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Show 'Depression Christmas' By Milton Wagstaff "Have you started your Christmas Christ-mas dinner? Do your Christmas shopping early, you know. Only twenty more shopping days 'till Christmas." Nancy Clark laughed across the dinner table at her mother who shook her head smilingly. "No, it's hardly time to buy celery cel-ery and turkey. But, that reminds me, Irene called up today about Christmas " A bit alarmed, Nancy interrupted interrupt-ed her mother. "Surely the are not planning to go anywhere else for Christmas dinner! Why, if we can't have our family reunion at Christmas time " Nancy came to a rhetorical full stop. "Oh, no, they are coming," assured as-sured her mother, "but Irene said that she and George had talked if over with Frances and Jim and they think, with things as they are, we'd better not exchange gifts this year." Mrs. Clark did not know it, but her voice was wistful. " "They would!" exclaimed Nancy. "Oh, dear! Those sisters of mine are just plain wearisome. George and Jim still have jobs, and the school board hasn't shown any signs of holding out on me. So why can't we, I'd like to know? Where's the fun of Christmas if we" don't give gifts." - Nancy's blue eyes were stormy and her bright face was overcast with disappointment. "I know," her mother said gently. gent-ly. Then she continued, hesitatingly, hesitating-ly, "The papers or somebody suggested sug-gested that there are poor families who ought to be adopted for """""v Christmas." "But it wouldn't be much fun if you didn't know them," Nancy objected. ob-jected. "And anyway, how do we find a Christmas family? Advertise?" Adver-tise?" "No doubt the officers of some Charity concern could tell us." . "And I'm supposed to march in on some poor family and say, 'The Charities sent me to you to be Santa Claus'? No, thanks! I never did want to be a welfare worker." "Maybe we could find somebodv for ourselves. How about the children chil-dren in your room at school? Do any of them look as though they needed Santa Claus?" Nancy thought quickly. "My twins might. Artie and Ol-lie Ol-lie Turner. You've heard me speak of them. Their clothes are clean, usually, but pretty much patched and not very thick, I'm afraid." "Do you know anything about their home?" "Not much. You know I always mean to call at some of the homes, but my room changes so often I just don't get to It. But 1 do remember that Artie told me his daddy had a broken leg. That doesn't sound so good. Maybe I ought to cultivate Artie and Ollie. They have a sister in the fifth grade, Emma Jane. I had her last year." The next day Nancy found a chance to talk to the boys. "How Is your father now? Didn't you tell me he had a broken leg?" "Oh, he's gettin' better all right, but he and Mom worry a lot." Artie usually spoke first. "Yes, you see he's out of a job so there ain't no money comin' In. and still there's more bills 'n ever to pay." Ollie contributed what he had evidently overheard from his elders, and in her interest Nancy failed to comment on his English. "But Mom said Dr. John said not to worry about the doctor bill. Say! we sure do think a lot of Dr. John." "Where do you boys live? I'd like to call on your father and mother." Impulsive Nancy never put off until tomorrow what she thought of today. "Over on N Street, 683," the boys replied in chorus. "Why, that's not far. Could I walk home with you this evening?" ning?" "Oh, say, would you?" Surprise and delight shone from each round face and when Emma Jane Joined them after school they were a very prideful trio of youngsters to be taking their Miss Clark home to call. The Turner borne was a little brown house, with a neat yard and an interior to match, even to the neat little woman presiding. Nancy marveled at the hominess of it in spite of unmistakable evidences of poverty. The children rushed to their father where he half reclined on a lounge. He was a large, stroiig built man, cleanly shaven, and his hollow gray eyes looked out of a whitened face, pathetic with its lines of worried helplessness. "You'll excuse me for not gettin' up, Miss Clark," he said with a crooked smile. "But you see, I'm losing all my manners. My wife pampers me to death." Nancy caught the look of protective pro-tective tenderness on Mrs. Turner's face and she felt a small lump in her own throat that was hard to swallow. Before there was time for much conversation the twins shouted: "Oh, there's Dr. John!" They burst through the door to throw themselves on a sturdy , young man who emerged from the small car which had stopped suddenly sud-denly in front of the house. Like twin heralds they escorted him to the door. "Good afternoon, Mrs. Turner. Hello, Emma Jane. How's every-' every-' thing, Bill?" He greeted them all in the manner man-ner of an old friend, and their de-; de-; light at his coming was very evi-: evi-: dent. Then his sharp, brown eyes . swung around to Nancy and he . stopped in surprise. Mrs. Turner supplied the necessary