Show sevell M 5 lighted the the C GADDY fireplace she sha switched on the christmas lights tor for the tree she pulled down the shades and pushed an easy chair towards the fire halsy would bo be home any time now cold and weary from his round of calls on sick people this was wag their first christmas eve together since they had bad been married halsy had started out on his rounds at noon at three he had bad telephoned to say he was obliged to abandon his C car the snow was too deep ile he had borrowed a pair ot of snowshoes and a fur cap and with beg bag in hand band was about to walls walk a road leading through the woods to a small email shack where a sick woman lay waiting his ministrations at caddas worried inquiries he said it would take him a couple of 0 hours then he had a three mile watt walk further on the main turnpike to a child suffering buffering with a sore throat after that he would retrace his bis steps get his car and drive home caddy gazed into the flames this country practice covered miles arid and miles halsy was conscientious he never failed to reach hla his patients somehow but he was tired and worn out and caddy herself was often lonely her plans for two fund for little parties at home usually ended in trying to got get someone to fill Ilal balsys sya place she know knew it would be lae this halsy had warned her she was sensible and patient yet tonight christmas christinas eve and dabsys birthday she aba sighed she bhe simply bear to have anything go wrong 0 the telephone rang that you caddy im stuck again tue the dreffs are so deep I 1 cant walk through im out of the wood road all sate safe and within two miles of that sick child cut but none of the farmers near here has a team of horses I 1 really need oxen to pull me through its tough going oh breathed caddy trying not to sound dismal caddy I 1 wonder he hesitated she could tell he was tired by the drag in his voice it if you could possibly get lem salters team of oxen and drive here for ne me I 1 I 1 simply cant ask him to do it himself ile he has his dau daughter ahter home for the holidays and her family its christmas caddy could not speak she knew what nhat this meant hours of being outi out in the storm heaven alone knew when they would get home she glanced about the friendly inviting room wont you darling to help me out then she remembered something her father had said to her on her wedding day you will never be allowed to torget forget you yon are the wife of a country doctor docter but I 1 think hes worth it I 1 it if you arel so now over brer the telephone she said all right stay where you are get warm and rested and ill be there by shanghai express I 1 the tedious drive behind the oxen seemed endless the snow sifted down dowa inside her collar it blinded her she was not actually suffering but sho she was pretty uncomfortable on and on and on the whirling curtains swept before her the snow I 1 drifted across the broad backs of the patient beasts they took their own way lu in their own plodding time cad cadi i dy sat on a box bos wrapped round with a bear rugs rug on and on and on creak I 1 create creak the swaying of 0 the beasts was like some grotesque nightmarish rhythm she almost fells asleep then oat of the whiteness ahead site she heard a shout ney hey blesa your heart darling and calsy jumped aboard the child was very sick the throat had to be lanced caddy forgot her injured feelings she helped capably the mother worn and harassed thanked them both with tears in her eyes and together they drank coffee beside a humble kitchen stove and ate huge slices of thick buttered bread not what shat caddy had planned tor for christmas eve yet curiously enough it seemed better than tle other it had she tried to think it out more strength and sinew to it she smiled at babsy this Is 1 poel dively the best christmas eve I 1 ever eler spent in my lafel li felshe sha whispered behind a largo buttered slice of 0 bread he ha kissed her you are the perfect pattern for a country doctors wife he ha whispered back 0 newspaper paper union |