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(out ~ by RALPH HAMILTON r' (Copyright, 1919. by WesLerd Newspaper Unlon.) v TIN shades of the pretty home were' pulled down and the gloom of dusk was alleviated by one light only in the room Where the mourning denizens, Harold Bruce land llls wife, Laura, sat. They were awaiting the arrival of a taxicab or dered in time to catch an evening train for the Soultlh. Both were somber faced and wearied of mien. They had not slpoken for some time, for it was a situation where words meant nothing. The wife never lifted her tear-stained eyes, the husband wore a set exi):es slon upon his face as though exerting the -itmost will power to repress the poignant emotion which consumed himi. Without, joyous shouts echoed, the sound of merry sleigh bells tinctured the air with Christmas eve fervor, and tile contrast of this long-anticipated holiday presentation with what they had hoped and planned for, wrenched their souls to the point of anguish. Their lives dIesolated beyond repair, plou!!t memories ever present, they scarce dared to rest their glance upon the portiis of two smiling, hapll)py faces lookling down from a heavily framl ed ie ture, for, only that morning they ind received the terrible news thait ' thu origial ls, their only clil dren, Don, aged sir, and (tN, two years his jnimor, had been vici ms, wtIhi illy othertlis, o f a disaster by cyclone and flood that had devastated the district whire thy had their win terlhl inl Florida. All thy knew was that the pretty bungalow and ninny dthers, wi i their oe''upanits, 11:n1 heenl swept, away, anid hunadreris wore said to have pwrished, and10 lio word lia 1beeni received as to the ftte of thelr o lit ile ones, nor of loda Marsh, wlo had thil iIn charge. hodi Marsl had collie ilto their thoughts almiost ai frequently as little Elta mnd hir brother. Each recalled that it was a Christmas eve four years Allf Both Were Somber-Faced and Wearied of Mien. back when Iharold Br-uce had come home fr-om the funeral of his mother, bringing with him a wistful-eyed, sad faced mite of a gir-l. "Laura,'' lie said to his wife, "this is Rhoda Marsh, a poor orphan chiid wvhomu my mother adioptedh, who has given her the tenderest care to the last hour of' her lfe and was ai lessing to her- 01(1 age.. She is left without a hioime. Should we give her one?" "We should, nnd we shall," came the quick reply, as Mrs. Bruce gazed into the( -arnuest, longing eye-s ofC the girl of fourteen, and readi there truth andtiut in not-enie andit a soulfual appeal to nill thnt wats 11 mternail andiui sympaltthilzing in her nature. It proved to be a wise andl fortuitous choice. As t he cildreI n caine longlf Rhoda proved to them11 a true iand lov ing sIter, nurls5 andio Cfri end. TPhen cnmo a1 test of' the titlelty and setlf--uirlieo of thie girl just merging intt) young womllanhaind. Both of the chiilren were taikon downi wih a dIan gerous contagious malady. Th'le house was quarantined. Rhoda braivedi the perils of infect ion. Daly anid night sheC was the constant alttndant of Donl andl Etta. She found so sure a hovinig place in the hearts (If those she had benefitedl, that her eyes heamed with joy and happiness whenever she was In their presence. The physician who attended the children was Albion Merritt. IIe had1( enteredl the professio~n the p~rotede of a wealthy man, and had acquired a elientele of' pironminence and a large liconme. It was when the little once were convalescent that lie had conmc to Mr. Bruce, who was a clo~se personal friend. "Bruce," he said, "I cannot find words to express my admliiration and resipect, yes, and