2 THE COLUMBIAN, BLX)OMSBURG, PA.
''V Mr. Busby's Christmas
id m
fl Ci
A CHRISTMAS
TOBOGGAN
By MANDA L. CROCKER
-V a shpltcreil cloft on the raoun
11 lain side where the scraggy nines
made polite obeisance to ttielr
bare-headed neighbors, the Half-way
house had stood, a harbinger of com
fort, for a score of years.
And now, though the old stage lay
rotting In the valley and the traveler
thundered along by rail beneath its
very foundations, the friendly gables
seemed beckoning to Imaginary guests.
To-night, too, the pine branches
crackled merrily on the wi!e hearth,
as if the snubs of a progressive pub
lic were not worth minding, lighting
up the long, low room in the gloaming
f the Christmas Eve.
Two women conversed in tender
monotone in the cheery illumination,
and the elder was saying: "The paper
cannot be found and, of course, the
property goes to your Uncle Hermon."
I he other rose wearily from her
place before the fire and stood lean
ing her head against the black old
.'ashioned mantel.
"Then uncle really Intends taking
our home away from us?" she said, in
idrrogatively, looking down into the
..atlent mother face.
"Certainly, my daughter," came the
reply in cheerful resignation, "and he
expects to take possession soon, too.
But your father always made much
of the Christmas time and, for his
sake, we will keep the day gladly, you
know."
"Yes, I know," and the girl turned
away toward th next room, tucking
up her sleeves with little gingerly
thrusts as she went.
The brace of partridges Brother Ned
bad snared the day before made a
pretty picture as they waited, plume
and round, for the last turn of the
skewer. After they were ready for
the morrow's roasting the tall, quepnly
girl went over to the open doorway a
moment to contemplate the pictur
esque landscape she had loved all hei
life.
"Even the scrubby oaks are restful
up here," she mused, "and I don't se
how I am to bring myself to be turned
out like a beggar!"
Making a sudden dash at her cyei
with her handkerchief, she resumed:
"Of course, if mother Is bent on hav
ing a sunny Christmas in the face ol
It all, why, I won't be shadowy."
Hearing a cheery whistle outside she
continued: "Ned doesn't care about it
boys don't. O yes" (correcting the
uncharitable thought), "he does care,
but not as I do."
The mother rocked to and fro be
fore the fragrant blaze, humming an
old refrain. The dusk gathered
14 Who Cares for His Charity 9
gloomily 'in the corners of the room
while the dancing light glinted along
the smoky rafters as if eager to dispel
all thought of loneliness.
Mrs. Cameron glanoed upward. In
the yeara agone, when the rafters were
not so smoky and the dear old rooms
not so dingy aa now, the Half-way
house was the social hub of the moun
tain side. But now
A sturdy lad of 12 years came bust
ling in with bis arms full of holly and
his pockets full of mall.
ZZL 1
. --:-t:A'- mtT-
"The road down to UK village is as
smooth as glass," he said, brushing
tho snowflnkes from his clothes on to
the bright hearth. "Horses will have
to be sharp shod to make the slide to
morrow, I know."
Handing some letters to his mother,
he began to plan for a "Jolly qnori
time" the next day, while he sepa
rated the sprays of the glossy ever
green. Attracted by his festive manner, his
sister volunteered to help, and fell to
sorting the crimson clusters for deco
rating the table and brightening up
the rooms on the morrow.
"Of course he can't care much," she
whispered, rebelllously, watching the
satisfaction shining on the boyish
face.
"We'll have popcorn and chestnuts,
nnd browned birds and everything,"
cried Ned, as his plans bubbled over.
"Everything," repealed his sister,
bitterly, "and then by and by have
nothing."
But Ned did not hear, for his mother
was saying: "Here's a note from
"Mr. Fulton Gave It to Me."
Cousin Jessie," while a smile lighted
up her careworn face.
Then she passed the paper to Edith,
murmuring: "All winter long in the
dear old house."
"Papa has concluded to let you stay
In the house until spring, as he can
not find a tenant before that time. He
will stop on his way to Fulton's In the
morning and talk with you about the
matter," was what Edith read. Then
she laid the slip of paper on her
brother's palm, wondering if by that
time anything would happen that they
would not have to go at all.
Ned tossed the note into the ma
ternal lap contemptuously and his sun
ny face darkened. "Who cares for his
charity extension, I'd like to know?"
he exclaimed. "It's only because he
can't do otherwise and make it pay!"
His Up curled disdainfully and quiv
ered Into silence. He did "care," after
all, poor little brother. And Edith's
heart smote her as she kissed his
flushed cheek in sisterly sympathy.
