| Show KED adall 1 v RICHARD DARKER DRAW DRAWING G M h heyer EY E Rs k f 4 on the still winter air rou room th the three childish voice voices I 1 HE nursery rang 01 with the childish voices hark the herald angels a I 1 ing IT h a ts t a too high walt wait a minute 1 hark bark the herald belter better now Serap hinal now thuds hark the herald angels eling aling el al ing glory to the newborn king kins seraphina Seraph lna cant you take that itce of candy out of mouth he nearly choked himself just then you can have it beck thad when youve sung two verses dont be such a babal now good and loudl Il hark the herald angels at sting ing schuyler bellowed lustily and beat time with a drumstick seraphina Seraph lna sang with much fervor and many false notes while little thad followed the tune manfully and substituted a lala la la la when the words proved elusive to his tour four year old memory the second verse brought to a sue suc j issue schuyler dismissed the chorus and turned to the door you see if f you cant teach thad the words of that second verse while I 1 go downstairs and get some jose joss sticks for the censer he told seraphina schuyler van brunt was as working under difficulties doctor post had told him of the old english custom of singing carols in the streets on christmas morning it had taken a strong hold on the boys fertile imagination so strong a hold that he had planned to smuggle seraphina Seraph lna and thad from the house when christmas came and to sing a carol out ot outdoors doors in true english fashion then just when he needed doctor posts advice most there had been some vague trouble between the doctor and aunt margaret aunt margaret no longer wore the diamond ring on the third finger of her left hand and doctor post came no more to the house it was very disheartening S schuyler huyler wanted to ask doctor post a score of questions about the carols did the people who sang them wear surplices like the choir boys in the procession at st judes did they stand still or march around while they sang these and other points sadly taxed his eight year old intellect but bis his determination to eing mug that carol in the street never faltered hence the secret rehearsals in the nursery after much deliberation ho he decided that surplices would lend dignity to the occasion and this decision was furthered by the thought that night gowns would make very passable sur our alices then a tomato can au nUe gesting possibilities he be added a censer to the properties A tomato can punched full of holes swung on the gilt cord that comes about candy boxes and filled lith burning joss sticks would make a beautiful censer it was christmas eve and lers plans were complete he felt sure they would put up a very creditable carol in the ru morning orning even if it doctor posts advice had not been obtainable As he crept upstairs with the joes joss stick which aich ho he had begged from agnes the second girl he felt that the last obstacle had been surmounted come on now once more he said as he entered the nursery door eia elpa EI a will bo be up with supper in a minute weve just timo time before she comes stand up thad yes ill let you have a piece of the joss jose stick 4 1 f sing good and loud now IL very early in the ray imy of tho christmas dawn 15 bi awoke bounced out of bed and began to rouse his ca cohorts he tiptoed to Serapi linas lit it do tio white abot and indulged in a series of vigorous shakes and punches get got apt up get up Serap hinal its to go aut and carol be he whispered hoarsely Serap blaa arose and bitting sitting on the elde side of her bod bed blinked at him reproachfully fully little thad wae van already awake and ready for anything which savored of exciting notley the two eldar eld children grouted hurriedly and between bet Teon thorn them they managed to put ou on little clothes cl then schuyler crept noiselessly to the hall below and returned with coats and hats and mittens when they had bundled themselves veri into these outer garments each donned a surplice 1 at the last moment schuylar lar sr bethought him 0 at the brilliant cord on his fathers bathrobe and at the imminent peril of dis covery ho he stole into mr van brunts dressing room and returned with tho the coveted cord encircling his small waist this finishing touch he felt sure made him quite like the boys at st judes he fished beneath bis his bed and drew out the tomato can conker center filled with the joss stick come on he whispered and led the way down the wide stairs with a caution worthy of at better things he shot the bolts and opened the front door the three grotesque figure stole silently out and stood en the stoop in the cold christmas dawn the air was still aud and biting the silence silance of the streets appalling sera phinas mind reverted to the luxury of tho the bed she had just quitted 0 o oh ohl she chattered its cold aw awful c cold to be out in your nightie night lel 1 schuyler snorted scornfully you got enough on underneath it he demanded angrily and seraphina was silenced C o old echoed little thad and then evidently thinking the sooner he caroled the sooner be he would be back in the house be he began in W biz piping voice hark jr heral dangel schuyler thrust a hand over bis his mouth shut up he said disgustedly do you want elsa to come out and sneak us back into the house come on now he led the way down the steps and around the corner where be he paused to light taw joss stick in the tomato can when they started again little thad tripped on his nightgown night gown surplice and went sprawling into the gutter he was rescued howling but not until he bad had been promised unlimited candy could the marah be taken up again who are you going to sing your carol to demanded the practical Serap seraphina bIna ninny to no one in particular said schuyler you ought to sing it to some one she Urs persisted isted well who he challanger challan ged but seraphina was unable to defend her point thus specifically til ill tell you he compromised well go to doctor posts well sing it on the way and sing it to him too through the deserted suburban streets they marched schuyler in the lead swinging his smoking carser ser valiantly seraphina ambling along in his wake and little thad bringing up the rear his strange surplice bearing unmistakable evidence of the gutter from which he lad been recently fished and on the still winter inter air rose tha three childish voices in the old old hymn de doctor c tor post heard them caroling on the lawn and came to the door in his bla bathrobe the three strangely garbed figures met his astonished gaze good lord what have we here he gasped were heral daneels dan gels piped little thad were christmas carolers caro lers corrected schuyler with dignity im frozen chirped seraphina bIna the doctor made a heroic effort to maintain bis his gravity come in come in and get got warm he said merry christmas Christ mae to youl they filed flied up the steps into the ho warm wide hall the tomato can ending out its reek of at burning joss JOBS stick 1 I would like to ask it if carolers generally arall wear surplices and carry censera schuyler questioned doubtfully the doctors eyes twinkled the best I 1 ever heard did he gald said gravely at that moment the telephone bell whirred wildly and this is what they leard heard the doctor say hello 1 yes this is to doctor poat talking who oh its you margaret margaretl he lingered affectionately on the word yes Y e s now dont bo ba alarmed not lost in fact here ath me mo tale they ramo to fling zinc mo mn a carol in goc go old fashion ahloo a no don dont donl L to send elsa ill bond thorn home k w 7 tho the carriage aa as soon as I 1 can call got da up not at allt aill good byl oh margi rot merry Chrict mast perhaps you dont mind 11 drive over wit thorn them thanks half halt an horr hoge lator later a carriage up before cio a van brunt hoube house an ar from it emoi emo ged schuylor schuyler seraphim bIn thad anil and doctor post mra mrs va brunt and aunt margaret not tho the ca i alcado at tho door ahl aoh I 1 ohi said birk van vat drun brun gathering tho the three strange little fl urea in hor her arma arms while allo tears of at me ariment rimont ran down her face doctor poat post had turned to Alar margare gare 1 I thought id como come with tho the herat angels ho he said laughingly and I 1 lo 10 0 chool thool idlean peace on earth and mald mil for TOO me hor her eyes softened A smile trembled on her lips a momon uncertainly the next moment with ai at uncertainty whatever wha tover and then hi b know that tho the herald angela angel had at a complis hed an unwitting mission copyright prank muncey co |
