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Show fMwm (hum h'MlIN ASHIIANI) ".Yen fcxiy, (is is lnys 11 01, 1 C (ire sotnrti nics lih'sm'tl icci l-ils of co,." IV J 1SS r.ls'l'I'Y rend the Inscription ' ' iiver a life ;:i.-e picture of the lnatif.cr scene. The s i 1 h t of brirlit tinsel deenra-tions. deenra-tions. tile sound of carols, mill the smell of holly and lir on the crisp air between stores tilled her with a nostal.sia Unit almost unnerved her. She had intended to shed twenty years of her life like a worn cloak, forgcttiii;; that she had spent her best days making 11 heaven on earth for he'V crippled mother so that her knight bad wearied of waiting. Now she was going shopping for a family that had never been hers except in her thoughts, a plain little girl with pigtails and freckles, and a sturdy small boy with pudgy hands and round expectant eyes. She wondered what Larry Haines was doing. Poor Larry! She wished she might have said "yes" to his persistent wooing. The girl with whom he bad run olf had not bothered both-ered to make u decent borne for him. Finally they had moved from town and Miss Letty bad quite lost track of them. Recalling that she bad come to town to pretend, she made a fren- f.L'i 4j? m-;;-s "Letty," he said, "it's Larry!" zied dash to the toy department. She began to buy recklessly, getting into the spirit ol her game. I'll find someone to give them to, she thought. Maybe I can borrow a couple ol children from an orphanage orphan-age just for Christmas. On the way home she stopped to buy a tree and some bright decorations. decora-tions. At the grocer's she gave an order that made that good man's eyes nearly pop out of his head. Leaving the store behind, loneliness loneli-ness swept over her. The house would be dark when she got home. Maybe the fire would be out, too. She peered into the gathering dusk. Somebody was there waiting wait-ing for her on the front veranda of the rambling old mansion. She hastened has-tened her steps. A man stepped forward for-ward out of the shadows, a child clinging to each hand. "Letty," he said, "it's Larry!" "Land sakes!" she exclaimed. "You gave me a turn. Come in out of the cold." She hustled them indoors, and turned to take a good look as she switched on the lights. It was indeed in-deed Larry, older and grayer, but trim and neat in a navy uniform. There stood her dream children, a plain little girl with pigtails and freckles, and a sturdy small boy with pudgy hands and round eyes brimming over with tears. "I want my Mummy," he sobbed. "His mother is dead," explained Larry. "I thought, Letty," said the man, "that maybe you could look out for them a little. See, I've joined the navy. I've got to go and I hate to leave Letty and Jackie to almost anybody." Miss Letty gulped and sat down suddenly in the rocker, gathering the little fellow into her arms. "Gifts of gold," she murmured, "at Christmas." "Many's the time I've dreamed of seeing you like that," he said, reaching reach-ing for one of her hands. She noticed no-ticed how thin he was. How thin the children were, too, and how inadequate inade-quate their clothing. "I haven't got much, Letty," he began, "but whatever what-ever I've got is yours if you want it" Still holding the 'small figure in her arms, she rose to open the door to the kitchen. The house radiated warmth and good cheer. "Fine," she said gently. "Welcome home, children. We'll have baths and supper, sup-per, and then we'll trim the tree." Larry's eyes caressed her. "Maybe, "May-be, if I could get the license we could be married before I go off." "Maybe we could, Larry." His arms were suddenly around her and the child, his lips warm against her cheek. Little Letty clapped her hands. "Such a Christmas we are going to have!" she cried. "Even today," quoted Miss Letty, remembering the inscription, "as in days of aid, we arc sometimes blessed with gifts of gold." ReleaM fcr Welters rUw&jxr C1m. h : . . |
