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Show THBJORDANJOURNAL,MIDVALE.UTAH Cfhe By CYRIL NcNEILE SAPPER Copvnqhl bv GZ:OJii!QH H. DORAN CO. 1). CHAPTER XIV -21- la Which a Murderer Is Murdered at Maybrick Hall "You appear to huve a wonderful faculty for remninin~ alive, my young friend,'' remar·ked Peterson two minInter, gazing benevolently at me Drummon!l over hl>l derlcal collar. "You can't hn116'ine the unpleusant 1>Urpr·ise it gave me," Peterson <-ontinued gently, "whpn your chnrmin)!; wife h11ile<l my cnr. So unexpt>de1l: so dPllghtful. AIHI when l renlized that you were runninJ about in our .grounds hPre Instead of I.Jeing Orowned as th t fool !\o. 10 told me O\"er the teh•phone. . . . By tbe way, where ts • ·o. 10?" lie turnef) SDIII'liD!!' 0D the RllsfliU:l. hut it was one of the mf'n hehind Drurnmond'" d!filr who un.·wered. "He'. deud. 'l'hi · guy tht·ew him on the live wires." "Do you mean to say," sal1! the HussiHn in his lmr~h voice. "tltat It was ()Illy tltls man l.lrummond outside thet·e?" "' ou have guess ''I It, Adolph," answered Dt·ummotHl, speaking mt><-hnn· lcally. It ha1l seeuH.'tl to hln1, snddellJy, thbt, uns en ll.l" the others, I'hyHls was trying to eom·ey ~;mile lllP~t<a:.: . "Alone I ditl it, to I'UY not hlng or that 84nih·fu('ed bird upstair~ w th the long ttt'mK In fu1't, without wi ltinl; to exH);gernte, l think tl•e total bag '.s t1ve." \\'hut was she tr~ ing to nmt;e him untler~tnnil? Ann then !3Utl!lenty she began to laugh h~·stPri<-ally, and he half rose from his "eat, on!~· to sit !lown again abruptly us he felt the cold ring of a revoh·er pressed into the nape of his neek. "Three and two make five," salt! Phyllis. h~<lf laughing and half crJing, .. and one makes six. I worked It out toni~l•t, :mtl it all <-ame righL" She went on aimle~sly for a while in the same straiu. till the Hus.. ian swung round on her with a snarl. and told her to shut her mouth. He was talking in low tones to Peter~on. and, with one searchin:.: look at Hugh, she relapsed into silence. There wus no hysteria in that look. and his heart began to pound suddenly in his excitenent. For 3:!3G Ma)·fuir waR the nuntber of Peter Darrell's telephone, and she coulil only tuean one thln:.:-that she had got through to l'eter l.lefore she l:'topp~;><l the C">lr. And if that wa':l so therP wns still hope, if only be ~ould gain tillle. l<'lrst-how long did he want? Two hours at least: three if possible. 'fo round up all t!Je gun;; and ;.:et cars in the middle uf the night "oul<l take time--two hours at the very least. Secondly -nnd there wa the cruxhow was he going to get sadt n respite? Jt'or this time he could not hope for another lllistake. It was the end. and " knew it. ·o trace of lllPI"l'Y showE><I in the faces or lhe three men oppo><ite l.lm. He <-aught occuslonal remarks. and after u whiiP hP realized what the Evinutttet· un11er clls<-n;;s!on wns. dently tht> red-hP:Hied ltusslun was In fa\'or of killing him \'iolently, and nt <ln<"P--and it wns Count Znliowa who wa · advocating caution, while Peterson sat between them listenin;; ilupasslvely, with his e~·es fixed on Drummond. "I know the Blncl' Gang," Zaclowa was saying. "You don't. Ancl the~· know rn~." Then Itt> hParcl the word "accident" repented Be,·eral times, and at length Yulowskl slu·ugged his shoulders and lt>aned huck in his ehair. "Have It your own way," he remark d. "I don't care how they're killed, llS long as they are killed. If you .1hink It's uPeessary to pretend tl ~ has been an ateirll'llt, we'll have an accidt>nt. 1 he olll) point is what sort of un accident." It