10 ST, # i STRAYED or STOLEN By MARY WINTHROP [Copyright, 1902, by T. C. ilcClure.] ruau who said tliat a big I apartment house was a vil lage iu itself didn't know a thing about it, or else he had never been In a village. Lord! I would say It was a collection of hostile camps, with a Janitor as the only means of communication." By way of emphasis for his words Frank Lane threw across the room the jfayly Illustrated magazine lie had been pretending to read. It landed with a crash, bringing with it to the floor a small vase which stood on the corner of the mantel. Broken bits of porce lain rolled in all directions. The young man started to his feet. The vase was one of his childish rel ics. Every bit was precious. But he sank back with a groan. lie bad for gotten his sprained ankle. The pain in it made him remember. It was almost Intolerable for a few mo ments. But that was not what brought the tears to his eyes—tears of weak ness and loneliness. He was remem bering that It was the day before Christmas and that he was shut up in his bachelor apartments with a sprain ed ankle. A solitary dinner at the club "I WISH YOU WOULD LET ME KEEI" IT." was never wildly festive for Christ mas, but even that was to be denied him this year. There was a rattling at the hall door. Lane hastily brushed aside the tears as the wife of the Janitor came In. Wom anlike, she was compassionate. Her face beamed as she cried: "A package for ye, Mester Lane. Th' postman Jest left It, an' I hurried It up, thiukln' it might cheer ye a bit. It's sure some prisint a lady fren's been a-sendln' ye." The Invalid laughed shortly. From a lady friend! He had been raised in an orphan asylum and as far as his knowledge went had not a living relation. Ills position in the business world was entirely due to his own pluck and energy. He had not had time to make lady friends. When the woman had gone, he still looked curiously at the package in his lap. It was in bad order. The string was loosened and the enveloping paper torn. The address was blurred, but he could still make out faintly the In scription "F. E. Lane" and the nanx of the apartment house. It was really for him. Ills Angers trembled with eagerness as he slipped off the outside wrapper and disclosed dainty tissue paper and ribbons. It must surely be from a girl, he thought. Inside was a creation of violet silk. He eyed it dubiously, but then his face cleared. lie had seen similar curios in shop windows. It must be a handker chief ca6c. But the name of the sender? He took hold of the case gingerly and shook it. He carefully turned it Inside out. No card appeared. It must have slipped out on the way. lie sniffed appreciatively. The case was strongly scented with violets. It almost seemed as If the fair donor herself was glorify ing Ills room with her presence. Yet the question of who had sent it still remained unsolved. He knew whom he wished had sent it—the girl in the flat above. She was the girl who, when she camejn from the oflice of an evening, sat down at the piano and irattled off a jolly twostep—that was when things had gone well—or crept In quietly and sang soothing lullabies— that was when the day's work had left her wornout and blue. Lane sympa thized. for he had felt just that way himself. "B-r-r-r" rang the electric bell. Lane frowned as he reached his hand back for the button. Why need common place realities in the shape of the Jan itor break In upon his day dream? Then he straightened up suddenly. The figure standing in the doorway ! was not to be confused with the Jan 'ltor. It was a girl with rebellious brown curls wandering down to ob struct a pair of serious dark eyes, ft was the girl of the flat above. The girl stood uncertainly a moment in the gathering dusk, then stepped 1 forward with sudden decision. "I beg [your pardon for intruding on you/' '•he Mid apologetically. "I don't be lieve you enn even see who I am in this seiukluii.uess. Won't you let me light up'/ I tyu the girl from the llat above." As she spoke she turned to the switch. In a moment the room flashed into a blaze of light. Lane still stared at her as If at a vision, but the years of business train ing came to his aid. "Won't you sit down. Miss Fane?" lie said courteous ly. "I can't rise—a little trifle of a sprained ankle." "Yes, I know,"the girl interrupted •ympnthetlcally. "The janitor told me. I am so sorry." The man found her pity very sweet. "I don't want to trouble you," she went on, "but I am looking for one of my Christmas presents which Is lost, strayed or stolen. It must have come, for my cousin writes that it was mailed some days ago." Instinctively Lane spread his hands over the dainty trifle lying in his lap. Yes, the pillow hid it from view. "It is a handkerchief case made of purple silk. As our names look some thing alike, I thought it might have route to you by mistake." She looked at him expectantly. Now, Lane had been mentally plan ning how he might keep that handker chief caw. He was a thief In every thing but the deed. But he could not answer those searching brown eyes with a He. "Yes, I have It. I thought It was mine." And he held It out weak ly. Then sudden inspiration came to him. "I wish you would let me keep U," he said pleadingly. "I will buy you anything else in Its place that you like." Miss Lane's color deepened. "Why?" she asked wonderlngly. "Because," he said vehemently, "it's the only Christmas present I shall have. I have been lying here in the dusk im agining who might have sent it to me, and I can't bear to give it up. I would not eare so much if I was up and around. You don't know how blue a fellow gets shut up here all alone. Lit tle things come to count a lot." Me looked so helpless lying there ou the couch that the girl's heart went out to him, and she had a fashion of fol lowing her heart more readily than her head. "You poor fellow!" she said gen tly. "I know Just how you feel. You shall keep the handkerchief case. Cous in Laura will never know, and I have several others. And you must count it as a real Christmas present from me. Only don't give me anything in its place except to wish me a merry Christmas when I come