The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1917-01-04

they must AOIh udiu ~ pay DoNA $3.50
their father
Tut. tut" warned James. Lets
not talk about past mistakes now
Now. who is coming TO spend Christ
mas with u.s."
"All OF us" cried Ada. Run now.
all of you. and get ready"
Eve 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 a 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
1t 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
nj. ,.f frocr ~ 10 oh faf 10
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 went 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
hoase 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 ch.del herself for being selfish and
tiled - look forward to next year when
It nii"ht he their turn to have a family
reunion.
SAIL talking the next morning In
their bedroom. while the happy shouts
Of Tho rhi'dren from the sitting room
testified 10 their delight In the tree and
its gifts they agreed that if Ellen and
poh 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
tc 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 a stop in the yard
The whole family streamed out on
the front porch to see who had arrived.
James Drayton and his wife pressed
eagerly forward when woman
tluCl Stu, u NNhun W io pioNtu Dt
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 Chrlstmasr' cried Ellen as
she flew to her fathers arms.
Merry Christmasr' shouted Bob as
he picked up his little mother. why.
we got to thinking about it. and / tele-
phoned to sister. and we agreed that 1t
was going to be a pretty mean trick to
leave you here all alone at Christmas,
SO we stole away for few hours to
spend it with you. Who are all these
folks?"
Come inside. and I'll tell you all
about It," said James Drayton. leading
the way into the dining room.
That was never to be forgotten oc-
casion. For the Draytons it was an
unexpected joy coming after a great
disappointment. They had resigned
themselves to a Christmas spent with
out their dear ones and now tho chill