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Show I :vj. UTAH flTATBSMAN (fTht. Qtmsbuas Proposal KoBierine Edelmcm ; AURA WORTHLET had passed her thirtieth birthday tome years since, and although aha was possessed of mors than ordinary good looks, coupled with n good disposition and an Inherent ability for horns making, she had never had s proposal of marriage. Once; soma one had almost spoken tbe words Laura often thought of that wonderful evening since but just as It seemed that tbe fatefnl moment had arrived Aunt Mabel had come seek ing her for something or another. Next day Robert Barrett had left and Laura had never heard from him since. The pairing of time had eased the pain In her heart and aha had managed to go about end show a smiling face to the world, bat often she frit ld But she told herself that ah had no right to think of Robert; he was probably married very, very lonely. and settled down long before now In far-of- f land where his company had sent him. But. always as Christmas approached she found herself thinking of him end picturing the home that might have been theirs together. Aunt Mabel had been dead two years now, and since her death Laura had felt very much alone In the world. In spite of many friends. Bnt every year at Christmas time her tousln Vera, n wlddw of limited means; came to spend the holidays with her, and always at this time She gave a party for the young people. And lest any of them might be thwarted of love and a proposal, as she had been, eh sew to It that plenty of mistletoe was in evidence. She looked very beautiful now aa ah welcomed her gneeta te her annul party. She was one whom years give new and added charm la recompense for the rosy flush of youth that they steel, and as she walked to tho door to answer a new peal of tho bell, she would have attracted attention anywhere. Opening tho heavy door she looked without A little cry sprang to her Ups, for there ah saw Robert Barrett A rush of joy, of wonder, of. delight flooded her whole bring. He had come he still loved her rise, why would he be here! Steadying herself by the doorway she bade him welcome, end ea she recovered from the sudden rush of Joy at seeing him again, her voice grew cool and composed as she assured herself that his coming meant nothing more than a friendly visit that even should he bo still unwed, it would bo some one younger, fairer than aha that he would now seek. Ho seemed rather 1U at ease, and he blundered and stammered so when he spoke, that his vole was almost drowned in the sounds of gay laughter and music that came from beyond. Then, suddenly, without warning; hla arms reached out and he clasped Laura close and she felt his kisses upon her Ups. He was asking HRISTMAS that uTntiiH08B dawfwM JLmUjj Pv greeting little w the of the plump seml-Slou- x Scotch Canadian mother aa the sunny-halre- d young laddie came running into the kitchen, where already the porridge waa cooked and the tea brew lng for breakfast on this, his second Christmas. She caught him In her arms and tossed him high above her head. "Whose very good boyf was what she had said, partly in the language she had learned from her husband. Ills nurse had been one of those ' squaws of the picturesque type still to be seen In Manitoba. In summer they come, selling wild red raspberries or s ; In winter, trudging on snowshoes Into tbe village to visit their customers. Mugging the little lad to her breast; the rosy mother half sobbed as she tried to say It cheerfully, "Whose oksheda washda dawf Even as she repeated the greeting, the door swing open and a sudden gust of wind swept the fine, dry snow, like biting dust, into her face. Before her stood one of these old Indian women, apparently exhausted from a long journey through the storm. choke-cherrie- "Oksheda washda dawr she gasped, then continued in her native tongue, "Wlchycnna, you speak the lan- guage of my people. Ton speak the cry of my heart Last night I read it in the rainbow - hued streamers of light from the north the night wind sang It oksheda I" The wrinkled old face twisted Into pained smile as she sank in a heap by the kitchen lire. A bit of paper fluttered to the floor from her hand. "The Great Spirit calls It Is the end of the trail," she whispered as the little motlicr bent over her, anxiously dialing her hands. She saw the faded t old eyes suddenly brighten, then close suddenly It was the end of the trail. See, see," said the little lad, holding up the scrap of paper which had fallen from the squaws hand. Opening It reverently, the Canadian woman exclaimed, "My certel Its an nr wind that