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(Gift
Bj C
Catharine Cranner
S A '
tSPP
(Copyright)
I WO weeks of Inter
mittent blizzards
paralysed m much
of the activity of
the city that Angy
Lane had been un
able to find a day's
work as aaleswom-
mmmm 0ll) for h a, the
depressing season which follows the
( inflated Christmas trading. On tho
first moderate day within weeks
Angy was walking down a busi
ness street looking for work when
she saw a long line of pale, starved
looking people waiting their, turn to
enter a large building In tempo
rary use as a distributing point for
fwd and clothing contributed by the
city's well-to-do citizens la resMnse
to an appeal from a relief committee.
In the doorway stood a big policeman.
..Angy passed shnddcrlngly by, think
ing thut Uut uwu for tier sick ruol ti
er's sake could she become one of that
"line." Then she remembered that for
tier mother's suke she mtvt not go
home until she had secured either
work or food, and she knew that her
mother actually needed wurm gar
ments. Illness had tightened uim her
mother Just when the business depres
sion hnd taken Angy's position from
her, and it hnd been u hard 'fight to
get enonch money for the necessary
food . and medicine and rent. She
thought of how theybnl once lived
o happily In the suburban cottage
where her father lind mended musical
Instruments and tended their pretty
garden, unit hud rent her with gifts
of flowers or fruit or her mother's
good chicken broth to many a humble
borne and to some quite pretentious,
"Blessings and sorrows were made to
bft enured" had been u favorite baying
of her father's, and ns Alio remembered
the quaint philosophy of his gentle
life, Angy determined to let her weal
thier fellows share their blessings with
her and her mother. She deliberately
turned back ami took her place at the
end of the waiting line of women.
As (.lie stood waiting her turn to
enter the building, she recalled the
handsome, laughing boy they had
known only as Harry, who used t
come with his violin to be mended or
Htrung, and who always went away
wearing some flower from their gar
,deu. Sometimes be bud brought them
rare flowers from his mother's large
gurden, where a real gardener kept
everything In formal order.
"Some warm clothes for my mother
and a little fetal." was Angy's timid
reHponse to the Inquiry of the moth
erly woman at thq head of the big
distributing counter Inside the build
ing. "This box seem to have been Jut
meant for you," mU.d the lady, a
he held out a large pasteboard box
'5 VQfrjft
She Stepped Behind the Chair to
Spread the Warm Garment on Her
Mother's Shoulders.'
containing a downy gray kieiouo, u
knitted shawl and slippers aud some
stockings aud underwear. At h not her
counter Angy received packages of
eoffee, bread and baeon. Then she
hurried to her mother, wondering how
she could Introduce the various things
gradually enough to prevent the real
source of such plenty being suspected.
"Hear the good news, mother!" she
exelalmej cheerily. The uow is be
ginning to melt at last. And ee the
good things to eat I" As she sis.ke she
spread the packages before th rlu-u-instlc
cripple's surprised eye. '
"How good that cofTee smells I" ex
claimed her mother. .
"And soon you shall taste! lh,
we're going to have a regular game of
the five senses, for you're going to feel
something good. too. pretty soon."
With many a gay Lint, but uo direct
Statement, about where It came from,
she held the soft kimono lefore her
mother, and us she stepiied behind the
chair to spread the warm garment over
her mother's shoulders, site felt In Its
Inner pocket a small packuge. Fear
ing It might tell a story, she removed
It to her own apron pocket After
supper was over and her mother sound
ly aleeplng, Angy opened the package.
It was but a folded envelope of note
size. Fhe drew out the contents, which
proved to be a sheet of paper contain
ing a written message and a tiny pack
age wrapped In tissue paper.
"My dear boy," began the note In a
delicate and cramped handwriting, "be
cause one girl proved undeserving of
this gift, you think now you'll never
want to bestow It upon another; but
somewhere In the world I a good, true
girl who will love you for yourself
alone, as I did your father when ha
gave this gift to me. After I am gone,
keep .this until the tight girl comes
Into your life"? then give to her with
my blessing. I am sure you will find
one who will become aa you say your
wife must be like your loving
mother."
Unwrapping the tissue, Angy found
a small chamois bag containing a ring
set with an old-fashioned cluster of
diamonds. Inside the ring was en
graved, "Arthur and Emily, June,
188.V Within the chamois bag was
written the name, "Emily Harrison
Eads." Across the top of the sheet of
note paper was an engraved street ad
dress "44 Oxford place."
Angy sat a long time huddled near
the faintly heated register, planning
how she would return the ring to Its
owner. She reflected that as those
HHple had shared their bounty with
her she must lose no time In restoring
to them their lost treasure. .
