The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-12-20
Till DAILY
sH9RIi T ST. DRY
he Last 'hristnlas Tree
By JANE OSBORN,

- Tom Made took his place out
sida The gate for track three. where
5sis suburban local was made up.
ne noticed q very pretty girl IN the
GtpSgd ahead Of him. That Is, he i'm
agind that she was pretty, though
Rsle had not chad glimpse OF her
tace She was heavily laden with
Number Of bundles, little and bigs
Which were entirely appropriate,
u was Christmas eve. Then, as
The gate opened and the crowd
pushed Us way nearer the en-.
franco, one Of the smaller OF het
packages slipped from her arm.
Tom stopped quickly and picked
ups He might have returned It
9lirkly, and have made an end OF
me matter. Instead, he carried the
little white package, and followed
the pretty young woman along the
platform until she allghted. He
boarded the same train and wait.
i liig until she had taken her seat,
he approached.
Bowling and dofting hlsi hat, he
plreseuted her with the lost pack.
age. and had an opportunity TO oh.
serve thai, her face was as pretty
aB he had anticipated. Meantime
he had permitted crowding commit.
ters to take possession OF all the
window seats. AS he fingered fos
q moment after the pretty young
Woman had thanked him, she no.
ticed the death Of seats, gathered
her numerous little bundles toward
her. and said: ,,.st,,4
~ you wish, here Is seat. The
trainp are SO crowded on Christmas
Tom did not take advantage OF
Z MS position, but when the young
ewo1ikerl beside him rose to get out
- Millbrook, the station Just city.
ward OF his own, she bowed in a
friendly manner and he rose to
make way for her. She had Just
reached the door Of the car ana
was n9the verge OF alIghting when
Tom noticed that a small package,
not the one she had dropped be-.
lore, remained In the seat she had
lust vacated. seizing It he rose
apd followed her. AS no was about
@ thrust the little package at her,
she alighted from the train, turned
her back and was hurrying off.
Tom called, but she did not hea-,
t,1e train was making way to re-.
sutle Its trip. Tom stepped off and
HURLED toward her, but by the time
be had caught up with her and bo.
slowed the package on her the
train was we'll under way. He ran
toward itsand would have boarded
it In motion had Il not been for
the sharp cry from the pretty
Young woman standing nearby.
Please don'r she begged. "You
might get hurt or something. It's
very DANGEROUS.
Tom Wade let tho train go. Then
DO turned with a reproving, anus.
u ed glance at tho young woman who
y had detained him.
I'm sorry she said contritely.
elt was my fault that You missed
~ but Il you had fallen or hurt
Yourself I'd always have 9blam6d'
nlygelf And. now you'll have to
Eait a5hali hour for another train"
Tom Wade assured her that It
made no ditterenceG And that was
m untruth, for his sister at home
had left many last.minute Christ
mas preparations for him to attend
70 HeFwas vaguely reminiscent Of
this. but he was more alert to the
M that Fate had played him a
father kind turn to leave him
Standing here at the station in
Milibrook with the prettiest young
Y women he had ever seen.
~ feel as II L ought to do
something to help you home said
the girl. "But both OF our cars are
celebrating the holidays by being
inethe shop for repairs. I'd insist
on sending you on to GlenviIle If
could-and the station taxis are
allsout.''
Tom insisted that he was per-
tectly content to wait for the next