| Show ram dm a ma vivian hales 1 1 ANN adjusted her furs and arose her round black I 1 eyes refusing to meet the piteous gaze of the little old A lady before her 1 I know be reasonable mother she concluded and see that needing money as edwin does right now dow he do differently when pa died and edwin bought this house bouse of you to help you out he had every notion of letting you stay right here its as he told you but the 1000 Is absolutely need ed to set us on our feet again and with a customer turning up right now and willing to pay cash well twits nothing short of providential and the deed was made out last night she bit her lip and reddened as she shot a furtive glance at the bent benl figure then rushed on nervously of course youre to come right over with us as soon as christmas Is over packing up will be easy for knowing have no further use for your furniture edwins told the c customer be could buy it just as it stood and of course the mon eyll be yours a nice tidy sum for mr craig was all carried away with your braided rugs and old dishes and furniture said it made him think of his boyhood home iles hes over to the glendale sani sanitarium tart now for his health got nervous dyspepsia or some rothe such thing well I 1 must be rushing along halting in the doorway she called back sharply if that good for noth ing brother of edwins comes round here tomorrow asking for us you send him about his business lively he can smell a christmas dinner a ratio mile oil the door closed resoundingly SUD sunshine ShIDe poured into the spotless kitchen in a golden flood lingered lovingly on the bright braided rugs and china closets laden with willowware china and r the grandfather clock ticked contentedly in a corner the kettle hummed drowsily gleeful I 1 the canary sang one exultant sting gone aft er another the table with its cheerful red cloth had bad been drawn up to the window daintily set for grandmas grandeas grand mas luncheon it was the same ame tranquil scene upon which her eyes had rested on hun deeds of other days and upon which after tomorrow they would never rest gain again and tomorrow was christmas 1 a day when the friendly ghosts of all 11 II the Christ christmases mases thrift were would stead lovingly back only to sice flee in horror at lack of festal board and christmas cheer 1 it must have been the affecting picture of those disappointed rhosa ghosts of other Christ christmases mases that impelled grandmother to sit erect swab I 1 her red eyelids stiffen her trembling chin and resolve to thrust her troubles into the background back round til 1111 christmas should be over ill have a christmas dinner she bhe planned just as if nothing had bad happened and wily why ill invite edwins brother brot hT feverish with excited excitement ent grand mother hurried to do her marketing and for or the rest of the day the old kitchen abounded d with tantalizing cooking odors t i christmas morning grandmother was early astir sprigs of holly graced braced the many panel paned windows the deep armchair had been drawn bovit angly before the fireplace the plump and tender turkey was turning tin an lr ir resistible lesis tible brown onions turnips turnip 8 squash and potatoes white arid and swee sweets tsi were cooking merrily the cranberry sauce had been strained and set to cool upon the pantry window sill and adhering to a long fished precedent precede nf grandmother slipped away to don her black silk dress lace cap and snowy apron she was becoming a trifle anxious about her guest when she spied a gaunt figure coming up the walk she fluttered hospitably to the doorway and beamed at the visitor 1 I declare I 1 was getting worried tor for fear aou ou come after all she said edwin and effie ann have gone away and youre to have dinner with me ill dish it right up tip the ile visitors gaze fastened itself itsek upon the loaded table and power of speech seemed to desert him at grandmothers request he dexterously terou sly carved the turkey and hav 1 par Z ava JJ it 7 the Money 11 bf be yours a nice tidy sum ing served his hostess devoted him film self unreservedly to eating my land mused grandmother aghast that poor creature must have been fasting for a week tint but when the indian pudding pump kin pie file and fruit cake had been and they were picking placidly at the nuts the guest fast waxed talkative how this all reminds we me nf if home when hen I 1 was a little hoy this room a facsimile 1 and you how you remind me of mother I 1 it must be great he broke off sharply for you to have your own little home all to yourself eh eb 7 the christmas christinas sun was already set act ting reminding grandmother that tier last day was almost over with it sudden sob sliu site shed her gallant garment of pretense and in nn an over liver powering hunger for sympathy she elie quavered out her sad end little story the gaunt visitor came around to her side and took her hand with clumsy tenderness im not the guest you were expect ing but when I 1 saw that dinner well you understand unless oud lived for three weeks on prunes and toast and skim pilak anyway I 1 was ravenous from hunger bunger and I 1 haedt had a dinner of such pure un abed bliss since mother cooked conked it if what I 1 came over for today was to say er that er why my wife finds she wants to live nearer the city as so 1 I 1 want you to consider this house abao cutely yours as long ong its as you need it ill have it put in writing tomorrow he be shouldered hurriedly into his bis cht cnut then halted irresolutely in the doorway Il maybe laybe some time he be ventured uncertainly be wll wit ling to teach my lily wife to cook a 0 by mcclure iio Clure syndicate Her berelc Berv leel lc |
