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Show Then Into the vision of onr paralysed and dutnfounded watchers camft tho little wagon, puiled by tlx old col ored woman, Bob'a wife, In her twt, and there, propped upon pillows, lay Hamilton Swift. Junior, bis soul shining rapture out of his great eyes, a bright spot of color ou each of his thin cheeks. - lie lifted himself on one elbow, and for an Instant something seemed to bo wrong with the brace which was under Ills chin. UeiiHlpy sprnns to him nd adjusted It tenderly. Then he bowed elaborately elaborate-ly toward the mantel-piece. "Mrs. Munt hlierg," be said, "may I have the honor?" And offered his arin. "And I must have Mister Hunch-berg." Hunch-berg." chirped Hamilton, "lie must walk with me." "He tells me." said Beasley, "h'U be mighty glnd to. And there's a plate of bones for Simpledorla." "You lend the way," tried the child; "you and Mrs. Hunchberg." "Are we all l.i line?" Dens'ey glanced back over bis shoulder. "Hoo-rny "Hoo-rny ! Now. let us on. Ho ! Music there !" "P.r-r-ra-vo !" applauded Mister Swift. And Bensley, his head thrown back and his chest out, proudly led the way, i i drew; while old Boh again. et his fiddle to Ms chin and started to scrape the preliminary measure of a quadrille. Beasley was back In an Instant, ohotttlng as he come: "Take your pardners! Balance all ! And then and there, nnd all by himself, him-self, he danced a quadrille, performing perform-ing at one and the same time foi four lively couples. Never In my life have I seen such gyrations and capers as were cut by that long-legged, loose-Jointed, loose-Jointed, miraculously flying figure. He was In the wildest motion without cessation, never the fraction of an Instant In-stant still; railing' the figures at the top of his voice and dancing them simultaneously; his expression anxious hut polite (as Is the habit of other dancers) ; Ills hands extended as If to swing his partner or corner, or "opposite "op-posite Inily;" and his feet, lifting high nnd flapping down In an old-fashioned step. "First four, forward nnd bock I" he shouted. "Forward and salute! Cnl-nnre Cnl-nnre to corners! Swing pardners! r-r-rand Bight-nnd-I-eft !" I think the combination of abandon and decorum with which he performed per-formed that "Grand Rlght-nnd-Left" was the funniest ihlng I have ever seen. But I didn't laugh at It. Neither did Miss Apperthwalte, ot my side. "Now do you believe me?" reck was arguing, fiercely, with Mr. Srliul-mover. Srliul-mover. "Is he crazy, or ain't he?" "He Is," Grist agreed, hoarsely. "He Is a stark, stnrln'. ravin', rourln' lunatic luna-tic ! And the nigger's humorln him!" They were nil staring, open-mouthed nnd aghast. Into the lighted room. "Do you see where It puts us?" Simeon Peck's rasping voice rose high. "I guess I do!" said Grist. "We come out to buy a barn, and got n house nnd lot fer the same money. It's the greatest night's work you ever done. Sim Peck!" "I guess It is!" "Shake on It. Sim." They shook hands, exalted with triumph. tri-umph. "This'll do the work." giggled Peck. "It'3 about two-thousand per cent better bet-ter than the story we started to git. Why. Dave Beasley'll he In a padded cell In a month! It II be nil over town tomorrow, und he'll have as much chance fer governor as that nigger In there!" In his ecstasy he smote Dow-den Dow-den deliriously In the ribs. "Whnt do you think of your candidate now?" "Walt." said Dnwden. "Who came In the cabs that Grist snw?" This staggered Mr. Peck. He rubbed his mitten over bis woolen enp as If scratching his bend. "Why." he said, slowly "who In Halifax did come In them cabs?" "The Huncbbergs? Where "Listen." said Dowden. .."First couple, face out!" shouted Pen h ley, facing out with un Invisible lady on his nklmboed arm. while old Boh sawed madly at "A New Coon In Town." "Second couple, fall In !" Bensley wheeled about and enacted the second couple. "Third couple!" He fell In behind himself again. "Fourth couple, if you please! Pal-ante Pal-ante ALL! I beg your pardon, Miss Beasley V Party .