was left to Carl Peterson to dedue I\111 t ter .. "Nothing is easier," he remarked auav ly, und his eyes were still fixed on Drummond. "We are discussing, my young friend," he continued, rais1ng his voice slightly, "the IJest way of getting rid of you and your channing wife. I regret that :;he must ~'<hare your fate. but I see no way out of ft. To keep her (Jermunently about the premises would he too great an inconvenience; anti since we <-nn't let her go without lnvolvin~ ourselv~>s in unpleasant notoriety, I fear-us I ~'<aid that ,;;he muRt join you. l\ly frienrl Yulowskl wishes to hu~·onN you both, and bun you In the grounds. Ile hns done 11 lot of that S<Jrt of thing In his time. and I believe I am right in stating that hi. hnn1l has not lost Its l'unA little nlng !nee le:avlng Hussln. out of practice, perhap$: but the result is the same. On the other hand C01 t Zudowu, whom you kilO\\ of old, quite rightly point!" out thut there are the members of your rirlieulous gang, who know uhout hirr'. untl might very eal'lly find out about me. And ,, hen In a few days yuur motor ear is llolst d ut of tile water, und is tra('ed by t e eg:istration numi.J•·r as hE'ing yours, he fears that not only m11y I " Gnd things very awkward, hut that a eertaln amount "f unenviable and nndealrable limelight may be thrown on thla part of the country, and lnc~lde~ tally ou this house. As my friend ll .. Senrice Zadowa most justly observed-we Drummond, and the genial look had wuut an aN"Irlent: a real good bona· vanisl1ed from his fu<-e. "Doubtles~ fide HC<'ident, whkh will relieve the )·our humor appeals to some peo[1le; 1t 1 world of your prPf<en<-e Hncl will hrin::: doPs not to me. l\Ioreuver. I am In no scort'ltlng gla1·e of puhlldty upon nnher a hurry. I do not propose. Cnpthis hom;e or any of my ('onft·eres t:lln Drumnt.md, to tak\! you to the who remuln In En;::lund. You muy re- lit· Id..:::e and t-ncleu vor to 11111 ke yout· call that that wus my ori~inul idPa, hPad Impinge on a wull, ns ~·ou call ll. only you seem In the mo;;t extr·aor- Tiler~> is mwther far J>!mplt'r method dlnary way to hnve e'<-a11ed from be- of pro<ltwlng the "ame result. The imIng drowned. Still. as far us it goes, pin;:in~ will tlt;;e 1llace In this hou ·e. we lmve a very goof] foundation to As a l<OI rl!Pr ~·ou !ihnul d know the rehuilrl on. Your \'ar-duly perceiYed by sult of a blow over the heud with the the gentleman of limited intelli;:;ent'e hntt of a rille. And I <·an assure you who works tlte bridge-went over the that there will he no bungling tIlls ecl.t:t>. You were duly pe1·cein•d In it. time. Yulow~kl Is an expert in such :-\trang-ely enough. his •'Yesight must m:!tters, and I shall stay personally have been defective--or el!<e he w:ts to ee that It is done. so tlu;;tered hy your amazing ll<"tlon Drumuwnd passed his tongue over thnt he was incapable of notl!'ing his lips, and despite himself his \·oil'e Be- shook u little. everything at sul'lt a mom<>nt. / (•ause l•e H<'tllally failed to see tltut "Alii I to under:<tand," he said after 1 you1' churmlug wife was seater! heslde o morn~>nt, "that you prnpo~e to ll't j Y<Ht. In the moment of paniC' wht>n thut II Ill n bu teller us here-in this she realized you lnd faint!'<l. sltP lwu:::e-with a rille?" le:mt forwnrll-doubtless to try anrl Peter:<nn. vnswered l"o." ".Just Yes"-ltis "That is p_·actly what ~·ou are to unthrow out the clutch. e.Y<'S, rold an•! expre~sionlp:-;s, wPre dPrst and.·· turnc>d nwnJI•ntal"ily on Phyllis-"1 "You are goin:. to let him hash my thin!< that i 11 hat sh• must ha,·e 1!one. wife over the head with a rille lJUtt ?" 