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i VOLUME XXVIll. ACCOMAC C. H., VA., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1908. NUMBER 27. G. WALTS R MAPP. J. HKO0K8 M VPP MAPP * MAPP, Attorneys-at-Law. Offices: Orangeville, Keller and Accomac C. H., Practice in all courts on the Eastern i Shore of Virginia. OTHO F. MEA US, -Attorney-at-Law, Officer: Eastville, Northampton County anti Accomack Court House Practices lu all courts oj :>?e Eastern Shore of Virginia. JOHN 8. PAltdONB, Attorney-ai-Law, Accomac Courthouse, Va. Will practice iu all courts of Acco? mac nutt North nu pton Counties. S. JAMES TURUNGTOH Attoruey-at-Law. Offices?Accomac C. H. aud Fair Oaks, Ya. Practices in all the courts on the Eastern Shore of Virgiuia. J NO. K. aud J. HA KUY HI -'.NV, Attorueys-at-Law. Offices?Accomac C. H. and Parks ley. At Accomac C. H. every Wed aeeday. Will practice in all the courts on the Kasteru Shore of Virginia. l<OV D. WHITE, -Attoruey-at-1 aw, ? Offices: Parksley and A"cc jinac C. II. Practices iu all courts of Accom.ni and Northampton Counties. Prompt attention to all luisluess. BEN T. GUNTER, Aitorney-at-Law, Accomac C. H., Va., Will practice in all the courts 01 Accomac and Northampton coontie* WARNER AMES, -Attorney-at-Law, Offices : Accomac C. ll. and Onaucock. At Accomac C. H. every Wednesday ?nd Friday. Will practice in all the courts, ot Accomac aud Northampton counties*. JOHN E. NOTTINGHAM, JB., ?Attoknky-at-Law,? Frauktowu, Va Practices in all the courts on tnt Eastern Snore of Virginia. Will be at Eastville and Accomac C H. tirst day of every coun ano at East? ville every Wednesday. L. FLOYD NOCK, ?attorn ? y-at-la W ,? Accomac C. H., Va. Practices in all the courts on tht Eastern Shore of Virginia. Dr. H. D. LILL1ST0N, DENTIST. ?Accomack Court House, Va.? Office hours from 9a. m. io 5 p. m. Will 'ie al Parksley every Tuesday. Dr. W. M. TURLINGTON VETERINARIAN, FAIR OAKS, Va. Reference, past patrons. Can be called by Phone day or night. W. G. EMMETT, Notary Public, Belle Haven. Va. FRED. E. RUEDIGER ? County Birveyoit, Accomac C. H., Va. Thoroughly equipped with latest aud best instruments, otters his services lc he cilizeus of Accomac County. Will meet all engagements promptly PAULDEWEES, Plumber, Steam and Hot Water Fitter, Pocomoke City, Md. WM. P. BELL & CO., DRUGGISTS, ^ ' Accomack C. H., Va., Agents for WATERMAN'S Ideal Fountain Pens, STOCK ALWAYS ON HAND. Finest line of STATIONERY on Eastern 5hore of Va Don't Let Winter Make You Painful. fse 8. & H. Komo (an old reliabl cure-all remedy of reputation am merit) It relieves and cures every thing in Rheumatic and Muacula aches and pains, swelling and sore ness of the limbs, cracked hands an feet, sores of all kinds. For Man or Beast. Sold Everywhere 25e. or mailed on receipt of price. "We guarantee" the merits of KOMO. Special Prices to Dealers. Manufactured by S.&H. Mfg. Co. Baltimore, Md. Farmers & flerchants National Bank, Onley, Va. 3t dement of the Financial Condition at tho close of business Dec. 5, 1903. Assets. Kills & Notes Discounted. .$206, Stocks A: Bonds. 48.8M.80 Approved Reserve. 22,409.73 Overdrafts. 8.87 Furniture A- Fixtures. 8,461.63 U 9. Bonds. 101,ooo.(H) Premiums on r. s. Bonds.. 4.700.00 Banking ll< use it Other Kt-al Estate. tl,275.71) Due From Banks. 8,606.12 Redemption Fund. 2,600.00 Cash. 20.844.62 Ititi 66 Liabilities. Capital Stock. 50,000.00 Surplus. 8,000.00 Bank Deposit!. 48,892.49 Circulation. 60,000.00 Cashier's Checks. 10386 Individual Deposits. 806,804.79 Due To Banks. 6,122.60 r. s. Deposits . 46,000.00 Undivided Profits. 2,348.83 8416,466.66 Report of Auditors to Examining Committee. Richmond, Va., December 10, 1908. To the Examination Committee of thc Farmers & Merchants Nat? ional Bank of Onley, Va: Gentlemen: We have verified the attached state nents showing the financial condi? tion of the bann: at thc close of busi? ness December 5th, 1908, and hereby ?citify that they arc correct. The asset ot cash we have proven t>v an actual count of the funds in the vault, the bills receivable havo been lated hy us in the pretence ot the members of your committee, the re ? are verified hy account cur? rents from the various hanks, and all her assets arc verified by proper en . les upon the ledger. The liabilities we have proven hy the writing up ol' tue majority ot thc pass books and Hie comparison of thc ACCOUnt currents from other hanks, and also by the addition ot the led? gers and a complete audit of all ac? counts. Thc general conduct of the business has been such as to commend itself io any one desiring a safe depository .or their funds and the accounting system in vogue is the equal of the cargest of our banks ot the State. 