Show I L. 1 he o I I I e I h i r. r I e Q J W WI I j j t I 40 1311 I i J JI I M rn ra ham m V- V Conner Bonner tr i H R 1ST I A Shad ShadI had a I I S come came to the city C There was no snow 4 on the ground no nor norI r did any Icicles I I tiG hang hung from the thes' thes eaves ea nor were e s' s v an any ponds covered COY cov ered with Ith Ice But n L In n It f r CL G H t na r. r L. L v u J J the same The very verj air was like Christmas Christmas- I It t was cold and clear crisp and und vigorous Even the scent of Christmas was In th the e I air Outside the grocery shops were cre e piles of Christmas trees ready to b be besold e I fol sold and nId there were great bundles o of f Christmas trimming I Every shop wore a Christmas lookhe look The he windows were ere decorated with re red redI d rI ribbons bons wreaths toys calendar i I l cards ennIs brightly decorated bO hoses boxes es filled d I with candies tempting gifts sifts I j I l People were hurr hurrying crowding Into int o the shops jostling each ench other but t i In Inn Inn n n a natured good Christmas shopping g fashion Children were about The Christmas Christ ChrIst- mas max holidays had commenced Ann had finished her Christmas Christma s shopping Yet she could not stay v away from the shops It would be pleasant she thought to toI I walk through them watching the I G t I 1 I t tt t r She Was Walking Through the Aisles Seeing Everything crowds seeing the novelties that kep coming In for sale joining the gaj n hurr hurry of the near Christmas period perio She walked along quickly Not because because because be be- cause she was In a hurr hurry but because she could not help hurrying Christmas Christ Christ- I mas hurr hurry was In the air It was a n splendid experience to have hae I all her Christmas Christinas shopping finished and to enjoy the shops In this fashion Perhaps since they were so crowded anyway she should have haye stayed at home I j I But she did not think that was nee essary She did not take up the time of any of the sales girls nor lid did she push her way In to stand by the coun coun- She simply walked alon along thI the th- I streets going from time to time ito to toI I the shops walking ing through the tIle aisles seeing eer everything and thoroughly enjoying en en- herself All those presents that she was send ing b by post had gone off A All those hn n c o b lU v u CL u rr ere CL ere C wrapped up and ond written on and ond all redy ready for tor Christmas s Eve Evo when she went ent to call calf on n her friends In the city They lived ed many of them far apart but she began begon her rounds early Christ Christ- mas Eve Eye and stayed l out until late Friends she har hardly l saw during the i year because the city kept her so busy and kept them so busy and because the distan distances es were so great grent all had a hurried Christmas call from her on ChrIstmas Eye Eve The They expected her on Christmas Eve Eye some some time or other othel No one went to bed early eaily It did not matter how late she Bhe called coiled The next nest day would come quickly No day came come more quickly In the year than the day of Christmas came come after Christmas Eve Sh She would see Billy and she would see iee Norton on Christmas Day She wondered what they thy would give glue her Norton always gave gae her beautiful eats Of t course he ha had pres more money mane than thun Billy but his presents had always h had more re reason renson for being than Billys Billy's But she almost t liked Billys Billy's b best s presents s Impulsive best impulsive per perishable kinds of ot presents were the ones Billy chose Yet Billys Billy's Impulsiveness B a o n was n not of ij was rY J great greot Jt stability n about out Billy and and tat steadfastness too again ogain Norton was so de do- voted so constant nt so brilliant Sh She e admired Norton lucman Immensely sely and und thought a n great deal of him She 8 admired Billy too Bill Billy was Just a d dear ear They ey had both asked her to mar marry She Bhe had hud promised she would have hae her mind quite made up by Christmas ChristIans That was wh why she had asked them both to see her that usually ally she day though tiny though never saw the people from outside world on Christmas D Usually It t Day Duy was U a day daj the family exclusively for tor It was strange she thought as she walked through throng trough the had shops that she so much to decide and ond yet she was spending her time like Uko this w f Il HIe w was as quiet s or o of e re It t She had bud nl itna in ed Lad be n II t S she e eIe be Ie so simple a i g 6 II ao II'S matter u- u with 11 0 lg any thou thought ht attached to S seat ly to It t tAt 1 At Attie the 1 age ne of at thirteen L to h hei herself