'fltat ;,ce(tllnts for t liP not vet·y intel"I am going to order him to do so," ll!::ent gate-or1ener falling to see llf'r !'aid l'ete•·son mildly. "And very >'hortBut that !<lie was there Is certain. ly, at tl.at. We nm~t not have any Becnuse, C:l(ltain lJi·urnrnond, both rnlstal,es m•pr the length of time hollies will he recon•re1l from thP ~<hi'\'!' both Leen 1lead. I <"onfess It river the day after tomorrow, shall S<lltnlls dra!;itic, but I cun asRure you ,,.e !'ay? :;ome two or thn•e miles it will he quite sudden. Yulowski, as tlo\\ n-stream." I told you, is an t•xpert. lle IL\d a lie wa lf·nnln"' forward. Ills elbows lot of extwt·ipnr·e in Hu. sin." 1 "You inhuman deYII !" muHertnJ on the table-and for the fii'St tlnw Urummond understood something of Drummoml dazedly. "You can ctn wlwt I sotJ like to me, but for lleaH·n·,. sake let he1· off!'' lie was stnrin~ fllRdnated nt tiH! Russian, who hnd risen and eros · 1! to a <mphoal'<l In the wall. There was snmethln~ almost maniacal in the look on his f:tce--the look of a savage . brute he. st. <-onfronted wit)! the prey it d<>,.;ires. "lmpo><sihle, my dear ~·oun~ friend," "It murmured Peter~on re~retfully. affords me no pleasure to have her J(illed, but I have no alternative. To see yon dead, I would cross two continents,'' he snarled suddenly, "but"nnd his voice became normal agaln"only bitter nere!<sity compels me to ndopt sud1 men~ures with Phyllis. You see. she know~ too much." Yulowski handled his rille loving-ly, and his teeth showe<l In a wolt1 h grin. "Which ·hall r take first, chlef7" he said carele sly. "The point is lmmnterlal,'' returner! "I think perhaps the Peterson. womun." Drummond tr!Pd to speak and fnllecl. His tongue was cling-in~ to the roof of hi.-; mouth: e,·erythin~ in the room wn11 !lancing hefore his eyes. Dirnl~· he saw the n>ll-headed brute Yulow ·ki swinging his rifle to test it: dimly he saw Phyllis sitting holt upright, wi!h "You Appear to Have a Wonderful a calm, scornful expression on h~r Faculty for Remaining Alive, My fa<-e. while two men hl'ld her by the Young Friend," Remarked Peterson. ~;~rms !'o that she could not move. Anti suddenly he <:roal,ed horribly. the dluholic-al hatred which Peterson Tlwn he Raw Yulowski put down the felt fur him. He had never shown it rifle 11nd listen intently for a moment. llefore: he was far too hig a man "\\'hat's thc> matter~" snar>ped Peever to I.Jetray his feeling unlll'l'es- ter,..nn irritahly, sarily. But now, as he sat fudn~ him, "Do you !tear the different note to gently rubbing his hig white hand:l to- that 1lynamo?" salt! Yulowskl. gether, Drummond nnder,;too•I. "\\'hat thP h-I's that got to do with "Thank you a thousand times,'' he It?'' roared PPterson. ''Get on with it, repeated in the same gt•ntle voice. d-n you-and attend to the dynnrno "And sln<·e you are so eoucet·ned about afterward." the matter, I will tell you my plan in Yulow><ki nodded, and pic.ked up his some detail. I need ltnrdly say that rifle ag-ain. "The tnst tirne," he said. turning on any sugge~tions you make on any points that mn~· strike you will re(;ei\-e Drumrnonu with a dreadful look of my most curefnl attention. When the eYil in his ful·e. "that this rifle was car crashed into the water It carried u~ed by me was in a cellar in ltu;;siayou and ~·ou•· wife with it. You w<>re on evPn more exalted people than yon. both hurled out as the ear plun~;etl I brought it specially with me as a IDIIl the water, and Rornewhat naturally memento, nf'ver thinking I 1<hould have Ilt>a<l the pleasure of using it a;;aln." ~·ou were !loth thrown forwru·rl. foremost. you will note, f)rurnrrond, Eie swung it oYer IJis bend, nnrl you left the car-and your heads Drummond shut his eyes-to open st rUl'k the stonework of the opp1•site them a;;ain a moment later, as the pier with ,;iclwning force, just before door was flung op<•n and 11 man dlsyou reached the water. In fuet, a tJ·aught with terror da~hed ln. marked feature of the case, when "The n1 nck Gang!" he ~!touted wllrlthis dreadful HC'I'ideut Is reported in ly. ''Hundreds of them-all round the the papers, will he the for<-e with l:ouse. They've ent the \\·ires." which you both stn]('k that pier. Your \\''th n fearful curse Peterson two heads were terrih!y hat tered. In lenped to his feet, nnrl the men holdfact. I have hut little doubt that the ing Drummond. dumfoundE>n at the coroner will decide, when your horliPS snd~Pn turning the tallies, lE>t go his nre recovered l>OIIle few miles down- nrms. Yulows.ki stood !'Iarin~ fonll~h streum-tltal you were not in reality ly at the door. nnd what happenE>rl drowned, but that tlw terrific itupaPt then wns f<n quiel' that none of the on the stone pier killet! you in~tant ly. RtupPfied onlookers raised a finger to Do you think it's ;;ouud up to date?" preYent it. "I think it's d-d unsound." reWith the howl of an enrag!'ll hea~t. marked IJruuunonrl lnnguidly. "If you Drummond hurled himself on the Huspropose to take me nud end avor to i<lnn-hlinil m:Hl with fury. And when muke my hNtcl impinge on a stone two l<P<"<llld~ later a dozen hlack· wall, someone Is going to get n thh•k cowle<l. hL!<'k-honded fi~•Jres <-arne ear. Besidi'H, the bridge isu't ntJen, swarming In throu:.:h the 1Joor, for one and even your pal, the not too Intel- instnnt they paused in sheer horror. ligent gntt-keePpr. might stick in his Pinned to the wall witi.J his. own toes a hit. Of <"Ollrse"-he ndrled l!opt., hayonPt, whil'h stuck out six inches fully-"you mi;!ht say ~·ou wHe doing be~·ond his ha<'k was a retl-h<•acled, it for the movies. Tell him you're rc1l-hear<iell man gibht>rin!:: horribly In Churlle l'llltplin, but that you rlres!'lell a strnni!;P l!mgungE>; whilst creeping In !mch a hurry you',·e forgotten your toward n benevolt>nt-looking "lergymustache." man. who crouc·hed In a corner. wa!l a The red-headed Hu·-slan was snarl- man they scaree recognized as their ing venomously. leader, so appalling "·as the look o1 "Let me get llt him, rhlef. Be won't rnallgnnnt fury on his; fare. (TO Bill CONTl:;-Uli:D.) try being funny again." The Hussian half rose to hl;; teet. Golf Ball Slices Bird his teeth bared, and l'eter!'on pulled Driving ofl' the first tee at Ray1 him back Into his !'h11lr. "You'll get your !'hnnce In 11 mom~mt golf course, near Cardiff, Wales, W. A. or two. Yulowskl.'' be remarked sav- Evans hit a awallow with his ball aDd agely. Th~n he turn~>d "n<'P more ou I cut the bird ID twe. Q'entu-r1es of (lbristma~ Obs~rvane~ 64lV¢ Wrou~bt many ~bans~$ ' ST. LUKE Il:lO-ll. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for behoM I bring you good tidings o! great joy, which ehall be to all people. For unto you Is born this day In the city of David a SaYlor. which Is Christ the Lord. Where go ye, 'simple shepherds all, who haste so fast by night. Leaving these your •.nooks and herds to wander as they will? What thing can be more beautiful than this Star's perfect llght? "Kay, this fair Stnr but leads us to the World's most perfect Light: We seek the radiant Son of God past •tarry vale and hill." Av JOH~ DICKINSON SHERMAN Tl'S the announcement of the flrl't Chrl~tmas Day. Tlltls the poet's vision of the "Adoration of the Shepherds,'' which the ry.......,~,___. at·tist Bouguerreau has put on eam·as to the joy of all the fuithful (~o. 1). A familiar ruessn~e Is St. Lul,~.