blaws nobody gold, sure enough. Her oksheda I" She rushed Into the living room, where her "oksheda weehasta" (married boy) was lighting the candles on the scantily decorated Christmas tree. "Look, Robert, on Christmas May It has come. The mystery and alt--see 1 It Is the oksheda's Christmas I" she exclaimed, as she gave him the crumpled paper to read. Robert had been found when a baby by a band of Indians. Only the old squaw who had come to the end of Uie trail this Christmas morning knew the pc per existed. An night long In the blinding snow storm she had traveled on her snowshoes traveled that she might find some one to whom she could tell the story. AH these years she had guarded the paper, which she could not read, feeling that In some way It would bring good fortune to the oksheda who had seemed her very own little white She had baby loved him so. She was afraid to show the paper to her people the paper she had found hidden In his clothing. She was afraid she might lose him If they knew. Then one day he wandered out of her sight and the M. P. had found him by the lake alone. Xo white man was found to claim him. The Indians were afraid to. Their white brothers would ask them to explain and often their white brothers did not believe. His foster mother loved him; but she, too. was afraid. So she hugged the bit of paper to her heart and kept silent vigil. The U. r. took the lad home and hired an Indian nurse from the settlement to care for him. Every summer the old squaw came with her pall of red raspberries, only to grunt her thanks and look furtively about her to assure herself tliat all was well with the boy, then chuckle to herself es she patted her breast where the precious paper lay. In winter she would sometimes look through the d wln- open spaces in the frost-covere- A (Eiirtatmaa fragrr By AMT BARRON LEONARD wwtwmwwwHiii I M. 3 ask aa kariMy lifts. Pet gibt 9 ycay. mtswics s( fesyyteM 1st 1 bake Imta; flak ts tis akh forgrtfahus dX ackmk tics ask karkcark patte. 1st su atom adds grief. Ip toftdnctf Sk flak smOing set, tty CbrMsias Sap; He star Hat slant; guile 4c Mliat jRca in tjrir kup. nr ts dows to see the candle on the Christinas tree end see her oksheda dancing with joy. Then came the wedding; and for three years slie had not known wheid to find the "oksheda weehasta." The paper ah, yea. It told who Robert was. His father had been a second son from Devonshire, who had sought his fortune In tbs great Northwest It told how ths young wife, could not stand ths hardships; how the father, too, had surrendered to the storm-king- s fury one Christmas Eve ; how he had cached hla rich find under the rock that resembled the trt near the source of the river; how he had wrapped his greatcoat about wee Robert and prayed the Great Spirit to sere him. "A great Christmas for us til, Robert; but It Is ths oksheda I'm thinking of moat With the war come and the business gone, tliere wasnt to be much Christmas but now I See, laddie, the storm Is breaking; the ann !s beginning to ahlne. My certel My certel" "There, there, lassie, here cornea the little shaver. Mind you dont let him In here till I go to the store again. There ere toys and things to be pnt on the tree. The way Its come to ns on Christmas; I know well find the gold. When the snows melted they mads the Journey together. This year, as usual, the oksheda with the golden curls end the oksheda weehasta with the black mustache are trimming the gorgeous tree thnt stands In the bay window of the beautiful (farmhouse near the rivers source. The sleigh bells Jingle merrily as the cutter stops outside with a load of little Indian boya from the settlement, who re brought each year te share the fostlval of tho Okshedas Christmas. And down by the brink of the rim Is the rock thnt resembles an owL (fr HIT, Wntara Minpipit Untoa.) (SANDIES 'M OKjaret Bruce ' NOTHER of tho ceremonials that make homo inch likeable place at Christmas time Is the making of the pretty, colorful candles to decorate the table, or fill small boxes nificance. There are the happy people, fami- and baskets for neighbors and friends lies where affection, cheer, joy In one to whom on wishes to give n little another, unselfishness toward one an- something more than a card. other, love end sympathetic underA cold wintry evening Is Just the time to Indulge in this feetlvity, and standing flourish. They know tho fuU ning of A if a neighbor or two should be Invited MERRY CHRISTMAS, In to- help, so much the Jollier. Tie There are tho almost-happ- y people. bright checkered aprons cm tha ms People who sometimes bicker and and make them