Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1918-07-08
The Light IN
the Clearing
By IRVING BACHELLER
Copyright 1917. The Bobbs-Merrfl Co.

be hung on IT'S branches Tho
thing that caught my eve was a bfs
silver watch hanging by a lon9
golden chain 10 one Of the bopobs
Uncle Peabody took II down and
held it aloft by the chain, so thar
none should miss the sight. saving.
From Santa Claus for Bart"
A murmur OF admiration ran
through the company which gath
cred around me as l held the treas
ure in my trembling hands.
This Is for Bart, too" Uncle
! eabody shouted as he took down a
/ bolt Of soft blue cloth and laid Il
in my arms. Now there's some
thin that's jest about as slick as a
Eitten's ear. Feel of it. It's for a
suit o clothes. Come all the wav
from Burlington"
Good land o. Gosheni Don't ba
II such hurry" said Aunt Deel
Sorry, but the stage cant wait
for nobody at all-it's due to leave
right Off" Uncle Peabody remarked
as he laid a stuffed stocking on ton
of the cloth and gave me a playful
slap and shouted: "Getap, there.
You've got yer load"
l moved out of the way IN a hur-
Ticane Of merriment II was his
one great day of pride and vanity.
He did not try to cOnceal them.
The other presents floated for a
moment in this Irresistible tide Of
laughing good will and found their
owners. I have never forgotten
bfvU I'm 01a Il baz rIaeaJ AM Mi
erva around the house with a wood
en- snake cunningly carved and
ColOred. | observed there were
many things on the tree which had
not been taken down when We
younger ones gathered up our
wealth andsrepaired TO Aunt Deel's
room to feast our eyes upon ii and
compare our good fortune.
The women and the big girfs
rolled up their sleeves and went TO
work with Aunt Deel preparing the
dinner. The great turkey and tina
chicken pie were made ready and
put in the oven and the potatoes
and the onions and the winter
squash were soon boiling in their
pots on the stOve-top. Meanwhile
the children were playing in my
aunt's bedroom and Uncle Hiram
and Uncle Jabez were pulling
sticks in a corner while the other
men sat tipped against the wall
watching and making playful COM
ments-all save my Uncle Peabody,
who was trying to touch his head 70
the floor and then straighten up
with the aid of the broomstick.
BY and by I sat on top Of the
wood with which I had Just filed
the big wood-box and very consci-
GUS of the shiny chain on my
breast Suddenly the giant, Rod
ney Barnes, jumped out Of his
chair and, embracing the wood box,
lifted IL and the wood and me in
his great arms and danced lightly
around a group Of the ladies with
his burden and set II down in It's
place again very gently What a
hero he became in my eyes after
that
If We should go on some day
an come back an find yer house
missin' We may know that Rodney
Barnes has been here" said Uncle
Hiram. "A man as stout IS Rod
ney is about as dangerous as a
fire"
Then what Falstaffian peals Of
laughter.
In the midst OF It Aunt Deel OPP
ened the front door and old Kate,
the Silent Woman, entered. To my
surprise, she wore a decent-look-
ing dress Of gray homespun cloth
and a white cloud looped over her
head and ears and tied around her
neck and a good pair of boots
Merry Christ mas" We all shout
or