Show I 1 w vh is I 1 beasley beasleyy Bea s PA I 1 chaimas Ch Chri rimas gimas i in 11 party v X it ey cy Is BOOTH WilY right br harpt a bothers brother vl VI continued part of the room was clear to our blew though about half of it was shut off from OB as by the very king of nil all christmas trees glittering with dozens and daens of candles sumptuous ID it silver sparkling lo in gold and laden with heaven alone knows how ninny many and what flat delectable enticements opposite the tree his back against the wall tins MI old boh bob clad in a dress of state part of which consisted of a swallowtail swallow tail toll cont coat with an overgrown in the buttonhole a red necktie tle and a pink and sliver liberty top cap of tissue paper lie he wits was scrolling scraping a fiddle like old times come again and the tune he played was oh my llyn ro r sl golf my teet feet shuf fied d to it in the snow no ko one except old bob was to be teen seen lit in the die room lint we watched him end and listened breathlessly when lie he finished liza lie ho laid the fiddle across his knee wiped his face with a new and brilliant blue silk handkerchief and said now come de big speech the honorable dald dm id beasley carrying a matio gany table lable stepped out front from bernd tile christmas atiee advanced to lie hie center of the roon tet set the ilie table down disappeared for a inocent all and with a while ritter and a glass ile he placed these there upon the llie table bowed gracefully several times thru theril broke ladles ladies and gentlemen P there he paused paus ed W arll 11 sald mr air simeon peck slowly dont this ills bent bil b il alvik out the journal reporter twitched liis lais sleet e ladies present where said 1 I ile he refined nearer me end and spoke in a low tone jut just behind us she followed us over front from your boarding house ashes been su anding around near us all along I 1 supposed she was dowdels Dow dens daughter probably he any daughter I 1 said and sterrit stopped il hack to the hooded figure I 1 had been too absorbed la in our quest to majce also it it was vista mi hiss apper site she lind had thrown a loose cloak over her head lie ail and shoulders but enveloped to ID it as slip vlas wa and crested nril with ith white I 1 knew tier her at once there was no mistaking tier her even in a she caught my liand with a strong quick pres nire ure and hending bending tier her hand to mine sold cald in a soft whisper close to ny my ear 1 I 1 heard everything that man sold in our bull hallway way you left the door oliva when you called sir mr dowden out so bo I 1 returned maliciously you you help following blie reh used my hand gently to ny my surprise hakli she whispered lies iles saying und gentlemen nent lemen said bc beisley asley again and stopped mopped again Dow dowdels dens voice e sounded hysteric hysterically illy in my right rah ear mebs bad whispered himli ered in my left tile the only speech lies eur eer mude made in his life and hes hee but leamey lie he was only deliberating bailles La illes und tind gentlemen he hean began mr and mrs flun liberg colonel arid aunt cooley giundi berg miss i miss queen oaid miss sir mr noble mr tom unit und mr grandee or iii ilee Huncl iberg mr corley and insler l y yu see before ion to t dight in III iny illy person pers iiii y tile lep of bour hiir real hosi blister swift killer swift sift tins has a WWI that mere shoud he be a speech anil lists deputed me to make inake it he requests hint the tul subject jec he be lins has assigned should l lie he treated trea teil in us as di dignified g a manner its as Is I 1 e considering sI the orator ladies and lie took a sip of waier 1 I will now you upon the fol lowina subject why wr we call christmas time the dest best time christmas little iline Is the best time because it i Is the kindest titue time nobody ever felt fell very happy without feeling frelan frel ln very kind anti and nobody ever felt very kind feeling at least a little happy li sippy so of course either way about the time Is the kindest iline thit tit this time the must most beautiful things our ekes ran clin see are the tara and for chrit reason and in e of one star blur we set alies on oil the trpe tree to he be stars slurs lit in the house bouie so we ne make inake christina christinas i time a time of mars indoors and they shine ani aly against the llie cold out doom that Is like the cold of other seasons not so hind we set et our hurt hain dred readies ca nilles on the tree and hiep hi ep flent tl fin bright the chant mas time for while they shine upon os as we have light to see thir life not noi ast ii a battle but as B the of a bas dl lafy lit ladles lades anti and gentle nim I 1 thank you ile he bowed to ro right and left as to in ind indolence lence allely pl poll lely tely field th the and its lunen with drew white while old bob again wt set blit hl fiddle to his chin and started to nernie the pm measure of a quadrille beasley was back in ao an instant shouting as he cattle came take your partners pard ners balance aill and then and there and all by him self he lanced danced a qua dillie performing at one and the lie same time fot for four lively couples never la in my lift life have I 1 seen such gyrations and capers as were cut hy by that long legged looe jointed miraculously flying figure lie ile was in the wildest motion without cessation never the fraction of an instant still calling the figures at the hie top of his voice anti and dancing them simultaneously ills his expression anxious hut but polite its as Is the linnit of other oilier dancers ills his hands extended as if to siang his partner or corner or opposite lady and his feet lifting high and flapping down in an old fashioned step first four forward and back he shouted forward and salute balance to cor corners swing pardoners par doers or gir r rund right and left hefti I 1 think the combination 0 of f abandon and decorum with which heper formed that grand right and left was the funniest thing I 1 have ever seen but I 1 laugh at it neither did miss at my side now do you believe me perk peek was arguing fiercely with mr Is he crazy or aint he ile he Is grist agreed hoarsely ill lie it Is a stark starin ravin root conrin in I 1 just lunatic hicl and the biggers nig gers hun torin him they were all staring openmouthed open mouthed