The Lubbock avalanche., December 19, 1912, SECTION TWO, Image 11

About The Lubbock avalanche. (Lubbock, Tex.) 1909-1922

Image provided by: University of North Texas; Denton, TX

                
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(Copyright.)
ND It htid come to
pass thnt on thli
itny before Chrlst
nmi a man not
oM In yearn sat In
bli room at a ho
tel In a strange
town and felt tilm-
f all the
most
I
poor,
the
P
h.
out. I( alono had
no thought for
Santa Claim.
It we-it bark five yenrs. He, the son
of a railroad magnate, hnd dared to
fall In lovo wl;h th blue eyed daiigh
ter of a locomotive, driver on bla fa
ther' road a ninn whine faro and
rami carried grime who dwelt In a
cottage who hail no society outside
of dnlly tollers. Ami he had dared
tand before the father who thotiKht
blmitelf specially created and aay:
Father, I going to be married."
"Well"
To Gladys Davla "
"Never heard of her."
"The daughter of on of our en
glnecrs "
There tin a moment of painful ana
pense and then the storm broke.
"roil ana II not: Ton are either a
fool or a lumitle to think of It. An
engineer' daughter! Think of your
mother of me of your sister the
disgrace! You muat have lost your
aenwei '
"Hut I am to marry her," wm the
t early reply.
"I aay no! If the Jad haa trapped
you Into an engagement bnv hr off.
Th father muat us bla Influence or
take bla dlHchsrge."
"Put w ov and sra promised to
each other."
In th next half hour the father
tornied and cajoled. If tha aou In
alated on aurh a marriage ha would
be cast out by the family; ha would
be ridiculed even by tha common peo
ple And the magnate ended up with:
"Fred. I will hare tha engineer call
ed up here and give! blm a check for
I : ' 'or and tell him
? , J j j , that thla uon-
I Vi II sense muat end."
s t I 1 I , mif- -1..II v.-
v nun I 1
mar r I a d three
day a from now."
wua bla anawer.
Dl reily to that
tha father point
ed to tha door, and
tha aou bowed and
passed out to he
aon no longer. He
had money that
had been left blm
hy an aunt, and
tha father could
not threaten bltn
with poverty
Love may alwnya be rliiht. but It
can ba ao Influenced aa to be aeem
lngly a mlatake. The marrluite took
place and Fred Dillingham waa oatra
rlsed. Ha waa not kindly welcomed
In th otber itratum. If there la a gulf
between tha rlrh man and the work-
Ingmsn the latter resents Intrualon
aa mucn aa ma former. There waa
love, hut after a few montba It waa
Influenced tram both ildea. Both hu
band and wire were made to fear that
a trava mlatake bad been made. They
fouiiht away the Idea and Bought to
bold their love, but that brought Irri
tation a and vexation and culminated
in misunderstanding and quarreia.
After two year there waa a separa
tion. Neither really dealred It It
waa what the gossips had predicted,
and what they strove to bring about.
There waa more Borrow than anger
when the young husband turned bla
back on wife and Infant a year old
and went out Into the world aa a
wanderer The wife went back to
bar fat her" a cottage, but not to strug
gle with poverty. Tha husband been
generoua to her.
Five long year a, and FT ad Dilling
ham had not been beard of. Aa an
outlaw without a family, whom should
ha write to and why? At three year
of age tha child, who had been named
ratty, wondered In her childish way
why aba hadn't a papa. At five aba
demanded to know. At alg sb stood
before tha embarrassed mother In In
dignation and threatened to go out
and And one.
And at last the wanderer had re
crossed the era and headed for hj
horn. He waa tired and weary and
lonely, lionie? Hut ha had none!
Ha had left It when he left wife and
baby. Thla struck him Ilk a su.ldan
blow, though he had all along realised
It la a general way. No now no
wife no child! That vaa why be
bad left Ih train and taken lodging,
lie had no place to go. With luuovy
la hla pockets, he waa a tramp.
And U know that ChrWIiuaa was at
band, and to hear tha Jingle uf slelgb
i
tTPsl
bells and catch the shout of children
on the atreet-io wonder If hi child
at!!! lived, and to wonder further what
old Hnnu ( Ism would bring her why,
the nian ruraad tha fear ha could
not keep hark.
