Show la A CHRISTMAS ESS A G E AT NIGHT by ALICE ALICC E ALLEN copyright 1912 1913 by american prea asso ameo elation clation I 1 T seemed to ruth as she flew for ST the time to her telephone that al d daiy afternoon of the day before christmas that sl e had friends in the grim 0 d cita cit of NN bich she had nevel ku via NN n A attil then true friends even eien if they littaur 1 ie le A in ul too poor to do more than telephone the r feo d NN ight s thia this special message was from ruths ruth s in ol 01 t letor co child ild he be call that evening 9 R ith a of course not mr air ma manac ut was firm co lid ild he be take her out then a dinner the theater just this once for chilst mas bake ruth a refu refusals gals as trans bitted by the be telephone all flim and relent lis but as she came away and sat down la in her chair by the win dow her eyes wistful it will never do for the proprietor to call upon his stenographer she said with a sorry little smile to be sure there was a time when he was wag ft 1 her fathers clerk but times have changed perhaps because it was christmas eve eye when memories es e s no n in matter it er lma well behaved at opt other h er t times time 3 and 0 sons will valk abroad r ap a cause other things such as lu love e peace and good will were thio heaven and earth below belon because ruth was tired and pei pe BEB IIER REFUSALS WERE FIRM 1 AND RELI LESS ed and lonely whatever the reason sitting there in her little window looking down upon the street with its throng of 0 gay good natured shoppers ruth did what she had sternly forbid den herself to do she went back over the years which had made such changes in her life there was her fathers business disgrace the loss of every thing followed by bis his death then came her own beginning in business in spite of herself ruth smiled to think of what her old friends would say could they know what a capable little business busine cs woman necessity had made of her but not one of them all knew where she was not one had traced her to this great city that Is except jack jak jack As soon as ruth admit ted that name into her thoughts it dominated all else it biou to ought glit bick back its owner strong manly insistent one of the v amont on t take no for an answer kind ruth found herself wondering condei ing almost that lack had bad taken her no as final apparently he had it had surely been as strong ag as she could make it and he be had gone away and bad had not come back with the many friends who had rung up to ask how she was and to say merry christmas there had been no jack jack of the strong face the loyal heart the tender eyes and voice how had she ever eier let him go some time you will want me ruth he had said aboa the rush and roar of the great city ruth heard the v orda gaan just as she bad heard beard them ev ery cry day and every night since jack jach had gone away I 1 could urge you now but I 1 want you of your own free will dear and you will come some day I 1 do not even need to ask a promise I 1 know what Is ours does come to us if we wait I 1 can wait that was three years ago at first ruth bad half expected his return but he be never came and he never sent her a woid ruth was tired of watch ing the malls now and her proud lit tie head told her eager little heart that it was not fair to call jack back just because life was hard and lonely and almost unbearable sometimes so she tolled away until toll became work work that she enjoyed she bad her little rooms by herself her books her pictures enough to eat and wear what more need any one ask noab aoth ing except at christmas at christ mas to a woman love la is a necessity that night in the middle of the darkest hour ruth sat up straight in bed she was absolutely sure that the telephone bell over her desk bad had just rung all was still so after a min ute of waiting she lay down again laughing to herself the telephone had bad been so busy all day bringing her messages that she had heard it in her dreams it could not really have rung after a little she drowsed off only to hear bear ite its shrill jingle again and again it DO no longer wakened her but ilk in her dream bhe she went t to tele alti a phone took dov doni n the er and tenca out of or the darkness and dis tance ance a A lol ol 01 e spoke jak Jacks s not 01 ol e alegry as was its only mes sage but so strong at aid d cleir were weri the he words nords blat tl at knien ruth foially ali ally agnole awoke to a sunny chri amis mom minu ing tug she still tingled to tl ti air men ory perhaps one filst a bakes the he rt h his is note it ot 9 coi cut trot on over er one tl ti a an u tte tie head anyhow aher puth sat bat up and looked 0 it at of her window at the already buy busy streets far below her her heart N atas as doll doli g the talking jack Is Nal waiting ting tor for you some vi here it said and he belongs to you N chy by not dot claim yo you 11 own I 1 after a minute puth ruths s heair spoke again wh whit it if on at ale e poor X what hat if he la is not rich can t two to gether get her better b h it ai at V ly 1 v not give jack jak a Chilst mas hift rhe only one he gwinth R ith d it d not give her held head time to argue anith 0 ath het bet heart As s on cis is bhe was d essed ahe he vas at the te telephone I 1 phone giving jack s business numbs r after she hid bad waited what a long long time her head did remind her why of course ale st e ball slowly he be will be ip tp country bolay tolay to lay she was just about to bang hang up the recel receiver er walt wait a minute cried her heart hearts do know things especially at christmas and then hello said a big hearty voice out of the distance oh jack cried ruth Is it you really you yes ruth said the voice who else yo yoi I 1 wanted to wish you a merry christmas christma vant aut her nied tiled n I 1 1 1 nd it oice r an nth me part miss d 1 the it sounds lovely c it nd so give your mother my love jack and wish her the merriest christmas she 11 be glad to hear from you SITTING IN HER LITTLE WINDOW ruth we ve been talking of you an thing else 0 no o sure dear ruth s eyes were so full of tears that as she said afterward she could couldn a t see to talk tall sure deir dear asked the voice again all she said bravely only are you well viell perfectly and you oh yes NN aan t it strange I 1 heard beard the bell when you didn dian t really ring up last night tight jack 10 0 o said jack firmly your heart heard mine little girl if only you would listen to it oftener I 1 can t always bear it laughed ruth my head Is such a good tall er times time s up said a 0 voice somewhere tome where goodby jach jack dear dearl cried ruth but there was no answer the next minute she again took down the receiver get again quick she said hello I 1 said jack jacks s voice Is that you jack of course something you forgot dear no I 1 didn dian t forget I 1 wouldn t say it but I 1 m must don t look at me jack IVE BERN READY AL AYS AC but listen I 1 in listening to my y cart now there tb ere la Is something I 1 want jack yes A it iab b a big something guess iso no don f I 1 u e S na ait sit its wu NOU path patti bung up the it ic celver nd asio an to the hair bi tt ti e vii jow dow q alte the oth r ide of the loom toom atlis it was i 1 I 1 I 4 iti a t alln in te alei wt ei the celeri 01 tl a ua lill Is tl til I 1 ati t said the oper to s oi 01 L i 1 I 1 es lb id d I 1 tb h me le 0 CT I 1 t tin hed bed N ait alt hel ilet imp I 1 1 I s rol rot e bib str g it 11 ct nt ith happiness that aou ou kith I 1 es eg por cor in inn slid the voice mother an ani I 1 I 1 to take not oi p tate with I 1 is pai at 0 no o I 1 it di I 1 i ai at h b ir 5 N e li it I 1 R th I 1 e I 1 I 1 cen een r ady al ill ais J k U h t i n tru it in i t it 1 iv re s rr I 1 el avei yet th t ion ludi i atel etem I 1 I 1 i I 1 1 ci i d it ing N ir 1 sue lit it 14 1 tl it it t it 11 th s ca eeb flin d lil III re rea I 1 I 1 I 1 olav bet jeirles rie aid i d een lef I 1 ef e le rii t pit her 11 clothes th in er s it case cage to do her hal I 1 and to p t on her one g od so go biorn ab ne e her bookcase she to 1 k a sprig of scarlet holly ith a red ribbon she tied ft it over the tele teler bone boo if eer ener g lestrud a merry christmas she cilto yon you do 46 |