something deeper, for that sweet little heroine, Rhoda, whose studious care of the children, far more than my uiniistr-ations, is responsible for their recovery." "Yes," answecred Mr. Bruce with genuine fervor in his tones. "she in a owe to this yoor waif wvho IiFn eti deared herself to us as though she were our own daughter." Doctor Merritt proved his expressed sentinients by very often visiting the Bruce home after that. The children loved him and he would drop i for an hour or t.wo and play with them and talk with Rhoda and listen to her sing ing at the piano, for music with Rhoda was ter one great passion. There never was a visit on his part that thoda did not greet him with a beautl fil, tender flush upon her fair, expres sive face, and one night her kindly benefactors indulged in playful badi nage when she accompanied Doctor Merritt to the door. "Doctor Merritt has become quite a beau-eh, Rhoda?" intimated Mr. Bruce. "Three times in a week," spoke Mrs. Bruce. "Rhoda dear, he is a loyal chevalier." , "Please don't," pleaded Rhoda, look Ing serious, shy and embarrassed. "He is only I great good friend to all of us, and lie has so encouraged my singing that it has made me more anxious than ever to please him." Early in November Mrs. Bruce, the children and Rhoda went to the Florida winter home where the family spent four months of the year. There were anticipated happy days in the pretty bungalow when Mr. Bruce should join them later on. It was just two weeks before Christmas when AMrs. Bruce decided to take a trip North and remain with her husband . until the hollhys, when he would be ready to accompany her to Fair Villa. It was a few days after her coming that her husband said to her: "Latura, Doctor Merritt is fairly haunted the house evenings silte yout went away. I tii(. hin today and told himti of our plans. nnd he was espeeally pressing in hi is inquiriesr about Rhoda. I presutmte lie wiii o lbehre this evenling to ask you ah1ut 1?hitda,"' but tLe young phyelefan did not mat erialize as exitedttel, aInd the next day the Bruces understood that he had left the city. It was two days before Christmas whon the dreadful news camie of the i isosteor in the South. Fair Villa had been practically swept off the map; their winter home had been carried awiy by tite raging waters. Telegrais contained vague and distracting de tails. They had no reason to hope that Iteir loved onos hind escaped the general fate of those who were miss. ing aniong the former residents of the little intlatil town. They were now ready to go South and seek a trace of their two little children and of Rhoda. in wloit they had so trustingly left iten in charge. "It must be the taxi," spoke Mr. Bruee, arousing with a sigh from his painful reverle as the doorbell rang, but lie crossed the outer threshold to come face to face with Doctor Merritt. 'llhe manner and words of -the latter were Jarring to the bruised sensibill ties of the bereaved father, for the young physician was radiant of face. Ills eyes sulggosted a fet'rent exhilara tion as lie greeted Mr. Bruce with riot ous embrace and waved hi hand -ay ly to Mrs. Bruce, who had followed her hausbaId into the hallway. "A glad and merry Christaas to Noth of you " halled Doctor Merritt jiuhlianttly. "You haven't heard?" spoke Mr. Bruce in a low, reproachful tone. "Why, what do you mean?" ques tioned D octor Merritt. "i'Te disastecr at Fair Villa-the chil. dren." "Why, bless youI" fairly shouted the dloctor-"thtey are right here!1" Iharold Bruce wavered against the wail for supporit. Mrs. Bruce uttered a wid scream.. Across the threshold from the porch there rushed