The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-09


not talk about past mistakes now.
Now, who is coming to spend Christ
mas with us?"
"All of u.s." cried Ada. Run now.
all of you, and get ready"
I'VE will stop for you on our way
back" said James. Hannah and
have got to do some Christmas shop
ping. We will stop along about !
O'Clock"
That was q very exciting Christmas
eve for the Draytons after all. Down
in the village they had to buy little
gifts for all the children. and Han
nah's motherly eye had rapidly ap-
praised the wardrobe of the family. SO
that they could remember them with
substantial gifts as well as toys. 1t
was long after o'clock when old
Gray and the double cutter drew Up
before the Flecks' cottage once more
The little family was waiting. dressed
in their best-a rather shabby best in
deed
It was a pleasant ride home indeed.
and they did not know until afterward
that the villagers noted and comment
ed upon the reconciliation.
When Ada was in the pleasant sitting
room watching the cedar log blazing
on the hearth and sending up little blue
spirals of fragrant smoke she fairly
cried. Later Hannah, tiptoeing into the
room, found her fast asleep in the big
Boston rocker before the fire. The two
younger children were coasting down
the hill behind the barn. They had
found Bob's old sled in the attic. Dan.
the Oldest boy. helped Mr.. Drayton put
up the horse and sleigh and feed the
chickens and then vent forth on that
mysterious errand of cutting the
, tree"
Inside the kitchen Beatrice. the girl
who was like Ellen" helped Hannah
Drayton prepare the chickens for the
next days roast and cook the hearty
supper that they were all hungry for.
Beatrice pretended not to notice when
Mrs. Drayton called her Ellen" for
! she knew that the elder woman was re-
living past Christmas ewes spent with
her own daughter. Mr.. Drayton also
forgot and called Dan by Bob's name.
1t was quite late before the children
went to bed, and finally the whole
house was asleep with the gayly deco.
rated tree In the dark sitting room
waiting for the first peep O. day to
come in order to reveal its pleasant
surprises
On the floor were two boxes unopen-
ed. The station agent had brought
them the night before. One was from
Ellen and the other was from Bob.
Hannah had cried little In secret at
the thought that this was to be the first
Christmas without her children. But
she chidcd herself for being selfish and
tried to look forward to next year when
It might be their turn to have family
reunion.
Still, talking the next morning In
their bedroom. while the happy shouts
of the children from the sitting room
testified to their delight In the tree and
its gifts, they agreed that II Ellen and
Bob had come home for Christmas they
would never have dreamed Of inviting
the Flecks. and there would not have
been this reunion and this happiness
all around.
In the afternoon the children were
to have the kitchen in which to make
molasses candy and pop some corn In
the meantime there were sleds to try
out on the hill, new clothes to try on
and new books to read. Mrs. Drayton
and Mrs. Fleck cooked the dinner and
Beatrice set the long table.
They were just about to sit down
when there came the rumbling sound
Of the station stage. The wheels
creaked over the crusty snow and came
to stop in the yard.
The whole family streamed out OF
the froot porch to see who had arrived
James Drayton and his wife pressed
eagerly forward when woman
emerged, woman who proved to bt
Ellen, and a man who was none Other
than Ellen's husband, and there fol
lowed Bob and Louie. his little wife
and their little one.
merry Christmasr' cried Ellen al
she few to her fathers arms
Merry Christmasw shouted Bob al
he picked up his little mother why
we got to thinking about 1t. and tele
phoned to sister. and we agreed that II
was going to be pretty mean trick t.
leave you here all alone at Christmas
so we stole away for a few hours t.
spend it with you. Who are all thes'
folks?"
"Come inside, and I'll tell you al
about It." said James Drayton. leadin,
the way into the dining room.
That was a never to be forgotten oc
casion. For the Draytons 1t was al
unexpected Joy coming after a grea
disappointment. They had resigne,
} themselves to a Christmas spent with
J out their dear ones. and now the chill
: dren had come after all. to round on
J the perfect day.
AS for the Flecks, 1t marked a chang