Evening star., 1923-01-07

o'clock both Gladys and I were
yawning.
But by $3.50 next morning we were
both up and ready for breakfast.
Dunk came In with the news that the
weather had moderated lot in the
night 'Most 10 above now" says he.
How tropicalr'' says ]. Perhaps
we can take a tramp through the
woods this forenoon"
We did, too, with Dunk and Nfiliie
as guides. We followed the frozen
brook up into the hills and surprised
q woodchuck peering out from his
hole. and saw two bLuejays, and
watched Dunk swing from a snow
lodged birch tree and from a hilltop
looked over into Vermont and got a
view of the Green mountains in their
winter dress.
How about more coasting this
afternoonr" 1 asked.
Jaw, let's save up, SO we can take
in the Christmas eve doin's down to
Keene this evenin'," says Mile.
They're gonna light up the big tree
on the square, and have singin' and
everything"
"Ali right" says I. Well try any
thing once"
But, say, when we drove into Keene
Square, Just about dusk, and saw this
great spruce that had been set up
and strung with coiored electric light
bulbs and decorated with bushels OF
| shiny things, we were glad we came
Above the noble old elms rose the tall
white spire of the church, and in the
square around the Christmas tree
were packed hundreds of people, per-
haps thousands. Then the band
played, and afterward a big chorus
of school children sang Christmas
carols. Underfoot everything was
white and overhead the stars were
twinkiing in the clear frosty sky.
NEXT day we had another coasting
orgie, and then the sky clouded
up and the air grew warmer, and by
the following morning snow was fall
ing-big. fieecy flakes, that drifted
down lazy and stuck to whatever they
hit
About the fourth day Gladys gave
out that she felt so full of pep that
she just had to do something exciting.
wouldn't il be great to have a
dance in this big living room?' she
asked.
We'll, why not?" says I. There
must be quite q lot of young folks
in Chenwioh, including the boys and
girls who are home from school for
the holidays. Let's get Squire Sweat
to round 'em up for us. What can
we get for music thought
"Ain't nobody better fiddIers than
the Baker twins" said Sairy. They
been fiddlin' for dances around here
ever since 1 can remember"
So we cleared out the tables, took
up the rugs and had dance. The
| squire herded about two dozen guests
| out to us-some young, some old,
some middle-aged. First the Baker
| twins would play a fox-trot, then a
waltz, and then square dance, so
| that all hands had a chance. Gladys
took part in her first Virginia reel
and confided to me afterward that it
was a scream. But the Portland
Fancy and Money Musk she could only
watch from the side lines. At mid
night we served cake and doughnuts
I and coffee, and the revelry lasted un-
til nearly morning.
| Gladys slept until nearly noon next
| day, and when she finally appeared
she was dressed in her blue serge.
| why the city clothes. Gladys" L
asked.
| Because I'm gonna beat it back
home on that afternoon train says
she.
"But I thought you were having a
good time," protests.
| That's the trouble" says she. sYve
had whale of q time. But / know
1t couldn't last Anyways, IL IL did.
I'd want to settle down here for life
and be a hick myself, and hones,
Trilby May, I'm afraid / never was
cut out for one. How long have we
been here now?'
mot quite a week. says l.
Seems like a MONTH" SAYS she.
| "And, anyway, 1 want to go back 10
New York before 18th street gets 10
be downtown"
| IF you're having thoughts like
that" says I, ''it is time to go. be-
iieve can stand the city myself for
q while now. Hey, Dunk! Hitch nm
tha old white horse. Were OFF aRaimPs
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