Evening star., 1930-12-14

family out in the circuit did not require any-
thing fancy.
Thursday week the barrel was packed in the
church parlors 1t was showing outside ALI
the afternoon church members came in stamp
ing snow from their rubbers brushing snow
from their shoulders They carried bundles
which were opened and appraised by the two
chief packeTs-Miss Abby Leech and Mrs.
George Hess.
These two stood on either side Of the omen
prof1ered garments were not the right size
Some were too shabby, even for the unexacting
taste Of Mrs. George Hess.
Il wish We could give the Reeds something
new, Abby sighed patting down In the barrel
an OBVIOUSLY secondhand suit for Thomas,
aged 6.
That's Just like you Abby say they ought
to be thankful for nice, warm things"
But We wouldn't always want old Clothes"
Abby persisted.
Beggars can't be ehOoseTs," AGrs. George Hess
replied, pursing her lips.
I'D like to give that little Francis q toy"
Abby went on, with the light Of battle In her
eye, "and I'd like to give that girl something
pretty, Glorianna Hest"
GLORIAFSNA said 1t was q good thing Abby
was too poor to carry out her crazy notions
But no matter what GlOrianna said, Abby laid
toy for Francis on the top, just before the
cover was nailed down. She had pl0wed Out
through the snow and bought It. It was only
10-cent jack-in-the-hox, bat It eonsoled Abby
somewhat for the hard common sense Of the
rest Of the barrel
They'll get this just before Christmas"
Glorianna said painting on the address. They
, ought to be pleased. declare-it gives me
good feeline-"
IT never like to think of them getting the bar
rel' Abby said softly.
The day before Christmas early in the morn
ing, Peter Reed received q notice there was
something for him at the Eureka station. This
was II miles away, quite q distance in the
Winter.
The children were wild with delight ct the
notes. But their father felt an old, well
known sinking Of the heart. He always dreaded
the barrels arrival, especially when it came at
Christmas. Every year, when 1t had been un-
packed and everything had been exclaimed over.
he went to bed with Q headache. He had not
realized, when he asked Clorinda TO marry him,
that this was the way she and her children
would get their clothes, and their Christmas.
Fortunately Peter had beautiful weather for
his drive to the station. When the sleigh,
drawn by slow, old Arab slid out through the
gate. Peter looked hack and saw his children's
heads Clustered in the sitting room window. He
waved and smiled
The children spent the morning speculating
as to who would get what was In the barrel.
They spent the afternoon trimming the tree.
1neH I&Lnef nao gone out yesterday and cut
a little fr. They dragged it indoors and put
1t IN the sitting room They had no ornaments,
so they strung popcorn together with thread
and needle and loOped it over the boughs. The
tree looked lovely, what with popcorn and some
silver paper they had saved from yeast cakes.
They stood hand In hand, quite speechless with
pride.
At 4 o'clock they began to look for Arab
down the road. They stood at the sitting room
window and watched the lowering sun spread
q light like holly berries ON the snow But the
red faded, and still they did not hear Arabs
bells. The wind was rising. Mother lighted
the lamp ON the center table but she did not
draw the window shade.
Perhaps father had stopped somewhere for
the night" she said TITS hard for Arab to
pull the sleigh IN all this wind"
The children rejected this idea with violence
Father would never stop anywhere but home on
Christmas eve. On this night the children al
ways put . candle in the sitting room window
to guide the little Christ-child across the snow
Abigail suggested they put the candle in the
window nOw
Then it win guide the christ-child and
father too" Abigail said earnestly.
Behind the guiding light, they waited. Their
hearts were growing heavier by the minute,
when Abigail thought she heard a bell. Through
the wind the sound faded and frightened. It
the sleighl
They all rushed out into the snow, Just as
they were, without wraps. Clorinda and the
took the other In q moment they had it In
the sitting room.
I'VE ought to have supper FIRST" Clorinda
said. You lock deAd-tired, Peter"
':No-no!" the children pleaded. How could
we eat with the barrel In the hOuse?"
The top was pT1ed OF, excelsior lifted away
There stood the jack-n-the-bOx. It was greeted