| Show the E extra atra christmas plate by ROBERTJ ROBERT J C STEAD V N THE fourth christmas christinas in succession nellie martin set 0 an extra eitra plate on past tier lier husband still anil the two boys had pre tended not to hate hae noticed it but this year fred mar J tin walking into the bis big dining room just as his wife was adding the finN finishing hing touches to tier lier christmas table stopped when hen his eye fell on the extra plate 1 I think you set it neille lie said gently it only reminds us of things we vie would be better to forget sirs mrs martin start in brushed a capable floury hand quickly across tier her eyes ever thing would go blurry when she thought of lucy let me leave it just once more she almost pleaded it Is more than four years now since lucy I acy went and every day I 1 am hoping for tier her back bach particularly at christmas I 1 like to think that tier lier place Is set and ami waiting for her ber oil oh fred if we could let her know freds liand hand found hem where it had rested a moment against the table for support 1 I know he said bald huskily 1 I was wrong in turning her out as idid edid I 1 thought the honor of the family demanded it I 1 thought perhaps she would write that tant Is if she Is still lie he left the sentence unfinished death might not have been unwelcome to lucy and four years of if silence left them to draw their own conclusions clu lu lucy Is too proud to write his wife asserted and yet I 1 have a always 1 felt that sometime she would co come me back bach perhaps at christmas that Is tle me time of year when one lust just cant help thinking of home if that blake banke boy had heen been any good fred lamented she was just juat throwing herself dimny on him that Is why hy I 1 gave tier the choice of giving him up or getting gelling out I 1 wanted to save tier her and slie she gut got out 1 I know ills his wife ife agreed you meant it for the best arthur blake was said to be wild and useless but the blakes are it good family and 1 ie e often noticed that hoys boys of a good family generally straighten up again even if they do go a little wild for a while voine you know fred when hen I 1 married you there were people who said you on were well just a little rut put I 1 got a wife ife like you tier her husband rn answered that makes all the yes and arthur got a wife like lucy lf if lie married tier her nellie martin fartin insisted let rue roe leane leae the plate once more im not alln ghang up at I 1 hat moment the he boys were ere heard hear comin in by the kitchen door there I 1 acre v ere muffled voices and a sound as though they were helping some one n geoege the elder appeared in n t the dining loom door mid bud his face summoned his mother some one here to see you mom he said in an awed voice in the kitchen mrs martin found a woman sitting on a chair tier her hend turned away her figure in a i frayed cloth coat soberly she croto crossed sed the kitchen floor door and turned the head bead to her eyes lucy she cried lucy the girl made as though slie she would speak but seemed overcome tier her mother dropped to her knees beside her chaffing her hands speaking of endearment crying for fred and the alie bos we found tier her in the snow just be beleen teen the barn and the house the buys boys explained slie site seemed to have fallen there but right then lucy seemed to come ito to life she sprang to her feet feel Nl mother other dad I 1 cant keep it horn from you any longer please help me orf off with my cost coat willing hands bands drew it from tier her shoulders why lucyl lucy I 1 her mother exclaimed you are well dressed well enough mother you see A arthur wanted to be sure how you would receive your erring daughter before he would agree to come in a arthur yes ile he Is in the cutter with lit tie nellie just beyond the mud break boys will you run and tell hint him the boys dashed tit off but fred mar afar tin seemed the most excite d of all to 0 o extra mother he shout ed chair c two emr plates and a high egl 10 mo Newa union |
