The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1918-12-11


iou can make things out of com.
paratively nothing" laughed Anne.
but you can't make them out Of abso.
lutely nothing"
Yes, we cant I'll send for nv
yarns and knit cap and mittens for
each child. They are using bright col.
ors and combinations Of colors. In
that way we can use your leftover i
yarns, too. Well have plenty without
buying any more, and l knit rapidly.
I've done lots Of this work for the Red
Cross"
She made looms with empty spools
and pins, from which each child helped
to make a round string which they
worked on at odd me tnents. They were
to be sewed on the mittens. No more
hunting for the "other mitten." The
children were entertained with the Idea
OF being useful and Of helping Aunt
Judith.
The sisters looked up discarded dolls
and sewed up legs and arms, painted
the faces and restored the hair. En-
tire outfits Of clothes that could be
taken off and put on were made from
bits Of cloth found in the scrap bag,
and they crocheted lace enough for the
trimming. These were for the two lit
tie girls, Martha and Peggy, aged sew
en- and nine.
How to make eleven.year-old Ralph
happy with left-overs was the problem.
Then Judith remembered that years
| ago she had been the recipient Of q
stamp book which she had not used.
She wrote her father for it, and then
invested in some mixed stamps for
Ralph to make beginning with. A
few new puzzles and toys from the
ten-cent store made goodly array Of
bright things for Tommy, who was the
youngest child.
snow for the dinner" said Judith.
Lets not try to have the usual Christ
mas dinner, but think up something
different"
II did so want to ask Mr.. and Mrs.
Lambert" sighed Anne. "They came
from England several years ago. and
are so alone at Christmas time. had
hoped to have them. but Of course I
cannot do it this year."
'That gives me the very idea, Anne.
Well invite them and surprise them
with a regular English dinner-roast
beef, Yorkshire pudding and gravy,
and have roly-poly pudding for des-
sert."
The days flew by with the sisters as
busy as bees. Anne was never happier
in all her life. She had not time for
repining, and found that by simply
making the best Of everything she had
no real troubles at all. Henry, too,
caught the spirit of hope, and remark
ed to his wife:
at won't be long until we have made
up for lost time, and like my new
position better than the old one, be-
cause it has more Of future to it."
The Lamberts were delighted with
the invitation, as they were expect
ing lonely day, far away from Merrie
England.
One day, when Judith came in from
shopping, Anne met her with the news
"A nephew, John Leigh. has surpris
} ed the Lamberts. He has seen service
in France, and is sent here by the
British government on a mission tt
; Washington. He has a weeks vaca
ton and has come to spend 1t witt
them. insisted that he come to oul
Christmas dinner, and they are al
, going to call tonight"
SLOW interesting" exclaimed Ju
dith. "Perhaps he can advise me abou
, my Red Cross work"
Everyone was delighted to meet tn
, handsome young soldier and eager Il
! hear stories of "over there" from on
, who knew. John became a great hell
to Judith with her plans for the chill
dren's Christmas and her Red eros
, work. In fact, he thought of so man,
things that he came to the Midgely'
at least once day and every evening
He trimmed the tree while judith
: made the simple things to adorn 1t.
, One evening Mrs. Midgely remarks
: to her husband: II never saw youn
, man so interested in children"
He looked up from his paper Il
amused surprise. "My dear, do 20
, really think he is interested only i
: the children"
, "John, you don't mean JUDITH"
certainly. 1t has been evident frol
the first"
) Christmas arrived-a glorious da!
, with snow on the ground. The chi
: dren had hung up their stockings. Int
, the bottom of each had been placed tn
, bright new cap and mittens, and ga
; bag of candy on top, while the othe
> gifts were grouped about the tree.
, After the successful dinner wa
eaten they spent the evening In stint
, ing carols. John had good tenor voic
and Judith accompanied him on tn
, plano. Then he sang military song
, he had learned in the trenches.
The guests took their departure
I vowing it the happiest Christmas Q
all. Mrs. Midgely turned to her sistel
r "Only think. Judith, I was afrai
/. YOU would have dull time. The chi
-, h,,o v,iSSo6 nothing and 70