Early next morning she was at a
pawnbroker's shop with a tiny gold
pencil, which hnd been a gift to her
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1 T 71
V-
"Sit Here and Have a Cup of Coffee."
father from the boy Harry, and which
until now she kit d not consented to
part with. The sum she received for
It was very small, but It wnjild leave
her a few idckcl after paying cur
fare to the distant Oxford place ud
Ores. The neat maid who opened the
door of I ho big slotiu house did not
conceal her surprise us Angy naked for
Mrs. Ends.
"Mrs. Ends bus been dead almost
a year," explained the maid.
"Oh, please pardon me," stammered
Angy, "but this message must have
been long delayed. Is her son here?
The message can be given to him."
Angy was admitted' to the warn
hull, and a few minutes later a tall.
broad-shouldered young loan appeared
ill the wide doorway of the library. In
'Jim Kciid-darkiii'NK of the great house
she delivered the package and ex
plained how r.nd when It came Into
her possession.
"You are wonderfully kind, to come
at once." The young man's hands
trembling ami his voice husky us he
finished rending the note. "I've made
u dozen searches for the ring, but had
given up finding It. Poor mother must
have kept It near her heart, as long as
she lived. I felt that she'd like her
clothing to go to those who could um?
tt, and so I had the housekeeper send
a lot of It to that committee. I wish
I knew how to thank you enough."
"Hut you've already done so mu-h
for me by sending the things that
mother needed so. Pnddv always said
that blessings nd sorrows were made
to be shared, but "
"Watt! Surely there was only on.
mt'ii who said tt Just that way." The
young r.mu was looking hard at Angy
now. "Is it really Angy Lane? Cnn
It be?" Angy's surprised affirmative
brought this further exclamation:
"And I am Harry. Angy. When I came
home from college last Mimmer I went
to see your father, but all the people
could tell me whs that he had died and
that you nnd your mother hnd moved
nwny. Has the world been good to
you, Angy?" Then for the first time
since they hud recognized euch other
l oth of tl. Mu remembered how they
had been brought together. There
were tears in the eyes of both as liar
rlson Fads, whom Angy had known
before only as Harry, led her Into the
ninny breakfast room. "Sit here and
have a cup of coffee, und then we'll
talk everything over." he suld qulet'y.
us he placed a chair for her across the
:ill from where his own unfinished
treukfast awaited his return.
In talking everything over there was
o much to suv and so tunny times
to say "aud do you remember" that
It was nearly noon before either of
them knew It. When Augy started
home tdie was in a big limousine be
side Harry, with a fur robe tucked all
ibout her. When they went together
Into her mother's room, there were
"do you remembers" all over again, un
til Harry's deep but trembling voice
told the mother that be and Angy hud
agreed to share all their blessings and'
sorrows as long as they lived. Includ
ing the Joy of having her with them as
their mother. As proof, he pointed to
the old-fashioned ring be bad placed
on Angy's finger.
$? 'jr.
"Iet's dance and sing,
and make good cheer
For Christmas comes but
once a year."
Let There be Music in Your
4
Home On Christmas
t
It Takes Music to Make a Merry Christmas
From the earliest times the gladsome Christmas spirit has sought expression in music. Today, as of yore, it takes music to pro
vide a noutlet for our merry feelings at the Yuletide. Though no one in yourfamily is a musician, this pleasure can be their gift
of all gifts on Christmas morn.-Get them a piano or player-piano. Get them a
Chickering, Ivers & Pond or Kurtzman and Other
i
High Grade Pianos
ONCE YOU TRY EITHER OF THESE THREE WELL-KNOWN MAKES YOU WILL NOT BE SATISFIED WITH ANY OTH
ER, INCLUDING THE SO-CALLED " FACTORY-TO-HOME" PIANOS. ,
Get them one of these pianos or a Victor Victrola Phonograph, if you prefer, and your house will ring with music and you will see
more Christmas spirit than ever before.
Make Your Selection Now And We Will Deliver it at
Any Future Date You May Desire . ,
ON EASY PAYMENTS
You should not buy an instrument until you have in
vestigated our methods of doing business. (
1 We have been in the piano business in Alliance for
nine years and during that time have disposed of hun
dreds of pianos. We can refer you to these customers
who have purchased after full investigation and without
being induced to do so by frenzied advertising.
EXCLUSIVE VICTOR VICTROLA AGENCY
W" .lie the exclusive agents in Alliance for Victor
Victrolas and Records.
CALL AND HEAR TllH LATEST.
w
o
iKer
M
o
iflsic Mouse
EVERYTHING IN MUSIC
VICTOR RECORDS SHEET MUSIC COMPLETE LINE OF SMALL GOODS
MUS. J, T. WIKEK, Manager.
Across from Post Office
ALLIANCE, NEBRASKA
