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Show fir , 38ael Home vl"- h NoruCBaileu Jlnunle and Mary Ann. Meet 'era quick nn' tell 'em not to let Ma catch on." "Bet y' we're first ones here," lie bosun, but Sue cautioned him a he gave her a snowy hug. "Froie, Mury Ann!" her cousin asked. "With all them lap robes and hot stones!" she laughed. By the time Uuelc fllram and Aunt Betsy and their Ethelbert and Aunt Knicrlne and Uiumuh had nrrlved. Ma had begun to minnlt-e ; but at the next familiar Jingle, she actually arose an'l peered out the window herself., ."Fer the lund sokes. It It ain't Sister Catherine Cath-erine und Sury Jane and Billy all the way from t'ike county. Joliuule, what are you children up to anyhow t Who else Is comln'J" "Depends on the weather, Ma. Rock-on Rock-on you've guessed It's your party." Ma dropped Into hex chair, speechless, and begun puffing vigorously on ber pipe. Her eyes told them she was al-mot-t happy. By noon they were there, those brothers and sisters and their children. chil-dren. Some bad traveled many miles. Of course, they couldn't expect Ike; but he was often In their thoughts and conversation. "Guess Ike's about forgot what Christmas back home la like," some one ventured. But Ike had not forgotten. He hud long been yearning for a "sight of God's country and some real snow." As soon as he heard of the reunion he decided to eat turkey back home. Ike had gone out West with the forty-niners forty-niners hadu't found much gold; but the city hnd spread out all over bis laud and he hnd "got rich In spite of himself." Down on the farm the dinner table presented a typical feast of the early eighties. "Turkey's done. Where's Johnnie?" said Mary Ann, taking up a hot nilnce pie. "I'll get 'Im." Impulsive Im-pulsive MoIIie, forgetful of his warning, warn-ing, ran to the barn. No sooner had I .'MINDFUL of the Icy air, Mollle shook the great feather bed and j turned It over. Her blin k eyes sparkled as she snng, "Where e'er we go, we'll not forgot" "Mollle I Ain't you ever comln' to help get breakfast? John Henry's got the chores done. I beur him comln' with the milk." Sue, calling from the kitchen, kitch-en, was skimming frozen cream yellow yel-low and thick from earthenware crocks. "Hurry, Mollle, take np the sausage and put the eggs In the skillet. skil-let. Set the pies ou or Johnnie won't know he's had breakfast Here he comes, open the door quick. Are you 'most froze, Johnnie?" "By golly. It I cold, Sue." He deposited de-posited the huge pall, pulled off his frozen gloves, laid them on the stove hearth to thaw and stood breaking bit of Ice from his mustache,. Scrap lug caked snow from his boots on the edge of - the wood-box, he said, "Y'know, I've got an Idee if this keep up we'll have a white Christmas." "You'd Joke If you's gona be bung. You know tomorrow's Christmas an' It'll spoil everything. Too deep for sleighs now sh here comes Ma.' "Ain't breakfast ready yet?" complained com-plained Ma. Since Mollle and Sue had grown up. Ma old at forty-five had donned ber lace cap, retired to her chimney corner to smoke her pipe, knit and piece quilts. Her husband bad been shot by bushwhackers; ber youngest son bad never come back from war ; so she brooded and grieved. Pretending preparations were for their "slngtn' school crowd" the young folk had Invited ber brothers snd sisters sis-ters to "spend Christmas with ber and cheer her up." "Do you think Uncle Ike," Mollle began ; but, at a kick under un-der the table, she turned to Ma, "do you think Uncle Ike will ever come back?" "Land sales, no, whatever put that Into your bead, child? Who'd leave Californy to come back here an' freeze to death?" "Well, I reckon most folks wanta go to Californy some time," commented John Henry, "but I guess the old farm ain't so bad after all, when the crops Is fair an' that's most generally. They's still plenty o' firewood and tbey's apples an' turnips an' 'taters an' a few other thing In the cellar. Bossy en' Baldy ain't failed us yet an' they't plenty o' meat In the smokehouse. smoke-house. Oranges an' fresh lettuce Is mighty One, but they don't Iny heavy on yer stummlck." "Sour grains," chlded Sue. "You know you'd love to go out there an' see all them purty flowers an' go swlmmln' at Christmas time an' never have to go out In the cold to do the chores." "Dunged If I would," responded re-sponded the loyal one, "the old farm' good enough for me. Christmas ain't no proper time fer swlmmln', nohow, an' I ain't never been burf doln chores." Throughout the meal, the young people peo-ple continued