Show when phillip received that christmas gift PRISCILLA aI SCILLA was making pumpkin ples the fruit cake had boen ripened and the turkey lay in festive state stuffed with sage find and onion although it was really a chicken one ona mention that no more than one mentioned the fact that daddy was santa claus or that the little black stockings which hung before the hearth fire would not be very lull full there was only one blot in arisell Pr Isell Ws laa christmas joy 1 I cant give phillip anything slie she said to her mother worriedly it as if he were a youngster and satisfied with red yarn knitted mittens or as if he were a poor boy even but when he sends me orchids mother I 1 I 1 dont know what to do phillip was the young man from the city who had bad been exceedingly attentive to priscilla flowers lie he sent and fruits and dainty candies but not the simple homely kind to which she had been accustomed it was not this air of richness though that made heart beat bat quick and hr illy it was the simple boyish ish way of of him dear yes she had just admitted it to herself and now he was coming to christmas dinner with her and her happy humble family and priscilla in her felt that she had no gift for him her mother though was wiser she looked with a tender wistful pride at her fair young daughter the daughter with soft eyes chinin shinin shining with hair curled gayly in the steam of the fragrant kitchen with rose petal cheeks blushed warm by young love and by christmas she finished her cooking and set the long iong white table where the hearth fire glowed and the christmas tree was festive with red and tinsel then phillip had come and the dinner was progressing fluffy potatoes and gravy all brown the roasted turkey which was a chicken really the old fruit cal cake e and last of all the spicy pumpkin pie the mother watched and smiled but her eyes were moist a little for every bit of food priscilla served was as a gift if only phil could know cut but no one could explain esplain to phil after the meal was over and extravagantly praised the rich boy from the city seemed comfortably at homp home ire he and priscilla took a walk through the crisp snowy christmas starlight and still she could not tell him that she had no gift for him back black to the front steps they came then butof out of the shadows buddle buddie jumped and ran into the house phillip saw the mistletoe first and suddenly there was no need for explanations the stars and the snowflakes saw him take the sweetest gift of all I chapman a 1027 1927 western newspaper union rt yil ww A |