down to see you in the morning. I will bring some of the good ies from my home box. They will make you forget all about the ankle." She hurried away. Lane did not know that it was because she wished to hide tears brought to her eyes by the dumb look of gratitude on his face. And he lay back and wished that the morrow might come. Before another Christmas the two flats were empty. Mr. and Mrs. Lane were keeping house in a large flat on the ground floor. Ills wife always de clares that he stole her heart and the handkerchief case at one and the same time on that memorable Christmas eve. XMAS WITH THE GERMANS. ficcueH In tlie? Shops and In the Re tirement of Home. As the handsome shops reveal the Christmas of the rich Germans, also we see the Christmas joys of the other, the peasant class. The toy stores—the dolls in all the national costumes of the world, and windows all bristling with combating soldiers. Candy shops! Candy is distinctively American. In Germany and France it is bonbons; iu England sweets. The Germans do not eat candy as a habit, as we do, but on Christmas time, according to their idiom, "it goes loose." But it is the "pfefferklichen" that is the great dis tinguishing delicacy of Christmastlde. Not a house, family or person In Ger many is without it. It is a sort of hard spice cake, made in all sorts of shapes. The writer spent last Christmas in the home of Baron von Shierbrant. The day before Christmas the drawing rooms were closed. No one dare enter except the baron and baroness, who came in and out of those rooms very quietly and mysteriously. On Christ mas eve the lirst event of interest Is the Christmas eve dinner, which is characterized by the serving of "karp fen in bier" and the bringing forth from their secret hiding places of the fa mous Christmas cakes, marzipan, pfef fernuesse and pfefferkuchen. Dinner ends with the joining of hands and all saying, "Gesegnete mahl/.eit."—Wash ington Post. A Juvenile Impression. "I'll be glad when I'm a grownup man," said the thoughtful youngster. "Why?" "Because then I can get my Christ mas presents without having to be good beforehand."—Washington Star. llaa Ileen There Himself. •'Chris'mus kin be made so much pleasanter ef the stern parunt will on'y let his inin' wander back tew the time fc'hen he made a dash fur the ole chitn neyplece himself," says Ole Nutmeg. IIIIIIIMIM of Yule. Though some are dead and Some are fled To lands of summer over sea. The holly berry keeps his red. The merry children keep their glee. "Xhcy hoard with artless secrecy This gift for Maude and that for Molly, And Santa Claus he turns the key On Christmas eve. Hclgh-ho, the holly! Amid the snow the birds are lied; The snow lies deep on land and lea; The skies are shining overhead; The robin's tame that was so free. Far north at home the "barley bree" They brew; they give the hour to folly. How "Rab and Allen cam' to pree," They sing; we sing, Helgh-ho, the holly! ENVOI. Friends, let us pay the wonted fee. The yearly tlthr. of mirth, be Jolly! It Is a duty so to be. Though half we sigh, Helgh-ho, th» holly! —Andrew Lang. CAMERON COUNTY PRESS, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 17, 1903. Th« Secret of Harmony. Young Mrs. Mead, whose experience of married life liad been brief and happy, had just engaged two servants, a man and his wife, for work at her place. "I am so glad you are married!" she said to the man, with whom she had made terms. "I hope you are very, very happy, and that you and your ndfe never have any difference of opin ion." "Faith, uia'am, Ol couldn't say that," replied the new servnnt, "for we have a good manny, but Oi don't let Bridget know of tliiin, and so we do be getting along well." A Spider Balloon. Tremendous spiders can be see* lu the forests of Java, the webs of these creatures being so strong that It some times requires a knlfo to cut through them. A Texas spider weaves a balloon four f«et long and two feet wide, which It fastens to a tree by a single thread, then marches on board with its little ones, cuts the thread, and away goes the air ship to some distant place to make a new home. Bitter. "No," said Mr. Crabbe; "I certainly won't buy you that extravagant bonnet. Isn't there anything else you'd be satis fled to wear?" "Oh, yes!" replied his wife. "I saw a very plain and cheap one today that I'd be delighted to wear." "Indeed! Well?" "Well, it's n widow's bonnet."—Phila delphia Press. Setaaiired. Angelina (anxiously)— Are you sure, dear, that you don't regret It and that you don't sonieUmes miss your life as a bachelor? Edwin (with cheerful convlcUon)— Not a bit. I tell you what, Angy, I miss It so little that if I were to lose jrou—a—l'm blessed if I wouldn't marry again. The Safer Method. "Say," began the first inan, nibbling his pen, "how do you spell 'gibbering'— with a 'g' or a 'J?* " "I don't spell It at all," replied the other. "When I want to call a man that sort of an idiot I Just say it. I'm not fool enough to put it in writing."— Washington Star. The Proper Thing;. Miss Keedick —Mr. Gilley actually of fered himself to Miss Darley on a postal card. Miss Gasket—What did she do? Miss Keedick—Refused him. She said she preferred sealed proposals. We find we can satisfy a friend we fcave not seen before in twenty years t>y telling him he doesn't look a day Older, but if it is forty years we have to make it an hour.—Atchison Globe. R.C. DODSON, THE Bru^ist, EMPORIUM, PA. IS LOCATED IN THE CORNER STORE. At Fourth and Chestnut Sts.. K.C. DODSON. Telephone, 19-2. LUDLAM'S Millinery Store Special Sale of Trimmed Hatß You can save to *4 ou all trimmed hats purchased of us this month. Women's Dress Hats and Street Hats All shapes and colors; these hats are the newest, most attractive of this season's styles; some are for women, girls and children. Don't miss this splendid opportu nity to save money. All birds wings and ar gretts at ]/ 2 price. All Ostrich goods, off of price. Everything in the millin ery line reduced. A fine display of handker chiefs, hosiery and silks for the Holiday trade. Ludlam's, | Near Bank, Emporium, Pa. 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