After all, he had been braver than she.
"It's a veritable toboggan," ex
claimed Hermon Cameron's wife as
the fine team cantered up the treach
erous "slide." "Really I am afraid of
an accident."
"Fudge, Mrs. Faintheart; what can
happen?" laughed her husband, gayly,
as he cracked his whip over the sleek
bays.
Truly, it did not seem possible for
anything to happen out of harmony
with the lovely holiday. Nevertheless,
a few minutes later the serenity of
the day was all broken up for the
Camerons. Frightened at something
by the roadside, the horses became
unmanageable and, in a twinkling, be
coming detached from the sleigh, ran
wildly around the upper turulng,
throwing Mr. Cameron heavily to the
ground.
The Impetus of the accident sent the
vehicle spinning down the glassy in
cline, Its occupants perfectly helpless
to stay their mad flight.
The Fultons, startled to see a run
away team dash into their grounds,
ran out to recognize it as that of their
friend, Cameron, and In a short time
they were bending solicitously over
the unlucky man who, prone on the
Christmas snow, was moaning uncon
sciously. "We will take him up to the wid
ow's," said Mr. Fulton, glancing In the
direction of the friendly gables, "while
you go for the doctor," addressing his
son, "and then we will look for the
rest of them."
Prudence Cameron prepared a couch
Jll ra ,
for her unfortunate brotner-in-law,
with, a queer sensation tugging at her
heartstrings. He had meant to stop,
but not in this manner. Surely tbere
. waa a Trovldence In It.
"Here are some papers we picked
up," said Mr. Fulton, laying a roll In
j the widow's hand. "They must belong
to him. Examine them and see. I
haven't my glasses with me."
I In her own room Mrs. Cameron
looked the papers over. "Of course
they're his," she mused, unrolling the
Krlmy outer wrapper. Unfolding the
Inside paper she read: "I hereby give
and bequeath the Half-way hoime to
my sister-in-law, Prudence Cameron,
and"
She read no further. Down at the
bottom of the instrument was the pe
culiar chlrography of her Injured brother-in-law.
"It was never lost!" she exclaimed;
"but Hermon never meant that I
should see this."
Putting the precious document away
carefully, she went downstairs with a
queer little smile triumphant on her
patient face.
The physician and Hermon' family
had arrived and the wife was saying:
"We went right on tobogganing down
to the uneven road at the lower turn
ing. Then the cutter went to pieces
against a tree and we were upset, but
not hurt."
She ended with a hysterical laugh,
as 'she looked toward the white-faced
husband.
"Stunned a considerable, bruised a
bit, but fairly ready for his Christmas
dinner," said the doctor a be took
his leave.
In the kitchen Edith surveyed the
brace of partridges and wondered if
there was' "enough to go round." But
while she cogitated the Fultons came
In with a bountiful dinner.
"We planned for company," laughed
Jolly Mrs. Fulton, "and we're bound to
have It, even if we meet them half
way." And soon the Christmas cheer
filled the lonely old rooms.
In the midst of the merry Christmas
dinner Prudence Cameron looked
across the table at her brother-in-law
who, pillowed up In an arm-chair, was
munching a browned bird, and said,
playfully: "Christmas gift. Brother
Hermon."
"I meant to have brought some
thing," he stammered, in confusion,
"but"
"Thank you, I know you did," Inter
rupted Prudence, her face glowing
with victory, "and it Is all right. Mr.
Fulton gave it to me the will, I mean
and I thank you again."
Iad the house tumbled down the
mountain side Hermon Cameron could
not have been more surprised. He
sank back among the pillows with a
suppressed groan. "My heart!" he
said, faintly. "My heart!"
"You are hurt more seriously than
we thought for!" cried the Fultons, In
alarm.
"Oh, no," murmured Hermon. "I
am Just a little overcome."
And so it proved. But, although
he revived and chatted with his friend,
Fulton, over the toothsome plum pud
ding, he did not look Prudence Cam
eron's why again that day.
1 And that night Ned sat before the
crackling fire on the broad hearth.
while the dancing light touched his
ruddy face and glinted up along the
smoky rafters, and whispered between
his palms: "Dear Lord, we are so
thankful for th blessed Christmas
tide; but Just now we are thankfuller
for the upset of Uncle Hermon!"
MORE DANGER AHEAD.