A quarter of an hour later the out
law wa down on the afreet He
would mingle with
tha throng. He
would enter the
tnro titular the
everrreen branch
I 1 L . , At
blm y, make a ,ff(
purrnaiv am rw t y-i.
Utantei " I nnai a SL'V !
Din i aa viiaiiei m - j
o m e b I g e y a d V?".
i I. , . i . . -eii? J
i ii 1 1 ii on ine airef-i
Ha wa an out
should not crowd
him quite to the
cdxo. He wa al
most amlllng aa
he , crowded hi
.v Into a big
store, and he wa
looking uhuiit him when a small, warm
hand wn ruddled Into bla and u
child' voice Htd:
"rienie liiko care of me 'till mam
ma find me I'm loat!"
It an a llttln girl, and on her fre
wa both a unllo and a look of en
trentv. "Why, of courae." retill-d the out-
lnw, prraKltiK her hand and drawing
her back a little. ' Ho you came here
with your mother after Christmas
thltiira and got separated 7"
"Thafa It, only I think aha ran sway
from me ao that I shouldn't know
what Santa Clans wns going to bring
me tomorrow, nlt'lit."
"I hope It will Ikj gornethlng nice."
"Oh. It w;il be. Are you buying
something for youf little glrlT"
"N-o-o "
"Maybe nhe'a di-adT
"I I don't know "
The girl looked up and noticed tTie
grave cxiri alon on thn outlaw' face,
and cuddled closer to him and nld:
"I'm orry If I have hurt you. Mnm
ma y I talk too much. I've Ju-t
thntiyht thnt mabe you are not mar
ried at alir
' I giic-a that a pretty near It. re-
plied the outlaw at he tried to laugh
bu n-sde (Mir work of It.
"Well. If you haven't got any little
girl I Imvi-n't got any papa. What
you ruing to buy.
"Whv. ahatever you sayT"
"Hut not for ntT"
"Yes. for you. Well select some
thing, and then when your mother
conn- I'll auk ber If she'll let you have
It."
"I hope she will. Vou look to be
such a nice man that ahe shouldn't re
fuse. I picked you out sa the very
nicest man that came along"
"Thank you." aald the outlaw aa he
felt hla heart grow big. "Now, then,
about this doll. Heal balr. eyes that
wink, pink shoe and almost as big as
you are. She'll be a sleter to you."
"And how much Is It?"
"Only ten dollars."
"My. but ran you pay that much! If
yon can you muat be rich."
"Hut you see 1 have no little girl of
my own."
"That's so. Isn't Chrlstms nice
Po you know there' mamma over
there1 Let me run and tell her "
The outlaw turned bis bark on the
crowl and gritted hi teeth and
FANHM5
HRI5TMAS
5
wmm
(Copyright )
AT
r
U
.x
e
i c r,
J? ""i''ev,U. ahoca leak
ahe wore
Inked bl eyea.
lie bad been hit
hard. Three or
four minute pass
el and then a
band pulled at hi
and a voice said:
"Please, Mister
nice man, tell me
your name, that I
may Introduce you
to mamma.
think aba will let
ma have tbe doll.
The outlaw turned
and gasped an
Ms face) went
white,
"filady!"
"Fred."
"You here!"
"And yon!"
"And tbls la our daughter?"
"Our Hatty. Father wa discharged
from the road and moved over here
to take another run."
It wa tha next day. and Patty wa
lifting on her father' knee and the
happy mother waa wiping teara from
her eyes, when the child aald:
"flay, mamma. I Juat picked him out
aa the very nlceat man In all that big
crowd, and I didn't make any miatake.
did I? Don't anybody ait down on my
doll and give her a pain!"
i-1- - S
If
sm' V
O Mia Fanella Fen
way the flurry of
Christmas snow
waa not beautiful I
a she hurried
through deepening
twIllRhL
Though possess
ing a certain dis
tinctive ulr, her
coat wa pitifully
thin and Inade
quate. Though neat
ly blackened, her
krd tind
no rub
ber. It Is small
wonder that the storm seamed merci
less and cold. Hut when ahe turned
In at the big stone gateway, her
abouldera straightened proudly.
