Show A BETWEEN THI E ALBE BE EI PER a hard lit to crack and proud of 0 it nobody realized it more limn the group of hard bard men who sat around a table with lilia him comfortable in their armchairs warm with tile heat of steam radiators and plenty of 0 coal and little interested in those who could not pay for protection against the bitter late december cold 1 I guess lie he could pull through it we nursed him a bit oneo one o of the group was remarking hes young and enthusiastic thusia ilia organizations good never let himself get cornered like tills before sure will be a lesson to him film nurse him long enough hell get into the wholesale line and increase competition arent there enough of us already it was babcz gorni gorm who spoke if 1011 dont encourage tho the good ones a bit youre apt to get all the more bad ones A hard voice from a hard face was speaking on the alie other side of tile the table ever seen a good one when lies selling against you jabez countered kinda hard to hammer a fellow the first time lime hes up against it a rather kindlier voice broke in harder hes hammered the tougher hell get how I 1 got toughened said another on and on the debate ant figures were tabled how much the debtor owed how much he was likely to produce in bankruptcy how much the dividend would be whether li ether it would pay better to take fill N per cent and get rid of a potential potentia rival I 1 or get 75 and let him film start agan with a clean sheet or give him lots of time to pay in full on and on they argued the snow cluttered up the window and deafened the outside sounds of 0 happiness and good cheer of hasten i Z A look daddy what santa claus left for mell me lug ing feet of shivering limbs of arms armi flapping to keep hungry and ill clad bodies warm and the argument went on cheerful greetings happy salutations heartfelt good wishes w were ere exchanged right and left leftin in the street below but in an upper room of the big hotel the hard faced group argued on and heard nothing well look follows fellows we cant stay all night I 1 gotta take the train tonight all packed up an everything going to play golf in florida over the holida holidays ym gotta get this thing over quick or I 1 miss that train lucky dog I 1 cant afford to play golf in florida tills from jabez gorm neither can I 1 afford to play good samaritan to bankrupt young fools let act him assign and be done with it the final decision was so regist registered ered and the creditors meeting broke up one to fly for a train heading south some to join hilarious parties in the banuet banquet halls of the hotel jabez gorm to return to a big stern looking house hoube in which many servants had prepared with professional effle efficiency lency the seasonal decorations the gifts and the festal touches that fashion and aad social custom required to be provided tor for the children of this very elegant house seven next nest morning the bells were ringing their annual message of pence peace and good will A choir to in a little nearby church was singing noel noel charlie gorm ove five years old and full of falth faith in the things that really matter was dancing round the paternal bed of the gorm household look daddy what santa claus left for met N a letter with it an look jabez roused himself and read 1 I was cleaning up your house when I 1 saw the kids stocking hung up and remembered about christmas hate to do anybody a bad turn on christmas eve heres a buck for tho the babas christmas look out for your sliver silver aud and other valuables some other night 11 not so long ions ago jabez had taken prizes at sunday school funny that the only lesson he could think of now was about another titter who alio repented in time and won the first guaranteed pass through the pearly gates of heaven jabez gorm would have glen ghen a hand to call that meeting back rut put they were gone their several ways not for months could they all be got together again the church bells planted once more to jenrz gorm they seemed to sing too late too late too late too late lq 10 1921 1927 warn Wl rn union |