The Abbeville press and banner. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, December 31, 1918, Page FIVE, Image 4
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. i: . Tree Idyl jl |j
j| k m ||||
i| By ALVAH GORDAN GARTH Ijjj
i ti? | ""
JSifW'WSSEKHB passenger coach was
filled with a merry
i Wil* crowd and the Christ- /
JL $) mas spMt was broad' ' ?
manifested. Luggage \
racks were filled with
MFbundles giving out the
perfume of " flowers;
) here the head of a doll, j
there the wheels of a 9
^\ak J toy peeped out Some .
I (USjk ^ 1 jovial traveling men
v\. were discussing their
welcome home antl girls on college va- -h
cation bandied, gay repartee.. All Was.
mirth ahd happiness?except with one. *
Shrinking back into a dark corner n
? Of1 the car Was,a bronzed young man. ?
The face under the. drooping som- a
brero bore a wistful, anxious expres- &
sion. He went out to the platform as
the train sftrWed" tip; leaped to the
ground, skirted the main street, **
evaded a brilliantly lighted church *
where some Christmas eve festivity j to
was in progress and- reached a house | a
set in the center of a large lot He ,u
gained the shadow of a great evergreen
tree. | P
The forlorn taker ventured a few ,k
yards, gaining a view of an ell where i *(
a dim light showeA He nttered a com- 11
forting sigh and something about "the I
fo&s probably being at the church," . *
adding: "I can watch and wait I I
wonder if the old hideout in the tree is. <
still there?" He reached for a branch, |11
i;;. , lifted himself aloft scrambled up the ;*
V*; trunk and came to where a few boards al
formed a platform. He had placed it B<
ji-Vv there when a boy. It trembled from ;a
age as he crept upon It
*Three years," he whispered, dream- j11
IlfS "Christmas eve, hotee, arid? | d
wiatr " ' iu
, He bad left this selfsame spot a ran* v<
lyv away, he had returned like seme fear-"j ^
- fined fugitive. How vividly be recalled 8
hlglast day at home! He and others |a
^ had been playing ball next to the home e
fr of wealthy Jndge Earll. A cheer had Jf
v. greeted i his strike which sent the
Sphere whirling.- - It landed agfeinst a. "
window, crashed througb It and a rata* 11<
lite later there appeared a pale-faced, tl
excited servant, waving his arms wild- ?
ly and shouting oot; b
v "Wno did it? It nas gone tbrougu ?
the Judge's most valuable painting that ]
coat him two thousand dollars f
L- v JL wild thought came to Jasper, ft 8
would rtfln his father to pay that bjg |
two thousand dollars. Ah! he would ?
earn It himwftf. Longingly he glanced- 1!
at the vine-clustered cottage where ei
lived Edna Harsh, his first love, his ti
"girl." Half an hour later he was n
huddled In a boxcar, going west
Then three years, weary, toilsome,
with: no word from home. He had been
lured to the gold diggings. Most days n
be picked up flakes and nuggets worth h
a dollar or more. Twice he was lucky, ii
Qe lived at the cheapest rate. In his n
; snatreskin belt he stored the predous w
dust; Then, just before Christmas, the d
" call of home was not to be resisted. ! a
With a shock he aroused, chilled and n
confused. Lantern lights dazzled him h
Cram below. He made oat half a dozen A
forms. One was swinging an ax. It rl
1 " ' sunk deep Into the base of the tree, j h
"Take tarns!" called out a sten- !
. \ torlan voice. "Let all hands have a s;
chance at cutting down the biggest |
Christmas tree In tovL How she will 01
t<Jwer on the common tomorrow night, |
all alive with colored electric globes
fx and gifts for the kids!" I
"Hold on.."' called down Jasper Wal-'
den,, missed a clutch and fell to the
3-- snowy ground. |
He opened his eyes to find himself
: - lying on a couch In the house, his fa-!
ther, mother and sister bending over
him with solicitous cara and there, 1
clinging to his sister's arm, pale and
rv . anxious, was his boyhood love, pret- (
tier than ever?Edna Marsh. |
"My boy, Ob, my boy, heaVen is
kind!" cried his mother. I
Jasper unshipped the snakeskln belt I
"Father," he said, "It's full of gold. It V
will pay for Judge Earll's two thousand-dollar
picture." *
. .......
"wnati mat sent you away?" cnea ~
bis mother. 'Tour ball never hurt the ! *
15^1 |
picture. It only ripped one end loose." w
There was a crash outside, then a ai
cheer. The great Christmas tree had ii
come down. vThe throng had seized it tl
and were bearing it away, singing, 11
"Peace on earth, good will to men."