"The old Fenway place," she mur
mured, glancing about the gloomy, un
kept grounds, "und I am the laat of
the Fenway."
"If you were not It would go hnrd
with them," Interjected that other half
or ,ii is r in way nature tnat waa
always ridiculing ber Fenway prldn.
Ttileas." with malicious emphnsls
' they chanced to bo nlao lmpervloua
to cold and hunger!"
MIhs Fuik-Hu' ilpe trembled as she
unlocked the great front door upon
no condition did he ever leave or
enter the lions-? by any of Ita other
numerous entrances.
She lighted the small oil lamps that
stood on the marble top of the hall
buffet, placed her coat and hat on the
carved rack, aod peered closely Into
the great mirror.'
"Tomorrow la Christmas, and your
birthday." she whlapered accusingly.
"and no one hn remembered It!
Not one of your old friends! Tou
are alone."
"Of course. I am alone," poke the
Fenway pride complacently. "Who 1
if ii&
j.iiiiifoA (jhJi ' J
5 v.o &
1 - tM
"I
Made It Work.
A weak before the Chrlstmaa holt-
daya an undergradual wished to start
home, thus gaining a week' vacation
on tha other students. II had, how
aver, used up all tha absences from
tha lectures which are allowed, and
any more without good eicuae would
have meant suspension. In a quan
dary ba bit upon thi solution; ba
telegraphed hla father tha following
message:
"Bhall I coma home at tar leisure or
straight home?"
The anawer ha received was: "Come
straight ioraa."
Aa exhibition of tha telegram to tb
professors waa safSclenL
An Assurance.
"Pout yon think a holiday I mora
rbevrful wbea there I a large family
gathered about Native board?"
"I do," answered tbe sardonic per
son. "A large family I a glad asaur
auca that tkere la not gulug to be
enough lurkvy left la auppty the man
fur tha Ott f dajs."
Have
Dreamed of
Here."
You Sitting
there In Whalen that I care for? All
the old famlllea with whom we asso
ciated are gone. It is my misfortune
that I am left alone la the old bouse.
"Why need you be alone? There
are people all about you. common
people to be sure, but kindly and good,
And there Is Nelson Traver!"
"A common farmer!"
Miss Fanella could almost believe
she heard a real voice In the old hall
with all tha Fenway pride and scorn
In It. a voice alarmingly lika bar state
ly mother's.
It has been aettled these fifteen
year," she said, picking up tha little
lamp wearily. "Why must It be gou
over again every Christmas?"
Through tha great cold rooms the
light moved dimly, until she entered
what had been tha bntler'a pantry In
tbe old regime. Here a small stove
diffused a half hearted sort of warmth
and a little table and a leather chair
were drawn rloea.
Hera dwellelk tha laat of the Fen-
ways, sba stld derisively. "Tat too
aristocratic to associate with ordi
nary mortals:"
From her worn leather bag she
drew a letter aha bad found awaiting
her at tha poatofflca. There were
few person using such stationery who
till remecibered to write to her.
Iaoar Mis Fenway?" she read.
are you rllU alone at the old place?
If ao. why ran you not com wiia me
to Japan thl winter, and hulp ni
with the rhlldrwn? Thar will be no
on In our rty but vureulvea. Tlease
t me know by Ike first January."
There followed page tt dalalla.1
friend now lha wife of a urcesaful
financier.
Mia Fanella' hand trembled, her
face wa drawn and white.
"A nurse maid," ahe moaned at
laat bitterly, "a common nurse maid'
She put It kindly, and It I kind of
her to think of me In my destitution,
but that I what It mean. Yt, Isn't
it better than cold and loneliness and
atarvatlon? I'm tired of being dif
ferent from other peopln. I'll try be
ing a common aa the commonnat for
a while."
Suddenly the great bell pealed
through the rraoundtng old room a
She lifted the little lamp In wonder
ment and threaded her way again
through the ley gloom. No trades
people railed at the house, and cer
tainly not at the big front door! And
generation of uperlorlty had taught
the neighbor the futfllty of calling
at the Fenway 'portal.
Nelson Travera tood In the porch,
the big white flake heaped upon hla
broad tb.ouldrra.