do the preparatory quarrel, make speeches only half-mea- work, inch as cracking tha nuts and which sound twice aa harsh. getting tho meats out whole, chopping Christmas comes and they rouse themcitron, squeezing lemons, cutting anselves. After all, there la happiness gelica Into strips, and halving red for them. The wives with loving sly- candled cherries. ness make little sacrifices and buy the Meanwhile at one side-tabl- e sits tha husbands gifts they know will he ac- lady with ths fondant that baas of all ' ceptable. Tbe husbands rush at the last the cream candles stirring tbe confecminute Into gaily tioner's an gar, moistening It to the decorated shops, right consistency so that it win make purchasing those round soft balls, and then either dipgifts they know ping It In boiling chocolate or staffwill be acceptaing it with. nuts; cherries, citron, or ble, They have Mts of flg puts. It can be used to paid more atten- stuff dates, taking the place of the tone, the dates then being rolled in tion of late. They have noticed granulated sugar. Oh, there Is no end what was miss- to the decorative, luscious goodies ing; what was that can be made from this cream wanted.' Arriving foundation. home a little late To make these candles look like the very sound of Christmas, tho liberal use of green their steps has a and red la advised, either In the fondnew crispness, ant Itself or In the trimming; A box their voices Jovi- of coloring matter can be obtained at ality and affec- any grocery, tho colors being green, tion. pink, violet and orange. You .can They Jog themput a bunch of holly on a whit selves up. They have A Merry Christ- - cream by catting wee leaves of green angelica and tiny bits of candled cher There are tho poor families, buying what toys they can for their children who have the same eyes as all chll-re- n. Eyes which see dolls carriages, trains of cars, dolls, mechanical toys, books. Eyes which look deeply Into tho windows of shops. Perhaps those more financially fortunate will lead them Into shops and let them realise some of their dreams. ths question that she wanted most to There are the charity children, chil- ries, pressing them Into tho cream behear, and he telling her that she dren who receive dinners given by fore It hardens, A tiny green pine meant ell the world to him. When charitable tree can be cut and pressed into the organisations, being photothey both came back to earth he graphed so that those who top of a cream. indean showed her tho spray of mistletoe feel undisturbed by all When these pretty Christmas canabove them: "It gave me the cour- pendent may that dles are packed into little gay baskets Children possess; whoso they age I lacked long ago," he whispered. picture reveal at times a little shame, or painted tin boxes, they make tha Later he told her why he had never a little shyness that must be most attractive sort of gift to send they written. Aunt Mabel had spoken to photographed when eating a regular around the neighborhood to nearby him the evening before he left, end meaL And yet they know tho meaning friends, or to give the Christmas had told him that It would not be of Christmas, too. This, for them, Is caller, in addition, tho fun of making fair to tie Laura with a promise; also good luck. it con be made them In the company of a kitchen-fa- ll Perhaps she had hinted of another man who better. of family or neighbors makes a was more favored. The company had A Merry Christmas. Christmas party that la preliminary Just brought him back to Llndenflcld, Three words but synonymous with nearly as delightful as the day itself, and as soon as he got In, learning that those three words an many others (Comisfct) Laura waa sUU free, he had coine. children, childrens gayexrltcd, hnppy And because It waa Christmas time, voices, g parents with For Wrapping Gifts and also because tlie years that were sonl and daughters, and gifts generoscoming held a wonderful promise for ity. Fascinating papers Christmas trees, appealingly from various lands are used as wrap-plug- s them, and they could afford to be genempty stockings left by ths trusting for Christmas gifts and In place erous, there was no resentment In on Christina Eve, cordiality, true hu- of ths usual ribbons there art thin their hearts for the thing Aunt Mabel manity. had tried to do. paper ribbons la gay and festive A Merry Christmas. colors. (A KIT, Western Newspaper Vaisa.) (A 1XT, Waatara Nawaaaf Ualae.) HREE words meaning more to more people than almost any other gieetlngfkr salutation or phrase. Three words fraught with sig - nt wi home-comin- hand-blocke- d . |