little Etta and hter brother. Joy, delight, ecstasy mtitigated the shock of what at ihrst stunned thte frantic parents as an appearance from the dleadh. "And lr.st, bitt not least, shte whose mission ini life seems ever to be to bring healing and happiness, and love, and pttace to all those whlo are (lear to her!" in a gently reverent tone con tinueid lDoct or Merrit t, and1( with su preme saitisfacetioun the young physieian viewed the fliye r-eunted onets in a matze of emibraces, kisses aimi tears. Ilioda, el inuginmg to Mars. I ltuce, id her fac'e ina mtodest conf u~lst, as Doctor Me'rritIt recited he r bravo battle aiginstt the e'lements5 it ai groat tstorm uponil i ai batteredl raZft uil i site had( brought. te chillrent to sasfety. "Butt you, D~oelor Merr'tit t?" pro pounded M rs. iruuce wontderinrgly "hlowv came you'3't to beo at Fatir Viilla?"' "'I ari~vedt thiere afteor thet disaster,'' wvas thte reply. "I htad gonts t here on a spe'cihle mission,. latter executed, to ask our peerless Rhoda, queen of' all worn ankind, to beocomic tmy wife," ands as Rhoda extendedl her hand1( he covered it with kisses and pressed it to his happy, hapijpy heart. "If there was a mistletoe lhere I wutild mtarch you two promptly under it 1" thtrentedt Mrs. Bruce, immersed in thrilling joy and gratitude. "There shall be one before Christ inus nmornitng arrives I" cried Doctdr Merritt in tones that rang out like a cheer. "Come, Brutce, you and I on a hunt for Santa Clauts antd thte choicest gifts lie can bestow, Oht! nowhere 'in the worild, ed~ never to any others, has there comte a happier, merrier Christmas titan the one wve shall cele brate I" ________ Peace Maneuver. "You always play thte phtonograph during mneats." "Yep," replied Fitrmer Corntossel. "'Ta in't that we care for the music, hiut we waunt to do everythIng possible to keep -thte summer boarders frnva talkin' about the League of Natlo'ns? *. * * * * * * S S * S S * e e * S S Cross 11111, Dec. 8.-The Baptist 75 close hCreSatuiday when the last res Ilsherlon Cauparda was laosght to a 1dent mimber had sigiied up for his a)Lrt of the fun d. With an apportion mIenf. of $15,000 as the mininiun for the church at this place this luota was passed early in the week and whlen the 'linal count caie'the sub scriptions1 had gone a little over $17, 000. McKen'zle & Douglas of Greenville were here again Saturdqy n ith anoth er lot of mules which %%cre offered for sale at auction. A good crowd was present and a number were bid off at fairly good prices, though the bidding was not generally enthusiastic. Air. II. L. AlCSwain is having erected a cotton warehouse oin the lot; recent ly purchased at the Laci epa (d real es tale sale. The building will have a capacity of 600 bales an( Is expected to be ready for use In a week or two. A.r lnoch Pinson has the contract and Is pushing the work as fast as Circumstances will permit. Miss Annie Rudd ,wa; at Greenwood several days last week becauce of ithe sickness of her nIece, Muss Ploride Rudd at Lander College. Mr. Wi. G. Boazman,, who recently suffered the painful accident of hav faliglo, ~o~gWe "'and ho~P'e s t o be up again fi a short while. The Cross 11111 lodge,.No. 159 A. F. M., held their annual December 1neeting last F'ri(a1y eveling. Ac cording to the varilois official reports this lodge has closed the Imost. suc cessfu l and prosperous ycai in its hitory of fivo years exi stence. IlI the point'.. of mIembership, wolI, and gen eial progress the year 1919 has been its bCt, Five years ago the lodge was or",anized by a few membrs of this fratervnit under Ithe i(1atw4!Siers ip '01 All. J. .". Guhiwhose unt11iin ef-1 forts I-: ve larg'ely contributed to its sUeCC!