Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-12-17

ITS sure to have everything any of
US have been longing for" he answered
Il never knew any one as good as ANNE
for selecting. | have kind OF sneakin@
idea that III get a smoking jacket. The
time she was down in the summer she
looked pretty closely at my Old one and
asked me what size / wore. II that isn't
know what is
We'll. you need it sadly. father" said
his wife. And | hope that is what she
sends | have no idea what she'll have
for me. tn be something nice to wear
nicer than we can afford to get. that's Ger
tain. And the babies will get toys. new
coats. and hats and dresses. things. like
that"
husband And I think that by next
Christmas well be bic to get up as in
teresting a box as that ourselves jerks
has good promised Inc promotion
And then well live happily ever after. >
He smiled as he said il. for theirs had
been a happy life. To be sure. there was
never enough money TO go around But
it seemed a light cross to them, looking
back upon the year with all the disaster
that had threatened safely past.
Wonder when the boX'i come was
said many times in the following week.
I'm going to give the babies some
candy right away. the mother prom
Used herself. The poor darlings have
| had few enough Of the good things
of life lately. And. if there's some
thing very pretty for them to wear
they shall have it before school closes
They've been a little shabby, too. this
last yesr. And children feel that.
| Thank God that Annie's box always
comes so early. 1t makes such diff
ference sometimes.
And then one day the expressman
dumped the big, enticing, mud be
spattered package on the front steps.
There's surely some Christmas in
that box, Mrs. Wisnom," he said, lift
ing his hat. as she opened the door.
I'd like to get one just like it. There d
be more fun than a bunch Of monkeys
in the opening of box like that.
Yes. Mr.. Drake" she answered,
there's certainly a lot of pleasure in it.
| It's from my sister. She sends big
box like that every year. They have
lots of money and they know how to
! spend it,
That's the way to enjoy life" he
| said. Now where shall | put this SO
! that you can open it easily"
| IF you'll just carry it into the dining
| room" she said. I'll be a thousand
| times obliged"
| He carried it into the dining room
| and placed it on the table. He looked
| at it closely for moment. And then
| he gave low whistle why" he
said. What do you know about that
| That's new one on me-'Not to be
! opened till Christmas"
| Mrs. Wisnom looked at the package
! and smiled family. After the express
man had gone whistling away she
! looked it over. The warning was in
! half dozen places 1t was written
in Sister Annie's painstakins hand, in
! one place; 1t was pasted on in another
| in printed words. In one way or an
| other it looked at her from every
! corner. 1t blaZoned its most un- Christ
| maslil<e sentiment at her from wreath
| of holly and Christmas berries.
In her weak and nervous state. she
did the one thing which her womanly
| nature cried out to do. She sat down
| and sobbed Ike her heart would break.
Never had Sister Armies package been
| greeted with anything but grateful
| tears before. But these tears burned
The children screamed out joyfully
| when they saw the package. But
| their smiles soon turned to boots of
derision. Even Mr.. Wisnom looked
! obviously at a package whose pleas
| ure must be delayed for so long
| TT seems kind of a funny thing for
| Annie to do he said.
We don't like it, the children cried
| like one child.
| Mrs. Wisnom did not speak
| After the children were in bed the
| father and mother talked it over
1T seems cruel to have such pleas
ure in store for the children and keep
1t back" Mrs Wisnom said "And
of course. I wouldn't open it for any-
thing when she says not. But it's
certainly hard"
well I'm all for opening it," Mr..
Wisnom said. land explaining after
ward to Annie that we really could
not wait. She would understand. l
know"
II wouldn't do that" his wife an
swered. mot for worlds But it is
hard on the babies. They've been so
good: they've counted on it so: thew
consider it the most precious thing of
the dear Christmas time. ! was never
so disappointed in my life"
The disappointment told on her She
did not go about her work with much
heart. Her steps dragged a little Her
mouth dropped like a grieved child's.
Mr.. Wisnom. watching her. was i'll
content. "Itll throw her right back"