"Good evening, Fanella," hn said aa
If he hnd pnrted with her but yester
day. Tomorrow la your birthday, I
believe, and Chrlatma. too. Will you
corne for a ride with me?"
Mlxs Fanella gasped, as well he
mlKht. This, after fifteen year of si
lener ! Had it taken blm ao long to
recover from the repulso of old
Madam Fenway?
"I whnt wlli the neighbor think?"
he gasped
"You are thtrty-six tomorrow, are
you not, Fanella? Isn't thnt old
enough to act as you plense regard
less of the neighbor?"
"I rupposa It la. Nelson," she ad
ml'ted with a smile. "Hut where?
"Will you trust me thl once, Fane!
Ia? I promise to bring you br.c
whenever you wish."
Mlas Fanella looked into the whit
night. Wa she dreaming, or could
this unlikely thing really have hap
pened In the deadening monotony of
her life?
w Hat dlnerence did It make, any
way. Heart forth she would be only
a nursemnld. She looked back Into
Nelson Travera' bonent eyes pleading
with her to trust him. About her the
stately old furniture upon which lie
prldo had fed so many years, pleaded
in vain.
"Yen," she aald, "I'll come. I do not
know bow far I ahall go, though."
The man stepped Into the old hall
and held her coat. Hla lip closed
over hia displeasure when he felt tbe
weight of It.
th did not remember the worn
gloves on the ball table, and only
thought about locking the door when
she saw Travera slip the key Into bla
deep pocket.
wrapped in robes, she seemed un
conscious of the storm, realizing only
the pleasant sensation of companion
ship and warmth.
She was not even surprised when
he drew up before a low, ample house
and lifted ber carefully to tbe door-
stone.
Ill be In In t minute," he told
her. "Take oil your wraps and get
warm."
MIbs Fanella, her heart beating
high at ber own audacity, opened tbe
broad door.
The wide, low rooms within opened
plessantly together, lighted by can
dies on the mantels, and by softly
shaded lamps.
"How pleassnt," said MIsb Fanella
aloud, going to the open fire, and
thinking of ber little stove In tbe but
ler's puntry.
"I have dreamed of yon sitting
here," said Travera quietly, coming to
her. "And now I am going to aak you
to eat supper with me a Chrlstmaa
supper, you know."
"I shall be most delighted," an
swered MIbs Fanella with a smile.
The Fenway pride was mute for once.
It waa a quiet supper. Fanella poured
the tea, conscious that lierf compan
ion's eye were following ber, and she
enjoyed herself with a fierce, defiant
sort of enjoyment
"Faaella," said the man, leading her
back to the fire, "I will bless you for
ever for coming with me. I wanted
you: to see my bomu, to understand
Just bow simple and unpretentious it
I. I know I am only a 'common farm
er,' but I've always loved you, Fanel
la. I cannot endure It to see you live
aa you do, alone In that great house.
Won t you let me take care of you.
dear? 1 know I am not good enoush
for yon. 1 realise what tt muat aeem
Ilka to you here, but "
It I comfortable and beautiful
iseiaon. Her voice broke over the
word, "nut I do not deserve It. 1
waa not fair and honest with you
for I cared, always. I let my pride
ana my family Interfere I
Oh." aha cried, shaken by sadden,
fierce nobs, "why did yon never come
back? Tbey always do In atorlea I
could not believe It waa all over when
you went away I"
Do yon mean." Bald Travera, "that
you would have given ma a different
anawer If I had come back, Fanella?"
She held out her hand true Fen
way band. "Don't you know. dear.
that all women are privileged to
change their mind?" h asked.
What a fool I've been. Fanella."
groaned Travera. holding bar cloae.
"Fifteen year I Tell me, when did you
repent your coldness r
"Before yon had reached tha gala."
whlapered Fanella, penitently.
1WLX
4, 8
a "Xj
to is
A j
- -
i
(Copyright. Wli, nr Associated Literary
I'rr.s)
UST In time for the
wedding, ("live.
Wish you merry
ChriKtmaa Gee,
but It's bully to
see you home again.
Three years since
you walked on thia
old platform, wait
ing for the down
t"iln. How have
they treated you
down east?"