sh sl e had self a Wonderful t pfd Il I combined all attractions 1 ma man u man marry him 1 ns he I And T sh site she WO r 1 t to 0 er very sweet aver a sly a t a rr ver Tr rl Yes lo lova I And now now at ot the age of i was quite different There Thera n It H and Norton both of t them hem tit were ere 11 hilly 7 ily fly liked them both S She he lI her T r f both now How liv lik l th strange i It v m was en th that could like lII two Ilten- Ilten men could t could not n kno once which one of them I a st t n with whom as the she he wanted panted ate It rest of her life to sPend sn ti tie lie Yet this was the case But ln t ft a r rec recently c nth made t up her mind to M she h bap her mind I make D op p Norton was comIn coming to se see A a r her bet four Billy at ut seven at t tAnd And then her thou thoughts from both of them wa dP eh once l or was and be completely fascinated e lan lund t t b the shops Inter She he loved ever She loved loyed to every shag In Ile te Oh there thereat was a little at ot the entrance o of or f one ot of table the t- t Into which she ha had Just co come roe It filled with as novelties ornaments ornament ara- ara oMi and ends an of possible gifts Something ng on the table table took her W. It was as a little cnn candle candlestick made eye r I green u rt find and made In the or of shape owl of at za There here was something appealing g to her In the a I r the owl expression o of t lIe He look looked s so o amused at t this tIlls He lie almost seemed to be he emus amUSed ed that he he was tuns here her e. e as ns a Christmas nor TOT city elty lie Ile looped looked as though he lIe word d always s 's cheer a n person there lS l something so droll about his his' c CI slon slop u us nf s though he lie wanted to say that t he found fount life even en in his candle candlestick tk foi fa form Im I'm m very verj amusing amusin r. r very verv Imn a lI cei certaInly not worth any worries orne 3 I She had hud no need for tile the cnn candlestick She seldom hUf hardly ly er ever used a J. J can can- dip die And they had lead several se old can candlesticks candle candle- sticks sUcks at ot home anyway Still not help wanting the owl owl it I absurdly ly She was wag never ne like thIs thIs- this i wanting useless pointless ornamental ornament But she did ld want this owl She asked his price It was not high And then a funny Idea came to her She went to a telephone phone an anti and called D. D Norton Im down town shopping she said Yes you knew the tIe hour hoar was was' I for four tomorrow Ill I'll be oh Norton I Just saw the most I adore adora adorable or ble little candlestick Its It's an 01 md- with such a funny e expression Xo No It It hasn't an any real value Oh no not m fi antique No no need of It at all Ye Ill I'll see you tomorrow She called Billy The up conversa conversa- q tion on her part was much the same But Billys Billy's had been hren different Nort Norton had not not been 11 interested In that absurd owl about u filch nirh she lad spoken He lend not lint deta detected ted Cled the note nete in he her voice oice of eagerness n s for the funny fumy little owl and all the funny little things he st stood od for Had he lie been of value of actual beauty Norton Korton wo wold ld have thought she had wanted It De He did not un understand But nut Billy's Billys answers answers an an- ar savers were different J h Why dont don't you jou get set him Sever Never j mind If he Is absurd and If IC there int jt an any value alne to the thing thIn You want I It dont don't you Get It as a little extra jj thing b from me Promise me Y you Il trill mil I 1 t tp q p 11 t F y I IThe Me Me She Told Tol i The he Owl Decided Billy That Evening letting let lee As cheap as that Good Youre You're ting ring me off orr easily 1 little owl a wai as She had known n that W hi him Wo m wise the minute she ba had seen could solve sol a 0 problem hem In so simple a i manner BlUr Billy he Im going to marry you de- de The owl de decided said said sald that next evening e sided me He lie laughed at ot that He thought though ht she M laa laugh h el at was Joking But he did dill not her in his ann annand her decision He TIe tool took and was at ot a loss for an un noisy speech speech dear dear talkative I could think of nothing to say sac about th uw a aright But nut Ann had been rig right candlestick ct t thad owl oRl That absurd little c sure sore had enabled her to make a n swift J ui little the decision Billy appreciated of were rc that Inconsequential moo moods s r Just one such Buch great wonderful ful to toy awhile it would be so 0 O F b oe be bo know that ones one's husband could r. r I s sympathetically absurd 1 I w D. D I C c 11 1925 1825 1 w western estera VII e CHY i r |