The Coolidge examiner., 1938-02-10
The Christmas Bride
By GRACE LIVINGSTON HILL


bride!" he whispered. ''Oh. God has
been good. good to mel can never
thank Him enough"
There we're busy days for the next
three weeks for both Greg and Mar.
garet.
Greg came breezing in every
morning for few minutes, as if he
knew just when he was most neec.
ed.
Then every day sooner or later ne
would give quiet signal to Mar.
garet and she would presently
come down with her hat and coat on
and they would hurry away to-
gether. Sometimes to the house to
measure for new curtains for some
room that didn't have the kind OF
curtains that pleased them. Some
times to the store to purchase some
thing for their Christmas plans.
Mrs. Harris found middle-aged
woman who had made it her busi-
ness to go out doing housecleaning,
bringing two able and trustworthy
helpers with her. These were put
into the house to clean and the
work went forward with remarkable
rapidity.
I'VE shall need to be hunting up
some servants, suppose. said
Greg one day. looking around on the
spotlessness with satisfied eyes.
'Oh. no. not yet. anyway" pro-
tested Margaret. I'VE don't want
lot OF strange servants around to
bother us at Christmastime. We
want it honey and cozy. l know
how to cook and clean. Grandmother
and can do the cooking"
"Yes, but this is a very big place
to keep clean. and if you spend all
your time in cooking where will
there be any left to have good times
in? And especially at Christmas we
want plenty Of good times. III ad-
nit it's more homelike without
lot of servants, but we want to
have time to give to our guests.
Besides, we want our grandmother
to have a good rest and not have to
work hard"
"You are dearl" she remarked ir-
relevantly.
So gradually with the help of Mrs.
Harris, who knew many trained
workers Of varios kinds. they
worked out their problems together.
Were not going to be fashion
able rich family" smiled Marga-
ret, we're going to be real family
with a home and home life! We
don't have to do as the world does.
Even though we have mansion for
home. we don't have to live in
the manners and customs Of the
fashionable world"
~ should say notl" said Greg
contentedly. Then he suddenly
stopped and drew Margaret into his
arms and kissed her.
Greg had planned that one charm
ing wing of the big beautiful house
should be set apart for the grand
parents, whether they would con-
sent to spend all their time in 1t
or not. He said they should make
their home with them. il they would.
and then in summer they would all
go back to the farmhouse on the
mountain, maybe sometimes in
winter, too, just to have good
time together. How Margaret's
heart leaped with JOY at the idea!
BY this time Margaret was wear
ing a beautiful clear diamond like
a drop of dew on the third finger Of
her left hand.
At last the house stood shining
and ready. Mrs. Harris had offered
her services to get dinner ready for
them the night they should return
from Vermont. There seemed to
be nothing more to be arranged for
happy homecoming and joyous
time at Christmas. They had even
found the children for Christmas
children's party. children from a
forlorn little country orphanage.
So the morning dawned that they
| had set for their return to Vermont.
| and Margaret came down very ear
ly. Greg was already in the office
awaiting her. having been invited
| to breakfast.
| ITO BE CONTINUED