-; I ! BObTH TARK1NCTON 8 Cuprlgai 07 liArper A UroUwra ' , VI Continued. Part of the room was clear to onr view, though about half of It was shut off froin .ua by the very king of nil Christmas trees, glittering with dozens and dozens of candles, sumptuous in silver, spnrkllng In gold, and laden with Heaven alone knows bow ninny and what delectable enticements. Opposite Op-posite the Tree, his hack against the wall, sat old Boh. clad In a dress of state, part of which consisted of a swallow-till coat (with an overgrown chrysanthemum In the buttonhole), a red necktie, and a plnk-nnd-sllver lib-, crty cap of tissue-paper. He wns scraping scrap-ing a fiddle "like old times come amln," and the tune he played was, "Oh, my Liza, p' gnl!" My feet slniTleil to It In the snow. No one except old Bob wns to be seen In the room, 'out we watched him nnd listened breathlessly. When he finished "Liza," he laid the fiddle across his knee, wiped bis face with a new and brilliant blue silk hundktr-chief, hundktr-chief, and said: "Now come de big speech." The- Honorable David Beasley, earning ear-ning a Email mahogany table, stepped out from beyond the Christmas tree, advanced to the center of the room ; set the table dowu; disappeared for a moment und ret J rued with a white vnter-pltcher and a glass. He placed these upon the table, bowed gracefully several times, then spoke: "Ladles and gentleueu " There he paused. "Well." said Mr. Simeon Peck, slow-ly, slow-ly, "don't this bent h"ll !" "Look out!" The Journal reporter twitched Ills sleeve. "Ladles present." "Where?" mi id I. He leaned nearer me and spoke In a low tone. "Juft behind us. She followed us over from your boarding house. She's been standing around near us ull along. I supposed she wus Dowdeu's daughter, probably." "He hasn't any dr ughter," I smd. and stepped hack to the hooded figure I hnd been too ubsorbed in our quest to notice. It was Miss Apperthwalte. She had thrown n loose cloak over her head nnd shoulders; but enveloped In It as she was. and crested and epnule'ted with white, I knew her nt once. There was no mistaking her, even In a blizzard. She cnught my hand with a srrons, quick pressure, and. bending her hnid to mli.e, puld in a soft whisper, close to my ear: "I heard everything that man said Silk. 57 "You Lead the Way," Cried the Child; "You and Mrs. Hunchberg." stepping nobly and In time to the ex-hllai-ftlng measures. Hamilton Sw'"', Junior, towed by the beaming old mnm-my. mnm-my. followed In his wagon, his thin little arm uplifted and his fingers curled as If they held a trusted hand. When they reached the door, old Hob rose, turned In after them, nnd, still fiddling, played the procession nnd himself down the linll. And ho they marched a way, and we were left staring Into the empty room. ... "Sly soul !" snld the Journal reporter, re-porter, gasping. "And he did nil that-just that-just to plene n little sick kid!" "I can't figure It out," murmured S!m I'eck, plteously. "I can," said the Journal reporter. "This story will he nil over town tomorrow." to-morrow." He glanced nt me, and I nodded. "It'll be nil over town," he continued, "though not In any of the papers nnd I don't believe It's golns to hurt P;ive IViisloy's rlinnces any." MM. Peek nnd his companions turned townrd the street nnd went silently. The yoit"g ninn . from the .Tournnl overtook them. 'Thank you for seiul-Inu seiul-Inu for me." hp sr.ld. cordially, "You've given me n treat. I'm for rsensley!" Dowden put his hand on my shoulder. He had not observed the third figure still remaining. "Well, sir." he remarked, slinking the b"ow from Ids cunt, "they we;-o rl'rht id'o'it one thins: It certainly wnn mli'litv low down of r:tve not to Invite me nnd you. too to his Christum pnr'y. Let him go to thunder wliti bin old Invitations. I'm golr.g In. ntiy-wny! ntiy-wny! Conir on. I'm plum fro::e," There was n side door Just beyond the bay window, and Dowden went to it and num. loud nnd long. It wus IVnu'ey himself who opened It. "What In the name " he lu.in. a" the ruddy light fell upon Powden's ' faie and upon iii s'atidlng n little way hch'nd. "Wlmt nrc you two snow-hanks? snow-hanks? What on earth nre you fellows doing out here?" "We've come to your Christmas pnr-ty. pnr-ty. you old horse-thief!" Thus Mr. Pnwclen. "Iloo-rny!" snhl I'-easley. Dowden turned to me. "Aren't you comli'g?" "What nre you walling for, old fV. tow?" fa h I I'.ealey. 