>'s to all the worl1l and no anniversary is ceJE>brated by more of the The carol-hoys have Slmg world's peoples. the ~arne rues age for many generatlong In many languages and under many skies. "Christm!ls Night" tells the message thus: Yet the !ltnge co:tch was Pven more of a featnrl' ot life in England and for much longer. Especially wns it a center of puhlic attention at CIJrlstrnas time (. ·o. 2). And It Is worth while this holiday seu!<on to turn back to "'ashlngton Irvin~·s "Slietch Book" (lSlG) for what he hns to say about the Christmas cc>acll in England. He writes, in part: Whlle shepherds watched their flocks by night, All seated on the ground; The angel of th6 Lord came down, And glory shone around, And ,glory "hone around. "Fear not," ~aid he-for mighty dread Had seized their troubled mindGlad tidings of great joy I bring, To }'OU and all mankind, To you and all manl;lnd. ''To you In David's town this day, Is born of David's llno. The Savior, who Is Christ, t~e Lord, And this ehall be the sign, And thlf shall be the sign: "The heav'nly babe you there shall find, To hum,an view displayed, All meanly wrapped In swathing bands, And In a manger laid, And In a. manger laid." Other times-otltt>r customs! The fir~t Christmas Day was important enough to chan!l'e the <-nlendur:; of a large part of the world. And nearly twenty ct>uturles have !<een many striking changes In Its ohsen·arwe. Jn the IJeglnning Christmas wus a curlous cou1mlngling of the Christian and the pagan. For mauy peoples of Europe had celebmted n millwinter fpstival long before Christ wa born- In Bethlehem. And it was not until about "445 A. D. that Chri ·lmas. In somewhat tile form we now know It, was accl'pted as a pop'ular rE>Iigious festival. Since then, as times have dtnnged un<l men have chang-ed with them, the customs o! Chrl'!trnas time have largely chang!.'l'l. Christmas, as we Amerkan~ of the present genpration know It, has been evolved from the ohserYance of the day that wus Lronght to thls country by the jolly Dutch burghers of New Amst-er1lam and the English cavaliers of VIrginia, not througl1 the Pilgrlrns and Puritans or New Englann. l!oth Pilgrim and Puritan frowned on the celebration of ''Christ-mass,'' as practiced by the f" tahli. hed Church of England. The Puritans, In England, it will be remE'mbered, actually abolIshed Christmas Uay hy act of parliament December 24, 163:!, anti parliament Rat in sl'sslon on Decemlwr ~tt--·'commouly called Christmas Day." It was not until the restoration of Charles II In 1000 that Father Cl1rlstmus ( 'anta Claus), the Christmas tree and the Christmas stocking came bnck to their own. A pltturc,que feature of life In the Nineteenth century which time bas driven from the highway ts the stage coach. Thll:l conveyance of our fathers ond forefathers went roiling and rocking across the continent jn,;t behind fh.e marching pioneer und just ahead ot th~ ever-advancing l."oillroad that was to supplant ft. In those days the town turned out to see the stnge come ln-ju t as e>en to this <Jay In ronny pnrts of the country everybody who can get away ~oes down to the st~ttlon to see the train come ln. 