The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1915-12-17
The Christmas Mist1etoe--

their businessl" said Mrs barrow, with slight
shrug Of her shoulders
Harvey was silent.
al want some of them big red apples out OF the
littlest bin in the barn-celar" said Mrs. OAR
row. briskly. "rhe Northern Spy apples you
know, Harvey"
Eyes, mother" he answered quietly.
ave calculated to serve pretty nice dinner"
said the housekceper, complacently. Nobody
shall have it to say that the Darrows let Christ
mas day 60 by without properly observing it.
There's roast turkey and chicken-pes and Grail
berry sauce and good old-fashioned currant-jely,
and mnce and pumpkin pies and suet-pudding
and apple dumplings, and oh | can't begin to
tell what all
"And all this for us twoi"
why, I've asked company, of course, Har-
vey" said Mrs. barrow, raising her eyebrows in
an injured way There's your fathers Uncle
Elihu and Mrs Bracebrook-"
"And the usual round OF relations | suppose,
to cat your good things, and then criticize your
cookery afterwards"
"Well, Mrs. Bracebrook is hard to please, there
Is no denying that" said Mrs. barrow. "And
Aunt Lois can't eat chicken pie unless it's made
arter that old Connecticut receipt, and your faith
ers Uncle Elihu has to be dreadful careful about
his dgestionp she pensively added.
"Mothcr" said Harvey, suddenly.
"Yesp
She paused with the lid of the spce-box in her
hand.
"Why can't you ask the girls from the old
canal boat1" burst out Harvey. "They have no
relatives near here to invite them to Christmas
dinner. They are so solitaryp
Mrs. barrow bit her lip.
you never dictated to me aforc whom to in
vte on Christmas day" said She little shortly.
81 don't dictate now, mother. Only"
"My table is full" she went on, And hain't
10 notion OF altering my arrangements"
Harvey stood moment looking out Of The
window.
Every well, mother" said he, this is the last
time that | shall ask any such favor OF you'll" and
he went quietly out OF the room.
Mrs. Darrow looked after him with troubled
eyes.
ITS mortal queer" said she, what notions
boys take when they get to be Harvey's age!
And those girls living in an old canal boat, too,
when there are Squire Duffy's niece and Mr..
Marvin's daughters, just home from boarding
school But he did look awful put out and there
amt no better son than Harvey, when all's come
and gone. I'm most sorry But there! it aii't
no use cryin arter spilled milk, and it's high time
the LOAF cake went into the oven. Harvey al
ways likes frosted cake with sprig o mistletoe
stuck in the middle. I'm glad l happened to
think OF it,"
Christmas day came, ushered in by keen wind
with a sky as blue as apis-lazuli, and health
iul, seasonable feeling OF frost in the air.
Grand-unce Elihu looking like one OF Pha-
raoh's mummies, arrived in pre-Raphaeli,e sort
Of sleigh, drawn by an old gray horse Mrs.
Braeebrook was already on the scene. So was
Aunt Lois.
Cousin Joseph and his fat wife sat contcnteily
on either side OF the fire, and Deacon Hall and
his daughter Joanna came straight from the
church, where the parson had tackled an add
tonal quarter OF an hour on his sermon in cee-
braton Of the occasion.
And Harvey was coming slowly up from tie
barn, where he had been seeing to the comforts
Of Uncle Elihu's horse and Deacon Halls rheu-
matte pony, when a neighbor came hurriedy
across the hill and spoke to him in excited ac-
cents.
Harvey, Harvey" called his mother, from the