The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1916-07-27

stepping down into the snow. In five
minutes Mary Alice and Mrs. Brown
and Baby Dick would cover the dis
tance to the house. Mary Alice would
be hauling her brother tucked up
warmly in n soap box on a ffty-cent
sled. Out In the kitchen rose the
Boss voice, loud and hearty:
"Hullo, there. Lem, old scouti All
dolled up! Say, you've got a nose
bleed, amt We? Gosh, MOI It's that
red necktie. You sure scare't me. How
long ye ben home? l didn't see We
drive into the yard. Bring a paperf
Shucks, forgot. Course they Amt
no evenin' papers on a holiday. Set
down. Well, so long in Z 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. II Lem could, on this day OF all
others, run the gantlet OF bright and
beckoning windows, lodging the sim
lister hospitality that, despite the gen.
tier Influences, can turn Christmas
into milestone OF bitterness and re-
gret, and return to the farm clear
eyed and clean-breathed, Sam would
feel that a great measure of success
had been won. Nobody but Sam knew
with what misgivings he had permit
ted the experiment. To Lem, least of
Qll hnd he he Nofv
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 a man out
OF little more than the dust OF the road.
He wondered, In all intended rever-
ence, II 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.
"Hullo, Charlle-boy," said Lem. He
pulled chair close and sat down by
the little boy In the dusk. How're
you feelin'2"
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 a putty good
time, all the same"
''Tell me. Lem"
Give a guess"
Charlie thought hard; then he
laughed trlumphantly.
Jaw, gosh. LemI I know! A
pitcher show"
"Kee-rectw cried Lem. eft was a
bird, too. Seen a reg'lar rip-snorter,
five reels. Name of it was The Pan
theirs Eye 1t was a blrd?'
"Oh, Lem. 1 wisht 1 could see
pitcher show. Ne mind. I will pretty
soon. had a 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 it 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.
LENS changed a terrible lot"
thought Charlie. "I 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
| toked and ate some more. Little Dick
| finished his bottle and was brought out
TO sit In a borrowed high chair and
test some new dental equipment on a
colossal drumstick.
And then three things happened that
suddenly lifted this Christmas out OF
the category OF common or garden
Christmases and set 1t 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 mumed tones. cried.
Thanks; good night" and returned
with a great hattish 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 thingsT demanded the Boss.
Gosh, ma! This big board d be drst
rate to roll your butter on. What's
them little duhickers2 Look at the
lead pencils"
'1 know. know" cried Charlie. &C.
statically. ITS a reg'lar drawrin' out
ne. Who do you s'pose--"
gHblsIfiiiIa iIa9sfll lsii1fl lJaiil,iil iilisIaiilli y
When grown-ups, with their 81