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spirits oddly damped. Well, all cur to her to turn back from her<br />
there was about it—there were the undertaking. She had undertaken<br />
two other places! She would put to find a Christmasless place and<br />
into immediate action her investigations.<br />
spend her Christmas in it. Be<br />
If Hardscrabble proved sides, she hadn't run away from<br />
a disappointment—it was destined Tony. A warm, comfortable little<br />
to do it.<br />
After the ambitious- little meal<br />
thrill travelled over her. Tony was<br />
right here with her in this funny<br />
called "supper" Katharine disappeared.<br />
little hotel, being a dear. As long<br />
It was half an hour later as she had Tony<br />
when she broke in upon Anthony "Let's have supper,'' she cried<br />
sitting ill his shirt sleeves in the briskly. "Lefs be happy, man,<br />
hot little bedroom.<br />
dear! Just us two at a weeny little<br />
"O, you've got your coat off!<br />
table here at the end of the<br />
Put it on cjuick; our train goes in world. Then we'll go to the real<br />
fifteen minutes! There's a sleeper World's End. We're due there,<br />
on it. You shall have a good Tony,—you don't mind?"<br />
night's rest, poor boy. I'm doing "Me—mind?" Tony was just<br />
the best I can for you."<br />
getting into the spirit of things.<br />
"But what in gracious " He had the windy little sense of<br />
"We can't stay here, Tony. This having eloped with Kitty; and, the<br />
place is full of Christmas. I've been further they ran, the better. Had<br />
out investigating-. The shop windows<br />
are all lighted up and decorated—actually<br />
decorated! And<br />
about every house has Christmas<br />
he ever really had her to himself<br />
before? 'T'U go to Millenia with<br />
you. Puss, and we'll settle there!"<br />
" 'Millenia'—what a lovely<br />
place. And there wouldn't be clubs<br />
and ceremonies and whist tourna<br />
THE CHRISTIAN NATION. •Vol. 59.<br />
wreaths in. the windows—hurry,<br />
dear. I'll shut the bags up!"<br />
At Starkville, when by devious<br />
ways they finally arrived at that<br />
dreary-'Eounding place, they were<br />
met upon the little station platform<br />
with no less than three "Merry<br />
Chlristmases." More of them,<br />
cheery and friendly, greeted them<br />
at the Starkville House. It ap<br />
ments, but just cozy little you and company room of the little house,<br />
mes, Tony. It's time we had our but Kitty with a woman's unease<br />
togethers, dear; come, let's start aud her own particular gift of<br />
right off! But we'll have to go to wakefulness had remained up with be fond o' tliem children! If you'd<br />
World's End first," she added with a bo'ok from one of the suit-cases. like to see 'em, I'll go over with<br />
Kitty-stubbornness.<br />
"Ton)'—Tony !" Her lips were ye—as well's not. The poor-farm's<br />
"After supper," stipulated Tony, close to his ear, and she was gently<br />
comin' after 'em this aft'noon. We<br />
shaking him. She had just re<br />
which showed that it was not the<br />
better go pretty quick."<br />
peared to be a Christmasy little genuine thing in elopements. They turned from a little excursion to But Kitty had already gone,<br />
spot.<br />
went to the primitive little diningroom<br />
the kitchen for a drink.<br />
alone. The old woman's gaze fol<br />
in renewed spirits, a boy-and-<br />
"Tony, they've hung their stocklowed<br />
her admiringly.<br />
"Now, ain't it too bad? You'll<br />
d^.ave to put up 'ith a top-floor girl man and wife. "But, Tony," ings up—their poor old stockings !'' "Ain't she spry? Well, I tell him<br />
room, an' a back one at that! But the girl-wife said suddenly over her Kitty was crying, though she did to look at the way I use to kite<br />
we're full up, you see, along of luke-warm repast, "we ought not not know it, and could scarcely around instid o' lookio' at me now<br />
