The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1923-11-30
Why the Sober
Man Did Smile
B2 MARTHA B. THOMAS

80 lingS observer "
ana IlerT1nSWer the rest of the din
Should Be an ers that it was nice
Easy Guess to have frlen mn on az
denied it. OF the seven places at the
table one was vacant, that belonging
to Vesta Blaine.
Miss Blaine" continued Miss cum
mings a little wistfully, always mas
such delightful time at holidays. she
has so many pleasant acquaintance.
And of course" she hesitated to give
emphasis to what was coming, she Is
getting a good deal of attention from
that young man."
No one had any comments to make
But a serious-faced man at the other
end Of the table seemed to be very
grave indeed; he bent concentrated
regard upon his plate, as though the
contents might yield some secret which
he hunted.
"a real Christmas Eve!" chanted
vesta Blaine. Her eyes were like stars !;
her cheeks bright with color; she
looked like flower set down in veg
etable garden. The other boarders
were a bit older, bit more tired. q DIT
disillusioned; they drank their sun
shine from the exuberant girl, and Won
dered how she could come home at
night still bubbling with high spirits
and fun.
''It's snowing!" continued Vesta,
iarting a smile at the sober man. who
apparently was not aware Of his good
fortune, for he never looked up. THAT
soft sift of feathers that comes down
Mke -. like"-she hunted for an
adequate simile-"like prayers of the
angels! Only prayers are supposed to
| go up, aren't they!' she laughed al
her own conceit. "The trees are like
| dreams behind white wells, and the
street lamps are orange moonsl love
| 1t. Do pass me the butter, somebody
I'm hungry enough to eat shredded
hairpins!'
Everybody did their best to make
Vesta comfortable, even the scrap of 6
maid who waited on the table. Miss
Blaine offered her pepper and sal
| twice, and the landlady asked If she
| preferred her roast beef well or me
dunn done.
"Tm going to party tonight" an
nounced Vesta after few mouthful:
to fortify her wants, "the very bes
party ever perpetrated."
Miss Billings smiled her interest ant
asked where.
"Oh. not very far from here; and
she paused, looking around the table
with a curious glance-"you're all in
vitedi That's why it's the best party
because it's got the incest folks com
ing to itp'
What hubbub there was T. en-
Everybody asked five questions at once
and none found out the answer. Mis-!
Billings quivered with excitement
Mrs. Cummings waved the carving
knife and nearly took off a slice from
the sober mans nose. Finally, Vests
stood up, commanded silence, tapped
Importantly on the table with silve
spoon, and began:
Ladies and gentlemen, you are ear
nestly requested, cordially invited AM
definitely ordered to clothe yourself
in radiant raiment after dinner, ant
then wait for me in the hall. No on,
shall be allowed to say no. Penalt.
for disobedience is so horrible cam
even mention it"
/ And ready they were as soon as the,
could jump into their best and as
semble in the hail. The sober MAJ
was the last to appear. He looked a
though he did not dare stay away
That's the best that could be sal,
about him. But the rest were Laughing
and talking in happy expectation.
Vesta Blaine went to the front door
hands, and in there tramped a big
clustering giant of a fellow dresse
like Santa Claus. He had a nobb
pack on his back, and appeared t
have every intention of unloading |
at Mrs. Cummings boarding house.
"This way" said Vesta and led hin
into the parlor. The rest followed.
"For mercy's sakes!" exclaimed Mis-
Billings.
"Gracious mep' breathed Mrs. Cum
mings. She did not know her owl
parlor-and no wonder. There was
big Christmas tree standing in tn
middle. 1t reached to the ceiling an
blazed with small electric bulbs. Nor
than that, there were seven singl
stockings suspended in row froI
| the mantle. Everybody squealed. whe
they discovered their own.
Santa heaved down his pack an
out tumbled bushel of gifts. eac
wrapped up in paper and marked wit
name.
Each person pick up seven parcel
, and put them in the stockings. Your
find the names to correspond" calle