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Show irislmas' WdtonR-idc XA V Lihj Kuihcrl orj J i J Morris r IllitSTMAS morn- J!.; fJ 'K "roke bright I and clear, send is ln: riiys l,f 's' V toning si.nshiin "V hut trick ' t k blanket of new- fciVvW, r falli'll SHOW Willi f'C""' "!1v' ,,s 0Vl''' wonder-i'Oliji wonder-i'Oliji f"l message of L" Vwl Joy mul love. No- l ' whore hi nil thr w o r 1 d. oi haps, v:is there 11 keener appreciation of Christmas liu'iT ilimi In tin' heart of winsome lmi Walton, the ufTocllonate mul resourceful yoimT sister of KilUh, Just now recovering, from a Ions ''' desperate Illness. Seventeen-year-old lua. I ho only living relative of the sick girl, had gone down into the valley of death with her, suffering In mind and spirit us severely almost as did Kdith. physically. phys-ically. l"it now. Kill til was so treat ly improved as to he able to sit tip In bed for her breakfast. Near her stood a stuaii table on which was a vase of red-and v hito roses, and dishes of very tempting food. She took up the saucer containing a half orange and looked In howildc.ii. out at the well buttered toast, eggs mid Coffee. "I don't understand." she an tiour.ot d. "1 sin ply ean'l see how yon tt.amige to i- this. I ri;i." wi;h a sicuitu ant pi-luii1 toward the table. The sister smiled sweetly. "Don't you know it Is Christmas !" she naive !y asked ty way of reply. V!i, yes. of course. 1 know it i Christmas. Ina. dear, but the season decs not put anything into our pock ets. you kt.ew. We eau't ntT. r-l It." "L'ut I'm quite sure we can. So don't you worry." Edith dij tiet seem satisfied. Her expression of perplexity called for further explanation and Ina contin tied: "I've neon u during creature wl.iie you were ill. I'm iuite sure you 11 net anpiove, even though I did it tor yot.r s.,ke; but it really doesn't natter. Low that yu are getting wed. Nothing matters but Just that. Oh. Kdith! You are my precious Christmas Christ-mas gift." "You've been so good to me, dear." quickly responded Kdith. ignoring her sister's claim of dar.ng. "but you have Del satistied my curiosity. How do you manure to spread such sumptuous n.eal.-?" "lly my boldness." Ina tossed her keaii coquettish!' and strode defiant-iy defiant-iy across the room, as if to characterize character-ize her words. Then she paused and leaned on Ike footbo.od of the bed smiling teasingly. "I knew you would think it very dreudiul. It is true, nevertheless, 1 had to do it." "Nonsense, Ina. You couldn't be bold, even if you tried. You don't know how." "I was though, very hold. I guess. Listen. When I went to pay the gas hill last week, I just told the clerk at the window all about it your illness, my giving up my p-.-ii ;mi to be with .' "l. our lack of fun.:- anil our very -real need, and just a- good us asked him for help." "Ina!" Kdith paused with the spoon half way to her mouth. "Yes, I did Just that before I real bed what I was saying. 1 was dos- i'iil 1 -v y.-'1 "You Were In a Critical State," Ina Went On. perate that day. I was quite ready ask aid of anyone to save your lif-', and the ciork at the gas ollice was the one I happened to strike a' the psychological moment. I'-ditli uttered a little moan of vexation vex-ation as she dropped the spoon Into saucer. "Ynu were In a critical state," Lnn Bl'"t on. "and something had to be done nt once. The new druggist who recently bought out our old friend (Iocs no credit business. He refused 10 let me have medicine without the money; you had to hnve medicine." "1;ut, Ina, think of a Walton beg-K'rig! beg-K'rig! What you did was actual beg-K'ug." beg-K'ug." and the proud girl's face reg-'erea reg-'erea her humiliation. "I!ut the Mowers?" Kdith questioned. "Why the Mowers? You surely do not consider them a grave necessity." l'or rop'y inn walked around to the "'hi-. i whi.-h the tall vase stood and 1'1"1'''1 face In ,). rso, ..n "7 1"v"l'." "I" M.I.I, "and 1 Just adore dowers!" "S" 'I" I. d .iirle, but y Kh(111,,, ";-'' I'n.de, , uUll ur M.