we're, the footprints
of the Christ child as he had come
softly down into the world that morn
Ing.
How insistently the call of the bells
came. BE happy Be happy! Be
happy" they seemed 10 say as a
friendly wind carried their message
far and wide. With an impatient
movement Miss Emmeline turned from
the window. As she did so her glance
fell on the mornings mail, lying, as
was customary, awaiting her atten-
ticn in q neat pile on her desk.
a disdainful smile curved her lips
az her long thin fingers turned over
the envelope. Then suddenly her
face changed. ii was as if d summer
wind had blown a little pink into its
coidncss-for 4 moment only The
old frosty look came back into her
face as she ripped open the envelope.
Two letters fell from it into her lap,
II sealed, the other a folded pink
OF note paper. Miss Emmeline pick
ca up the open letter without glanc.
ing at the sealed one. In her heart
she said coldly: From his wife,
suppose"
! Dear Aunt Emmeline," her nephew
wrote, in his big sprawling handwrit-
irs, Il expect you will be awfully wild
at my writing TO you after your having
told NE you wished 20 hear from
me again, but I am merely sending
along the enclosed. And l thought,
with the explanation about il, you
might forgive a Christmas wish OF
Two slipping in as we'll.
Here is the explanation. You
knew Anne and ! are living nov in
your old home. II is such a beauti.
full old house. by the way--Anne
simply dotes on the spindle legged
furniture in the drawing room. but I
had to have some repairing done. The
roof leaked. incidently, and the drag.
ons OH the hall paper made me feel
like a ST. George whenever | looked
at them. The workmen were doing
something TO the letter box when they
found the letter / am sending to you.
You know that an Antediluvian af-
fair the box was. One OF the panels
was loose and the letter in some amaz-
ing way had slipped behind it. 1t
looks a bit yellow, and no wonder, con.
sidcring the time 1t must have been
there. Anne will persist the address
Is in her fathers handwriting, but !
tell her II is nonsense. | don't be.
lieve you ever met the old chap"
Miss Emmeline read no further.
With trembling bands she picked up
the second letter. Two little spots
iltiCN SuNutIiS Ih ntl ClltthS dS Sic
stared at the envelope. Yes, il was
the handwriting of the MAI she had
loved that stared back at her. She
bad not cried for years, but now she
felt the sharp sting of tears behind
her eyelids. The brassy clang of bells
turned suddenly into the droning of
bees. She was walking In a garden,
a spring garden, golden with daffodils
and sunshine and youth with q man
young and dark, as she was young and