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Show UTAH STATESMAN wwpcwMPffcwcciq Ktt Tlotidtu rQuldat Can They Count on You? J S3. BAREER, deep In thought, seated at a broad dealt, heavily laden with papers which bore evidence of her many responsibilities, planned and pondered the question at length. She was of slight build. Her hale was tinged with gray, her complexion clear, her eyes brown and sparkling; her facial expression most pleasant, although one could 'not., help but note at the moment a trace of worry. There were exactly one hundred and fifty old people In the Institution depending upon her care and Judgment Never was this fact brought so forcefully to her attention as It was at Christmas time. To be sure, people were generous and thoughtful In remembering this group. That was exactly It Ilow could one put this generosity Into a form which would benefit the largest number In. the group? The agitation of the question had begun but today, when Mrs. Barber had received a note and a donation of fifty dollars from a group of fine, publlc-splrlte- d dtlsens who were endowed with the true Christmas spirit The accompanying note merely stated that Its use could beet be determined by Mrs. Barber, and so would be left entirely to her good Judgment She read the note once more as It lay on the desk before her. "Our group or society has a little fund raised In various ways by Its members. Each year at Christmas time; we give fifty dollars of this fund to the head of some Institution, and leave It to the Judgment of the person In charge as to how It will be disposed of to best advantage In their particular or peculiar situation. It has occurred to ns that the children are more apt to be wen taken care Acy emeut em yen to Arncyt V Tit Aug thut you bum it rightl Or Jo Ary think you'rtfurt to ibiik Witt At coat demndi 4 fghl? Da Ary my of you "Ht is true ihttm It lit work emmtttd to you; mid utttr Aii Who trill stick It jour work , Till you curry your contract through! Or do Ary tymHtV rut twty It At timt oftorts! uetd; His demit trrtrun ii bit ulLh plenum; Hil idol it lull or Do Aty olio tty "Ht lava to ploy Witt At gnme gam kit owt wty, . But it gets Itttt win bt losti At gtmc, Audisrtndy to charge foul flnyHf pttdf Dt your frittJt til fed youll Hand liit tlttl Wktt At gnat tat coma It you; Tit! youll fact At strife, ond put your lift For At court you know it trutf Am tat drowt 'Or dt Aty fttr tin Mr Shall try your itmott henrt, YtuV sell At Christ for 4 paltry prim. mtm wit eat dearly ktm Tit Amp that art most worth while; Who cat look ahead and forgpt At dead, ' And at misfortune mult. For the thoughtful mat who cat work and flat Wbtn At uttraiutd lot their head; WiA At skilful baud at hit commend. Wit cat kotttdy tarn kit bread. Wt art uttdmg They look long it At common throng For At man offaith and lout. Who con think ond fed for bis brother's wont And flat for tit lift abort. WiA a Ittdtr heart to take At fork OfAt wretch cast down it tit; Whose help it sure for the weak atdfttr. keeps At Christ within. from these youngsters. Then, lastly, there were the house decorations to be attended to. There were willing bauds In the home which helped hang wreaths, trim the tree and put up the little sprigs of holly and mistletoe. Melodies not familiar to the younger generation filled the house. The humming and quiet whistling fold of expected Joys not now far expected kind-hearte- d, d high-spirite- in the her said, ' "You ran me . y. itstimcforbed! She shooV im gentry, ruffling bac his hair Anc led up the broad, stone fair. "Where have ou been? she ased him Finding a swee As f he had So strange and i Swc min a distaniglory. Then the boy cd up at her, ms rosy face all joy, , ... he Read the Note Once more as Lay on the Desk. It of than are the Institutions such as yours. We therefore wish to remember the Old People's home with our small sum. We have enjoyed accumulating this money and hope It, added to your other yearly contributions, may help to bring cheer and happiness to your home on Christmas day." The evening failed to disclose the ddequate solution for this problem. However, on the morrow, Mrs. Barber awoke with a radiant face. With the clearness of the morning, the crispness of the the Invlgoratlon which had come through sound, restful sleep, the perplexities vanished, and Mm Barber saw her way clearly defined before her. Her feet and hands couldn't work fast enough to comply with the wishes of her brain. Time was limited. Plans must be drawn np quickly and executed Imair-an- mediately. The first day saw the telephone as a center of Interest. It was constantly In use either for outgoing or Incoming calls. If Um Barber had realized how many phone operators site wore out, her kindheartedness would certainly have made her spread her phone calls over two days. She was so enthusiastic and absorbed In her plans that she was not aware of her excessive tax upon these girls. The last phone call brought smiles and added energy to Mm Barber as she hurried off Into the heart of the great smoky city. She spent perhaps an hour behind closed doors In conference with the matron In charge of the large settlement house At the end of that time she emerged with a piece of paper bearing the names of some fifteen young boys and girls; Glancing down the list she