The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1915-12-22

Dr1sKly In a hurry TO be gone. Again
the air was rent with cheers. and
amid the tumult the horses sprang for
ward. All, they were very different
from sober old Danny and Whitefootl
They fairly few over the road that
had seen the jolly progress of Santa
Claus and his little sweetheart the
previous day and that solemn farilg
southwark through the night of the
messenger bearing his good tidings.
The bells rang out merrily-the gayest,
gladdest tune-and the spirits of the
sky, the plains, the woods, laughed
back in an ecstacy of delight, echoing
the happiness everywhere. AS far as
eye could reach the snow twinkled and
shone as If with rapture that Christ
mas day. There was hardly any
speech among the travellers, but joy
sat very close to their hearts; and no
one objected to the silence.
At last the logging camp was reach
ed, and as the horses drew up with a
great shaking of their bells the door of
the shanty few open and a body of
men trooped out to greet the newcom-
ers. They had all heard of Shawe's err
rand from old Jerome-all but the child,
who was kept in ignorance, because no
one knew what its result would be-
and at sight of their former comrade
a shout of welcome-and something
more, something deeper-burst from
them, to be echoed again and again.
Under cover of the happy sounds
Shave, too moved for any words,
jumped from the sleigh and turned to
help his wife, but she scarcely touch
ed his hand, springing past him as if
she were winged. Only too well the
men knew who the shining eyed wo-
man was, yet they had no greeting for
her. The exultation in her face ST.
fenced them all. They opened a way
speedily for her to pass through and
then turned by common accord to look
at the sight that would meet her, as If
they could see with her eyesI And
yet the picture was an unforgettable
one to them.
They saw the rude familiar room,
beautiful as it had never been until
the previous night, with the huge fire
blazing at one side and on the hearth
old jerome bending down to the child,
who. at the clatter without, had risen
from her play, the skirt of her gown
gathered up over a store of her new
treasures as she turned wonderingly
toward the door. The men, still look
ing, saw the little hand relax its hold
hastily, so that the precious hoard fell
to the floor nheeded-forgotten The
small face changed from bright to
brighter, to brightest-they had not be-
ieved that possible-and then they
saw nothing but two figures running
toward each other and meeting In a
close embrace, and they heard the cries
uttered in shaking voices "Muvverr'
Dear; my little ownI" mingled and
lose themselves in breaking sobs and
low peal of ripping laughter
81 swan tibet hick'ry makes the
'tarnallest smoker Jerome muttered a
moment later. ut do beat all'-he
stopped, choking over the words-'it
do beat ALL" he said again, blinking
around with misty eyes.
Some one laughed unsteadily, and
some one else coughed; then third
person sneezed, and so the charm was
broken. The mother raised her head
and gazed over the little shoulder at
the other occupants of the room with
a look of deepest gratitude. How good
every one was! Her thought was
palmer to them all than the most elo-
quent words would have been. In
deed, words were not necessary at all.