( mnuis IMd they cost much?" "Much?" Ina hc.lwiicd. "Yes. they 'C'Jlly ere very expensive." was growliii; extremelv an-"".veil. an-"".veil. "You extraMigaut little Imp I How lunch?" , 1,111 "lml" " gflimice at her and l"'wlcd. "Oh about three dollars" "Uii'eo dollars!" echoed Kdith with 't'oiMi. "Why, we didn't have more ll"''' l"""s three dollars the last lime I saw you eotmt the uiolicy." "No," blamlly acquiesced ina". Kdith looked really troubled. "Ina. .von are too provoking for anvihing "'I inornlm;. 1 ,.N(., uew yillJ (l) I'chiive quite so foolishly." "1'oolnl,, , ,,,,,,, (lv. ft"' il,,r s;Mer ,,,! Uisslng her on '''"' cheeks. "Am ! f...I I-.Ii tor lov-mg lov-mg you; Suppose I had held on to my Walton pride and refused all help. You could not have had what, your condition required, and 1 should' not have-" in., .Mopped abruptly, clapping clap-ping both uauds over her mouth whi'e iier uck and face went scarlet. "W hat?" Kdith wailed, hut her sister sis-ter only bur-t Into u confused laugh. Then, "Sh-shsh-" she whispered, laying u linger on her Hps. "Some one Is at the door." Tripping across ihe room. I : ia opened with mi expectant expect-ant air mid took from a messenger boy a large will till, -d basket, which she can led straight to the bed and set down by Kdith. "There." she said. "It Is all for you." "nil, dear:" exclaimed the wondering wonder-ing girl, shaking h,.r head. "You pu..le me sorely. Flowers again !" "It is not all Mowers. I'm sure," answered an-swered radiant ina with a provoking ilttle toss ef I. or head. "Let me see." With this she lifte'l the covering of carnations, laid them lovingly In Kdi'.h's lap. and delved Into the basket's bas-ket's remaining contents. "Look! Took From a Messenger Boy a Large, Well-Filled Basket. Here Is n .voting chicken, a pound of butter, rolis. i ggs. a bottle of milk, and more oranges. Oh. liiliih. It Is all so lovely !" "l'.ut where do all these lovely things come from? We haven't so interested in-terested a friend that 1 can recall, i'.diih was boih pleased and curious "Now, that's where you are mistaken." mis-taken." corrected Ina, shaking a wise linger in her sister's face. We have got a friend who Is Just that interested interest-ed one whom you have not met and who has done even more than all this This new friend has procured me a position, anJ 1 shall go to work next week if you are well enough for me in leave you." Kdith surveyed her sister critically. Who is it, pray?" Ina rippled another merry laugh, then tried to look very serious as she 'eaned heavily on the footboard of the bed and answered deliberately. 'The gas man." The two stared at each other for u iionicnt In silence, the younger smil-ng smil-ng roguishly at the elder's dignified lisapproval. "I knew you would think me dreadful." said Ina finally, that Is why I have kept it from you until now. I'.ut listen to inc. Kdith, in all seriousness. I must make yon understand. When I left you that day to pay the gas bill, because to have failed Would have meant no heat, with the thermometer standing at zero, and you with pneumonia, I was nearly i-nir.y. I returned as soon as possible and 'found you unconscious. The new woman across the hall had already culled the doctor. He said you could not live unless there was n change for the belter by midnight, and I am quiti sure he (lid not expect that change. Next morning. Mr. Chirk, the clerk of whom you say I lagged, came to see if there was aulhiug he could tin for us. ' . "poor little sister." from Kditn. ina continued: "He look in the situation at one? and sent his own physician. Doctor Dunks. It is t" Doctor Danks thai we owe your life. Then Mr. Chirk sent everything Unit was needed fm votir comfort and mine, too No ilotihl, the doctor made out the list for him. Nothing helpful was omit led. You were too sick to notice, and I too anxious to refuse whatever might be of henetit to you. 1 simply used my common sense. Instead ot iinging'tn l'1"1 olJ "'mily pride that should" have spent itself long ago This basket is from him also, voe? handing her the card on which were ..scribed holiday greetings and his i name. "And, oh, Kdith, he-ls-a dear!" Ina clasped her hands over her heart to add emphasis to her enthusiasm. Kdith listened in ..mu7.ei.iein while she rambled on : "I am sure you will like him, dear. You Just must, for my sake, because because-" A merry twinkle lit the happy girl's face as she hesitated, "but pil not tell you now I'll let you guess." ,,ci nil. Woatorn NwapI' Union.) |