'lins is thc third examination we hr- e made of your Institution and wc find tuc altair* in BUCh tine condition that we have no suggestions tor any changes. The cllicials having charge of the ninds have full accounted for all monies passing through their hands. Respectfully submitted, kl. ii. Boudar & Son. Report of Examining Committee to Board of h\rectors. To the Board of Diiectors, Farmers & Merchants National Bank, Unley, Va. Gentlemen: \Ve be>j to advise you that since the *st meeting of your Board we have iccured the services of Messrs. ll. B. Boudar & Son, Public Accountants ot Richmond, Va., to audil all of the Bank's accounts. Three members of your Committee were present and they went over er-ch bond with Mr. Boudar and also counted the cash. \\ e herewith hand you a copy of their financial statement and their re? port which is very gratifying indeed to your Committee, and we aro sure it will be equally so to the Board ot Directois. 1 he examination and re? port certainly reflects great credit upon the active ollicial* ot the Bank. Respect tully submitted, \\. A. Buiton, Chairman, A. J. McMath, J no. W. Rogers, Examining Committee. Carriage Emporium NOW OPEN AT BELLE HAVEN, VA., -With a Fine Line of Top Buggies, Surreys, Phaetons, Runabouts, Speed Carts, Single and Double Wagons, for sale by the undersigned at th? lowest margin of profit. The vehi cles are all of best make and pricei right. Call and see them and get m\ prices. ? Yours truly, GEO. W. ABDELL, Belle Haven, Va. CARRIAGES, I carry the most complet< line of up-to-date first-clasi vehicles on the Shore. Even buggy is guaranteed by eaci of the different factoriei who build them for me. Call and examine them a my place over F. A. West' hardware store. E. 0. F Custis. ? Onancock. Vc White Hotel and Livery Capt. Wm. T. Mister, Proprietor Hotel. Harry T. White & Son, Proprietor of Livery. Hay and feed dealers?Wholesa Grocers and Brokers and Mfr's. agent Harry T. White & Son, f*.l.-?rtr??Hv?rr). T~?", January" Christmas of the Julianites "By nOBETtT -DOM/JELL. [Copyright, 190S, by Amer ran Press Asso? ciation.] M i^S^ HBI8TMA8 comes but once a (I year," wrote somebody, and V^^ everybody accepted thc state? ment as truth, lt ls cot true, however, fur Christmas conies twice a year. Those of us who reckon by the Gregorian calendar celebrate Dec, 25. Those who still adhere to the .Julian 'calendar observe Jan. 7. Russia is the only great nation which still holds ont for the julian calendar. Thc Greek Catholic church sticks to the time measurement adopted by Julius Caesar forty-eii years before the birth of Christ. Thus the Greeks ami all tho - _ adherents of that li ^lJ j church. Including the Russians, of course, hold their Christmas on the 7th day of Jan? uary. In the city of New York both Christmas days are celebrated. The J a n n a r y date, tis a matter of ' ourse, is ob Berved by com? paratively few ? paratively lew ^7\ persons, bm it is dis observed ri tiify ia .i on rOBTV DATS. elaborately and faithfully by those who desire lo reider unto Caesar that Which is Caesar's even as to the calendar. Kew York city has a considerable population of Creeks, Russians, Ar? menians, Syrians, Servians, Poles, Bul? garians, Montenegrins and Vlacbs, all of whom observe the Jultanic christ? mas. For forty days prior to .Ian. 7 they observe a fast, eating no meat, neither beast, fish ncr fowl. They eat tish eggs or .