The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-20
EDening Story
The Last Christmas Tree.
BY JANE OSBORN

uceo d very pretty girl IN the crown
ahead of him. That is, he imagined
that she was pretty, tho he had not
had a glimpse of her face. She was
heavily laden with number of bum
dies, little and big which We're entire
ly appropriate, as it was Christmas
eve. Then, as the gate opened and the
crowd pushed its way nearer the en-
ages slipped from her arm.
Tom stepped quickly ana picked it
Hp. He might have returned it quick
iy, and have made an end of the mat
ter. Instead, he carried the little white
package, and followed the pretty
young woman along the platform until
she alighted. He boarded the same
train, and, waiting until she had taken
her seat, he approached.
Bowling and doffing his hat, he pre-
sented her with the lost package, anG
had an opportunity to observe that
her face was as pretty as he had al
ticipated. Meantime ne had permitted
crowding commuters to take posses
sion of all the window seats. AS he
fingered for a moment after the pretty
young woman had thanked him, she
noticed the dearth of seats. gathered
her numerous little bundles toward
her and said:
IF you wish. here is a seat. The
trains are so crowded on Christmas
eve"
Tom did not take advantage of his
position, but when the young woman
beside him rose to get out at MILL
brook, the station just cityward of his
own, she bowed in q friendly manner
and he rose to make way for her. She
had just reached the door of the car
and was on the verge of alighting
when Tom noticed that a small pack
age, not the one she had dropped be-
fore, remained in the seat she had just
vacated. Seizing it he rose and fol-
lowed her. AS he was about to thrust
the little package at her, she alighted
from the train, turned her back, ana
did not hear, the train was making
way to resume its trip. Tom stepped
off and hurried toward her, but by the
time he had caught up with-her and
bestowed the package on her the train
was well under way He ran toward
it, and would have boarded it in mo-
ton had it not been for the sharp cry
from the pretty young woman stand
ing nearby.
''Please don't" she begged. You
might get hurt or something. It's
very dangerous"
Tom Wade let the train go. Then
he turned with a reproving, amused
glance at the young woman who had
detained him.
I'm sorry she said contriteIy TT
was my fault that you missed it, but
if you had fallen or hurt yourself I'd
always have blamed myself. And now
you'll have to wait a half hour for
another train"
Tom Wade assured her that,it made
no difference. And that was an un-
truth, for his sister a home had left
many last-minute Christmas prepara-
tions for him to attend to. He was
vaguely reminiscent of this, but he
was more alert to the fact that Fate
had played him a rather kind turn to
leave him standing here at the station |
in Millbrook with the prettiest young
woman he had ever seem
Il feel as if L ought to do something /
to help you home" said the girl. But |
both of our cars are celebrating the |
holidays by being in the shop for re-
pairs. I'd insist on sending you on
to Glenville if could-and the sta
ton taxis are all out"
Tom insisted that he was perfectly |
content to wait for the next train and |
stood bowling as she started walking /
off toward her home, more than lit |
tie disappointed because she had not
asked him for his name or suggested |
that he call on her some time. 1t
would have been an appropriate re-
ward, hei thought, for the pains he
had been to to pick up her packages.
The train was delayed ard Tom
Wade was three-quarters of an hour
ate in reaching Glenville. He had
lust time to reach home before the
Inner hour. I
his SISTER SuSdHs WIN
whom he was making his temporary
nome. Toms face registered surprise
md contrition.
II forgot all about it. remember I
vas going to stop in the village on the
way home. But I'll go as soon as we
get thru dinner"
Susan looked reproof -T hope it
Won't be too late. They were going to
1old one at Smiths for you to call for
t with the car But I told them you d
~ Ill
Until now. And the children simply
must have a tree. I've everything to
decorate it with 1 wanted to start
trimming as soon as we were thru
Inner
Tom made short shift of dinner and
hen started to the village in~the FAM
ly car. There were no trees left at
smiths. They had held one until 5
or Mrs. Jones, but had had to sell it.
)ther shops in Glenville reported the
There seemed not to be an available
christmas tree in GIenville. Tom
hought desperately and then tele-
,honed his sister. Il may be a little
ate" he said. but depend upon it,
IL bring home a tree"
Then Tom went to hardware store;
II the stores in Glenvilie were open
i'll IL on Christmas eve. There he
ought a sizeable ak and an electric
la ashlight--- With these he got into his
ar and started out countryward. It
idn't much matter which way he I
Eent, he thought, but once on the
highway he took the direction where |
he trees and sha dows' seemed the
hickest.
He went for about seven miles. driv-
ag slowly and peering out on both
ides OF the road as he went He
cached a stretch of road especially
0nely. On one side was a high bluff,
n the other stretch of land appar- IN
ntly deeply ct with small trees. Tom
arked his car at the side of the road, :
lade short shift of q barbed wire
snce and found himself by the aid
the flashlight in a grove of young
onifers. AS far Tom went he did
OF know one tree from the other.
hey were all evergreens to him.
Finally he singled out vigorous 6
inc, about 200 feet in from the road.
was about ten feet high. with a {