The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1915-01-02

pacneiors paradise, he explained, as
all the ladies had gone down to Shang-l
hal to spend the Christmas holidays.
And they left you alone?" asked
Benny disapprovingly.
The doctor laughed genially. at was
my wish. I am going to have a Christ,
mas tree for some of my boys here,
and you can help me II you WILL"
Time honored traditions Of Yulctide
were to be carried out, although the
celebration was to be early in the
morning. flS
why not wait until evening and
have the tree lighted up? 1t will be
jolly suggested Benny Farwell from
the corner where he was filing Amer.
lean folding boxes with American can
dy for the little Chinese Christians.
Il shall be busy all afternoon. !
have to perform a marriage ceremony,
and l shall take you along with me-"
explained the doctor.
"All right. I've always wanted to
see a Chinese wedding" said Benny
absently.
He managed to pull himself together.
so that when the distribution of the
Christmas presents was over the mex
morning and the time came for the
wedding ceremony DIR. Blake found
him an apparently light hearted com.
panion.
Two sedan chairs swung up to the
door, and Benny managed to cramp his
long legs into n Of them, and he was
glad when his hearers carefully closed
the sliding doors, leaving him in the
dim seclusion of the vehicle.
Trot, trot, trot, went the bearers,
and the chairs went tripping up and
down In gentle rhythm. After awhile
they paused, and the chairs proceed
ed with slow caution for a few PAGES,
turned, went down a fight Of stairs
and finally came to rest.
The doors slid back, and Benny's legs
shot out on to the red carpeted foor of
the Chino's saloon. He stood looking
dazedly around at the familiar furni-
ture, not noticing that the chair bear
ers had backed out and that Dr. Blake
was there regarding him quizzically.
What's it all about?" burst forth
the amazed Benny at last.
Wait and see, my lad" smiled the
missionary, with a hand on the young
officers shoulder. There's to be a
wedding aboard now, and I'm afraid
Captain Davies didn't take you into
his confidence"
well, rather not" muttered Benny,
smoothing down his hair and straight
ening his blue necktie. these are
hardly wedding garments, eh?'
They'll do. They won't look at any
n except the BRIDE" laughed DIR.
Blake.
To Benny's surprise, a quietly Dress
ed little oma slipped into the saloon.
nodded to the missionary and smiled
ut him. She sat down before the an
tlquated piano in the corner and play
ed a wedding march.
When Benny glanced around he no
ticed that DIR. Blake, in his surplice,
was standing before a little table with
a prayer book in his hand. On the
table were scattered orange blooms.
A lump came into Benny's throat. 1t
was hard to oficiate at another fel.
lows wedding when he-and Ethel
The lump disappeared, for the bridal
party was coming down the passage.
There was a glimmer of white gar
ments, and the music burst forth tri-
umphantly as the bride stepped into
the saloon and approached the table
where DIR. Blake stood. Benny quite
forgot that he, too, was standing close
to the table where the bridegroom
should have waited.
They We're coming toward him-that
mysteriously yelled form, slender, with
dropping head. His eyes wandered to
the one beside her. and his knees fell
to shaking.
The digniied, white haired lady In
gray satin, to whose arm the bride was
clinging-was Mrs. Lister of San Fran.
cisco.
Then-then the bride must be-
would she lift her head?
She did and smiled at him through
n mist of tears and the blur Of her
lace veil.
1t was Ethel. 1t was her wedding
could it be his too?
Buck up, my lad" whispered Cap
tain Davies gruff voice in his ear.
And with a deep indrawn breath Of
amazed happiness Benny Farwell step
ped forward to greet his bride, who
had come across the Pacific to him.
He never remembered n word Of
the ceremony that followed. The
words of DIR. Blake rang through his
ears-"Christmas is in our hearts"
Would he ever forget it-forget his
utter despair Of the day before. forget
the loving thoughtfulness of his ship
mates who had turned the Chino's
head south to meet the transatlantic
liner or Shanghai and bring Mrs. Lis
ter and her daughter to the unsuspect-
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