Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-12-23

ihe play ceased abruptly. Guy!
face changed. Perhaps ! do" h,
marrnured, while his sister watchee
MIN in the candle light.
very gently.
Not a word"
You've cared a good while, haven
you, dear?'
Seems like ages. Suppose it isn't
"No-only two years, really CAIRNS
nard. Plenty of time left"
He moved his head imnatiently
res, II didn't mind seeing her smile
on Tommy Grower-de-il take him
Iust as sweetly as she smiles on me
II n ever held out the tip of hel
ilnger to me. I'd seize it and hold on tc
1t for fair. But she doesn't. She
won't. And she's going south next
Week for rest of the winter. AND
there's a fellow down there in South
carolina where she goes-oh. he-he's
req cad after her, like the rest oi
us. And, well-Tm up against it good
ard hard, Nan, and that's the truth.
Foor boy. And YOU gave up going
70 see her on Christmas day. and came
down here into the country just to
Jus to get even with myself for
the way I've neglected 'em these two
years while my heads been so fun of
her. 1t isn't fair. After last " Wear n
"a have come home today if it had
meant a to Observation-Disclosures
knows I'm here. | don't know what
She Thinks"
Il don't believe, Guy, boy, she thinks
the less of you. Yes-I must go. 1t
I'm sure of it. No, / don't know how
Margaret feels-Good night good
night"
Christmas morning. breaking upon
a Wlntry world-the star III the east
!ong set. Outside the house a great
Siience OF drlft Wrapped hill and plain
INSIDE, a cracking fire upon a wide
hearth, and Il pair of elderly people
waking a lonely holiday.
Mrs. Fernald crept to the door of aer
room-the injured knee always made
walking difficult after a nights quiet.
she meant to sit Town by the fire
which she had lately heard Marietta
stirring and feeding into activity, and
warm herself at its flame. She re-
membered with a sad little smile that
she and John had hung their STOCKINGS
there, and looked to see what miracle
been wrought in the night.
voice caught in her
lnroat. What was all this? :.
by some mysterious Influence her hrs-
band learned that she was calling him.
though lie had not really heard. He
came to the door and looked ar her
then as the chimneypiece where the
stockings hung-a long row of them,
as n had not hung since the children
grew up--stockings of quality: one of
with scarlet clocks. Ralph's-all stuff
led to the top, with bundles overflow
ing upon the chimneypiece and even TO
the floor below.
What this-what's this?" John
fernalds voice was puzzled. Whose
are these He limped closer. He
put on his spectacles and stared hard
at a parcel protruding from the sock
with the scarlet clocks.
Nam he a "tTo Ralph from
Man," he repeated vaguely. His gaze
turned to his wife. His eyes were wide
like a childs. But she was getting to
her feet, from the chair into which
she a dropped.
The children." she was saving
,They-they-John = they must be
here?" w
He followed her through the chilly
nan TO the front staircase, seldom
SLOW, stiff joints would allow.
Trembling, Mrs. Fernald pushed omen
the first door at the top.
A rumpled brown head raised itself
from among the pillows. a pair of
sleepy but affectionate brown eyes
in, and a voice brimful of mirth cried
and daddy They stared at her, Their
eyes growing misty. 1t was their little
daughter Nan, not yet grown UP!
Ihey could not believe it. Even
had seen their big son Ralph, still
sleeping, his yet youthful face, full of
healthy color, pillowed or his brawny
arm, and his mother had gently kissed
MN awake 20 be half s~trangled in his
hug-when they had met Edson's
IN a vi U l n 4 Trh &c, 10 E.,,-1
them-carefully, SO that his father
could catch it-when they had seer
plump pretty Carol pulling on her
stockings as she sat on the floor smil-
ing up at them-Oliver, advancing to
meet them in his bathrobe and slip
above his blankets and shouting
Merry Christmas!-and how do you
like you children ?"-even then it was
difficult to realize that not one was
missing-and that no one else was
there. Unconsciously Mrs. Fernard
round herself looking about for the
sons wives and daughters husbands
and children. She loved them all-yet
to have her own, and no others, just
for this one day-it was happiness in
deed.
When they Were all downstairs,
about the fire, there raj great rejoice
ing. They had Marietta in; indeed, she
had been lowering continuously In the
background, to the apparently fright
full jeopardy Of the breakfast in prepa-
ration, upon which, nevertheless, she
had managed to keep a practised eye.
And you were in it, Marietta"
Mr.. Fernald said to her in astonish-
ment, when he first saw her. How
in the world did you get all these peo-
pie into the house and to bed without
waking us?'
ut was pretty c%onsid'able of a
resk." Marietta replied, with modest
pride, ''seein' as how they was inclined
to be middlin' lively. But I KEEP "a
hushin' EN- up, and 1 filled EN- up so
full Of %victuals they couldn't talk. +
didn't knows there'd be any eatables
left for today" she added-which last
remark, since she had been slyly bak-
ing for a week. Guy thought might be
considered pure bluff.
At the breakfast table, while the
eight heads We're bent, this thanksgiv-
ing arose, as the master of the house,
in a voice not quite steady, offered it
to n unseen:
Thou who earnest to us on that first
Christmas day, we bless Thee for this
good and perfect gift Thou sendest us
today, that Thou forgettest us not In
these later years, but givest us the
greatest joy of our lives in these our
loyal children.
Mans hand clutched GUYS under the