The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-20
Epening Story
Gifts For Four.
BY RAY BAKER.

.thorofare; it beat against store VIM
dows, but was~fess successful in blot
ting. out the green and red lights used
in decora ting it tried to accumulate
on the sidewalks, but was shoveled
into high piles at the edge. forming
ghostly ramparts. 1t was carried
whirling and spiraling along the in
trenchments in never-endinS sue
cession OF waves
The fine, cold, white dust was driven
into the face of Mrs. Nathan j. Gray
son, and she WINGED and raised %her
muff as 4 buffet 1t stungy the red
countenance of Nathan j. GH,ayson to
an even more ruddy hue and entered
his eyes and made him, blink.
1t pierced the bushy, neglected
beard of Slim Mosley, and his COM
pleAion became more chalky and he
cringed and shivered- 1t struck
sharply against the fullmoon face
of Terance McReady, and it bothered
! him not at all. ,Terance was to the
cold as a duck is to water-he shed it.
Mrs. Grayson. the young society ma
tron, was on the arm of her husband.
Slim Mosley was on the arm of Ter
ance McReady. The 4iraysons We're
going to the Christmas eve exercises
in the church. Slim and Terance were
on their way to the town Jail. the for
mer being a tramp and the latter
night watchman.
Mrs. Grayson was indignant, and
the thin, slouching figure, and the
robust, round form on the Sidewalk
ahead of her and her escort We're the
| cause.
1.-The brute!p she calculated. ragged
in silence 6 moment. then burst out
again with THE, brute!'
! 'What did you say. my dear? in
quired Mr.. Graysons bending over SO
that her mouth nearly touched ms
ear, which looked like big danger
signal it was so red and SO large. The
wind had made his wife's. remark un-
intelligible.
Mr.. Grayson raised his bushy snow
bedecked eyebrows and mingled, sur
prise and pain showed on his coonte-
nance. ,.
! .sWhy-Why-' he returned. shout
ing to make hin. self heard. what have
/ done now, my dear!
sI didn't mean you!" she shriei1ed
back at him, as they turned aScorner'
still in the wake of the Jail-bound palr'
and met a broadside of wind and snow
t'.I meant that Terance McReady, ahead
Of ms. He's brute! Nobody but q
| brute would lock man up IN +a1I on
Christmas eve. say he's brute?
Yes, yes, 50 he is, agreed Mr-
Crayson, which was a habit with him
when his spouse made statement, eN-
| perience having shown such a course
advisable. ''Terance McReady is a
brute. my dear-a brute"
The brute, in so far as facial ap-
pearance went, seemed wen named,
leaving out of consideration the un-
Christmaslike act of depriving tramp
of his liberty on the night before
Christmas. The countenance had the
fuiI-meon contour such rs usually
blesses a jovial person, but the mouth
was marred with scar that made 1t
tdrn down at one end. and a broken
i nose, the result of a mixup with thugs,
enhanced his unattractiveness.
! At the next corner Mrs Grayson and
iher husband escort turned to the left.
while Slim MosIey and his captor went
to the right. A few steps farther on a
black and white object darted across
the path of the Graysons and hovered
in a doorway. shivering and crying"
Poor kitren,' observed the society
matron, during lull in the wind, as
she nestled her face in her muff.
Poor little thing. Why doesn't some
one kill it and put it out of it's
misery?'
Somebody ought to- agreed Mr..
Grayson.
Soon they entered the warm.
brightly lighted church, and Mr.. Gray
son escorted his wife between rows of
faces beaming with Christmas cheer,
and they found seats near the front.
Soon the edifice resounGfsd with the
strains of Peace on earth, good will
toward men," rendered by the voices of
children.
Night Watchman Terance McReady
piloted his prisoner between rows of
cells, dark and empty, and stopped be-
fore one>at the end of the lane.
You're the only guest tonight,
Slim" he said as he changed open a
door. but I'm prepared for you. I
thought mebbe we'd have somebody
tonight
He turned switch in the corridor
and flooded the cell with light The
tramp entered and was about to throw
himself on the bunk. when his glance
met an object that. caused him to
stand and blink.
MERRY Christmas" said Terance
McReady from the other side of the
bars. Help yourself, Slim. I've got
1t nice and warm, and mebbe yelI
find some things there that yen like.
l got to so out in the storm and keep
on the beat"
Merry Christmas" responded Slim.
in a weak, quavering voice, as he took
! a step toward the object that had sur
prised him. 1t was a tiny evergreen
tree. not more than two feet high.
standing On a table in the corner of
the cell, and around it were clustered
packages of various sizes and shapes.
The tree vas resplendent with glisten-
ing tinse1.
Night Watchman McReady's heavy
feet were sounding far down the cor
ridor. and soon the heavy outside door
swung open and closed
Can you beat it, exclaimed Slim,
; as he cautiously advanced and gin
gerly caught up one OF the packages
. grouped about the base of the tree.
Slowly he opened it and displayed
4 pair of wooden socks. Another pack
age disgorGed brier pipe and a pack
age of tobacco. Still another contain
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
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