Chris'mas. The bank folks got in to get to your Millenia till after have told why, if she had known. Yes, we got to let the poorfarm<br />
take the Blacksmith Avery<br />
ahead. They always put up with Christmas; for we'd surely run into<br />
Christmas there, and we've me find something nice of yours children." She sighed. "There<br />
"Get up, dear—Tony, please! Help<br />
us, an' we always have a band<br />
here for the rally."<br />
sworn off, you know. Still"—she for the solemn old man-stocking. I ain't nobody else lo take 'em, an'<br />
"Rally?" but Katharine did not dallied with her fork thoughtfully know of something for the other there ain't a grain o' money to keep<br />
look at Anthony. Already she —"still, it would be such a dear, one."<br />
'em with if there ivas. 'Twon't be<br />
tasted new defeat.<br />
sweet kind, Tony! The real oldfashioned,<br />
genuine one that would utes later these two who had run dears, than for the rest of us. All<br />
So it came about that a few min<br />
much different for them, pooi<br />
"Yes, Chris'mas rally over to<br />
town hall. We have a regular remind us of the shepherds, and<br />
away from Christmas stole, stocking-footed,<br />
out to the small, drear Anthony Kane was not surprised<br />
of us live on poor-farms."<br />
time, the whole lot of us. Glad the star, and peace on earth—" But<br />
you're goin' to be here; strangers how could it "remind" them without<br />
the Mother and the Child? A<br />
He went a little way along the<br />
kitchen to play Santa Claus. that Kitty did not come back alone.<br />
always welcomic. Tree? You wait!<br />
What Starkville don't know about<br />
"Let a little end hang over the<br />
silence fell upon. Kitty's chattering<br />
snowy road to meet her, and now<br />
celebratin' Chris'mas ain't in the<br />
top, so he'll see it firstthing. It's<br />
little tongue. The old wistfulness<br />
he looked, at Kitty's face. It was<br />
dictionary. They ain't every town crept to her eyes.<br />
your very prettiest tie; Tony,<br />
lighted softly by some inner light,<br />
has a Chris'mas baind." The boastful<br />
flovi' of words ran on in a calm<br />
you're a dear; Tony, if you dare<br />
They went on their adventurous<br />
to laugh at me!" but he was not<br />
journeying at once, but to World's<br />
laughing.<br />
stream; but Katharine Kane in a End, mot to Millenia. They seemed<br />
curiously alone in this strange<br />
species of despair clutched Anthony's<br />
arm, and waded out. country, and the loneliness was<br />
As they sat at breakfast the next<br />
morning, a little trail of humble<br />
"Never mind. Puss; better luck<br />
vehicles paraded past the window,<br />
sweet. The spice of adventure<br />
stimulated their mental palates;<br />
rext time," comforted that soothing<br />
person. "There's your third fhey liked tbe tang and taste of it<br />
place—End o' the World, is it? "I think—I think, man, dear,"<br />
We haven't given that a try. If Kitty mused aloud, "that we've<br />
we run into Christmas there, we'll been harnessed up, with the overdraw<br />
dheck-rein and all that, you<br />
change our tactics and call it our<br />
wedding-trip. We never really had know,—^and driven in little narrowroads<br />
that other people made for<br />
one, and it's nobody's business<br />
when we do it or where to."<br />
us, and we didn't dare to turn out<br />
"O, you're a dear!" she sighed. of. We're—we're unchecked now,<br />
"Xo other woman's husband would and^—out to grass!" She laughed<br />
have come off like this, anyway, enjoyingly. "Doesn't it seem good<br />
just to please a lunatic wife." to get our heads down, and broivse<br />
Kitty was'travel-worn and in O, listen to me be a poet, Tony!"<br />
her secret soul a little repentant of "'Me, too." He was not to be<br />
her lunacy. Even a Christmas-harried,<br />
bundle-littered home looked out!" And he stooped suddenly,<br />