"Well. I'm thankful Thanksgiving's
past," soliloquized Mr. Gobbler, "but
bare come December."
ij P'l'SHY was finishing a
w (U, filter's newest baby,
m tew. ns 111 her m in'i Willi lb..! In-
liicary oi tie paUern. Mis. tiriggs
in tho oppoiti e rocker wnic! ed her,
I "I gues.i 1 must bo going," she ati-nnuiK-ed,
flnnlly. "I only ran in to
wish you Merr) Christmas. I won't
seo you to-morrow. Call Christmas a
holiday! I've two people to roik for
usually ChrlsttiiAS It's twenty!"
I "And you'd not b content on o h' r
days, If you hadn' s'niany then," ro-
! tiiriAml Mra Itnkhv 'W'n'll IW1 if!
Tom's, as usual. Ho married a college
girl, and I told him: 'These college
girls may know a sight more about the
structure of the human body than the
rest of us, but they don't know half
as much about making It comfort
able!' "
"And now she has you come over
every Christmas and see what a good
housekeeper she is!" finished Mrs.
Griggs, knowing the story as well as
her hostess.
"M'hm. Can't you stay?"
"Thank you, no. 1 hoped you'd
show me Mr. Busby's Christmas gift."
"It's upstairs, and I'm afraid he'll
come in. He hasn't seen It, though."
"So you've got ahead of him,
flnnlly?"
"I have. It beats all the way that
man finds things out and then teases. I
Last year I got him a set of Dickens,
and kept It hidden three weeks be-
tween the mattresses of the spare 1
room bed. The night before Christmas
I was thinking how I'd surprise him !
when he said, smiling like: 'That's a '
mighty nice set of books in the spare I
room bed, Cynthy; It's a pity to keep
'em there, with the bookcase so han
dy,' he says."
"But ho hasn't found out this year?" 1
"No; I guess he was ashamed of be
ing so mean. I've seen my present,
though."
"But I thought you said It was kind
of mean to try to ttnd out "
"Oh, that's different. My present is
the handsomest kind of a wrap, Mrs.
Griggs. I was over at Parker's one
"Choose for Yourself.
day and that head clerk he called me
aside and let out that Mr. Busby was
going to buy me one of those nice
fur-trimmed coats, and wouldn't I like
to choose It, without him knowing It?
So I chose and won't I have a Joke on
Mr. Busby to-morrow?"
"That was real nice of that clerk."
"It was, and seeing how I could trust
him, I asked him to advise me which
one of those nice warm bathrobes to
choose for Mr. Busby I Just couldn't
decide between the red one and the
green one. He said "
"Oh, by the way, he told me a real
funny story about a bath robe. He
says a lady wanted to buy her hus
band one for Christmas and asked his
advice. He told her to wait until to
morrow, as some new ones were com
ing in then, and "
"Why, that must have been the very
day I was in; though I didn't see any
new ones when I went bank the "
"M'hm. And he Just called her hus
band in that night and told him to
choose for himself, so be wouldn't
have to exchange it the day after
Christmas. Her husband thought it
the best Joke yet to think what a laugh
he'd have on her when she gave it to
him. So he chose a blue one and
why, what's the matter, Mrs. Busby?"
Without a word, Mrs. Busby fled up
the stairs, returning a moment later
with a blue bath robe In her trembling
grasp.
"Did you ever In your life know any
body as mean as that clerk?" she
gasped.
F.LISA ARMSTRONG BENCiOUQH.
Bill That Beat 'Km All.
"You may talk o( Hill Jonaand UII1 Walk
er, Kill Blown;
There's a bill that beats all of them ome
where In town;
A bill that U wkIiIiik for all ot ui ttlll.
And the nam of this grout one li Christ
mat Hill!"
r-t
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CORRECTED WKRKLV. RETAIL PR ICtk.
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C6. ptf lun to
Lard, per pound.... ,
Mam, per pound '""it to 16
Beef (quarter), per pound 6 g
Wheat, per bushel t go
Oats, do .Q
Kye. do go
Hour per bbl 4.4J to 4 8o
May. per ton Jfc
Potatoei, per bushel 7$
lurnipn, do
Tallow, per pound " 6
Shoulder, do go
Bacon, do "..!"!".'.!".".! 16
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Dried apples, per pound 7
Cow hide, do ii
Steer do do ...!.!".'.".'!!!!" 0$
Calf akin So
Sheep pelta ""!!""!!!!!!!"! 7$
Shelled corn, per bushel. ."'.!!.'.'".'.".'.".' 7S
Corn meal, cwt a 00
Bran, cwt .7.7.'..'. .7". I 0
Chop, cwt " j o
Middlings, cwt .7.!!!!"..!'."!!"!! I 40
Chickens, spiing. per pound.'.'.....".!!! tl
,do do old 10
Ttrkeyi do 18
Geese, d I(
Ducks, do 14
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