The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1918-12-12


Really IL can't go. There is SO
much TO do here, and"
"Bosh I" laughed Dane. "Of course
YOU will go back with me. Fact is
you'll have to-" He waved his hand
"a Ruth started TO speak. mo ex-
cuses now, for l won't listen to 'em.
You see" Stanwood went on, isis and
her friend were supposed to help get
things ready for the party tonight,
but she telephoned just as 1 was leav'
ing the house that the train on which
her friend was to arrive is very late
She may not get back until nine o'clock
and the party begins at eight. l told
Sis could never get things ready in
time, for the decorating isn't half done
Then she happened to think of you
and / said right off that you would BE-
just the one to help us out. You're moi
going t. disappoint us, are your" very
anXiously.
"We-ll, perhaps l can go for little
WHILE" said Ruth. "Td dearly love tc
trim that Christmas tree"
"Of course, won stay to the
party" she thought as she scurrieG
upstairs after a wrap, $50 I won't see
Danes sweetheart, for of course she Is
the one Helen is to meet at the train
And l really ought TO help Dane and
his sister out, for they have been such
good customers"
Dane ushered Ruth into the bis
81 Of fo Nryhn
the Christmas tree had been placed.
"Do you suppose" he asked point
ing to a great pile Of evergreen at ont
end of the room, "we will be able t.
hang all these wreaths and then deco
rate the tree before eight o'clock?"
The evergreen girl gave a merry lit
tie laugh.
81 am sure we can If we work fast,
she answered. 81 am used to thi,
work, you know, and with your hell
It won't take long"
SLOW long have you been the ever
green girl?" Dane asked, as he anc
Ruth were trimming a chandelier.
'This is my third season." Ruth re
piled. "I found that there was a biz
demand for wreaths and laurel trim
ming during the Christmas holidays
so three years ago 1 opened an ever
green shop. / love to do this kind OF
work, and although the season is G
short one, my little shop pays WELL"
The evergreen girl might have added
that, more than this, the rush Of worl
just at Christmas time helped her tC
forget the dull ache in her heart which
was always so hard to bear during the
holidays. She said nothing of this
though, but asked, instead:
"Tell me, Dane, how you have spent
Christmas while you have been away
Have you been where there was much
merry-making?"
"For the past three years." sait
Stanwood, "I've celebrated Christmas
by working from dawn till dark. This
is the first enjoyable Christmas eve J
have known since left Briefly"
at has been very pleasant eve
ming for me, too" said Ruth, "and
have enjoyed it ever so much. Now
We'll trim the Christmas tree, and ther
you can take me home and get bach
in time for the party"
At half-past seven Dane surveyed
the big double parlors with satisfaction
With the help of the evergreen girl he
had finished the decorations and every
thing was in readiness for the guests
"The rooms look just as they die
four years ago at Dolly Blair's Christ
mas tree-even the mistletoe bough,'
said Dane. "Don't you remember how
that one hung right over our heads, as
this one does nowT
The evergreen girl was silent.
"Had you forgotten, Ruth?" he per
sisted.
NO." softly, 81 had not forgotten
"You never thought / had forgotten
did you, dear?"
'But you never wrote, Dane"
Because for long time was miles
from a railroad or post office and could
not send any mail. But I've thought
of that night, though, and all these
years I've been planning to have o
Christmas party as much like that one
as l could, only this one tonight will
be for YOU"
'But isn't the friend who is coming
with Helen your fiancee?" faltered
Ruth.
mot exactly" laughed Dane. "Thai
friend is Harry North, Helen's fiance
The girl I expect to marry is here,
now, and, by Jovel I've caught her
again standing under the mistletoe