Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press., 1924-12-18

pinesS to some one else. "Wnat q
grand old world this would be-" h
thought, "if we could only keep this
spirit In our hearts all through the
year"
SO deeply did this thought take hol
of him that he almost cOlllded wit
Il man who was coming out Of build
ng on his way to the car, Instantly
he was all apology, then he gave a lit
tie laugh as he recognized the one he
had nearly bowled over: "Why.
Moore" he said, "you in hurry, too?'
Walter Moore laughed good IA
turedly: Tying up Christmas gifts
with clumsy fingers takes time" he
said. Looks to me as if you had
been doing something of the kind your
self, too? on your way home, are
you?"
"Just making It for the car when |
was so unfortunate-or rather fortu-
nate enough to bump into you."
They pushed their way to the subur-
ban station two blocks distant. Since
John and Jean had moved out to
Meadowyille six months before they
had been neXt-door neighhors to the
Noores and had found in them penu-
inc friendship and comradca.ip that
was very pleasant. Now, they talked
If many thlnIs On the honoward
journey and John conddnd in Walter
about the present he was bringing
Jean, and Walter in turn told Joan
that he, too, had just the gift his wife
desired most, no matter now the why
or wherefore Of how he had come to
know. And all the while the pile of
Christmas packages lay on the seat
between them. So interesting was
their conversation, as 1t so often is
between men who have n great deal in
common, that they almost forgot their
stop until they heard the conductors
voice calling out Mead0wville. Then
hastily gathering up their packages
they made hurried exit from the car,
anxious to get home.
The snow, which had been threat
in big, feathery flakes. Lights
cleaned from the windows of the lit
tie homes they passed and showed up
in relief the wreaths Of holly and
Christmas bells that hung in the win
dows. From somewhere afar came
the shouts Of a group of merry young
sters, and the sound was good to hear.
Everywhere the spirit Of Christmas
was In evidence-iu the quiet suburb
as well as on the busy street-and
John thought to himself that life was
indeed good and worth while as he
walked up the little path that led TO
his home, where welcoming lights
cleaned from every window
Christmas morning dawned bright
and clear-a perfect Christmas day,
John thought, as he lifted up the
shades and looked without. The hand
scape which only yesterday morning
looked bare and ugly in all the naked
ness of winter, glistened with Won
drous beauty now as If some magic
hand had passed over 1t through the
night A carpet OF snowy whiteness
covered the earth---a delicate tracery
of snow and ice gilstened on every
tree and shrub-the whole scene was
like the work OF some master artist.
Dressing hastily, John ran down
stairs making his way to the little den
at the rear of the dining oom--hts
own sacred sanctum- For there, the
evening before after he had got away
from within reach Of jeans eyes. he
had hidden the precious package
which was to give so much JOY to her,
He handled 1t lovingly as he went up
the stairs again, all the while de-
licious feeling OF happiness surgfng
over him as he thought how glad Jean
would be when she saw It.
Tfptoeing softly across the room he
stopped down slowly and kissed her
cheek. Merry Christmas, Sweetest Of
women y he whispered softly as he
placed the decorated package In her
hands.
jean held it a while, her fingers
playing with the string that bound It
1t seemed as If she was almost 10th to
open It, preferring rather to 1inger IN
the delightful hand Of anticipation
while. Then she undid the box very
slowly. A cry Of delight came from