Show uhe ga ire A AM LINCOLN walked slowly S SAM along the street gazing into store windows an icy wind caught him at the corners but he hurried across to the next curb in tent on his mental shopping he ile was thinking hard of cora too though not a word had been spoken between them on the sub eject it was quite understood that he should buy her warm gloves a warm sweater and stockings for christmas he d saved a fair amount for this very purpose when you gave up your city living for the country you thought in terms of wool cora needed all these things her gloves were worn down to thin spots her sweater had been mended a good many times and her stockings well cora just laughed about them cora would she had made fun of every hard thing about changing their home from the dreadful wheezy pump in the kitchen to the way the floors slanted in the bed rooms so that no pencil would stay on a table and books continually slid off on the floor cora was a thoroughbred and a good sport sam looked at a green sweater that would be becoming to cora s light curls or that cheerful red one nice on snowy winter morn ings the very chickadees would sing with pleasure at sight of her in that sweater he took a few steps toward the shop door when his eye fell on a black and yellow silk kimono of course he would not get it just inquire the price so that he might look at it the moment sam touched a reverent hand to the exquisite silk he was lost thrifty hard wo working aking sami saml how could he have done such a thing and so calmly too please wrap it up he had said the price had been reduced in or der to sell quickly he walked dout out of the shop with the light bundle under his arm and slunk by win dows filled with warm woolen clothes the kind cora so sore ly needed all the way home on the train his heart sank lower and lower he 16 1 you re so lovely I 1 want to kiss you very hard felt so chilled and miserable at the thought of his weak delavior bela vior that cora rushed at him as he opened the door exclaiming my dear what dreadful thing has hap bened to youa they had an excellent if frugal dinner cora chatted happily 0 of f athis this and that looking unusually pretty and gay sam tried to meet her laughter but actually shivered vered along his kis spine idiot foell wretched unspeakable lunatic that he was I 1 would a yellow and black chinese kimono keep cora warma it would not justice demanded that he con fess cora would be kind and that would hurt more than anything cora would be tind cind and keep right on feeling cold on the crisp mornings after christmas but he must do it muddle through it somehow after dinner he came close to cora muttering something about a gift and how bained sorry he was and please please not to look at cairn him so sweetly cora ora unwrapped the bundle sam waited the lovely shining thing fell to the floor with the lights gleaming on oil it oh oh I 1 never in all my life saw anything so cent for mea surely surely not for me sama but how I 1 d adore itt III I 1 in sure I 1 wouldn t mind anything if I 1 knew such a gorgeous garment were hanging in m my clo closet set but of course you re teasing me no said sam heavily it s your christmas present I 1 feel lika cad I 1 know you need the warm things don t be so darned sweet about itt he commanded crossly cora flung on the robe and threw her arms around sam sams s neck I 1 don t know why you re acting this silly way but if you YOL re so dead set on warm things a whole box came this afternoon from uncle horace sam sank weakly into a chair you re so lovely I 1 want to kiss you very hard why not cora re in the yellow and blacci kimono this is simply the tile most wonderful thing you ever did for me cs es e n N un on alatA suit efel |