swallowed forcefully, uttered a peculiar sound and shook her bead as she said: "Can't exactly say I am very apt at pronouncing these long foreign names." The Settlement house matron put her hand on Mm Barbers shoulder In an affectionate manner. "Don't worry. They understand and are used to It They will' help you and you will soon learn their Americanised versions." The next two days were spent In the city library. From the stacks of books which Mm Barber went through In her two days there, but one did she select to take away with her. For some flew days after this Mm Barber occupied her time with the white paper, with the list of unpronounceable names, the book, and last but not least; fifteen vivacious young persons; grimy and a little crude, but how sweet, earnest; happy and eager they were. The training had to be patiently undertaken. The response was altogether what plight have been I rirx arid-ver- wings . . . and aty . .t ' "The cattle stood around and ate the' He said, ",and there afiny baby lay i A tiny baby, mother, and I stared but no Through one small crac saw or cared. The babys mother smiled, and all was gold Around him liite a light . . . y old, Rich men did worship him upon theirlieesf1 "rL He paused, then W--- mother, please Loo out and see that shining, How big and bright ii is! How sends the light!" So then they near window to lookout "And cant you hear 1 weetySinging, mother ? TeU me, are there offing. There was Shopping to be done and many preparations for the food which would be necessary. Busy days; but what happy ones. Mm Barber was never too busy or too tired to stop snd have a friendly chat with anyone of the elderly people, to profit from their suggestions or abide by their wishes, If It was at all poulNe to do so. Christmas Day, the day, arrived. When the old folks came down to their breakfast, they found a Christmas tree ladon with at least one gift for each. They were as pleased and happy as children with their presents. At noon the festivities todk on proOne would never have portion. guessed that the folks ranged anywhere from seventy to ninety-fivas they trooped In to Christmas dinner. The table was heavily laden with all the Christmas delicacies, especially good for people of their age. They also had another little surprise. They had fifteen radiantly happy guests who were Introduced to them. It was Indeed hard to Judge which was enjoying the dinner the most; the young or the old. Suffice it to say, the young folks encored it the most Before the group left the table Mm Barber made a little announcement "Our guests have come out today not only to help us enjoy our Christmas dinner, but to help us to have a delightful afternoon. They have come prepared to present a- short Christmas play and to furnish us a little musical entertainment" From the chuckles, smiles, laughte and applause; there was no doub . urprise. Loo And flay At traitor's part! Wit een my son the night! 'Thediild grew drowsy and his curly Yvoped4icd a flower. Gently to his bed Wshqther iMjfrAnd there she stayed JGtsding besidernpnrhapp y yet afraid. , 1927j Western Newspaper Union HOLIDAY GUEST Elizabeth Blessing HE plum pudding was ripen- ing, . and the guest room was prettier with the yellow drapes than I had ever dreamed It could be, and even the mistletoe hung In all the doorways all there was left to do was to put the guest towels In the bathroom. As I was taking two of towels my daintiest from the linen chest, it occurred to me to ask my husband Just how his sister Wills looked, since I had never seen her, and was going to all the trouble of arranging theater, bridge, and dancing parties for her during her Christmas visit with us. "Well," Charles had hesitated, "I told you once that she was a 'home girl' and "But that's very fudefinlte," X had replied. "How tall Is she?" "Oh-n- , shes about five feet, six about your height, and has long, red hair I suppose It's still long, and d check would be' accepted. X felt for my fountain pen. It was gone I Frantically X searched my pockets for it, carelessly laying my purchases on the counter. "Step aside please, Madam, yon are holding up the line," politely requested the cashier as a stylish, tall blonde took my place, and before my dismayed eyes took out a pen exactly like mine. I remembered Charles bad once told me that often thieves were better dressed nowadays than others; She easily could have picked my pocket while we were standing In line," I reasoned. Hence; convinced that she had my pen, I demanded that the cashier examine the pen and see If It bad my monogram, "AT. AT, on It It hadl "I will let the lady off easy, thought as I noticed the costly serge of her modish suit "because she Is probably a kleptomaniac whose' "There Is some mistake, a clear sweet voice Interrupted my thoughts. d . two-hou- d plnk-and-whi- sny-on- libs) "How can I help being dlamayed, with a pile of gambling debts I'll never get out firom under? Father suspects, too, I know, for he looks glnm all the time, and keeps his hand over bis eyes so much. If he'd only ask me, maybe I'd Have the courage to tell him." As the singing voice neared tin office again. Harden gro wis'd, "Tell that girl to hush up or go away!" Then the office door opened, and the words "merry gentlemen nude both look up, ImpaBut Intiently. stead of a bold