Show asimas HE major felt vague sense 0 personal arlev ance it was christmas morning everything waa most agreeable at the hotel As he had buted hla customary gold pieces to the bells the telephone girls the checkroom boa bis waiter and the head waiter and the chambermaid on his floor he felt oddly disturbed carter mv bov he told the tall gray haired image in the mirror oure getting sentimental you re thoroughly disappointed because there a soul in the world who can call out a merry christmas to ou and mean it from the bottom of his heart you re like a boy with nothing in bis stocking I 1 m ashamed of you sir I 1 am indeed yet that dlan t help matters he nand cred around the deserted hotel corridors in the morning feeling ut terly lost nearly every one seemed to be going out to dinner to some place where he waa urgently desired couf times he strolled over to the desk and looked casually up at his box but there were no mall and no presents for maj robert lee carter the last time he had really decided to give up and ring up some business associate to take dinner with him at the hotel but be saw a letter in his box and the clerk handed him a curiously shaped parcel rather bulky and oval he took it up to bis own rooms and opened it with a tunny little thrill of anticipation by george he was wrong there was somebody he know who it was but there was somebody who had remembered him the last wrapper tell off and he stood staring down at a little homemade willow basket filled with mistletoe A card on top read love and merry christmas from pam pam he remembered no pam he opened the letter for enlightenment and as be read bis heavy gray eyebrows eve brows drew closer together and every now and then he ejaculated god bless my heart and soult you wont remember me at all but am pamela grabson Grav son and my mother was your sisters daughter so im your grandniece see mother died about a year ago just after we cams north and I 1 have been here alone ever since I 1 even know you were alive until cousin florale of carters landing down home wrote and told me to share this mistletoe with lou for she had gathered it in the old oak grove where ou used to go when vou were a little boy here s wishing you a merry merry christ maa and I 1 wish I 1 knew ou because it does certainly get fearfully lone some here in new york holiday time when you haven t any one of your v cry own the telephone bell rang sharply just as the major was about to say god bless my heart and soul once again but he lifted the receiver and smiled at the voice that answered bia hall delighted ralph delighted my boy but you see I 1 am going to have a young lad guest here to dinner with me my grandniece sir from virginia now instead of my joining you in your bachelor apartments sup posing you join us and try and corn to her for having a surely old chap for a dinner partner names miss pamela grayson come right down then he smiled and kept on sall ing in the oddest happiest way and he leaned back aiji his deep leather chair and lit a cigar and watched the smoke rings form overhead and smiled up at them he had tour als grandmother had been the youngest voun gest and now somehow they were all gone as he thought the wa of the roses and he was alone he had rather lost track of all the nieces and nephews and grand nieces and grandnephews sentiment does not thrive in the new york at yet as he looked at the letter he felt an odd glow of pride and he held the little basket of mis toetoe out at arms length smiling retrospectively many a time he had gone up to the old oak grove to gather it for his mother to decorate the great hall at and now this lit tie pam the major rose suddenly with quick intention five minutes later he was on hla way up to the address in the letter upstairs two flights he climbed and tapped at the low top door with its modest card pamela grayson she stood at the easel with her back to him ft big blue apron on and ebe was singing oh holy town of bethlehem how still we see thee lie abiva thy deep and dream leaa sleep the silent stars go by the major stood at attention but when she turned and caught eight of him she gave A little cry of joy uncle babl how did you coar 0 o loon to laef eh but she waa bongle thought the major approvingly veri much like her grandmother in her girlhood soft brown bands 0 hair around her small head and wistful childish gray ces it took him about ten minutes to coax her into a real dreas as fihe eald and down into the malting taxi and how fast she talked there were years to catch up she told him and as long as thero ft as only the two of them left in new york to uphold the pride of the carters there s one more child warned the major but he te very distantly connected veo he Is about 5 our nineteenth cousin but be li to dine with us ralph carter pam sat very still and did not speak looking straight ahead of her ever hear of asked the major 1 I juat love his eb adow bald pam solemnly it it s the tame one I 1 ve tried and tried to paint pictures that would lell and finally I 1 coaxed an old dealer on the avenue to let one of my virginia gardens stand in hi window awhile you know aunt annabelle a rose garden with the sun dial and the old white coach house in the bacat well it was snapped up by a mr ralph carter and he wanted to know it I 1 had more virginia scenes so I 1 sent down the oak grove at sundown along in november with a big orange harvest moon stealing over the edge of the hill and he bought that and now I 1 m painting the old nagged walk under the grape arbor with it all and mammy martha ann coming along from the outdoor kitchen with a big covered platter of tried chicken and hes going to take that the major leaned back his head laughing and shaking with pure enjoyment up on the hudson at halt ings stood ralph carters bachelor home and he had made it almost a replica of the old one in virginia sh stood it the baiel with her back to him successful in every way in new york he had clung to the old southern traditions almost fiercely this tall lean clear eyed lawyer and BO be a been hanging your pictures all over his walls exclaimed the major bless my heart and soul child athla Is certainly merry christmas or us all pam was rather grave though as they went through the splendid red and gold corridors of the great hotel the dinner was to be very select and private up in the major reception room and she wondered what this distant cousin would be like he was all she bad wanted him to be even para could find no fault aa she sat next to him at the round table and oh after years of lonely striving among strangers bow it made her cheeks glow and her heart beat to hear these two the splendid old major and ralph vie with each other in their delightful courtesy and corn you dont know how good it Is to find some one of your very own she said when the major had gono out after the dinner was over dont IT said ralph smiling down at her 1 ve put in about fourteen bearg up here and only the major to give me a cousinly greeting now and then im mighty glad to find another one even if she Is a nine one the major tells me he a going to take a house for you and himself abi pam caught her breath quickly 1 I know that so I 1 will see a great deal of you I 1 hope he stopped and looked into her eyes someway they wavered under hla gaze the majors voice hailed them god bless my heart and soul boy cant ou see ahe B under the mistletoe I 1 bung it there on purpose ralph stooped and pressed a kiss on the warm halt averted pink cheek while the major drank their health and to our next christmas together the little pam and you my boy and this old chap who 11 never be conoly again to next pledged ralph will you kli me then gamt but eyes only ahone with happiness and very demurely he an the toast to axt 1 tr wt i |