-avian, but draw the line there. Their principal fllet fer the for? ty days' fasting is mad ? np of olives, beans, caviare bread and crackers. But at G o'clock >n the morning of Christmas day, .lan. 7, the .Inlianist fast is over, lt is Dot necessary to hint that these people count the days till Christmas or thal they rejoice and are exceeding glad when the anniver? sary arrives. These facts are obvious. Christmas means for them a glorious feast, a square meal, several sqv ir? meals?in fact, a round of square meal* Our Juliauist friends go to church carly on their Christ mas. mornm ir. but not too early. They eal Weak fast first. High mass is celebrated In the Greek Orthodox church at 8 o'clock. The forty days' fast having ended two hours before, the Jnllanists tire joy? fully full of the good things of thll world before they enter tho house ol worship. The chief viand, so far Bl its symbolic character goes, is ii spiced loaf of rye bread covered and filled with walnuts, with a cross cnl on top. This is called tho Christop Boma?"bread of the Christ." But il ls not to be doubled that beefsteaks fowls, lishe;, saddles- of mutton am] other substantials are devoured. Den nnd there one of the presumably faith ful proves faithless and falls befon Christmas, his craving for a meat di" being too strong to resist. This weal brother is ignored by the faithful. It is In the cafes In the sections o: the city where the Jnllanists dwel that this Christmas day is celebrate! with the most visible jjusto. Thc Oreel "young bloods" gather hi the little res tmirants and sit long over tables hear; with edibles and light with wines THIS WEAK BROTHER IS IGNORED BY TH FAITHFUL. Tho names of some of the diners ar interesting. Constantine Economop? lous is a budding florist who gajtbei around him his rosy young friend: Ilarralnmbos Christatos, kflnicak< Kepaelacos, Fericles Dojjangcs an Hresnla Pajtpanlcclas. And don't 1< U9 forget Nicholas Booras, editor c the Daily Thermopylae, who gets oi an estra edition in honor of the day. These Greeks, many of them arra; ed lu gorgeous new clothing, brio their feast to an end with the cups c Turkish coffee and the Turkish clg: rettes, mixed in with songs and toast It ls highly interesting for a plat American, with n plain name like Jil Jones, to sit in one of these cafes an hear the songs of the foreign gentli men with the seven Jointed surname observe the satisfaction depicted I their countenances as the feast got on nnd receive the Impression that th 19 real Christmas cheer, though it 1 thirteen days late according to ot method of counting time. The Brakeman's Advfee. Down in Maine is a town call* Burnham, situated on a small branc railroad that joins the main line j Burnham Junction. One day as tl train approached the latter place tl brakeman entered the car and in h usual stentorian tones went tlirou? his regular rigmarole when a stath and Junction are reached. "Burnham Junction!'' he shoutei "Burnham Junction] Change cars fi i Burnham! Leave no aril.?'?? le t! -a, mts r/,/l< Santa Claus on "The Limited' Hy FHA/SK li. SWEET. [Copyright, 1808, by Ami rican Press Asso elation J Tm: chi. a; o Limited was pullini out of tia- Grand Central sta? tion in New York as Dr. Henry Van Valkenberg submitted hil ticket to the gateman. Ile dashed through, pushing that Indignant offi? cial to one side, made a leap for the railing of the last car of the train and a friendly brakeman dragged him "on board." 1'r. Van Valkenberg smiled a little ruefully as be thanked the man sud rubbed tbs aching sur? face of his hand. Then he pulled him? self together, picked np the books and newspapers he had dropped and which the bystander; had enthusiastically hurled after him and sought his haven In the sleeping car. "O-Oh! Were you hurt?" said a voice bellini] him. "I was so 'fraid you were going to fall." l>r. Yan Val kenberg, who was a tall man of sixty, turned and looked down WTflT i7 from his great l^M#' J height At his feet stood n lia by. At least she seemed a baby to him, al? though she was very dignified and wholly self "wr.riE tou nunT?" possessed and fully four years Old. Flic was looking up at him With dark brown eyes and was so delicious in her almost maternal solicitude that he smiled irrepressibly. "Why. no, thank you," he said. "1 am not hurt. Didn't you see the kind man help me on to the car?" "I'm very glad," she said, with dig? nity. "I was 'fraid he hurt you." Slit turned as she spoke and toddled into the section opposite his, where a plain but kindly faced elderly woman sat. "Won't you come over and visit me?" he asl.ed. "I am very lonely, and I have no one to fake caro of