young woman stood a scrubby newsboy, saying: Collectin' for the Times. Circulatin' manager's no busy he omit me.' "Where did you learn to sing?" asked Ralph. "St Luke's oholr. Were practicin fcr Christmas; Get fifty cents a Sunday, and I get a dollar Chriot mas, cause I sing a sola Gee, It's luck, fer Dad's been sick and if It goes on this way, Td never get clothes fer school. Whaja think? Got five dollars ont o choir money saved fer a new overcoat I" Heres anothec toward It" said Ralph, "and I hope your father gets - no charge account, but where t my "Thank yon I" exclaimed the boy, pocketing the dollar. Gee, I hope ho does, too, cause he's all the family 1 got He works In a factory where the lights bad, and sometimes his eyes go wrong. "Couldn't he work somewhere else?" queried Mr. Harden. Tep; there's a grand place goto to be vacant at the paper-bo- x foctry, where there's hardly any eye work but there's so many after "Waltr said Harden. "I know Mortimer, who owns that factory, ni give- - you a note to take him. AVhats your fathers name?1 "Albert Wlckens, and he's all right I Ton tell 'em I said so known him an my life, an I recommend him. Presently Harden looked up, saying, "Here's the note, and a dollar for your New Tears greeting In advance; Don't forget to come In with It Its paid for. remember P "Ton bet HI cornel rd get a handsome lickin If my Dad ever heard o my bein e r o o k e d I I'm proud & my ole man an' I want to make him proud lm-fu- It' o' me." sites rather fat, and" "Fat," I had gasped, "your sister fat." And then 1 had visions of Raymond Garfield's expression when he should see standing under the mistletoe, this fat, girl who was to be his partner at all of the parties. "Surely, Charles, you don't remem. . . I Thought as I Settled In ber welL" My. Seat There Were Willing Hands Which "Yes, she Is fat," Charles went on, own pen, and rW. AT.' "This is tny Trim the Tree. . "and although she has money from Helped stands for my name; AVllla Woodrow. four she of teaching, years always about the approval with which the "AVllla Woodrow," X gasped. "This was received. entertainment The wears a faded blue serge suit with a girl P Then hiding my true thoughts, The doorbell's ringing young people were wogh of all the belt, and" I hastened to greet her, explaining him. Interrupted . which The received. praise AViima AVoodrow, Charles' wife. they "ril answer It," X said. A tele- "I'm coaching had been successful. The wrote my check while AVllla put .1 and It I read: open, tearing day had been delightful and was a gram! we "Meet me at 2:15 at the Union depot things back into my pockets, and topic of conversation for a long time walked from the. store together. AVllla." Mm Barber was even happier over "But AVllla dear," I exclaimed aftr It would be a trip; so X er we were on the car, "Charles sqld the occasion than the old folks, If such a thing could be possible. She picked up seme Christmas cards, and red hair, and fat" And X added resllzed that this vision, her schema; my gold fountain pen with my Initials mentally, "faded blue serge." X could spend part had been practical. The fifty dollars "AT. AT." on It. "Exactly, dear look at me," Wills had given pleasure to not only the old of the time on the train addressing commanded. cards. people but It gave these young for"I'm looking," X smiled, "but what I couldn't possibly miss her the X see children a eign Settlement-hous-e Is fluffy golden hair crowning a school teacher In fat, chance to share In the Joys of Christplump, but not too plump, X with blue a faded serge belt, mas, the Joy of giving of their own face from which shine two fts X settled In my seat talents; reaping the consequential re- thought magic blue eyes, and' wards of pleasure, praise and remuThen I remembered the holiday parX stepped from the train conscious neration, the Joy of finding the true lies I had planned for Charles "homeChristinas spirit In giving freely of of the patronizing attitude I had aslike, sister, end I pice themselves, as well as having had a sumed, but nowhere could I see fascinated gleam which the tured answering AA'Illa's description. sumptuous Christmas dinner which would come Into Garfields It was nearly five O'clock when X eyes when ha saw Raymond otherwise might have been merely a Wllla standing un reached the last store, where I had der the mistletoe, thing of their dreams. mi, Wwura SweiM thought: WAS Christmas Eve and everything In the small town of Uobblnsdule was bubbling over with the true holiday spirit Brilliantly lighted Christmas trees; holly wreaths and bells shone through the windows of most every home In town; while each church Joined In with Its usual Tuletlde celebration. A snow storm the day before bad clothed the town In white, as If in preparation for the great holiday. The children Just knew that It was sent on so that Santa Claus could In his loaded sleigh and fill their stockings. But amidst all this Joy and beauty there was one sad family, who lived at the for end of Main street They had Jtist received word that their eldest son, Ray, had been lost on the field of battle. Father, mother and the four remaining children were seated within the living room In silence while ll the happy celebrations were swing on all sides of them. Each one was filled with thoughts of other years