*!. I'nid ! preseit s aI :on n :mieo; it Iliuture pros perily very iight. There is :-oI(! talk cf :'v: hlul for the organiza tionl w!'.' it is hoped will soonl ma1 Zezia t':o a more sttabhle and con I - venint n felg place. At thev miee IIIn F' iday iiglt Ilie followiig o iers wte i el ted for the eisuin g. year': Joe .. Carter, W. M., Cha.. S. Pin SoS. 8. W.: I lenry G. Cilbertson, J. Wi Chlud .1. llipp, Treas.: W. PaIl A.\ -:. 8ce.: G. )ewey Nelson, S. D.; W ;'lic T". Itoycev, .1. D.: .1a . , . Vuh IP and Il-"v. W. 1). IRatchford, Stewards; .Joh1n I. Wells, Tyler. .\Mr. T. Miller Pinson was also elect ed ;eltgate to tihe State rand I~land and left lere Sunday aft0rlooln for C(hrl cstoa to attend tihe meeting of that body Which be;;ins tomorrow. We can furnish you with a first-class Wood Saw irnmo complete with 30-inch Cut Off Saw for $43.50. To any one sending ti this adv. with check for $-15.00, we will lirepay freight on na1e and delivc to youtr freight of llee. We also have large s tock of Iloilier TubeF, Pi poe, lumns, Cylinders and Well Point,. COLUMBIA SUPPLY COMPANY 823 WEST GERVAIS S TRE ET, COLUMBIA, S. C. 45-tt Automobile Liability Insurance DOES NOT COST MUCH IT PROT'E'CTS YOl' A43"AINS'I' 0t'IT OtIllC\.NI)S *MA)E' ON Y.Ol' I'tl? l'IliS(NAl( INJltES (UA I'SEI) MY YO1l1 CAlR, AS WE11i . \S 111 1 I'h w us for I)arti irv .s1. " BARKSDALE & ROPER A--&on A.-100 Shop Early---Shop Mornings Shop Early---Shop Mornings V.V APPROPR]ATE PRESNTS Do Your Christmas Shopping IAT -- - Minter Co.'s Cash Departrment Store Christmas is just 1 5 days off--You should begin NOW to do your Christmas trading Uafore the big Rush is On---You find it a pleasure to shop in this Big Store xO h its large and varied stocks. We are anticipating the largest Christmas business in our history and are well prepared to meet the demands of the de.__ Furs as Christmas Presents Silk Shirt Waists for Christmas Whadit iiluhl b oie irtha bi g hRsh i- fO nir a plo ier.'ee ts iSte ieore Iv,,n'hits! lrg e an d arly .stockib s . Weae niip tng te-ag s thrims $12. . $. ..$25.00 t$5000 are. well p a000 Christmas Sale of Coat Suits Wha t c losbe I levery11: 11oa0l. l u I'l ] i ,11n I4 1 Phrehesetb -an r. 1s anl have rdi i i s to) we theii. (W'tt. i )I'- 0i '0$ i et t~ttIhis big saivin<. ~c'tbi s.$ 0 50 $s5.(J() ("'out Siiit . .. .... . ........ ..............$65.00 $75t.(tt ('itnt. Sits .... ... . .... .... .... .........$54.75 L d e 'B t o e ..00k P.i(t ( uits .... ........ .... ... . .... . ...$44.98 $51i ('o.i Siit. .... .... .... . ... ...... .... ....$38.98 it) $50.0i $1.25, $ (0 , $9.0 c3.ji*(( ('tict 8itits .... .... .... .... .... ..........$28.98 ttlti' Iii Itti.$2$.7 Christmas Sale of Dresses Sil Underwear " l . ir*1 s .... .... .... .... .... ..$1500 .." Cnd 1) .0 - e /I .... .... .... .. .... ....$3 .98 $ 0).00 ; Si . .. .... .... .... .... .... ..(27.. 98 . $10.00 '4a '4 1S .. . . . .. . . . .. . . . .. .$ 89 A id-i" ka l 6 1sc .. . . . . .c. 2.5 37 5- 0 ), -tS uts .... .... .... .. ..... .... .... ...$159 8 Ladies' and Children's Bedroom Slippers P ~~t~~~~', to.25 C nhr ftheast aleth of Dess sAflvI*Nl 0 L.tlies' elt lip i rs . ... . .. .. . $1.75, $2.00 ;..1 $2 50 'ihiren's o.1t Slip er ... . .. ... . . ...$1.25 ;.i $1.50B Dolls! Dolls!! ibsci$20.$50 W h (1* .ille ic - New. York r...n. w.. .... .he $'27n y for~se o u ailln r iAibeai iful lin o iGecr- I'-iiWaIflie 'hriti-' :t;P 44 7. Dresse i .... .... .... u.... .... .... i $4.0.9 .8 $10.00 MinterCo.'sCashSDlartmntrwear madis' anderChifsesBah iRO ., r nM_, ) .*- -I I I l ohe s .. . . . ... .. . . .$ 0i 9 5