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

Know I'm asking q sacrifice of eac
FAMILY n 1t may seem almost an ir
suit to invite the children and all. yet
perhaps next year well try a gatherin
n OF all the clans. But just for this yea
d honestly do awfully wish YOU
o give me my way. If you'd seen hos
Two last Christmas -"
lie broke of. glancing appealingly a
Ollver himself. To his surprise tina
. gentleman shifted his pipe to the cor
: ner of his mouth and put a few per
. tllent questions to his younger broth
! er. Had he thought it all out? Wha
: tiHe should they arrive there? HOY
early on the day after Christina
could tney get away? Was he positiv,
they could all crowd into the hons
without rousing and alarming tn,
; pair?
sure thing" Guy declared quickly
Marletta-weH you know I've had tn,
sort side of her old heart ever since
was born, somehow. L talked it al
over with her last year. n Pm solit
deaf now"
Father deaf?"
Sure. Didn't you know it?.
Forgotten. But mother'd hear u.s.
NO, she wouldn't. Don't you know
now trusts everything about the
fall" 81 ~H
Mother get a fall?"
why, yes!" Guy stared at his
brother with some impotence. Don't
you remember h fell down the bach
stairs a year ago last October. and
hurt her knee?"
Certainly, Oliver" his wife inter
posed. Il wrote for you to tell her
how sorry we We're. But I supposed
she a entirely recovered"
ShesIa little bit lame, and always
VIII BE- said Guy, a touch of re-
proach in his tone. Her knee stiffens
up in the night, and she doesn't get up
go prowling about at the least
noise, the way she used to-. Marietta
won't let her. So If we make a
whisper of noise Marietta'll tell her it's
the cat or something. Good Lordt
yes-it can be worked all right. The
only thing that worries me is the fear
n a can't get you all to take hold
Oh tne scheme. On my word, Ol."-he
turned quite away from his sisterin-
laws critical gaze and faced his
brother with something like indigna-
ton in his frank young eyas-adon't
we owe the old home anything but a
present tied lp in tissue paper once a
year," ~ :"
Marian began to speak. She thought
Guy was exceeding his rights in talk
ing as if they had been at fault n
was not often that elderly people had
so many children within caIl-IovaI
chlldren who would do anything with
IN reason. But certainly a man owed
something to his own family. And at
christmas! Why not carry out this
plan at some other
Her husband abruptly interr,,nted
her. He took his pipe quite out Of his
mouth and spoke decidedly.
Guy, believe you're right. I'll be
sorry 10 desert my own kids, of
course, but | rather think they can
stand it for once. If the others fall
INTO line, you may count on me-"
Guy got away, feeling that the
worst of his troubles was over. In
his younger sister. Nan, he hoped to
lind an ardent ally and he was moi
disappointed. Carolyn-Mrs. Charles
Wetmore-also fell in heartily with
the plan. Ralph, from somewhere in
the far west, wrote that he would get
nome or break a leg. Edison thought
Inc IDEA rather a foolish one, but was
persuaded by J~essica, his wife-whom
Guy privately declared a trump-that
he must go by all means. And so
they all fell into line, and there re-
manned for Guy only the working out
of the details.
Mis- Fernald"-Marietta Cooley
strove with all the decision of which
she was capable to keep her high
pitched, middle-aged voice in order
tore you get to bed I'm most for
getting what I was to ask YOU. I
5s'pose you'll laugh, but Guy-he wrote
me particiar ne wanted you and his
to"-Marietta's rather stern,
thin face took on a curious Expression
TO hang up your stockin's.'
Mrs. Fernald paused in the door
way OF the bed room opening
from the sitting room downstairs. She
looked back at Marietta with her
gentle smile.
Guy wrote that?' she asked. "Then
lit almost looks as il he might be
coming himself, doesn't it, Marietta -
Well. I don't knows I'd really ex-
rect him. Marietta replied, turning her
face away n busying herself about
the hearth. I guess what he meant
was more In the way of a surprise for
9 christmas present--something that'u
go into a stockin', maybe"
It's rather odd he should have writ
ten you to ask me" unused Mrs. Fern
aid. as she looked at the stockings.
Marietta considered rapidly. well.
4 s'pose he intended for me to get 'ern
on the sly without mentionin' it to you.
anput IT. what ne sent, but | sort of
his idee by hangin' EN- up yourself.
here by the chimbley. where the chill
dren all used to do it. Here's the nails.
same as they always was
MRS. fernald found the stockings.
p touched her husband on the shouI-
der, as he sat unlacing his shoes.
Father, Guy wrote he wanted us to
hang up our stockings" she said.
raising he voice q little and speaking
very distinctly. The elderly man be-
side her looked up, smiling.
Well. we'll" he said. anything to
please the boy. Ndoesnsts more
a year since he was d little fellow
hanging lp hts StarJ,inp doec "
mothergg,
u.Ihe stockings were hung in silence.
Ihey looked thin and lonely as they
dangled beside the dying fire. Marietta
.hastened to make them less lonely.
"Well," she said, ! n q shamefaced way,
sthessilly boy said I was to hang mine.
too Goodness knows what he'll ind
70 put n 1t thatll fit, less it's q
poker
They smiled kindly at her, wished
ner. 5000 night, q went back into
their own room The little episode had
no suspicion 1t was very ike
Y affectionate boyishness.
I presume he'll be down. said Mrs.
Eerilald, as she limped quiteIy about
the room, making ready for bed
Nst@ YO3i rnf1nornhnr Ihn~ tx.,~E8