Show if y EH ED 13 omit tit ro 61 Bailey t MINDFUL of tho the ley icy air mollie shook tho the great feather bed and turned it over iler her black eyes sparkled ns as she sang banff where eer we go well hot forget Moll lol 1 aint you over ever comin to jo help get breakfast john Ilen henrys rys got the ilia chores chorea done I 1 hear beai win him coment with tile milk buo calling from tile the kitchi en an was frozen cream cream yellow and thick hick from earthenware crocks crocka I hurry lurry 11 mollte ollie take up the ilia sausage and put the eggs in the skillet set tho the pies on or johnnie want know hole hoa had breakfast clero lie comes come open the door quick are you most mast froze johnnee Johnn le by golly it Is cold sue no do deposited the huge pall pulled off ills frozen gloves laid them on the stove hearth to thaw and stood breaking breakie 9 aits of lee from its his mustache scraping caked snow from ills his boots on the ciffo ot at tho the wood box lie said TT know now ive got git on an idea it tills this keeps up lip well have a whito christmas joke it if gona ila bo hung youl you know tomorrows christmas nn an spoil everything too deep tor bior now sh hero comes ma ila 11 aint breakfast ready hotl ehll complained ma since mollie and sue had grown up ma old at forty ilvo five lind had donned her laced lace cap retired to liar ch chimney linney corner to smoke liar her pipe knit and piece quilts qullia iier her husband had been shot by bushwhackers bushwhack ers liar her ym youngest ingest son BOH had never come back from war so sho blooded brooded end and grieved Ire pretending tending preparations were for V their ll school crowd tile the young i folk had invited liar her brothers and als 1 teis to spend Christ christians inns with liar her and i Y cheer liar her up IDo do you think uncle H mollie began but nt at a kick uni tini able she turned to ma ala do u think uncle iko ike will ever come back land galo no na whatever put that our head child leave feny V to come back hero here nn an freeze h I 1 yap lk go 90 B 1 I in ok mr ff guess tho old bid far farm W so dad bad after all when the crops 1 it 19 fair na an m most ost generally s shoys still plenty 0 firewood fl and theys apples an turnips nn an caters nn an a few other things lit in tho the cellar rf an baldy aint failed us yet s ct nul nn theys plenty ol 01 0 meat in tho the smoke house oranges abil an fresh lettuce Is fine but they dont dO atlay lay heavy on yer stumm mick lck at T 1 sabr sour grapes chided sue you 1 know lovo love to 0 o go out there an seo boo all them flowers an go t at christmas time anno an never ver have to go out in the cold to do the chores 11 danged it I 1 would responded spondee the loyal one tile tho old forms farms good enough for me mb christmas aint no proper time ter fer f an I 1 aint never been hurt doln chores throughout the meal the young people continued bleir banter then john lienay aenry followed the girls to the kitchen theys tracks around the barn 1 lie ho confided dont scare rna mn but it might bo be that half wit hired alred man I 1 fired last fall up to the lord knows what I 1 you gals keep to the house nn an dont let no stranger in apprehensive of the worst they promised I 1 presently the sky cleared sunshine and melting snow were milking roads more impassable throughout tho the day t att alt at t breakfast ready yet VW complained ma that thai night as they sat around tho fire blare plo cc a gust of wind overburdened the snow on the root roof and a portion slid to the ground with a thud and tho rattle ot 02 breah breaking ing icicles tho the girls screamed realizing their nervous ness was duo due to tho the tracks around tho the barn john laughed heartily set sisoroe tipples apples roasting on tho the hearth I 1 iby way of inversion diversion and cracked mack walnuts on the side of a flatiron iron sua site fretted about all them mince pies ma ala said it was a shame killed botti both turkeys and le declared she was never so ap pp put out in her life Suc Sad denly the wind v and howled angrily golly ma ala lt it A gettin cold again bet y crust tile tho snow enow over tonight i like as not ma ila agreed n and id tho the delv anc wind ind continued john henry henrly aly added it a log to the fire anre andje gan shelling popcorn suo sue nudged liar her sister he henits make the aop popcorn cora valls balli I 1 mottle begat to ori ring al though wo ve cross cros ilia ocean blue ne nc frie friends nils well wel I 1 find one half so true john henry carried a of glowing coats to tho ilia kitchen kitcha n and started it a fire going to ilia door he bo examined tho the gun and set it near ile