The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-12-23
HE DAILY
oR Z STORY
Christmas Wishes.
q S. @. HAckLEY. !.

BY 8 q. HAGkLEY.
TOR naany minutes on the afternoon
filat Robertson & Co. marked down
their window suits" to SIS, Iva
Ellsworth, Elsie Ban6ord's visitor,
tehed from E1sfe's automobile
Fish sympathetic eyes little lame
woman who stood before the window
and difectlY IN front Of q navy blue
suit Of @shtnon broadcIoth-"
DeImar HaIstead stood at the side
OF the car with his back to the side
walk and his eyes on Iva's face. He
lad made excuse to leave his book
Keepers desk when he had seen Elsie
come IN ths store and leave her guest
alone in the car, so he did not see the
Ittt5e lame woman
wish, said the girl irrelevantIy.
Everybody could have their dearest
Christmas wsshes!"
1stesdss smile was bit wistful,
echo your heavenly kind thought
4sse q bigswiSh for Christmas myself"
Somgthtag pretty or useful"
It's pretty. useful. good-everythfn
that's lovely End desirable"
Iva's eyes were on the package in
her lap. but she felt that he was look
ing at her f1l unconscious appraisal,
ss5.d hef pl,sseS leaped
Ten me about It Christmas even
ing. mean, she added a little con-
f1seiIy, whether you get It or not
Indeed w4l1!'' he promised.
Miss Adrisna Halstead. elderly and
somewhat neglected by her only rela-
tiyes-her Gead brothers famiiy-gavs
glad little cry when she saw her
oder nsphew IN her door that evening.
DeImar felt a little prick Of con-
scnce as he kissed her. For a few
oznen!s the little woman uttered
4bout hin happily. then set about pre-
pairing the evening meal she insisted
pc must share. While she was out Of
the roou Itelmar accIdently dropped
bis fountain pen In her wastebasket-
AS he fshed # out. absently smooth
ing the sheets OF rumpled notepaper
81 whSehts fell. his eyes caught in his
cunts cramped scrawl: '"To Mrs. Mi
Wondering. he read on: "Everybody
hat me Is thinking OF Christmas
yEiShes-g:ftS possible for them to
have, and, oh. mother darling, must
tSH some enc what I know can no:
ave. or my heart will break!
OF want somebody Of my people to
ut at my table, to laugh and to talk
with me. to i've with me and love me!
"a the four years since you and father
vent away I've been lone:y-lonely!
7 could not bear 1t IL It were not for
lestnar. When he is here play he
Sttss with me and forget for blessed
re or my heart viii break!
roses are going unpruned. my fence
Espded and my house unpainted.
1ay clothes are getting shabbier
Try day. Tn afraid they will soon
be respectable enough for church.
oa little mother, want new dress.
E.lwant somebody Of my people to
HAT coat suit In Robertson 4 Co.'s
Es1dow-.he blue French broadcIoth
that would just ct me2-I-"
The words ended there. The writer
had evidently crumpled the paper AMI
thrown It in the basket when she heard
his ring
When De4ma= went home he walked
: by the conner store and looked at the
bluee suit twenty-five dollars repre-
sented IN engagement ring, II Iva Els
worth woa1d accept tt.. I've lived with
her cousins IN the next state and was
2Sed to luxury. and his bookkeeper's
airy. was only $75 a month, but Del
had resolved
On Christmas Eve Miss Adriana's
doorsbell rang to admit Robertson 6
Cos poste- With great box markell
fsWffh Delmar's love-" Under the lid
iay fragrant bunch OF violets, lacy
white shirtwajst, pretty blue velve:
todue, pair OF trim shoes and the
blue chiffon broadcloth suit OF the