OCR Text |
Show A CHRISTMAS RECONOilATtON Shlll.II' ilA.N It J.N pulled duffD the curtains of his car with an angry an-gry jerk. Then his voice snapped out a sharp command to his 1 chauffeur: "Get off this crowded crowd-ed street, Jenkins; this Christmas crowd Is most annoying, rushing 1 around like Insane people T" - Jenkins gave a quiet assent and soon the big car slid qui 'y into the j wide smoothness of the boulevard But the traffic condition of this thorough fare was no less pleasing to Philip Manlon thun the rush and hurry of the business section. It seemed as If every car In town musl be there. He gre v more Irritated each mo ment, so much so that even the well trained chauffeur felt Its Influence. For the first time In his life Jenkins Sacrificed safetv to sned hs he tried to get his master away from the thing that irritated him so. And the result was, as It so often Is In such cases a crash. It all happened so quickly both master and man were dumb with surprise and fright for a moment. mo-ment. The after-accident crowd that comes from no one knows where bud quicUlj assembled. Ugly threats were passed around. The driver of the twisted taxi was hurling hot words at the white-faced white-faced Jenkins. Both drivers were unhurt. un-hurt. But Philip Manlon was unmindful of them all. He was bending over the unconscious form of a woman who lay inside the cab. Biood was streaming stream-ing from a gash on her forehead and to all appearances she lay dead. "Oh, Clare, Clare !" Manlon was crying cry-ing brokenly. "It Is I Philip. Won't you speak to me? You you won't go and leave me to live on and '.now I killed you?" But no answer came to his pleas; the white lips seemed to be stilled forever Manion covered his face with his hands and sobbed bitterly. Then some one pulled him buck from the cab a doctor had come. And In a few minutes they were hurrying to the nearest hospital. For an hour that seemed like an eternity Manlon waited for the doctor's doc-tor's verdict. Gone was all the bitterness bitter-ness and hostility toward all that had possessed him In the past two years; In their place tenderness and sym- A Door That Held a Message of Life or Death: pathy had come back again. He knew now the cause for the way he hud been acting: he had just been trying to crush out and stifle the crying of his heart. It was the need of Clare, the stifling of his love for her. that had turned him into a hard and bitter bit-ter man. "Oh, God I let her live?" he cried over and over. "Let her live to know that I am not the cur that she thinks I am. Let her live to know that It was stubborness and pride only thai kept me away. Oh, if I hud only given in and told her the truth." A dor that held a message of life or 'eath opened very softly and a smiling doctor motioned him in. A great surge of joy filled his hea.-1 , he knew Clare wns going to live. As he entered there came from the street beh-w the voices of carol singers, clear, and sweet upon the evening air: God rest ye little children: let nothing you affright; For Jesus Christ, your Savior, was born upon this night; Along the hills of Galilee the white flo-ks sleeping lay, When Christ, the child of Nazareth, was born on Christmas dav. As If flt the sound. Clare Manlon stirred softly, then her eyes opened I eery slowly and took in the outlines of the unfamiliar room. They fell upon (he man, standing with bowed head In the doorway. "Philip, Oh, Philip I Is Is it reallj you. or am I dreaming? The joy In the weak voice was unmistakable. "Yes it Is I, Clare." Manion's voice, was broken mid hoarse as he sank down upon his knees by the bed. "(in can you ever forgive me for what I have done? All I ask Is a chance to atonca to show you that I can be all that you once thought me." Next day, when ihe Christmas bells were pealing out their message of peace on earth and good will toward I nil men, no two persons felt the joy ! of the age-old tidings In a greater I measure than they, for their hearts had opened to now understanding and faith in each other. (tQ. 1928. Western Newspaper Union. 1 |