Show go 0 its BARBER R deep in thought seated at a broad desk heavily laden with papers which boro bore evidence of tier her many responsibilities planned and pondered the ho question at length she was of slight alight build ifer her hair was tinged with gray her complexion clear tier her eyes eydi brown bron and sparkling her facial faala expression pres slon most pleasant although ono one could not help hut but noto note at tho the moment a trace of worry there were exactly ono one hundred an and d fifty old people in fit the institution tion depending upon tier her caro care anit and judgment never wag tills this fact brought so BO forcefully to her attention as it was tit nt christmas christinas time to bo be sure people generous and thoughtful jn in remembering tills this group r that chat was waa exIc exactly etly le it how could ono put tills this generosity into a form which would benefit tho the largest number in tho the group tito tigi agitation tation of tho the question lind begun but today when mrs barber lind received it noto and a donation to of fifty dollars front from a group of 0 flue fine public spIrl spirited ted citizens who were endowed with tho truo true christinas spirit tile tho accompanying noto note merely stated that its use could beat bo be determined by mrs barber und so would bo be loft left entirely to her ter good judgment site road tile tho noto note more ns it lay on the desk before tier her our group or society has hag a little fund malsed in it various ways waa by it 1 I members E each ach yen oar r nt at christin as time almo we 0 o give fifty dollars of this und inna to the load head of somo settle institution and leavo leave it to tho the judgment of the person in charge as to liow how it will bo be disposed of to best advantage in their particular or peculiar situation it lias has occurred to us that the alio children oro are moro more apt to bo be well taken caro care ca she read tho the note once more as aa it lay on the desk of than are tho the institutions such soch as yours wo therefore wish to remember the old peoples home with our small email sum wo we havo enjoyed accumulating mu lating this money and hope it added to your you other rother yearly contributions may help to bring brine cheer and happiness to your homo home on christmas lay day tito tho evening failed to disclose tile tho adequate solution for this problem however No wever on tho the morrow mrs mra barber awoke with a radiant film face with the clearness of tho the morning the crispness of tho the air and the invigoration which had como come through sound restful sleep tho the perplexities vanished and mrs airs barber saw her way c clear 1 ear i ly defined before her ner iler feet and hands work fast enough to comply with tho wishes of 0 her brain time was limited plans must bo be drawn up quickly and executed immediately ined lately the first day saw tho the telephone as ft a center of 0 interest it was constantly in uso use either for outgoing or incoming calls it if mrs barber barber haa bal realized how many phone operators she bhe wore out her kindheartedness would certainly have made her spread her phone calls over two days she was so enthusiastic and absorbed in tier plans that sho she was not aware of tier her excessive tax upon those girls tho the last phone call brought smiles and added energy to mrs barber ns as she ehe hurried oft off into tho the heart of tile the great smoky city sho she spent perhaps nn an hour behind closed doors in conference with the matron in charge of tho the largo large settlement house at tile end of that time sho she emerged with a piece of paper bearing the names of some fifteen young boys and girls glancing down tho the list slie she swallowed forcefully uttered a peculiar sound and shook her head bead as sho shel said cant exactly say I 1 am very apt nt at pronouncing these thesa long foreign names natt les the settlement house matron put tier her hand on mrs barbers shoulder la in nn an affectionate manner dont worry they understand and are used to it they will help you and you will soon learn their americanized versions the next two days were spent in tho the city library from the stacks ot of books which mrs barber went through in her two days there but one did she select to take taka away with her F for or somo some few days after this mrs barber occupied her time with the white paper with tho the list of unpronounceable noun ceable names tho 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 bal to be patiently undertaken tho the response was sra altogether together ul what might havo have been expected from those kindhearted kind hearted high spirited youngsters then lastly there the house decorations decora tiong to bo be attended to there were willing hands in tile the leorne which helped hang wreaths trim the treat and put up tho the little sprigs of holly and mistletoe melodies leq not familiar to tile younger generation filled tho house home tito tho humming an and quiet wills whis giltig told of expected joys not now tar far in tile ottlig there was shopping to bo be done and ana many preparations for tho the food which would bo be necessary husy busy days but what happy ones mrs airs barber was waa never too busy or too tired to stop und and have a friendly clint chat with anyone of the elderly people to profit from their suggestions or abide by their wishes it it was wag at all possible to do so christmas day the day arrived ved when the old folks cattle canio down to their breakfast they found a christ mas mad tree laden with at least on ono 0 gift for each they wore as pleased and happy as children with their presents at noon the festivities took on proportion one would never have guessed that tho the folks ranged anywhere from seventy to ninety five as they trooped in to christmas dinner the table was heavily laden with all tho 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 tho the dinner tho most tho the young or tho the old suffice it to say the young folks encored it the most before tho the group left tho the table mrs barber made a little announcement our guests have como come out today not only to help us enjoy our christmas dinner but to help us to have a delightful afternoon they havo have come prepared to present a short christmas play and to furnish us b little musical entertainment prom from the chuel chuckles cles smiles lau langh glite te find and applause there tharo was no doubt doub thera were willing hands which helped trim the tree I 1 about the approval with which tho the entertainment was wag received the young people were worth of till all the tha praise which they received the coaching had bad been successful the day had been delightful and was a topic of conversation tor for a long time mrs barber was even happier over the occasion than the old folks it if such a thing could be possible she realized that this vision tier her sch seb emit had bad been practical the fifty dollars dellaia had given pleas not only tile the old people but it gave these young foreign settlement house children a chance to share in the joys of christinas the joy of giving of their own talents reaping the consequential r rewards of pleasure praise and remuneration ner ne tho the joy of finding the true christmas spirit in giving freely of 0 themselves as well veil as having had a sumptuous Christ christmas mis dinner which otherwise might have been merely a tiling thin of their dreams i la 17 watfa nepi Nc pi |