me." She slid off the seat at once, with great alacrity. "I'd like to," she said, "but I must ask Nana. I must always ask Nana now," she added, with dutiful empha? sis, " 'fore I do anyflng." She laid her hand on the gloved fin? gers of the nurse as she spoke, and the woman opened her eyes, slud a quick glance at the man and nodded. She had not been asleep. Dr. Yan Valken? berg rose and lifted his visitor to the beside him. where her short legs stuck ont in uncompromising rigidity, "I can take care of you," she said brightly. "1 faked care of mamma a great deal, and I gave her her med' cin'." "\fi-y well." he said, willi the smile women loved; "if you really tire going to take caro of me I must know your name. You see," he explained, "1 might need you in the night to get mc a glass of water or something.* Just think how disappointing lt would bc if 1 should call you by the wrongnanM and some other little girl came;" "You say funny things," she sahl contentedly. "But there isn't any Otha little prirl in thc car. I looked soon ns 1 came In, 'cos I wanted one to play With. I like Utile girls. I like little boys, too," she added, with innocent expansiveness. "Then we'll play I'm a little hoy You'd never believe lt. but I used tc be. You haven't told me your name." "Hope." she said promptly. "Do yoi think it is a nice name?" She mad* the inquiry with anxious Interest. "I think Hope ls the nicest name i little girl could have except one," In said. "The ni est little girl 1 evei knew was named Katharine. She grev to be a nice big giri, too, and has little girls of her own now, no doubt," lu added, half to himself. "Were yon n little boy when she wai a little girl?" asked his visitor. "Oh, no; I was a big man, just as 1 am now. lier father was my friend nnd she lived In a white house wit! an old garden where there were ni kinds of flowers. She used to pla; there when she was a tiny baby. an< I would carry her around and hold he nigh up so she could pull the apple and pears off the trees. When shi grew larder I gave her a horse am taught her to ride. She seemed Uki my very own little girl, but by and b; A' Fair Offer* " Small boy (who has been watching amateur gunner's failures for an hou: or more)?Say, mister. i isman?Well, what ls it. boy? "Gimme a nickel an' a start as fa: as the fence an' you kin have one a me/'-Llfe. Reformed. "I hear your son is something of ai aviator, Mrs. Coineup." "Well, to wai .i., ,-. ? ? . wear row up and became a young holy, BssTBr-well, she went away from me, fflkll never had another lillie girl." :d she go to beaven?1 asked the .jHLglrl softly. '.. dear. ii> !" answered thc doctor, with brisk cheerfulness. '?Then why didn't she keep on being your lillie Kiri always?" r besltated a moment. He making the discovery that after ? years old wounds can reopen -ob. No one had ever been tough to broach to him the stib of this single love affair which now di-cussing. ll, you see," lie explained, "other boys Uked her too. And winn she be a young lady oilier men liked her. So finally?one of them took her from me." lb- ottered the last Words wearily, and tlu- sensitive atom at his side seemed to understand why. Her little ' slipped Into his. "Why didn't you ask her to please stay wtth you?" she persisted pity? ingly. "I did," he told her. "But, you see, she liked the other man belier." "Oh'-h-h!" The won! came mit long drawn and breathless, "I don't see how she possibly could." There were such sorrow for the vic? tim and sc..rn for tin- offender in the tone that, combined with the none too subtle compliment, it was too much for Dr. Yan Valkenberg's self control. Ii.- threw back his gray head and burst Into au almost boyish shout of laughter, whick effectually clear? ed the atmos? phere of senti? mental memories "Where are you going to bang up your stockings to night?" he asked "I can't hillie them np," she an BWered soberly. "Santa Claus doesn't travel on trains, Nunn says.' "Nana is al 'ways right," said Hie do, t. r oracu larly, "and ol course you mUSl do exactly as sht But. I heard Hint Santa Claus wai going to git on thc train tonight al Buffalo, and I believe that If he foina a pair of small black stockings banging from that Section he'd fill them." Her eyes sparkled. "Then I'll ask Nana." she said. "Anc if she says I may bang them I will But one," she added conscientiously "has a teeny, weeny hole in the toe Do you think he would mind that?'