their banter; then Johu Henry followed the girls to the kltch en. ' "They's tracks around the barn," he confided; "don't scare ma, hut It might be that half-wit hired num I fired last fall up to the Lord knows what! You gals keep to the house nu' don't let no stranger In." Apprehensive Appre-hensive of the worst, they promised. Presently the sky cleared. Sunshine and melting snow were making roads more Impassable throughout the day. In the End All Agreed With the Scotch Proverb. . .. she stepped Inside than she saw the "half-wit" dash out Into the corral. She screamed. A moment later she heard an Intensified "gosh" and a scuffle In the frozen snow. Grasping a pitchfork, she started to follow when a rough band caught her and pulled her back. Blindly she fought like a young tigress biting and scratching. Through the barn door came John Henry half dragging his victim. "See, you don't need no help," said the mun who held Mollle In his grasp. "Was comin' but this young wildcat gave me too much to do. Reckon you're John Henry and this one o' Sumanthy's gals. I'm your Uncle Ike Just dropped In for that Christmas dinner. But that varmint you're draggln' in. you'd oughta finished him." "You don't say sol You know who he Is?" asked John Henry. "Reckon "Reck-on if you'd took a second look you'd a knowed yoursclt" With a loud guffaw, he caught the now reviving young man by the arm and said, "George, nieel your affectionate brother and acknowledge acknowl-edge your hearty welcome home." "Well, I'll be gol dinged I Thank the Lord I didn't have the gun I" Hugging and shaking his brother alternately, John Henry added, "It's sure one on us. Motile." He explained how he hud been "layln' fer the barn loft boarder" when he heard her Scream and cuught the man whom he fully expected to he the "half wit." Mollle suld she'd "a swore It was him." After the war George had heard that the family were driven out by Order No. 11. Not knowing where to find them, he went to California hoping to find his uncle and obtain news. His long search ended Just as Ike consummated con-summated his plans for Christmas; so they decided to make the trip together nnd "give 'em a big surprise." Arriving Arriv-ing aforetime, they slept In the hny and spent a day hunting down by the river. "Our horses are down In the old corn crlh," he concluded, "and here we are a fine looking pair to present at the"bnnquet table," Disheveled they were but oh, how welcome ! Ma looked twenty years younger Uncle Ike told his dreams of remodeling remodel-ing the old home; Ma said she wouldn't have "none o' them newfangled new-fangled things" In her house. Ike and George finally decided to stay and help harvest the spring wheat John Henry conceded he might go back with them and pick some oranges off the trees. . So; home and California went round the long table. In the end all agreed -vith the old Scotch proverb, "Knst or Wert, home's best." But many a grandchild heard the tale of the wan-iTers' wan-iTers' nmreunl welcome home for hrlstnius. Cj, 1921. Weatera Ntwapaper Onion.l "Ain't Breakfast Ready Yet 7" Com plained Ma. That riljit us they sat around the Ore place, a gust of wind overburdened the Know on the roof and a poriior slid to the ground with a thud nnd the rattle of breaking Icicles. The tflrU screamed. Realizing their nervous ness was due to the tracks around tbe barn, John Henry laughed heurtily, set some apples roasilng on the hearth by way of diversion, and cracked blnck walnuts on the side of a flat Iron. Sue fretted about "all them mince pies;' Ma snld it was a shnine they'd killed both turkeys, nnd Mollle declared she was net sr "so put out tn her life." Suddenly the wind howled angrily. "Golly. Ma. It's gettln' cold again. Itet y' It'll crust the snow over tonight." to-night." "Like as not," Ma agreed, and the driving wind continued. John Henry Hen-ry added a log to the fire and began r.elllng popcorn. Son nudged her sister, sis-ter, "lie meting 'mile the popcorn balls.'" Mollle bega-.i to ring "Although "Al-though we cross the ocean blue, no friends we'll find one-hnlf so true." John Henry carried a shovel of glowing coals to the kitchen and started a fire. Going to the door he examined ex-amined the gun and set It near. "He don't like them tracks, Mollle," Sue confided over the boiling simp. "I'll bet It Is that half wit." Their eyes grew big and round. Early to bed and whistling wind brought restful rleep nnd with morning morn-ing came sleigh bells. Mollle scratched a peep-hole In the fantastic frost forest for-est on the window pane. "It's Uncle |