The midland journal., 1916-07-21

anu BHDy LICK WOulu cover the ulS-
tance to the house. Mary Alice would
be hauling her brother tucked up
warmly in a soap box on fifty-cent
sled. Out in the kitchen rose the
Boss voice, loud and hearty:
"Iullo. there Lem. old scout! All
doIled up! Say, you've got nose
bleed, amt ye? Gosh, MOI. It's that
red necktie. You sure scare't me. How
long ye ben home? didn't see, ye
drive into the yard. Bring paper?
Shucks. forgot. Course they ain't
no evenin' PAPERS on holiday. Set
down. Well. go long in 4 you'd
rather He's watchin' out down the
road for the folks"
Lem had been to town that after
noon, alone. Sam had let him take
the horse and sleigh. So far in the
matter Of trusting his hired man he
had not heretofore gone. 1t was. to
Sans way of thinking, the supreme
test. If Lem could, on this day Of all
others. run the gantlet of bright and
beckoning windows, lodging the sin
lister hospitality that, despite the gen.
tier Influences, can turn Christmas
into a milestone of bitterness and re-
gret, and return to the farm clear
eyed and clean breathed, Sam would
feel that great measure of success
had been won. Nobody but Sam knew
with what misgiyings he had permit,
ted the experiment. To Lem. least of
all, had he voiced the faintest distrust.
Lem knew. Heavy, sluggish, stoical.
Lem was no fool. He was just big.
hulking boy, placed on his honor.
To Sam the safe return Of Lem
marked this as the great Christmas OF
Christmases. He had made man out
of little more than the dust of the road
He wondered, in all intended rever-
ence, if the Creator didn't feel some
thing of the same warm exultation
when he saw clean-limbed young
Adam rise and salute his Maker. There
might be presents and presents, BIZ
cycles and bullion, but Sans gift was
greater than all; he had given back to
manhood a foundered soul.
"HuIlo, Charlie-boy," said Lem He
pulled chair close and sat down by
the little boy In the dusk. How're
you feelin'?"
"Great," said Charlie. "F'r good
ness sakes, Lem, wherever have you
been all afternoon?"
sheffield"
what for? The stores aren't open.
You couldn't buy anythin'"
THAT'S all right; had putty good
time, all the same"
"Tell me, Lem"
'fGive guess
Charlie thought hard; then he
laughed triumphantly.
"Aw. gosh, Lem! I know! A
pitcher show
"Kee-rectv' cried Lem. ut was a
bird, too. Seen reg'lar rip-snorter.
five reels. Name of it was The PAN
theirs Eye 1t was birdr'
"Oh, Lem. wisht I could see a
pitcher show. Ne mind will pretty
soon. had dream last night; it was
another one about me bein' well. It's
comm true. too. Gods got some
kinder plan. don't know what 1t is.
but bet it's goin' to work. Say. Lem.
tell me bout that tiger-eye pitcher
show"
"Ain't got time" said Lem, hurried
ly rising. "Look who's comm"
Lem. tramped out and Charlie saw
him, bareheaded and coatless, meet
Mrs. Brown and Mary Alice and pick
up his son from the soap box.
''Lem's changed a terrible lot,'
thought Charlie. 81 wonder what was
the matter with him when he first
come here"
Even with such an unusually delight
full host as Charlie. the Thomases'
Christmas dinner was not essentially
unlike other contemporary affairs of
the same kind. Everybody ate too
much, and talked and laughed and
jolSed and ate some more. Little Dick
finished his bottle and was brought out
to sit in borrowed high chair and
test some new dental equipment ou a
colossal tdrumstick.
And then three things happened that
suddenly lifted this Christmas out of
the category of common or garden
Christmases and set it up, apart and
distinct, just as its own turkey jutted
mountainously up out of the foothills
of surrounding vegetables.
A loud volley of startling explosions
in the yard made everybody jump:
wheels ground squeakily upon hard
packed snow. Sam went to the side
door. parleyed in muffied tones. cried,
Thanks; good night" and returned
with great. fattish packing case.
Sam and Lem strewed the sitting room
carpet with excelsior and paper and
strings until Martha was quite put
out at the muss.
"For goodness sake, what's all them
tools and thingsY' demanded the Boss.
"Gosh, ma! This big board d be first
rate TO roll your butter on. What's
them little dufiickers? Look at the
lead pencils"