Show enal r a a be e t yla fay y arthea i so banning avres CS r I 1 1 I vu T in the least like CT christmas sally stood at M the window and surveyed fl the dripping trees the soggy road A gray fog lay upon the hills the sky was the color of gunmetal gun metal 1 I 1 care about any old weather thought sally dismally if eric were here of coursed course I 1 understand that he had to go to town to meet his cousin lena le he decently do anything else but this Is our first christmas together and its sort of lonesome out here in the country sally was twenty three seq sli and eric had been married a little less than a year for months they had speculated on the best way vay to spend christmas together at first they had decided to fo go to new york only 40 miles away h have 1 v 1 dinner go to the theater and then the a some exciting night club but gradually they discovered that they were t not as interested in celebrating the holiday in this manner sally and eric had been to plenty of dinners plenty of dances dance I 1 and plenty of night clubs they were a bit fed up after considerable argument and trying to find out what the other really wanted they came to the grand conclusion that they would get a thrill outlet christmas at home in their little littfe house bouse in the country no no party said said eric no guests chimed in sally nothing but christmas and us ill 1 they had bad shaken hands solemnly on this they had talked over the dinner which sally was to prepare herself the mald maid having begged to be let off to go to her family for the day they had decided on the kind of christmas tree they wanted eric hod had gone out two days day s ago and chopped it down they had trimmed it with the glitter of make belleve icicles and silver blue lights they had shopped furiously buying quantities of jokes and silly presents these two young things very much in love and full wt of zest and ideas swept away the more obvious entertainments in one gesture they were as excited as children childre n then at of th the e afternoon the day before christmas while eric was chuckling to himself over bonne bome ridiculous gift he was wrapping up for sally the telephone lione rang eric talked very hurriedly into the transmitter and in a low tone sally could hardly hear bear what be said when be hung up the receiver he announced that he must leave for town at jonm once but wayt asked sally well he hesitated you see ive got to meet lena ashes just corne come lenal lena who in the world Is shel she sallys voice became n bit edgy oh er a sort of cousin terribly lorry sorry old girl ill tear oter in the buzz buggy and be back in no 0 time so he had gone and the trees dripped and the sky grew dark and sally eplly cried a little and decided this christmas eye eve was the horr idest shed ever spent she tried to remember member le if she had ever heard eric spent speak of lena before A wretched name she alie said aloud and probably a pe perfect r f P n alt t alt v t ret of a girl one of his odious s relatives a 1 e s she waited and waited malted christmas eve was going to be spoiled she could tell that why they gone to new york like everyone else then this lena pest would never neer have roped in erie eric A at t 6 30 the telephone jingled sally flew to answer it sally darling im a bit delayed de just called up to tell you not to worry traffic heavy ah oh yes said sally in a coot cool polite volee voice im bringing lena home home dear I 1 know like her expect us about quarter past seven sally wag avab in a rage now how dare he spoil poll their cherished christmas by bringing home a stranger how creel chuel how thoughtless I 1 at quarter past seven slie she heard the car rush into the drive before alie door her heart 0 haid hardened ened she went to the kitchen 14 and looked into a closet the front door banged uey hey sally I 1 hey bieyl I 1 where are you come here and meet lena 11 1 she heard footsteps s in the dining room the swinging door pushed open then she could catch her breath eric brie had her by the hand ile he literally dragged her into the dining ruusu th through rough the living room to the front door gotto got to meet lena right away he laughed lie ile thrust her out of the door on to the tiny porch lenal shouted eric god bless ler er there she stands I 1 1 sally blinked tears of rage dried in her eyes lena she murmured in a foolish little voice eric what have you done A small smart car stood by the steps light from the house flowed alo along ng its polished sides it panted gently with a quiet engine meet the wife lena said eric and made an elaborate gesture of in tro reduction whose demali demanded ded sally yours woman christmas present presen tl delayed in delivery I 1 had to go in to get her tho thought U id give you a whirl like the too looks ks of the dear clr oh eric ashes superb you wonderful boyl boy I 1 the trees drip dripped pd the fog closed in the country road became soggier than ever but sally decIn declared red it was perfect christmas weather 1 I feel I 1 really ought to offer her a piece oi of turkey said eric at dinner with a little gasoline gravy I 1 fcc c 1931 western newspaper union I 1 L I 1 |