ho dont like them tracks mollie suo sue confided over tho ilia boiling ill let bet it la Is that half wit their eyes grow grew big and round r early arly to bed and whistling w wind ind brought restful and with morning camo came sleigh bells scratched EL a holo la in tho fantastic frost forest on tile window pane its undo uncle jimmie and mary ann meet meat cm am quick an tell cul cm not to let ma ila catch on bet y were first ones here lie ho began but suo sue cautioned him OB as he be gave liar a snowy hug ily by ilia time undo uncle aunt betsy and their Et ethelbert belbert and aunt hannah hall had arrived mn ila had bad begun to surmise but at the next familiar jingle she actually arose and peered out tho the window herself for far tho the land sakes it if it aint sister catherine and sary jane and billy all tile way from pike county johnnie Johnn lo what are you children up to anyhow who else la Is comin com ln depends on tho the weather ma ila beckon youve guessed its your party ma aln dropped into her chair speechless and began puffing vigorously on her pipe her der eyes told them sho she was almost happy by noon they were there those thosa brothers and sisters bisters and their children some had traveled many miles of course they expect ike but lie he was often in their thoughts and conversation guess ikes about aboul forgot what christmas back home la Is like some one ventured butcko but iko had not forgotten ila ho had long been yearning tor for a of gods country and some real snow As soon as lie ho heard of tho the reunion lie ho decided to eat cat turkey back home iko ike had gono gone out west with the forty elnera found much gold but the city had spread out all over his land and he had lind got rich in spite of himself down on the farm tho the dinner hablo presented a typical feast of the early eighties turkeys done cheros johnniey John JohnnI nley eTl said mary ann taking up a hot mince pie ill get im impulsive puls lve forgetful ot of his warning ran to the barn no sooner had w in the end all agreed with the scotch proverb sho stepped inside than she saw the half wivi wit dash out into the corral she screamed A moment later she heard an a intensified gosh and a scuffle in the frozen snow grasping a pitchfork she started to follow when a rough hand caught her and pulled liar her back blindly she fought like a young tigress biting and scratchy scratching ng through the barn door came john henry halt half dragging his bis victim see you dont need no help said the man who held mollie in ills his grasp was cumin but this young wildcat gave me too much to do reckon youre john henry and this one 0 Saman thys cals vm im your uncle ike just dropped in for that christmas dinner but that varmint youre draggan drag gln jn 19 aughta finished him you dont say sot sol you know who ho he Is asked john henry beckon if took a second look a 0 knowel yourself with aloud gaff guffaw aw ho caught the ahli now reviving young man by the arm and said george meet your affectionate brother and acknowledge your hearty welcome home well ill bedol danged dinged I 1 thank the lord I 1 havethe hav othe althe gun I 1 hugging and slinking shaking his brother alternately john glenry added its sure one on us 91 ile he explained how he had been ilayan Il ayIn for fer the barn loft boarder when lie he heard her scream and caught the man whom lie ho fully expected to be tho the half wit mollie said shed in a swore it was waa him after the war george had heard that tho the family were driven out by order no 11 not knowing where to find them he went to california hoping to find his undo and obtain news his long search ended just as ike ika consummated sum mated his plans for christmas so they decided to make the trip together and give cm am a big surprise arriving aforetime they slept in the liny hay and spent a day hunting down by tho the river our horses hofses are lown down in tho the old corn crib ho he concluded and liero here we are a fine looking pair to present at tho the banquet table disheveled they were but oh how Wel welcome comel I 1 mn ma looked twenty years younger younge uncle iko ike told his dreams of remodeling tho the old home ma ila said she have none W 0 them newfangled things in liar her house ike and george finally decided to stay and help harvest the spring wheat john henry conceded lie ho might go back with them and pick some oranges off the trees so home and california went round the long table in the end all agreed with the old scotch proverb east or west wept homes hoines best but many a grandchild heard the tale of tile wanderers unusual ach welcome ellla lionie home for christmas 0 i aft colonl |