The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-17
Eoening Story
Green BOughs.
BY r. RAY BAKER

i'm a magnificent dwelling, a crowd
ed apartment or a dilapidated shanty
and it effuses an atmosphere of
cheer. A week later it may lie dis
carded in an alley. like the skeleton
of some persisted youthful fancy; but
on the gath and 25th of December
it is the scepter OF an unseen king,
with a domain nearly as great as
Christendom. There is nothing quite
like an evergreen tree at Christmas
time, for those who are in the least
sentimental.
Christmas meant much to Larry
Wilmer, and a Yuletide without ever
green was like a feast without food.
When in school he always went home
for the holidays and always a green
tree stood in the same spot in the
room that was called a parlor. But
now all was changed; his parents
were dead, the old home sold He was
tramping about the country without a
fixed abode
Still, this Christmas Larry was 60
ing home. Hilltown was the nearest
thing to home for him, because Ma
tilda Clark lived there, and she was
the girl he hoped to marry. He had
never asked her outright, but on this
Christmas eve he intended doing so.
He had saved one thousand dollars
and this would give them a, start.
A thousand dollars would, of course.
mean little to Matilda. Her father
said he had to use almost seven fig
ures in taking account of his wealth.
He was eccentric, as is shown by his
choosing to live in a small middle
western town; but he disliked the
cities and his family was agreeable to
the change. Then, it had been re-
marked by persons supposed to know
that Mr.. Clark moved from Chicago
to get away from his sister-in-1aw, 4
spinster of fifty. who insisted on run
ming things This aunt, for whom
Matilda was named, could not be pried
loose from the city except for brief
visits, and MIR. Clark did not attempt
to pry her. She loved Chicago, SO
when the Clarks moved she rented an
apartment. Just how the head of the
family benefited, however, is a mys-
terry because he spent most of his
time in the west, running back and
forth along his railroad.
Larry met Matilda one spring when
he was in Hilltop II on a surveying
job. He aspired to win her from the
first, but entertained little real hope
because of her wealthy family. He
heard that her mother had ambitious
plans for the girl in a matrimonial
way had in fact sought to influence
the daughter in favor of Certain rich
admirers: but Larry came to know
that Matilda was a democratic miss
and that money counted for little with
her. Before long the two came to a
tacit understanding and Larry set out
to accumulate a little cash; for he was
determined not to live off the old
folks even if he had the opportunity.
And now We find him on a train,
the day before Christmas, bound for
Hilltown. The train was crowded and
Larry shared his seat with a middle
aged man evidently from the city. The
man was inclined to corpulency, and
had a cherub-HIke, rather florid coun-
tenance. In his tie was a diamond
pin, and other precious stones glis-
tened from finger rings on his pudgy
hands.
The brakeman projected a cold
pinched face into the car and an
nounced:
"Hilltown next stop! Hilltown next
stop!"
Larry smiled expectantly. and SO
did the man beside him.
My destination said the man
from the city. He leaned close to
Larry, fairly radiatng happiness. 'I'H
tell you a secret-Tm going to be
married there Christmas morning.
Larry congratulated him and said
Hilltown was his destination, too.
Know the Clarks there" asked
his seatmate.
Il should say I do" cried Larry.
That's where I'm to be married"
the other beamed.
'"Fhen you must know Matilda the
young man ventured.
The others smile expanded until
it lighted up the whole car.
DO I? DO 1 knc Matilda? Well.
say, that's Utmost a joke. am go
ing to marry Matilda"
The world came to an end-for
Larry. Sick at heart, he slumped
down in the seat. Well, it was the
inevitable. Matilda's parents wanted
her to marry for money instead of
love, and she had surrendered-while
he was away. Now he realized whv
her last letters had seemed queer
going to Hilltown for Christmasi Then
she would have explained, and the
blow might not have seemed quite so
severe. He had not told her he was
coming, intending to surprise her. 1t
! was he who was surprised, and with
a vengeance.
"HiIltown! Hilltown." cried the
bleak-faced brakeman.
The prospective groom arose ami
gathered his baggage, beaning over
Larry and the RS of the pasSen gers
the entire landscape, in fact. With
little enthusiasm Larry helped him as
semble his rather formidable array of
belongings and wished him good luck
The train ground to a .top. Merry
voices sounded from without The
happy fat man waddIed toward the
door. Larry peeped from a window.
and-yes, there was Matilda, bundled
beWftch1ngiy in white fur
Christmas rolled around again. as
is its habit, and found LARRY Wilmer
showed up with three other surveyors
in a shack in a desolate region of the
West. They were mapping out a route
for a new branch railroad, but the
Unexpectedly heavy fall of snow
forced them to suspend operations
On the day before Christmas Larry
announced he was going after an ever
green tree. He had noticed a cluuNp
of them a few miles distant and was
determined to procure one. His COM
panions laughed at him because they
were not the sentimental kind.
Don't dare bring it in here to clut-
ter things up" they warned
"Oh, all right" he returned, rath e
sadly. III put it up in the yard. But
I'm going to have a Christmas tree.
whether you like it not
\ He put his skis and went out
into the biting cold, while the others
sat about a sheetiron stove and played