The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-12-22

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Newspaper Syndicate.)
tfeFNlO DING home for Christ
- maS?" asked Rosie Magee
-. /. as she helped Lorna RoS-
efa fold up the long dustcloth that
h4d covered their section OF the
handkerchief counter.
lorna shook her 'head impatient
sfly II don't want to CO. she said
s9oss1y.
you're q nice one!" commented
st36eie;, az, she pulled o4t some box
les of rumpled handkerchiefs and
: looked them over. "Help me with
thes9; kiddie, while scold you"
S!ji'ScoId?"
ft'sure-don't want to go home
and see your folks"
I'm sending them presents
I'm sending mother new coat anu
father an overcoat-been saving
for them all the year! And a big
box Of candy-snd everything
sent the box yesterday"
'Humph! They'd rather have
.yda-the only one, amt your
i"Yes," answered Lorna stifny.
AN her pretty color had fled and
she looked pale and sad. Il know
they'll MISC me-but ! wrote and
explained and mother said she un-
derstood and that l needn't come.
t,What are you going to do!'
asked curious Rosie.
siLorna shrugged listlessly. Moth
4 ingamuch-stay in that old board
ing house and read all day-it Will
soon be over"
aItYou're the limit. snapped
Rosie. Heres TIC first customer
lyon can Lave her"
IT was the day before Christmas
add threatened snow. People rush
/ ed into the shops In droves and
soon the alsles were damned vita
4 men, women and children, most Of
them happy and rosy checked and
rIalI@ Of the Christmas spirit OF Civ
43Hg. Lorna Forgot her own unhap-
+ pinsss as she helped other people
n. the choice OF handkerchief
se0eFy timn she saw a quiet little
Iray-haired womdE or short thin
elderly man with anxious eyes.
she felt a dreadful stab IN her
thront-there had been a lump
othere ,ull day-wIth these remind
seFasofl her lonely parents in the lit
Etfe home.nest which she had not
enI since the summer vacation
le longing to see them that
IL her pride suppressed. Just
zen her pride was greater than
lhr love,
sRosie Magee watched her close
ri and at supper when they hur-
fed upstairs to cat the meal pro-
eided by the store, she found time
to scold Lorna.
s',.I know why you're not going
llome-I'Ve thought 1t QUIT"
\ Lorna swallowed some sCalding
hot coffee and nibbled at her sand
witch before she replied. Don't
bother about that"
FITS all because you had silly
dIaFrel with that young haysecn
down at Meadowbrook last sum
mel, and you're too proud TO go
back and face hIm-and so you're
hurting your father and mother
gee. you're selfish Kidd hate
To- be your .Iother," Kissed Rosie
amid the cla:ter Of cups and sau
GERS and the happy talk about the
(tSning holiday. You've forgot
ten, tnat Christmas comes on Sun.
.daysand that Monday will be hol-
1 fdays too
lssJrhy?" Qnavered Lorna why
would you h'te to be my mothGr?"
i ;tBScause you care more about
ppr old feelings that you do about
Aking them happy-come along.
6iirs time Is up and there's a big
ifoh out there-betcha half of
chem will be wild when the store
a CLOSES at nine o'clock"
Lorna said nothing and when
9pSlng time came she exchanged
Christmas greetings with her COM
panions, with special little visit
Eil emile for Rosie Magee. 81
s1essI did make a mistake about
that, Rosie" she admitted. "and
tfiH is for you-and Merry Christ
rnSSt", Lorna slipped a tiny pack
age Into Rosie's hand and vanished
atonHd the corner of the snowy
street which led to the gray board
ing house where she had lived
since she had left school and de-
clared she was going to support
herself and help her father.
christmas morning broke with
snow piled almost to the fence
3 tops. The sky was blue with white.
W6olIy clouds scudding before a
crisp wind. Smoke curled from the