"Fine, thanks,
Mr. l)unkley."Clive
answered heartily.
"Whose wedding
am I In time for? I want to load up
with gifts."
"Guess you'll have to. If In your
own fnmlly. Hob finally got her."
Clive turned quickly as the old sta
tion agent went chuckling toward the.
express ofrVo trundling a truck of
bngKage. I!e followed him, his dark
eyea keen and troubled.
"Got whom, Mr. Itunkley? I haven't
heard any news from home for week
I've been abroad since June, and Just
pot back in time to catch the express
west for Chrlatma. So you see It's
all a surprise to me.
"Surprise to all the town. Never
thought Hob hnd the nerve to ask a
girl to marry him, let alone that
apunky little Lawrence one."
The name atruck Clive lika a whip
lash. He called good night and hur
ried over to where the old atatlon
hack waited.
The driver called n cheery Christ
mas grtetlng to him, and he an
swered It, but es they swung up the
long rock hill toward tha town, he
leaned back and shut hi eye and
wished he had never come back.
Not that he had any bold on her.
There had never been a formal en
gagement. H e
had no right to
ask a girl to mar
ry him when he
was only a young
cub Just out of
college with his
standing to win
first. Hut she had
known, ah, but
she bad known
well where he
stood, and bow
he loved her. He
could see her
now, small and
slender at I x-
teen, , still In
short skirts, her
durk curl flvln
jM $
In the wind, deep dimple at the cor
ner of ber mouth, and the awlft
flashing smile that eye and mouth
and dimple Joined in. Yet it had
been more than beauty that bad held
him true through the year. There
bad been a look In her eye, a bok
of abiding faith and clean, atralaht
honor, that be hnd loved end mated.
The memory of thnt look had brought
him back over the sea. to find ber
this Christmas and tell ber that now
be could claim her.
Bob! Stolid, good old Hob. Whllo
he bad been playing globe trotter.
trying to catch tbe flying heel of a
madcap, wayward fortune. Hob bad
tayed quietly at home and won the
girl he loved.
There In tha dingy, chilly Interior
of the old hack Clive fought out hla
battle with himself. He would be I
game, be said; be would not mar
their happiness with one word or
look. Ha could not go bsck. There
waa hla mother. He could not give
up aeelng her merely because Fate
had given him a knockout blow, not
exactly In tha solar plexua, but i
trifle to tha left.
"AH out," shouted the driver Jovial
ly, pulling up short before the great
old mansion on the hill, with Ita bar
ricade of tall pine,
heavy cow with
now. "Wlah I waa
In Hob ratterson'a
boota tonight
Turned on some
Illumination didn't
theyT And. oh.
listen to the band.
Thank you. sir
That give the mis
sus and kid at
noma a wtti eg'
sweeping over Mm. It w n!y
little luslnt f'hrlsima carol that fay
had atwari loved. Tear ago, wbeej
she hd first come to live with them,
a little forlorn kiddle, orphaned and
with no one but hi father to act aa
guardian, she had loved that carol,
and always cang It at holly time. Ha
heard her voice now and gripped big
hand a he listened.
Hark, the herald angels sing,
Olnry In the nrx.rn Kin.
I'esr i on enrth and merry mild"
She saw hi figure reflected In the
tall mirror and rose with a half
frightened rry.
"Don't, dear," ha said, brokenly,
hurrying to meet her. He forgot
Hob and all he bad heard, and sw
only her. "I Just got In nobody
know 1 am hera yet why, dear
dear "
She wa sobbing on his shoulder,
her hands, wrenched from bis grasp,
held his head agalnat her cheek.
Clive saw ahe was dressed In white
soft satin that crushed under his
clasp like b nil Bid flowers; he felf
ha was robbing Hob, and yet there In
the dear old room they both knew so -well,
In the tender winter gloom, ba
held her close, and kissed ber Hp,
hair, wet eyelid and forgot all ex
cept the splendor of tbe might have
been.
"They won't miss you," she man
aged to say finally, pushing back hla
fnco and holding tt In ber hands at
a Bafn distance. "I'm so aorry but
you see, I was thinking ot ou, and
and wanting to see you so, and then
suddenly 1 looked, and you were here,
right here, with me."