'l'he complption of the first transcontinental rallrond In 18G9 spelled the finish !or the great stage lines o! the 'Vest. But the stage Itself pe-rsl~ted for u1any years-thil! writer has ridden in the genuine thing at late as 1019 In the nocklc>s-untl! the automobile ~t it out of bus!. "e s f(): oll time. In tlte course of a Dect>mbr.r tour In Yorkshire. rodt> for a long distance In one of the public Th10 coaches on thl' day precedln,; Christmas. coach was crowded, both Inside and out, with pa8sengers. who, by their talk. seemed principally bound to the mansions o! relatives or friends, to eat the Chrtstmas dinner. It was loaded. also, with hampers of game, and baskets and boxe~ of dcllcacles; and hares hung dangling their long ears about tho coachman's box, presents from distant • friends for the Impending feast. The ccachman has commonly a broad full face, curiously mottle<! v.rlth red, as tr the blood had been forced !Jy hard feed In~; In to eYery vessel of tho skin; he Is swelled Into jolly dimensions by frequent potations of malt liquors, and his bulk Is still further Increased by n multiplicity o! coats, ln which he Is burled like a cauliflower, the upper I!e wears a broadone reaching to his heels. !Jrlmmcd low-crowned hat, a hugo roll ot colm-ed hnndkerchle! about his n<>ck, knowingly knotted and tucked In at the bottom; and has In summer-time a large bouquet of flowers, the present, most Jih:ely, o! some enamored country lass. His walstcoa t Is commonly of some bright color, striped, and his small-clothes extend far below the knees to meet a r4ir of jo ey bocts which reach about halt-way up his legs. All this cO!!tum" ,Is maintained with much pre· cislon; he has a pl'lde In having his clothes of excellent materials, and. notwithstanding the seemIng grossness o! his appearance, there Is still dls· ccrnible that neatne2s and propriety o! person which Is almost lnhert'nt In an Englishman. He f:;:ljoyg great consequence and consideration along the road; has frequent confcr<lnces with the village ho-.sewtves, who look upon his as a man of great trust and dependence: and he ,;eems to have a good understanding with every !Jrlght-eyed country lass. 'l'he moment he arrives where the horses are to be changed, he throws down the reins with something o! an air, and abandons tho eattle to the care ot the hostler, his duty being merely to drive them from one stage to anoth()r. When off the box, his hands are thrust Into the pockets o! his great-coat, and he rolls about the inn-yard with an nlr of the most absolute lordllness. Here he Is generally surrounded by nn admiring throng of hostlers, stable boys, she>eblacks, and those name· less hangers-on that Infest Jnns and taverns, and run errands and do all kind ot odd jobs, for the privilege of battening on the drippings of the kitchen and the taproom. 'fhese all look up to htm a.s to nn oracle; treasure up his cant phrase~; echo his opinions about horses and other topics o! jockey lore; and. above alt, f.'ndeavor to Imitate his air and carriage. Every ragamuffin that hns a coat to h!R !Jack thrusts his hands In the pockets, rolls In hls galt, talks slang, and Is an embryo Coachey. Perha·ps lt might be owing to the pleaslnr;- serenity that reigned In my own mind that I fancied I ~aw cheerfulness in every rountena.nacl." throughout the journey. A stage-coach, however, carries animation always with It, and puts the world In motion as It whirls along. '!'he horn, sounded at the entrance to a \'lllage, produces a general bustle. Some hasten forth to meet friends; some with bundles and bandboxes to .,ecure places. . • . In the meantime the coachman has a world ot small • As the coach commissions to e-:<:ecute. rattles through the village everyone runs to the window. . • . At the corners are assembled juntos of \'lllage idlers and wise men, who tnke their