The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1919-12-12
ia Bnrker shook her head sadly.

I'D do anything almost to make
our boy happy. pa" she said, while
the tears gathered In her faded eyes.
1--WE must do our best not to let him
notice how disappointed we are. Only
I'm afraid she'll never be content here
or the farm with u.s."
Ma Barker went about preparations
for the big Christmas dinner with
fearful premonitions. heavy hearted.
She was nervous; wanted to sit down
and cry. but felt she had to keep up
before pa, for Henry's sake. II moth
ing else. She knew Of old, exactly
all the good things that her boy liked
for The Christmas dinner-juicy black
fruit cake. steaming plum pudding.
odoriferous brown-roasted turkey. and
but oh she didn't know what to pre-
pare for her-cOuldn't get any frog
legs II she had wanted to. And the
geography said that frog legs were
favorite French dainty.
Oh. whatever would the minister
sny? yes. and Sally Howarth.
too. when they heard about-about
"Angellquel" Sally had been ''sweet"
on Henry, and poor old Ma Barker had
hoped N
But. ah well! She mustn't let her
dear boy know! He and his AngeliQue
would be there tomorrow.
Christmas eve the old folks deco
rated the house with fir boughs. holly
and strings of colored popcorn. They
even trimmed a tree as they had done
for Henry ever since he had been a
little boy. Ma Barker thought, with
rising lump I'm her throat. that may
he the French girl would look on It
oil as silly; would curl her lip at their
hOmely endeavors. but -.
Christmas morning Jed, the hired
man. drove Off In the sleigh to meet
their boy and his bride at the station
In town. The odOr of savory good
things on the kitchen stove permeated
the whole farmhouse, and the big open
fire in the; dining yoo:n cracked In
comfortable contrast to the sparkling
cold Of the snow outside Ma Barker
bustled about, sadly setting the table
with her best dishes. She caught old
John stealthily coming up the base
ment stairs with a dusty demijohn.
"Why, Pa Barkerw she exclaimed.
What's that you've got there? do
believe it's that cider that fermented
so as we couldn't use It'll"
"Yes, 'tis," admitted old John pretty
shamefacedly and shuHling his feet
to hide his embarrassment. "But you
see. l . thought that maybe
as Henry's girl is French woman
she'd rather like hard cider, seeing
as we haven't any light wines nor
champagne for her to drink"
A few minutes later they heard the
sleighbells jingling, the snort of the
the snow In front of the house. In.
stantly the old folks forgot the dread
that had been Overshadowing them
since the letter came. Ma Barker
with trembling fingers undid hel
apron. smoothed her hair $50 that
Henry's girl would see her looking
right" and rushed out Of doors. Ole
John followed more decorously ant
stiffiy, for his rheumatism had beer
troubling him more than ever lately
making work harder for him about the
farm. Yes. he certainly WIS going tt
miss Henry's help when
My boy! my boy!" cried ma as
she threw herself into the extended
arms of the sturdy young soldier In
khaki as he leaped out of the sleigh
behind the broadly-grinning Jed
They clung ecstatically together for n
few minutes until old John forced
them apart to pump his sons hand
up and down and humble something
about the bright sun on the snow max
Ing his eyes water.
And then, after the first exuberant
greetings were over with, Henry
laughingly dlsengaged himself and
cried at them:
And now let me Introduce Ange-
lique TO YOU. people. And want you
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