"And too late," ho added bitterly.
"Oh, no, you're not, Clive," she
flashed back earnestly. "They haven't
been married yet."
"They? Who?"
"Hob and Gretcben."
"Gretchen! Who the devil la
Gretchen? I beg your pardon, Fay
you don't know what I've suffered
Isn't Hob going to marry you?"
She looked at him for a moment
In utter shocked silence, then laugh
ed ber old ringing, gay laugh that ha
loved.
"I marry Bob Hob? You silly,
Billy "
"Go nhead. Call me what yon
like. Who's thl person Gretchen,
anyway?"
"She'B my cousin, Gretchen Law
rence. She came to spend her gun
mer vacation
with me, and Hob npf
fell In love with
her. That' all,
Clive."
"Ah?" Cllre
sighed and drew
her Into bla arm
again. Tbey
would make tt a
double wedding
Just to pay him
back for tha mis
ery of tha laat
half hour. Y'es,
they would. And
he'd go back and
punch that old
fellow's head
down at the sta
tion for not telling blm it waa
Gretchen Lawrence Instead of Fay.
"Ob, Clive, let me go," she whis
pered. "They're all at dinner, ana
you know your mother"
"I know all- about It" said Clive,
comfortably. He raised her chin
gently and looked Into the dear, truei
eye he hid truated. Fay did not
know all thnt lay behind that look,
how, mentnlly, he knelt In all humil
ity and asked for forgiveness. Yet
all he said was:
"I forgot to wish you Merry ChrtsU
mas, dear!"
IS
I'll-1
ALL ABOUT THE MISTLETOE
Populsr Christmas Plant I a Parasit)
and In Olden Time Wa Con
sidered Sacred.
iVV--. ( ; lr I'oratlon-
( '
Far tha Old rslka,
Cora (aged ten), to TieggU (aged
eleveal lr. Tb games are a
wretched bore. Hut, than. If I'brlst
Bias, run kai w, aad the old Peuule da
Tb Utter waa signed by aa old y bowl j ao cit.i la sujoy ittsmeoJves.
V) hla two suit casea
gravel path, heel-
tated at, eight ot
tb brilliantly light-
ed rooms, and turned quietlg around
to the aid door that ba had had o
caaloo to ua maay a time before
when he bad been out lata larking.
It waa unlocked, and there waa no
oue In sight It waa atlll early, about
f.JH. l'mbalily tb family wa at
dlnuer. Yet sum no wa playing
oftiy In the long aiuale room south of
Ih library He stood In lha dimly
II I Ui i-d hall listening, old memories
Although In the majority of AmerV
can and Kngllsh home mistletoe la
displayed at Cbrtatmas time. It Is re
markable how little Is known of thla
curious plant Mistletoe Is a para
sitic growth, appearing most frequent
ly on apple trees, although It Is also
found on evergreen and on poplar,
hawthorn, pear and oak trees, but
very rarely on the last named. It la
n evergreen hush, about four feet
In length, thickly crowded with,
branches and leavea. Vnllka all oth
er plants, Ita leaves extend down sa
well a up. The plant flower every
year, but does not bear the little w hit
ish berries until It la four year old.
Tba mistletoe proper la a native of
Europe, especially of England and.
Normandy. In olden times It wa con
sidered a sacred plant becauaa lta
berrle grow In cluster of three
emblematic 'of the Trinity. Tha an
cient Celta used to hang sprig of
mistletoe around their necks a a
afeguard from witchea. The maid
that wa not caught and kissed under
tha mistletoe at Christmas would not
ba married within the year, so tha
tradition goea. According to tha old
rule ih ceremony wa not properly
performed unlcaa a berry waa pulled!
off after each kiss and presented to)
tna maiden. When all the berrieg
were gone the privilege ceased.
Chrlatma Preeenta,
"I thought it better lo get yow soma-
thing useful." said Mr. IXibb to bla
wife. "o I have boaght yon a roupl)
ot good bruooia for your Cbrlstma
present."
"That waa very thoughtful of yoa.
my dear." replied Mrs. Jicbh " har
jour Ideas, and have bou.'it a g !.
strong (l-utC for yi to carry
cu: frtnu tha cnilar In."