stations there for the Important purpose ot seeing The Beene brought to the company pass. . mind an old writer's account of Christmas preparations: "riow capons and hens, besides turl<sys, geese and ducks, with beef and muttl':~-ffil\Bt all dle-!or In twelve days a multitude ot people will not be fed with & little. • • I ~ Alas and alack 1 Methlnks in Florida Some weird Chris-tmas celebratlous "'ill be put acroti:, this year By 'orthe.rn flln-er-folks. Pity the sort·ows of poor old Dad and Ma Parked In a ten-mile auto-camp, 'Vith two-thrt>e lnnncE'nt ofi~1>rings Clamorous for ChristmasAnd Santa Claus a thousand mlles away I . 'ot n Christmas tree in sight I ·nry a chlruney-place! • ·o turkey I 'othing but autos nnd climate Ancl real estate and realtorsOmitting nil reft>rence to suckers! Think of !'tockings on a radiator, Filletl with oranges anti grape-fruit I Think of 11 Christmas dinner Of canned bean and b>lker's mince pie I )!any n <-rime, 0 Florida, Will be con.mittt>d In thy name December 2;1, 102;1. The custom of gh·lng gifts undoubtedly ~;rew out <•f the offerings of the "'J'hree Wi,e Mt>n," the '"l'!Jre€' Kings of Orlent"-Melcholr, with hls gold; Cnspur, with his franklneen~e; Balthuza1·, with his Ul)'rrh. It has per"!sted-und grown-through the eeuturies. It has now nssumed such propor· ttons that It has it~ abuses. Anyway, there Is the SP'C'G!:'-tbe :;;odetr for the Prpvention of U ele s Giving. And th€'re is the l'ay-a:;>-Yon-Go Christmas r.1mement, which would abolish the "prom! cuous trading In gifts" and bring about the payment of C'llrbtma:> bills before the middle or the following 1\larch. Uncle 'am, Postmaster (• 'o. 4), has cumP to be the modern ~antR Claus. Hi;; nctlvttles for wecl\S bE>fort> Christmas Dny ure enormous. He ha~ to spend a million dolurs or more for e:xtt·a mail <-ars on the rall roads. Extra clerks cost another mlillon. I<}xtra motor trucks and extra mnll-<'arrlers rost anothE'r half million l'ach. And the-re are only the largE' items on his bill. All this is reflectt>1l In the almost incredible buying or the pt>ople ln the days immediately preceding Christmas nny. It Is estimated for }!):!;j at between $G,OOO,OOO,OOO and $1,000,000,000 I Although the American people are almost ttn• hellevnhly rich the~e days, thi' prodigious spend· lng i largely pos ll.lle through the Christmas clubs now so popular In most parts or t11e country, the members saYing wee!' by week till holiday time. The < 'ltristmas tree, it seems likely, is also to f'!.'e a change. For generations millions of young evcrgrt>en trees hnve been cut for Christmas, with little regard for uny other <-on,ideratlons. This y~r there Is a growing disposition to <-heck this drain on the fore~t rc;;ources of the future, which ar~ recognized as all too scanty. One proposal is that the tret>s sltal'l he cut from national and state fore.'ts under sdentific supervision of forest~. Another is that living trees hE' used 11nd that they be replanted either permanently or untll the next Chrtstma.~. It ts nlso proposed thut the municipal Chrl tmas tree (. ·o. 3), which Is Increasing In llOPUiar fin-or, shull be a llving tree and a perma. nent fixture. The movement In favor of the living Christmas tree hns won the support ef mnny organizations from the chamber of commerce to the Boy Scout~. There Is now a central organization, the National Plant, Flower and Fruit Guilt!, with headquarters In • 'ew York City. The movement will also wort;: for the preservation of holly anr1 mistletoe, which arc fast vanishing from the lnnd In consequence of the Christmas demand. |