and how happy they had been. Each saw visions of the heavily loaded Christmas tree glpamlng In all its beauty, while their son and brother presided over it in his Santa's outfit. Thus they sat speechless, with lumps In their throats, until bedtime. One by one they retired broken-liearte- d to finish their visions In the far-o-ff dreamland. AThen quietness covered Its cloak ever the little town and the childrens stockings were all waiting for Santa Claus, the midnight flyer pulled In, dropping off a lone passenger a soldier boy. He had come to surprise his family on the glorious Christmas holiday. Not having heard of tlie felse report of his death, he had come to be tbelr Santa Claus, as of old. As be was hurrying home he met an old schoolmate; who told him the sad story of how bis family had mourned, thinking him dead ; and that they had not Joined In the usual holiday festivities. Suddenly a beautiful surprise filled his consciousness, and with the aid of bis friend be scoured the town from end to end, frantically awakening all the storekeepers. Loaded with well" e, (A God root ym, merry gentlemen, Let nothing yon dismay 1 HE words sounded through the hall ' of the big office building In a high, clear soprano, which made both John Harden and his son, Ralph, look up, startled and Irritated. Then, as "merry gentlemen" sounded farther offi John Harden thought, "It's a good thing that woman didn't come In here singing that I Merry gentlemen, indeied! and he looked over at his sob, who sat brooding at his desk. "If Ralph would only give me his confidence!" be thought. "Money trouble of some kind, I suppose, and Td help him out If hed only tell me. Troubles enough of my own, but not about money. If a . million dollars vould remove tills threat of blindness, Td pay It In a minute." "Let nothing yon dismay I" came the dear, light voice again, and Ralph (A HIT, WcaUra Nawipapw tftrioO With that, the door slammed, and the young voice was heard caroling down the halL Hie two men looked at each other, speaking simultaneously: Mon, 1 have something to say "Pad, I have something to tell amnse Then, with mcnt, they both laughed, heallrigly. I guess tlieres a good deal have to tell each other," said John Harden. "1 propose that wd get a private room at the club and have some lunch, and talk things over." Great!" said Ralph, rising to help his father with his coat. "Im not looking .forward, exactly, to what 1 have to say. because Pm ashamed of It bnt Itll be a relief. "Nothing you can tell me will be as bad as this estrangement has been," replied his father "If Its anything I ran help you about1 "II la, and If you'll straighten me out this time. I know Ill never get In such a hole again. When that kid said. Tm proud o' my ole man, and f want him to be Ralph choked and stopped, but by this time they were In the outer hall so John Harden simply took his son's arm and prewwd It affectionately. As the elevator reached the street level the tiro looked at each othei and smiled, for down the hall they heard a high, clear voice singing: Gnd rest ye, marry gentlemen. Let nnthlns yoa dismay! (A till Waatara Nawapasar Onion.) Hans Ho Trimmed the Tree, Hanging All the Smaller Gifts. gifts, and with his. friend carrying the Christmas tree, they proceeded homeward, while the full winter mom: looked down upon them,' knowingly. Bidding his companion a Merry Christmas, and thanking him heartily, he crawled In through the basement window and carefully ascended to the living room. Here he trimmed the tree, hanging all the smaller gifts upon Its branches and placing the larger ones upon the floor beneath. When It was completed he lay down upon the old couch of his childhood and dreamed happy thoughts, ne, too, felt a lump In his throat, but his was a lump of gladness, as theirs had been one of sadness. Here he remained In silence, his , heart filled with Joy, until Christmas mom. As he beheld the sun glimmer scene, tag upon the making diamonds everywhere, he realised that It was to be one of the most gorgeous Christmas days .he had ever He hurriedly dressed witnessed. himself In a bright new Santa outfit, his heart wildly thumping as he did so; and he fand Just seated himself beneath the glowing tree, when he heard his dear old mother's soft, familiar footsteps upon the stairway. He listened breathlessly while she descended and passed through the hallway Into the kitchen. Then soon the old familiar odors of coffee and griddle cakes came floating la ne could hardly contain himself, as he wanted to rush out and smother her with caresses. With sheer he remained silent until the family was called to breakfast. Then little Ruth stole Into the living room to see If by chance 8anta had left her anything. She gave a scrynn of delight as she beheld the marvelous tree loaded with gifts, and Santa himself. actually alttlng beneath It. The next moment the whole family stood wide-eyegazing upon the scene before them, too surprised to utter a single word. Thoughts of a , practical Joke by their friends rams to them, and they hardly knew what to do or say. Tears came to mother's eyes with the memories of her lost son. Just ss father was going to apeak, Roy. their own, son, pulled the mnak from his tare and smiled a "Merry snow-covere- d will-pow- d, dirhtmna." (Cl till. Wain Nawspapn Delon.) |