outdone. "It's good to get the bits<br />
appealing to her tonight. But beancause she was Kitty it did not ocnow?"<br />
Whereat they both kissed her. "Who's the poet<br />
laughed<br />
at the foolishness of being foolish.<br />
World's End had been properly<br />
named; but they succeeded in finding<br />
it, and the night before Christmas<br />
found them in the primitive<br />
little settlement of a half-dozen<br />
houses and a blacksmith shop. That<br />
round a bend in the road a little<br />
further on they would have found<br />
more houses and a general store<br />
they refused to be told; this was<br />
the World's End they wanted. It<br />
satisfied Kitty; she saw no signs<br />
of Christmas. The elderly soul in<br />
one of the houses, who agreed to<br />
take them in, did not wish them a<br />
merry Christmas. The elderly man<br />
soul who appeared to belong to<br />
her wore a serious, un-Christmas<br />
countenance. There were no holly "An' Ellen always made 'em a<br />
wreaths visible anywhere, and the little Chris'mas, too; you needn't<br />
blacksmith shop was undecorated. tell me it didn't jest about kill poor<br />
"We've found the Place, man, Ellen Avery to die 'fore Chris'<br />
dear!" Kitty whispered, but she mas!"<br />
boasted too soon. But the brief Kitty's eyes sought Tony's, but<br />
matter of twO' hours later she realized<br />
her mistake.<br />
Tony had gone to bed in the<br />
with no triumph in them. Had<br />
and the old person waiting upon<br />
them explained it. She was suddenly<br />
excited and filled with a solemn<br />
enjoyment.<br />
"Ezry! Ezry! It's goin' past!<br />
Don't stop to- wipe your face!" she<br />
called to her old husband in j,<br />
room beyond. "It's Mis' Black-<br />
.smith Aver\-, her that was young<br />
Ellen Till," she explained to he"^<br />
.guests. "Ain't it a pity to be buried<br />
Chris'mas Day? An' Blacksmith<br />
Avery Thanksgiv'in'! I tell<br />
hini it 'd ought to 'been us; we<br />
wouldn't left two little mites."<br />
"Oh, two little mites!" breathed<br />
Kittv. Her fork slipped with a<br />
soft clatter to her plate. She sat<br />
forward in her chair, her eyes on<br />
the tail of the sombre little procession<br />
going by.<br />
"Two, yes; I suppose it's a mercy<br />
'twarn't six; but I declare it's<br />
hard to see some mercies. That!»<br />
what I tell him. They're little<br />
dears; Ellen was a beautiful girl.<br />
There ain't any better stock anywheres<br />
round here than Till stock,<br />
an' I declare I do' know but Avery<br />
comes next. I ain't ever see politer<br />
little dears."<br />
"Oh—httle dears!" Kitty murmured.<br />
Tony did not venture to<br />
look at the troubled little face of<br />
ler. He felt the stirrings of her<br />
denied and hungry soul.<br />
The old voice ran on garrulously.<br />
It was rare it found so good a<br />
chance as this.<br />
they found it at last—the Christmasless<br />
place?<br />
"Eond o' children, be ye?" The<br />
old eyes had come to rest on Kitty's<br />
face. "Well, then I guess you'd<br />
the light he knew.<br />
"This is 'Son,' and fhis is 'Sister,'<br />
" she introduced c[uietly. "They<br />
are both so little, Tony!"<br />
"Sister is; I ain't. I'm big," the<br />
little voice of Son piped eagerly.<br />
"When I'm 'leven months older,I'll<br />
be seven—I—I mean I was gain<br />
to be if mother hadn't died."<br />
"I want mother !" suddenly broke<br />
in baby wailing from the tremulous<br />
lips of the other child. Sister in<br />
'leven months more could not be<br />
more than four. Her round, wholesome<br />
little face was grotesquely<br />
contorted with its grief. To Anth-<br />
O'Uy Kane, looking down, it was a<br />
piteous little face.<br />
"Man, dear "<br />
"Yes, Puss—yes, I know."<br />
"Both, man, dear? How can a<br />
little Son live without a little Sister?"<br />
But he- was spared decision. Son<br />
was before him.<br />
(Continued on page eighteen.)