* He reassured her on this point ant turned to the nurse. "I beg ymir pardon," he said. "I'vi taken a great fancy to your little charge, and I want your help to carri out a plan of mine. I have suggestee to Hope that she hang up her BtO k lngs tonight. 1 have every reason f, believe that Santa Claus will get 01 this train nt Buffalo. In fact," he add ed, "I mean to telegraph him." The nurse hesitated a moment. II drew his cardcass from his pocket am handed her one of the bits of paste bonni it contained. "I have no evil designs," he addei cheerfully, "if you are a New Yorke] you may possibly know who I am." The woman's fa -e lit up ns she re.m the name. She turned toward him Int pulsively, with a very pleasant smile. '"Indeed I do, doctor." she said "Who does not? Dr. Abbey sent fo you last week," she added, "for i consultation over the last case I had tbla cbil.l's mother. But you were ou of town. We were all so disappointed. "Patient died?" asked the physiclar With professional brevity. "Yes, doctor." He rose fi om his seat. "Now that you have my creder DRAGCum; carts ami woolly lambs. Bouncing Betsey. , Thcie ls an oh', fashioned flower cal' ed "Bouncing Belsey," which every on should love for one trait. We have nc Heed that lt prows on all neplecte graves, as If trying to cover up th fact that some one who once lived 1 u. It may also be found 1 corners of old fashioned garden; where lt grows and blooms and prc tests against being pushed out er j tlrely. There ai kl fa*! tials," he said cordially, "I want you and Hope to dine with me. You will, won't you?' Later, in the feverish excitement of hanging up her stockings, going to be I ir and p s e p i n g f ? ??\ through the cur? tains to catch OV Santa Claus, a \js?/\ part of Hope's ext raordlnary repose of man? ner deserted her, but she fell asleep at last, wiih great reluc? tance. When the cur? tains round her berth hud ceased trembling a most unusual procession wend? ed its silent way *""-^ toward Dr. Yan "i'll be tour ow* Valkenberg's little girl." section. In some occult luauncr thc news had gone from one end to the other of the "limiied" that n little girl in section 9, car Plorodora, had hung up her sto<k IngS for Santa Claus. Tho hearts of fathers, mothers and doting uncles -re iponded at once Dressing cases were unlocked, great valises were opened, mysterious bundles were unwrapped, and from all these sources came gifts cf surprising fitness, A succession of long drawn, ecstatic breaths and happy gurgles awoke the u'ers on tito car Plorodora at an unseemly hour christmas morning,and a sm ill white figure, clad informally in a single garment, danced up and down the aisle, dragging carts and woolly lambs behind if. Occasionally there was the sipicak of a talking doll, and always there were the patter of small feet and soft cooing of a child's laughter. Dawn was just approach lng, and the lamps, still burning, bared pale in the gray light. But in the length of that car there was no soul so ba ie as to lon;.' for silence and the pillow. Crabbed old faces looked out between the euri a ins and smiled. Byes long unused to tears felt a sudden. strange moisture. Throughout thc day the snow still fell, and the outside world seemed far away and dreamlike to Dr. Yan Yal kenberg. The real things were this train, cutting Its way through the snow, and this little child, growing deeper into his heart willi each mo? ment that passed. The situation was unique, but easy enough to understand, he !..i! himself. Ile had merely gone baek twenty-five years to that other child whom he had petted In infancy and loved and lost in womanhood. Ile had been '.cry lonely?how lonely he had only recently begun to realize?and he was bc inning an old man whose life lay behind him. Ile crossed the aisle suddenly and sat down beside the nurse, leaving Hope singing her doll to sleep In his section. "Will you tell me all you know about the child?" he asked. "She ap? peals to me very strongly, probably be? cause .she's so much like some one I Used to know." The nurse closed her book and look? ed at him curiously. She