introductions introduc-tions and after a very few minutes min-utes Nancy stood up. "I must go now, but if youdont iind I'd like to come home with the children some other time." "Wait just a little and I'll take you wherever you want to go," said Dr. Martin. "Oh, I couldn't think of bothering bother-ing you, and besides you've just come," she protested. "No bother at all. I just came to bring Bill this mechanics maga-ine. maga-ine. Thought he'd maybe underhand under-hand it. I can't." He turned to Mr. Turner. "I'll be around tomorrow to-morrow to look at your bandages." So Nnncy found herself being escorted t the car by the twin heralds and a masterful young doctor. She gave him the necessary neces-sary directions but he shook his head and gr.'iuied at her persuasively. per-suasively. Tf you're really not in a dr iii ful hurry, T'd Uke t', drive around a bit. I want to talk to you about that family. I assure you I'm a respectable family doctor." She looked up and saw the twinkle in his eyes which was reflected re-flected in her own. Settling herself her-self comfortably against the cushions cu-shions she said, "All right, drive whereever you want to, just so I get home by six." "That's fine," he exclaim. ed gratefully. "Those kids and that whole family have been on my mind a lot. You know Christmas is not very far away." "Only nineteen more shopping days." Nancy tried to make her tone flippant, but her face was full of eager interest. "But I don't need to shop further for my Christmas family. I'll take the Turners." "Good!" cried Dr. Martin." "I have taken them 'myself, but it had occurred to me that I might be needing that feminine fiouchl That's why I was so tickled to find you there just now. For if we could take them on together Oh, boy!" "But do we have to wait three whole weeks?" Nancy asked eagerly, eager-ly, and then laughed at his questioning ques-tioning gaze. "No, it isn't that I can't wait. But didn't you notice the boys' sweaters? They are almost hopeless, hope-less, though their mother has evidently done her best to mend them. And by the way " She hesitated and then went on. "I beg your pardon, but since we are adopting them jointly how much money can you spend? My mother can sew for Emma Jane and the mother. She'd love it. But boy's sweaters are something some-thing else." She caught his rather bewildered look and laughed again. "I do sound sort of mixed of course. But you see, my sisters have decided not to exchange gifts in our family this year, so Mother Mo-ther and I are looking for an outlet out-let for our Christmas spirit and money." He eave hpr nn nnnrnvinj glance. "I see. Well, I really haven't anybody to buy gifts so I can go as far as I like, or perhaps I'll make it as far as you like." "Better be careful," she warned him. "I'm a terrible spendthrift at Christmas. It's such fun to find out what people would like to have and then get it for them." At home that evening Nancy reported enthusiastically, "Oh, another, the Turners are the very family we want. I went to see them tonight. And I could hardly keep the tears out of my eyes. Everything was so clean and so pathetic. And that poor man not able to do anything. Dr. Martin Mar-tin told me Mrs. Turner works away from home all she can now. since she can leave her husband. He had worked in a garage, but work hadn't been steady, all summer, sum-mer, and then he broke his leer three months ago. It was a special spec-ial kind of fracture but he ought to be all right in a month or two more. I do hope he can get work. I've always liked those children, and Mrs. Turner is a nice little woman. It's going to be fun to be Santa Claus for thenv." Dr. Martin seemed to take seriously ser-iously the joint adoption, and for a busy young doctor he was able to arrange a surprising number of conferences regarding Christmas But the sweaters did not have to wait until Santa Claus could bring them. Conveniently the twins had a birthday a few days later, so Nancy and Dr. John seized the opportunity. Dr John insisted that the sweaters should be his gift while Nancy agreed to furnish the cake. So it happened that Dr. John encountered Nancy down town two days before Christmas with her arms full of bundles. "Now, what in the world does this mean? I thought you were through with your Christmas shopping." he exclaimed, reaching to take her packages. "No, I had another attack of the Christmas spirit, and these are for my own family. You know I told you they had planned one of these depression Christmases. But I've decided I don't like that kind. I don't see why one shouldn't be nice to one's own family at Christmas time." "One should, if one has a family attached to oneself," he replied teasingly, but his words caught her attention. "Oh, Dr. John, I meant to ask vou before this. Would you eat Christmas dinner with us, or are vour plans all made? Mother will be delighted." "Not half so delighted as I shal! be," he answered eagerly. "If you're sure you want me." Her merry blue eyes fell at the