and aghast into the lighted room do 1011 oil see vi where here it puts us SI simeon meon pecks rasping voice rose high 1 11 I guess I 1 dol do sold bald grist crist we come out to buy a barn anti and got a n house and lot fer the same money its tile lie greatest nights you ever done sim 1 I guess it is 1 I shake on it sim they shook hands exalted with trl triumph sll do the lie work giggled perk ta ita about two thousand per cent better than the story we started to git why dave dare Densi cyll be in a padded cell lit in a month I 1 be all over town tomorrow and hell have as much caunce fer governor as that in there in his ecstasy he smote dow fell deliriously in the chrit do jou think of your candidate now wait ault said dowden who came in the cabs that grist saw this staggered mr peck H he rubbed his mitten over his woolen i ap as if scratching ills his hend bend why lie said slowly who la in halifax did come in them cabs the Hunch bergs enere listen said dowden first couple face out shouted feasley nen sley facing out with an invisible indy on his arm while old lob sawed madly at A new coon in ton n second couple fall int in 1 beasle beasley Y wheeled about and enacted the second couple third couple ile he fell in behind blin himself self again fourth couple if you please pal once ALL I 1 beg your pardon biss t I 1 I 1 A at 4 if I 1 opposite the ij back against the wall sat old bob jolanna Ho Mo lanna im afraid I 1 stepped on oil your train all I 1 after the gris ns liny the he noblest anti and most dashing bit of gymnastics lis dis filled in the whole quadrille quod rille lie he blaed profoundly profound if to djs invisible partner and came to 10 a pause streaming face old I 1 volt oli dexterous y swung a A new coon into the inea measures of a triumphal einarth anti and now beasley announced in stentorian tones if tile the ladies will he be to 0 o kind sa to take the linns arms vi ae 0 will proceed to in the alie dining duons ruoni and partake of a blight cull lion thereupon came a slender blender of i joy from hint part of tin lit boorn had bren boen acre ut d front froin us by b y screened froin rum us liy by the tree 01 ol 01 cointin Coil tin doali reasley rw asley that tile best all fill lest ever dainef 11 in the world and nov pl onfre ise on u tole urs ills out to lo bup pell in r then into the ati vision of our find and duin durn founded watchers came the ali little wagon pulled by the old colored woman bobs wife in her betit and there propped upon pillows lay hamilton swift junior his big soul shining rapture out ot of his great creat ayea eye n bright spot of color on each of lla 1115 thin cheeks checks lie he lifted him selfon one elbow and for an instant something seemed to be b wrong eulth the brace which was under ills his chin beasley sprang to film and adjusted it tenderly then lie bowed elaborately toward the mantelpiece mantel piece mrs Huncl iberg lie he said rany rally 1 I have the honor and offered his ural arm and I 1 roust must have mister hunch berg chirped hamilton ue he must walk with me he tells me said beasley hell ir ll he mighty glad to and theres a plate of bones for Simp ledoria you lend lead the way cried the child you and mrs Hun chberg are we all in line liner bensley bendley glanced back over his shoulder hooray I 1 now let us on hot music there I 1 cr br r ro ra vo I 1 applauded ulster mister swift and beasley alx head thrown back and his chest out proudly led the way I 1 I 1 7 71 I 1 IT p lit you lead the way cried the child you and mrs Hun chberg stepping nobly and in time to the ex es tang measures hamilton na milton swift SW junior toed ed by the beaming old mammy followed in ills his wagon his thin little arm uplifted and his fingers curled as if they held a trusted hand when the they i reached the door old rob bob rose turned in after them arid and still played the procession and himself don the mil biall and so they marched away and we were left staring into the roeln my soul said bald the journal reporter gasping and lie he did nil all that just to please a little sick kid hid 1 I cant figure it out murmured sim peck piteously 1 I can call said the journal reporter this story will be e all ovir over town tomorrow tie he glanced at me and I 1 nodded he all over town tie continued though not in any of the I 1 ha papers and I 1 dont believe its going gain to hurt D anve live chances any mr peck and his companions turned toward the street and went the young ninn insist from the journal overtook them thank you for sending for me he said cordially youve ghen me a treat im for foi neasley Bens leyl pott den put his hand on my iny shmil ilor lip hail not observed the third haure still remaining well sir lie he remarked remark cil slinking shaking the he s siw siow front from ia lil coat they mere ere right nhouy one thin ihling it certainly was low don clovin of daie not to invite me ine ond mid you too to his pary y let film go to thunder ills his old im going in any illy av on im plum phim froze froke there was ns a side floor door just beyond lip vond lip hay bay andow and dowlen alent ent to 0 o it 11 and rang loud load anti biting it was beasley rp asley himself alin opened it whist what in III ibe HIP lie he begrin a alp the ruddy light fell upon dowdels Dow dens face and upon me ine standing a little way hf hinal vital are you oil two snowbank whist fin n earth are you fellow doing out here weve come to your christmas party iou ou old horse thief y thus mr dowden Do wilen alloo hooray hoo ray sold said Hp asley dowden turned to me arent you com coming ilig what are you waiting for old t NO low said beagley Ben gley I 1 united a nini nin nent longer and then it site nine cattle out of the shadow and went to hiie foot of the lie sapps tier ier cloak falling from her shoulders as slie site nu me I 1 peeked it up slip lifted tier lier anns riv 11 agh tier lier bind bi nd was hent bent wll nith want aliat pineil t ri neil 1 I to t tile me n sort sorl of shame sl innie slip slie stood there vilh it ire anav driving agam q I 1 her and did not 1111 prak 1 k iliev ills hneil slowly siert q his eyes to see if they were rea really I 1 ly there I 1 david nhe lle sold fit at last youve Yoi iva catt at yo io i o ninie lovely lit in your boube tonight iril it ere rozim f for just jum one fool its it ahlie I 1 THE END |