had heard much of him, but nothing would ex? plain this interest in a strange child. Ile himself could not have explained it. He knew only that he felt lt pow? erfully and compellingly. "Her name Is Hope Armitage," che Eaid. "Her mother, who has just died, was a widow, Mrs. Katharine Armi? tage. They were poor, and Mrs. Ar? mitage seemed to have no relatives. She had saved a little, enough to pay most of her expenses at tho hospital We all loved the woman. She was very unusual and patient nnd charm? ing. All the nurses who bad any? thing to do with her cried when she died. We felt that she might have been saved If she had come in time, but she was worked out. She had sarned her living by sewing after her Her Lucky Number. The byways as well as the highway? of church life furnish much In the i- way of wit and humor. What, for lu? ll J stance, could be more mirth provoking e j than the naive confession of the cook ^ of a London vicar who, being allowe< ti to choose a hymn for the family pray ; ors. was complimented on her choice )? by the vicar's wife? I. "What a i ice hymn you chose:" salt , the tatt ?- I the husband's death three years ago, and she kept at it day and night. She was so sweet, so brave, yet so desperately mis. rabis over leaving her little girl ulone in the world." Dr. Van Valkenberg sat silent. It was true, then. This was Katharine's child. He had not known of tho death of armitage nor of the subsequent poverty of lils widow, but he had known Katharine's baby, he now told himself, the moment he saw her. "Well," the nurse resumed, "after she died w(e raised a small fund to buy some clothes for Hope and take her to Chicago to her new home. Mrs. Armitage lias a cousin there who has agreed to take her In. None of the relatives came to the funeral. There are not many of them, and the Chica? go people haven't much money, I fancy." Dr. Yan Valkenberg was hardly sur? prised. Life was full of extraordinary situations, and his profession had brought him face to face with many of them. Nevertheless a deep solem? nity filled him, and a strange peace settled over him. "I want her," he said briefly. "Her mother and father were old friends of mine, and this thing looks like fate. Will they give her to me?these Chi? cago people-do you think?" Tears tilled the woman's eyes. "Indeed they will," she said, "and gladly. There was"?she hesitated? "there was even some talk of sending her to an institution before they finally decided to take her. Dear little Hopel How happy she will be with you!" Ile left'her and went back to the seat where Hope sat crooning to the doll. Sitting down, he gathered them both up in his arms, ard a thrill shot through him as he looked at the yellow curls resting against his breast. Her child?her little, helpless baby?now his child to love and care for! He was not a religious man. Nevertheless a prayer rose spontaneously in his heart. "Hope," he said gently, "once long ago I asked a little ghi to come and live with me. and she would not come. Now I want to ask you to come and stay with me always and be my own little girl and let me take care of you and make you happy. Will you come?'' The radiance of June sunshine broke out upon her face aud shone lu the brown eyes upturned to his. How well he knew that look! Hope did not turn toward Nana, and that significant omis? sion touched him deeply. She seemed to feel that here was a question she alone must decide. She drew a long breath, as she looked up nt him. "Really, truly?" she asked. Then, as he nodded without speaking, she saw somoiliing in his face that was new to her. lt was nothing to fright? en a little girl, for it was very sweet and tender, but for one second she thought her new friend was going to cry. She put both arms around his neck nnd replied softly, with the ex? quisite maternal cadences ber voice had taken on in her first words to him when she entered the car: ? "lil be your own Utile girl, and lil take care of you too. You know, you sahl I could." Dr. Yan Valkenberg turned to the nurse. "I shall go with you to her cousin's from the train," he announced. "Iii ready to give them all the proofs the] need that lin a suitable guardian foi tho child, but," he added, with a toucl of the boyishness that had never lefi