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


That Christmas day virtually began
q wffufe year beforehand, with red
hot letter written by Guy Fernald to
his ypunger sister, Nan, who had been
married to Samuel Burnett just two
and one-half years. The lettsf was
read aloud by Mrs. Burnett to her nus
band at the breakfast table, the sec
ond. day after Christmas. From start
to finish 1t was upon one supJect, anu
It read as follows: =,
Dear Nan--It's a COMPOUNDED, full
grown shame that not a soul OF US
an got home for Christmas-except
yours truly, and he only for couple
OF 6purs. What have the blessed old
folks done to us that we treat them
like thisf was invited to the Sc
--yoa know why. We had ripping
time. but along toward evening began
70 feei worried. really thought Ralph
was home-he wrote me that he might
swing round that way by the Mondays
but knew the rest OF you were all
wrapped up in your own Christmas
trees and weren't going to get there.
"Well, took the 1880 down and
walked in on them. Sitting all alone by
the fire. by George, just like the Pic
lures you see OF The Birds All Flown
and chat sort of thing. felt gulpish in
my throat, on my honor did, when l
looked at them. Mother just gave one
gasp and few into my arms, and Dad
got up more slowly-he has that
darned rheumatism worse than ever
this winter-and came over and
thought he'd shake my hand off. Wen,
I sat down between them by the hre,
and pretty soon got down In the OLD
way on a cushion by mother, and let
her run her fingers through my hair,
the way she used to--and Nan, I'll be
indicted for perjury IL her hand wasn't
trembly. They were so glad to see me
It made my throat ache.
Ralph had written he couldn't get
round, and Of course you'd all written
and sent them things-jolly things,
and they appreciated them But
blame II all--they were just dead lone
some-and the whole outfit OF us with
in 8Oo miles, most within 80. -
"Nan, next Christmas it's going to
be different. That's all say. I've
got Il all planned out. The idea popped
into my head when came away last
night. Not that they had a word OF
biame-not they. They understood all
about the children, and the cold snap,
and Eds being under the weather, and
divers wife's neuralgia, and Ralph's
girl in the west, and all that. But
that didn't make the thing any easier
for them. As / say, next year--but
you'fI all hear from me then. Mean
while. run down and see them once Oh
twice this winter, will you, Nam
Somehow, 1t struck me they aren't 80
young as they used to be.
Splendid winter weather. Margaret
Sewalls peach, but ] don't seem &c
make much Roadway. My best to Sam
your affectionate brother,
Guy
Cav Nan had felt slight choking
In her own throat as she read this
letter I'VE really must make an ef-
fort to be there Christmas next year
SAM" she said to her husband, and
Sam assented cheerfully. He only
wished there were father and mother
somewhere In the world for him to &c
home to.
Guy wrote the same sort of thing
with more or less detail, to Edison
and Oliver, his married elder brothers;
to Ralph, his unmarried brother, and
to Carolyn-Mrs. Charles Wetmore, his
other-and elder-married sister
He received varied and more or less
sympathetic responses, to the effect
that with so many little children, and
such snowdrifts as always blocked the
roads leading toward North Estabrook
It really was not strange-and OF
course somebody would go next year.
But they had all sent the incest gifts
they could find. Didn't Guy think
mother liked those beautiful Russian
wasn't father pleased with his
gold headed cane from Oliver?
Surely, with such presents pouring In
from all the children, Father and Moth
er Fernald couldn't feel so awfully me-
elected.
aGold headed cane be hanged" Guy
exploded when he read this last SEN
tence from the letter OF Marian, divers
wife. "Tll bet she put him up to it.
IL anybody dares give me a gold head
ed cane before I'm So, I'll thrash him
with IL on the spot. He wasn't using 1t
either-bless him. He had his old hick-
ory stick, and he wouldn't have that II
that abominable rheumatism hadn't
gripped him so hard. He isn't old
enough to use O cane, by jolly. and OIL
ought TO know 1t, IL Marian doesn't.
I'm glad sent him that typewriter. He
liked that. know he did, and it'll
amuse him, too--not make him think
he's ready to die!"
Guy was not the fellow to forget
anything that had taken hold OF him as
that pathetic Christmas homecoming
had done. When the year had nearly
rolled around, the list of December saw
him at work getting his plans in trim.
He began with his eldest brother, Oil
yer, because he considered Mrs. Oliver
the hardest proposition he had to tao
kle In the carrying out of his idea.
as they sat and stared at him, ut isn't
that they aren't always awfully glad to
see the whole outfit. children and all,
but Ii Just struck me it would do, 'em
a Tot OF good TO revive old times. /
thought IL we could make 1t Just as
much as possible like one of the old
Christmases before anybody got mar
ried--hang up the stockings and all,
you know---it would give them a
mighty jolly surprise. I plan to have
us all creep in in the night and so TO
bed in our old rooms. And then In the
morning See?"
Mrs. Oliver looked at him. An eager
flush lit his still boyish face. Guy was
28--and his blue eyes were very bright
His 1.-THE, muscular figure bent toward
her pleadingly; all his arguments were
aimed at her. Oliver sat back in his
impressive way and watched them both:
II could not be denied that IL was Mar
ian's decisions which usually ruled IN
matters of this sort
1T seems to me very strange plan,"
was Mrs. divers comment, when Guy
had laid the whole thing before her in
the most tactful manner he could COM
niand. She spoke rather colby. 1T
fc NOT ~ fI1f1lr fhok % ,,afifao