1 walled a moment longer, nnd then It happened. She came out of the shadow nnd ' went to the font of the steps. I er '. clonk fnlKir; from her shoulders as shg pushed me, I picked It up. She lifted her arms nlendlnclv, though her head was bent with what seemed to me n beautiful sort nf Khntne. She stood there with the snoy driving -a Inst her nnd d'd not speak. I'easley (hew his hand slowly ncro-s his eves to see If they were really I there. I think, "Dnvld." she sii'd. nt Insf. "You've got mi many lovely people In your I housi tonlirht. In'f there room f, r fc Just one fool? It's Christmas lime I" (TUB LND). In our hallway; You left tie library do)r oeii when you culled Mr. Dowden Dow-den out." "Ko." I returned, maliciously, "you you couldn't help following!" bhe released my bund gently, to my surprise. "Hush." she whispered. "He's saying say-ing something." "Ladles und gentlemen." said Beasley again nnd slopped again. DowiIcii'k voice sounded hysterically In my right ear. (JIIss Appe rihwuite had whispered In my left.) "The only speech he's ever made In his llfii and he s Muck !" But Bensley wasn't: he was only deliberating. "Ladles nnd gentlemen." he began "Mr. and Mrs, Huiichberg. Colonel lliiMcliberg and Aunt Cooley Hunch her;;, M'ss Molaiimt. Miss Queen and Miss Marble Ihmchborg. Mr, Nob'e, Mr. Tom, and Mr, Crainloe lliinclibe.g. Mr. Corley Llnhrldge. and Masfr aliiiiutiei'sley: Vou see '..ei'oie you tonight, to-night, In my person, merely the representative rep-resentative of your real host. Mister Swift. Mister Swift has 'xpies-ed n wish that there sluni'J be a speech, ami bus deputed me to make It. He requests that the subject lie has as-s'gned as-s'gned me should lie treated In as dig-nilied dig-nilied a manner as Is possible considering con-sidering the orator. Lad'es and j gclilleinc!:" he took a s'p of water "I will now address you upon the following fol-lowing subject: 'Why We Call Christ-ma!) Christ-ma!) 'rime the Best Time.' "Christinas time Is the best time because be-cause l is the kindest time. Nobody ever felt very happy without feeling very kind, nnd nobody ever felt very kind without feeling at least n 1 it t U happy. So. of course, either way about, the hnpp'est time is the kind est time that's this time. The must beautiful things our eyes can see ii"e the stars; and for that reason, ami !u remembrance of One star, we set Cndles on the Tree to le stars In the houic. So we make Christmas time k time of stars Indoors; and they shine vnr.rily against the cold outdoors out-doors that Is like the cold of other seasons not so kind. We set our hundred hun-dred cnntlles on the Tree and keep them b'.Mght throughout the Christmas Christ-mas time, for while they shine upon us we have light to see tbls life, not i a buttle, but ns the march of a iHghiy Fellowship! Ladies and gentlemen. gentle-men. I thank you !" He bowed to right nnd left, as to an nudietire politely applauding, and. lifting the table and Its burden, with- Opposite tha Trv, ... Back A3ainct the Wall. Sat Old Cob. Molanna. I'm afraid I stepped on your train. Sashay All !" After the "snsl.uy" the noblest and most dashing bit of gymnastic displayed dis-played In tie whole (piadrlile he bowed profoundly to his Invisible pait-tier pait-tier and ci:me to n pause, wiping bin drenming face. Old Itott dexieroiisly swung a "A New Coon" Into the ulnli.ly inensiiies of n trlniiiidml nmrcli. "And now," Beasley nnnoimced. In stentorian tones, "if the Indies will be mi hind ii. to take the gcntlcniee's iirms, we will proceerl to the dining loom and partake of a Might collation." colla-tion." Thereupon crimp n slender pipinc of Joy from thnt rnrt of the ro-mi which had been serened from ns by screened from ns by tlie Tree, "Oh. Cousin Uavld Beasley. thnt was the liea'illfullest (piadrlile ever danced hi the world! And now. please, won't yen take Mrs. Hunchberg out to Hup-lor?" |