him, "I want this matter settled now.' The long train pounded Its way int< the station at Chicago, and Dr. Yai Valkenberg summoned a porter. "Take care of these things," he said indicating bot! sets of posses sions with i sweep of hi: arm. "I shal have my hand: full with rai little daughter.' Ile gatherer her Into hi: arms as lu spoke, and sh 'I ^ \ nestled agains 4_-*-< ^- f\\ his broad ches with a child'; unconscious sat Isfactlon In th strength a n i firmness of hi clasp. "Merry Christ mas!" sounde on every side. Everybody was al Rorbed and excited, yet there were Eel who did not find time to turn a las look on a singularly attractive littl child held above the crowd in tb arms of a tall man. She was lau;,'! lng triumphantly as he bore he through the throng, and his heart wa In his eyes as he smiled back at her. ?ufcs 1 eur. XESTI.Kli AGAINST HIS BROAD ( Iii:.- I'. Off His Mind. "Have you forgotten that X that ye borrowed of me some time ago?" "Oh, no. I still have it In my mind "Well, don't you think this would 1 a good time to relieve your mind i lt?" The sorrow of yesterday ls ss not . f ? ,i. |, i ..-?.. When Santa, j Came to Cactus Gulch ?By H.OBE'RTVS LOVE. ipopyrlght, 1908, by American Press Asso? ciation.] WHEN Santy come to Cactus we wuz not expectin' him, Our almanac connections bein' broken off complete. In fact, with us the trail o' time had got so mortal dim We only knowed 'twuz winter by the absence o' the heat. Says I to Pinky Perkins, witli a squint at Desert Dan? Says ll "We'd orter hustle for a lit? tle extry feed. It's 'long about Thanksgivin'." "Wy," says Pinky P.?"w'y, man, I'll bet it's nearer New Year's, for the old one's gone to seed." We ar^ied it an' argied it till Desert Dan put up His canvas bag o' nuggets an' a pint o' yaller dust He's spent the year collectin' in his pewter drinkin' cup. "It's Christmas in a week," he says; "I'll bet you, win or bust." I still maintained Tha nksgivin' wuz about the proper date, As judgin' by my appetite, an' Pinky still declared That New Year's wuz the blow? out that wuz next upon the slate, But Desert waved his nugget bag an' dared an' dared an' dared. "See here," says Desert, "I can feel ths season in my bones; I sense a sort o' hankerin' for days of old long sign, When I wuz back in Jersey an' my name wuz Daniel Jones; I'm lonesome as the soldier wuz at Bingen-on-the-Rhine." Then Desert up an' tells us what he's never said before? As how he had a cottage an' a wo? man an' a kid; But, some misunderstands' bavin' made hi* sperrit sore, Nigh on to twenty years ago ho sim? ply up and slid. I looked at Pinky Perkins then, an' Pinky looked at me, But both of us wuz silent, an' we looked at Desert Dan, But he wuz sizzlin' bacon for a supper feed fer three, An', shore as I'm a sinner, there wus teardrops in the pan! That night we set an' hugged ths stove, while all around the shack A desert blizzard whistled an' tba snow wuz whirlin' thick. lt shore wuz Christmas weather, but there shorely wuz a lack Of anything suggestin' o' our ancient friend St. Nick. The door bust open suddent-like, an', stranger, dog my cat! If there ain't Santy Claus hisself, in fur an' robe complete, "TIir.Rr. Wl'7. TKAIt dbops ia ru tax!" "IF SOU AIN'T SANTY CLAUS HflSSF.Lr." With snow a-clingin' funny to his or tomobile hat, As swell a Santy makeup, sir, as anywhere you'll meet. But when he turned his bearskin down his whiskers fell away (lt wuzn't anything but snow collect? ed on the fur), An' back of him an angel stood?yes, angel's what I say? An' Desert Dan got wobbly when hs up an' looked at her. Voung Santy says, "ls Mr. Jones at home tonight?" says he, At which old Desert gives a gasp, but struggles to his feet. Then me an' Pinky we vamoosed in honor of the three, For if they wuzn't Joneses you can douse my glim complete! That's all the story, stranger, but I'm seme inclined to add When Santy come to Cactus with his mother, which he did, lt clean upsot the notions we had al? ways previous had, For daddy got the Christmas gift, and Santy wuz the kid! Partners In Debts. "My tooth ls just killing me," complained. "Why don't you go to the about lt?" asked he. "Because," said she, "I ow$ money." "You and I seem to be In said he. "Now, look time I M put ''' ? ???