The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1915-12-23

The play ceased abruptly. Guy
ace charged Perhaps I do" h
him in the candle light.
she wont answer yet?" she aske
Not a word"
You've cared a good while, haven
you, dear?"
Seems" Seems like ages. Suppose it isn't
Monty two years, really carin,
hard. Plenty of time left"
He moved his head impatiently
Yes. If I didn't mind seeing her smii,
ON tommy Grower-de-il take him
Just as sweetly as she smiles on me
II she ever held out the tip OF he,
niger to me, I'd seize it and hold on t,
II for fair. But she doesn't. Sht
won't. And she's going south mex
week Tor h rest of the winter, am
tnere,s a fellow down there in South
carolina where she goes-oh, he-he's
req headed after her, like the rest Of
US. And, well-I'm up against it goo
ana 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-
to get even with myself FOR
the way I've neglected 'em these two
years while my heads beer so full of
her. 1t isn't fair. After last year
ia nave come home today if it had
meant L had to ACKNOWLEDGMENT
knows I'm here. l don't know what
she thinks"
I don't believe, Guy, boy, she thinks
the less of you. Yes-T must go. Tt
VIII all come right in the end, dear
I'm sure OF it. No, I don't know how
feels-Good night = good
night"
Christmas morning, breaking upon
d WlIGrV WnTl6-thn otor s, ~ ~~-A
long set. Outside the house a great
silence Of drift wrapped hill and plain
INSIDE, a cracking fire upon a wide
hearth, and a pair of elderly people.
waking a lonely holiday.
MRS. ternald crept to the door of her
injured knee always made
Walking difficult after a nights quiet.
she meant to sit down by the fire
which she had lately heard Marietta
and feeding into activity. and
warm herself at it's flame. She re-
membered with a sad little smile that
she and John a hung their stockings
mere, and looked to see what miracle
mad been wrought in the night.
Father!"-Her voice caught in her.
Ihroat. What "a all this?
by some mysterious Influence her hl1s-
band learned that she was calling him.
though he had not really heard. He
to the door and looked at her.
then as the chimneypiece where the
stockings hung-a long row OF them,
as they had not hung since the children
grew up-stockings of quality; one of
brown silk, Mans; a fine gray sock
with scarlet clocks. Ralph's-all stuff
fed to the top, with bundles overflow
ing upon the chimneypiece and even To
floor below.
WITS this--what's this?" John.
F'ernald's voice was puzzled. Whose
Ira thncnCt Ia s-,o-1 -
put on his spectacles and stared hard
a parcel protruding from the sock
with the scarlet clocks.
Merry Christmas to Relph from
he read. Ito Ralph from
Nan" he repeated vaguely. His gaze
turned to his wife. His eyes were wide
like a child's. But she was getting to.
her feet, from the chair n witch,
she had dropped.
1.-THE c%hildren!" she was saving
'They-they-John- they must be,
here?' :
He followed her through the chilly
hall to the front staircase, seldom
used now. and up-as rapidly as those
slow, stiff joints would allow.
Trembling, Mrs. Fernald pushed omen
The first door at the ton.
A rumpled brown head raised itself
rom among t pillows, a pair of
sleepy but affectionate brown ewes
smiled back at the two faces peering
n, and a voice brimful of mirth cried
md daddy They stared at her. their
Eyes growing misty. 1t was their little
laughter Nan. not yet grown up!
They could not believe it. Even
when they had beer to every room
1ad seen their big son Ralph. still
color, pillowed on his brawny
arm, and his mother had gently kissed
him awake to be half strangled in his
they had met Edson's
hearty laugh as he fired a pillow at
.hem-carefully, so that his father
,ould catch it-when they had seen
pretty Carol pulling on her
stockings as she sat on the floor smil-
ng up at them-Oliver, advancing to
them in his bathrobe and Slip
holding out both arms from
above his blankets and shouting
Merry Christmas!-and how dc you
Ike your children?'-even then it was
nissing-and that no one else was
here. Unconsciously Mrs. Fernard
ound herself looking about for the
sons wives and daughters husbands
children. She loved them alI-yet
Ito have her own, and no others, just
or this n day-it was happiness in
Iced.
When they were all downstairs,
,bout the fire, there was great rejoic-
They had Marietta in; indeed, she
been lowering continuously in the
background, to the apparently fright
'ul jeopardy of the breakfast In prepa-
alton, upon which, nevertheless, she
managed to keep a practised eye.
and you We're in it, Marietta pr
Ir. Fernald said to her in astonish-
nent, when he first saw her. How
n the world did you get all these peo-
lie into the house and to bed without
us?"
lit was pretty considerable OF a
'esk," Marietta replied. with modest
,ride, "seein' as how they was inclined
o be middlin' lively. But / KEEP "a
,ushin' EN- up, and I filled EN- up so
Of victuals they couldn't talk. I
lidn't knows there'd be any eatables
eft for today" she added-which last
emark, since she had been slyly bak-
ng for a week, Guy thought might be
pure blur.
At the breakfast table. while the
light heads were bent, this t~hanksgiy-
ng arose. as the master Of the house,
n a voice not quite steady, offered it
o one unseen:
Thou who earnest to us on that first
Christmas day, we bless Thee for this
and 5porfart Gift Taol1 Snudnst ytc