The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1937-03-04


Then, as a sense Of loyalty seized
him, he added, looking up with q
strange expression as II trying to
read the old mans thoughts: "You
see Christmas happened such a long
time ago father says, and he wasn't
there, so he doesn't seem to think
it's any Of his business and %
doesn't feel very interested. Then
think he gets kind Of mad with
Christmas because It comes 50 near
before New Years. Why can't the
people who make almanacs put New
Years In summer when there's lots
Of time SOS to give Santa Claus
and Christmas q better showi"
Grandfather kept silence. stu
gazing at the are. while Tommy!
babbled on UNDECIDED, nor did he
seem to expect an answer, for he
so often thought long. long thoughts
that no one ever tried to explain. Z
Six o'clock struck. then half past
and when the tall clock gave the
whir-rr that came before seven,
Hepsy coming to the door said in
a solemn whisper: The escalloped
eysters are shriveling, Miss
Vance, and the biscuit crust Is hard
as a tin roof. Won't you-an eat now
and I'll fadge up something hot =
Mis'is Emery does come"
docs come; why, Of course. she
win come. Hepsy. what do you
mean?"
"Why-why-in time for supper
instead Of breakfast" she stam-
mered In some confusion.
II do not see that anything ID
likely to happen worse than losing
the road" said grandmother.
That's cause you don't live with
autos like we do, grandmother"
said Tommy, putting on a serious
air, while his hands waved in ex-
lplanation In a way so like an old
gesture Of his fathers that grand
mother caught her breath.
II want my supper and ! want
to light the tree" sobbed Bess.
At half past seven they sat down
to an almost silent breaking Of
bread.
"It's too clear to snow tonight,
but it's terrible dark Under the
pines" said Eli, appearing sudden
ly at the door with a couple Of
lanterns. II reckon I'd best put
one Of these outside the lower gate
and another at the fork Of the road.
TIN look sort of cheerful, anyway.
If I knew jest when they'd be along
I'd light half a dozen pine knots and
60 down to greet EN-"
The hearth-ire vas blazing IA
mously when they returned to the
sitting-room, and for this reason
the children decided to hang their
stockings by the wide, unused CHM
ney in the summer kitchen, where
no signs of smoke would brighten
Santa Claus.
shall we light the tree for q
while and then put it out to keep
for tomorrow night?" asked grand
father gently. 1t seemed as il for
the last hour he had been growing
bent and his heavy brows fell over
his eyes so as to entirely hide their
i eager brightness.
elizabeth, what do you Think"
Let the children choose, hus-
: band. Which shall it be, darlings?
Will you wait for father and mother
, and have the tree tomorrow"
"Now!" almost shouted Bess.
Tomorrow" said Tommy de-
cidedly, "'cause you know, even
if it did happen so long ago, father
v might be disappointed not to see
, the tree when it's new. Say, grand
n mother, can we put some Of the
( small, round candies in those little
red shoes of fathers and lang them
on the tree so that he can see them
and remember when he was a little
baby?'
Silently grandmother turned Il
leave the room and get the shoes
II but grandfather caught her hane
: as she passed and held it to hi
: c e s, whispering: "Courage
wife, from the mouths of babes 20.
q know comes the truest wisdom am
), this is the Christ Child's night, be
i loved, a night for childhood,s SIN
pie miracles" 1
'd The red shoes were Aaeo
soft paper, bound with =.
st filed to evsrr say ribbo
h by sidS wing and hung sic
upon the topmost hrsnch,
ohe 0 father and one IL
motner." sang Bess. elappinx b
ITO RE r0NTynr,rr