Evening star., 1922-12-17


to write and ask you to make A list
oI ten gifts, one of which will reach
you Christmas eve. Will you please
use the inclosed card for this Dur
pose and mail it 10 me?
With the seasons greetings.
GIFT GRANNY.
In care of Brown & Brown, s9s
Broadway"
There was only one person in the
world who might send John Williams
Christmas gift, only one person in
the world from whom he would care
to receive one, and that person was
Maybelle Riker. His first intuition
was to rush to the nearest phone. bur
he was restrained by the teachings OF
his favorite textbook and by the
knowledge that there was no tele-
phone in the Rikers' fiat
Instead he went up TO his room and
lit the gas. Before him. on the bu-
reau, lay "The Power Of VIII" For
a. few moments he looked at it, then
got 'out pen and ink. 1t was an hour
before he had filled In the card:
Il don't want no choice of ten
things. ! want one thing. and this
is it-a girl who will let me take
care Of her. and get her everything she
wants. and be good to her, and who
won't throw me out when / do some
boneheaded thing don't mean to. If
l can't have this, / don't want moth
ing. Respectfully.
JOHN WILLIAMS"
The man slipped the card into the
stamped envelope inclosed for the
, purpose. Next he put on his hat and
coat and hurried to the nearest mail
box, as if in fear that his resolution
would not hold. Then he returned to
his room.
The Power of Win" still lay or
| the bureau. For few moments he
contemplated it with growing irrita-
tion. Suddenly, opening the window
! he threw the book far out into the
street.
IT was Christmas eve. Maybelle
L Riker gathered up her bonus check
at noon, put on her hat and coat and
left for the day.
she wondered that so many people
could be so happy, that every one
could be SO happy. John Williams
was probably happy, too The
thought stabbed her to the heart. In
vain she told herself that he was
nothing to her, that he hoped he was
happy. The pretense would not hold.
/ She hated him, and she hoped he was
miserable and she'd have given any
thing in the world to see him for
minu:e-yes. even a minute,
The door of her apartment house
was before her. Maybelle opened it
and mounted slowly to her family
niche among its cliff dwellers. Her
mother opened the door TO her i'm
patient knock.
"oT for the day, Maybelle?" she
queried.
Yes the girl answered listlessly
I'D just as soon be workin'," she
added bitterly. There amt no sense
in all this Christmas stuff"
you don't say" answered her
mother belligerently. You just come
in here an trim this tree. You an
your pas had a tree for twenty-five
years an he amt goin' to miss it
now just because he's got a grouchy
daughter. I've brought you up right
Maybelle. AM
"Yes, ma" the girl answered meek
ly-so meekly that her mother stared
at her in alarm.
"Ain't you feelin' right?" she asked
;r'
mind?'
The girl did not answer. She gave
her mother one swift look, then
buried her face on the maternal
bosom.
Mrs. Riker finally wiped away her
daughters tears and settled her on
the couch. She offered no words OF
sympathy, but her lips were firmly
set, and the way she put on her hat
was a challenge to the whole world.
I'm goin' to get your pa now" she
announced. You answer the bell II
any one rings. I'm expectin' some
holly an mistletoe. Don't you pay
that thievein' man more'n a dollar.
That's the trade made with him.
One the stairs she paused and open
ed her handbag. Yes, it was there
a pink card signed John Williams"
with tiny reindeer running across the
ton. 1t had come to her three days
before in the mail.
"Ill give him one chance. Tll-Ill
telephone him." she said aloud be-
tween clenched teeth. Then I'll go
an drag him here by the hair Of his
head if he don't take it as he'd ought
to-
Nevertheless, Mrs. Riker did not
head straight for a telephone booth.
Instead, she made haste to the ex-
press company, where her husband
worried This was always her duty
on the day before Christmas since
one year, before Volstead times, when
Mr.. Riker had not appeared until
midnight and had slept through
Christmas day. Her husband safely
corraled, she led him to drug store
and parked him just outside the tele-
phone booth,
X x * X
ssVITHAT do you want?" John Will
w liams said into the transmitter
for the fiftieth time that day.
This is Gift Granny" voice came
over the line. II got your card an
noted contents / amt got the Kind
O. girl you want, but you know where
she is. If you're a man, an not a
mouse. you'll go an get her yourself.
Gooby"
How shall l send this here baby
10 rriapa to Panama." voice Uueried
at his elbow.
Send it by-reindeer," John Will
liams answered as he seized his over