The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1915-12-23

The play ceased abruptly. cuy.s
face changed. "perfinp9 do hf
murmured, while his sister watched
him IN the candle light
she won't answer YETI" she asked
very gently.
mot a word" g
You've cared good while. haven't
you, dear?"
Seems like ages. Suppose Il isn't "
"No-only two years, really CAIRNS
hard Plenty OF time left"
He moved his head impatiently
Yes, II didn't mind seeing her smile
on Tommy Grower--de-il take him
Just as sweetiy as she smiles on me,
IL she ever held out the tip OF her
finger to me, I'd seize Il and hold on to
it for fair. But she doesn't. She
won't. And she's going south next
week for the rest OF the winter, and
there's a fellow down there in South
Carolina where she goes-oh, he-he's
red headed after her. like the rest of
us. And, well--Pm up against II good
and hard. Nan, and that's the truth"
Poor boy. And you gave up going
TO see her on Christmas day, and came
down here into the country just to-
lust to get even with myself for
the way I've neglected 'em these two
years while my heads been so full OF
her. 1t isn't fair. After last year
meant had TO lose-well--Marg
knows I'm here. I don't know what
she thinks"
81 don't believe, Guy. boy, she thinks
the less OF you. Yes--I must GO. 1t
win all come right in the end, dear
I'm sure OF it. No, don't know how
Margaret feels--Good night - good
night"
Christmas morning, breaking upon
a wintry world-the star in the east
long set Outside the house a great
silence of drift wrapped hill and plain
inside, q cracking fire upon a wide
hearth. and a pair of elderly people
waking a lonely holiday.
Mrs. Fernald crept to the door of her
room-the injured knee always made
walking difficult after a nights quiet
She meant TO sit down 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
had been wrought in the night.
'Father!"-Her voice caught In her
throat. What was all this? :.
BY some mysterious influence her hus-
band learned that she was calling him,
though he had not really heard. He
came to the door and looked at her,
then Us 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 or
brown silk, Mans; fine gray sock
with scarlet clocks, Ralph's-all stuff
ing upon the chimneypiece and even to
the floor below
''wls-t's this--what's this?" John
Fernalds voice was pnzzled. Whose
aie these?" He limped closer. He
put on his spectacles and stared hard
at parcel p-otruding from the sock
with the scarlet clocks
Man," he read "'To Ralph from
Man," he repeated vaguely. His gaze
turned to his wife. His eyes were wide
like child's. But she was getting to
her feet from the chair into which
sho had dropped.
THE children!" she was saying.
'They--they--John - they must be
here?" ar.
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 open
the first door at the top.
A rumpled brown head raised itself
from among the pillows, a pair OF
siRS B gsk s o f srswI
In, and voice brimful OF mirth cried
softly: Merry Christmas, nanny
and daddy" They stared at her, their
eyes growing misty. 1t was their little
daughter Nan, not yet grown up!
They could not believe IL. Even
when they had been to every room.
-. u I-~a,. III n.
sleeping, his yet youthful face, full OF
healthy color. pillowed ON his brawny
arm, and his mother had gently kissed
him awake to be half strangled in his
hug-when they had met Edson's
hearty laugh as he fired pillow al
them-carefuIly. so that his father
could catch it-when they had seen
plump pretty Carol pulling on her
stockings as she sat on. the floor smil-
ing up at them--Oliver, advancing ia
meet them In his bathrobe and slip
pers-Guy, holding out both arms from
above his blankets and shouting
Merry ChristmasI--andh how do you
like your children ?'-even then 1t was
difficult to realize that not one was
misstng-and that mo- one else was
there. Unconsciously Mrs. Fernard
found herself looking about for the
sons wives and daughters husbands
and children. She loved them an-yet
Ito have her own, and no others. just
for this ore day--it was happiness in
deed,
When they were all downstairs
about the fire, there was great rejoic-
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 1t, 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 andSto bed without
waking us?"
1T was pretty considerable Of O
resk," Marietta replied, with modest
pride, "seein' as how they was inclined
to be middlin' lively. But I KEEP a
bushin' tem up, and filled 'em up so
full OF victuals they couldn't talk.
didn't knows thered 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 were bent, this thanksgiv-
ing arose, as the master of the house,
in a voice not quite steady. offered IT
-. "a. .