significant emphasis. "Well, then come any time after one. We probably won't settle down to eat till nearer two, bui maybe you won't mind talking to my two brothers-in-law." "Oh, certainly, I'll be charmed to talk to your brothers-in-law." he answered quizzically. On Christmas eve Dr. John and Nancy made their last delivery of gifts to the Turners. Materials for Christmas dinner and other useful use-ful things had already been given but now mysterious, wrapped packages pack-ages were left, not to be opened until Christmas morning. The children were almost bursting with excitement, and with happy importance im-portance they brought out two packages for their guests. Nancy recognized the gay box of candy which Dr. John received, but she wondered what her own large box might contain. "Don't open 'till tomorrow morning," morn-ing," the children cried, dancing with glee, while their parents looked on in grateful delight. "Merry Christmas ! " "Merry Christmas!" The words followed Nancy and Dr. John out to the little car, and the spirit of Christmas seemed to fill the air. "The darlings! " exclaimed Nancy. "To think of them giving me a present. They shouldn't, but 1 won't be a stingy receiver. Whatever What-ever it Is, it was sweet of them." "I'm sure they did it because they wanted to," he assured her. She looked at him sharply. "How do you know?" But he answered readily, "Surely you don't think we are the only people in the world who find it is fun to give Christmas presents. The good little scouts!" Not more than five minutes after af-ter one o'clock on Christmas day, Dr. Martin appeared at the door of the Clark home. Nancy drew him into the hall with warm welcome. wel-come. "Merry Christmas! Come in, and help make our Christmas merry." Hardly waiting to remove his overcoat, he spoke eagerly. "I have some news that will do just that for you." "Oh, what?" "Dr. Burke, out at the hospital told me this morning that his chauffeur is leaving him, and Bill Turner can have the job Just as soon as he is able, and that ought to be in two weeks, anyway. I stopped at the Turners this morning. morn-ing. Could hardly wait to tell them. Isn't It great?" "Oh!" she squeezed his hand tightly. "Isn't it? Why, this is merrier than anything else I can think of." "And thank you for your part in the delicious candy," he added with a twinkle in his eye. "Ollie told me this morning that they were helping you make candy over it your house the other day." "And thank you for the lovely Christmas greens," countered Nancy. Nan-cy. "I know the boys and Emma Jane made the wreath, but they told me yesterday how they had gone out in the woods with you Saturday and got mistletoe, and how you wouldn't let the boys wear their new sweaters for fear of tearing them. They must think we are pretty bossy." Dr. John drew a small package from his pocket. "Merry Christmas." Christ-mas." he said, offering it to her. "For me?" For a moment she started in surprise, and then her lips and eyes twinkled uneasily into laughter. laugh-ter. "Oh, but this is funny. You too!" He drew back in embarrassed surprise, but instantly she caught his hurt look, and hastened to apologize. "Oh, I beg your pardon! You don't understand, of course, but it really is funny. Francis and Irene and the others and mother and I weren t going to give gifts this year. But you know mother and I did, and so did all the others! And last night the Turners, Turn-ers, and now you are as bad as they. You really shouldn't I haven't anything." "Now see here," he said reprovingly. reprov-ingly. "I hope you aren't going to be a stingy receiver. Aren't you giving a struggling young doctor a -eal family Christmas dinner? Anyway, I have a feeling I may ask for something important before be-fore the day is over. And just by way of being prepared where did you hang the mistletoe?" "Silly," exclaimed Nancy In some confusion. "Come and meet the family." She turned toward the living room door, but her eyes involuntarily involun-tarily gave a telltale glance upwards. up-wards. His gaze followed hers, up the light fixture above them, hung with evergreens and mistletoe. Quickly he seized her shoulder, swung her around, and with his : her ..hand tilted up her chin, and so took toll in the traditional Christmas fashion. Surprised, and blushing furiously, furious-ly, she freed herself, and they stood facing each other. Then as their glance met and clung, the laughter faded from his face and Nancy felt her heart begin to pound at what she saw In his eyes. He took her hands and drew her closer. "That was only a Christmas kiss and didn't mean much except that you are a mighty sweet girl, Nancy. Nan-cy. But the next kiss I give you is going to mean a lot more than that. Shall it be now or later, darling?" Nancy did not hesitate. She lifted her face to his, but the corners of her mouth twisted in her beautiful smile as she said, "Now and later, please, Dr. John." The second prize story will be run in a later issue, if submitted to The Pyramid. |