Jasper ran to the door, and Edna with cl
bim. ir
"Men," he shouted, a-thrill with Joy, v
paving his golden treasure, **trim that
tree fore aod aft with the brightest, ai
prettiest ornaments money can 'buy si
and send the bill to met" and then, as t?
he led his sweetheart down the hall
, back to the parlor, he whispered: C
"A Chriatmal kiss for the wanderer s<
returned!" and Edna pressed her t<
fweet lips to his own, ja
.. ..... .
' r" . "'
; 5
i A Christmas ii
i Decoration j!
HikV . )
By WALTBR DBLANEY jj
fIS Christmas present
had been a bullet in his
left arm from an enemy
gun. He lay upon his
cot in the field hospital.
Yuletide bustle pervaded
the camps outside.
With grim, set lips,
through an op?n windotf,
he watched an airship
gyrating in mid air,
and wondered what the
future would bring to
Im of weal and woe.
"The most resigned, heroic patient
re ever had," spoke the Red Cross
urge to the- surgeoiy "When he woke
p .after the anesthetic and missed his
rm, he Bald quietly: They didn't get
oth, did they?- I've one still left for
le service of my country."
Tres;** nodded the surgeon, "the ma.n
i made of hero stuff all through. He
ooted eighteen of the foe out of a
rench and marched them Into cimp
11 alone, that shattered arm hanging
seless, at his side."
"Sergeant Dexter Marsh has some
Iiing on his mind," said the nurse. He
eepB hi$ eyes fixed with a faraway
>ok, as if some haunting sorrow made
ha forget everything else."
'Tell him the general Is coming to
se him," advised, the' surgeon.
But the patient simply smiled his
banks when the none imparted the
jtelllgence. Even
ppeared he was
ilf-contained and Wj / _ J
"Bravest of all
le war-scarred
ave added to our ude
and esteem, llwi
ileutenan^ I \\^\ II f I
tajsh," and helfi \( Lj\ )
Inned a golden \v ' 1/
ledal to tie.
louse the patient wore.
"Get well, my boy," spoke the genraL
"Well see that you help win the
ar behind the lines as a directing
arte, jost as you have with that mad*
scklcss dash that has Invalided you."
At noon, when the nurse came again
> the cot, her patient was gazing at
? hoUy and evergreen trimming^ and
iemed pleased at some flowers
rought by a comrade who sat beside
!m. "The
whole company wanted to
wne," explained the latter, "but I told
tern that wouldn't do."
The nurse accompanied him to the
uteroom. "Do you know Lieutenant!
larsh very well?" she inquired point- j
lly; and as he nodded, "then can yon
>11 me what is so constantly on his
iind7" >\
"It's Ada Wilbert."
'Who is she?'
"She was his wife. Back home he
lairied her on an Impulse. He had ,
alf an honr to catch a train. She had
isisted that she would become a war
urse and follow him abroad. They i
ere married by a clergyman, near the
epot Marsh had just time to snatch
kiss and catch the train. He has i
ever heard from her since, bnt a
lonth ago a relative wrote him that:
da had managed to have the mar-1
[age annulled. She had disowned
lm, and It broke his heart"
"Poor soul!" murmured the nurse
rm pathetically.
*tor?t? ninuori hln ovph ns dnsk came
a. The bands outside were playing
y i old, familiar
Yl it tunes. His torIll
tared mind went
11mPN\\\ I taclc to ^ome
111'M I ?cenes ?f which
111 Ada had ^)een
center. The nurse '
11 fancIed he' was i
[(/ rmiil asieep> aQd left
j|^H ^Brl) the room. In the
[I^H | corridor outside
MfiC MB' a girl wearing a
js/Qg gossamer spoke to
j jf "Miss Arnold 7*
^ f' "From the chief
of the medical j
taflf." The nurse read an order trans*1
siring her to another ward, substi-1
ite: Miss Ada Wilbert. She stared 1
l amazement.
"You know who I am?" spoke the
ltruder.
"Why, yes. I?I cannot understand."
"As to my being here? It has been
le one Impulse of my life, ever since
le military authorities passed the re- i
trictlon that no wife could accompany j
er husband abroad. My marriage ;
ent for naught. I had It annulled. I;
m nfi'lnnwr a mlfo T om nnln o lnir. I
lg, loyal girl, whose place Is beside
le man for whom she would give her
fe."
Ada swept aside the enveloping
loak, to reveal a Red Cross costume.
Fou noble creature!" quavered the
ftrse. "Come."
And after a while, when the shock
nd surprise of her presence had been
abdued, Ada retold her story to Dex>r
Marsh.
Outside his comrades were singing
ftristmas carols, but within his happy
>ul th? very harps of heaven seemed
> echo, with an angel of love and
jwcy at his side) . ;
DU uupciui UlOt JUlft UiUJ 5?fW UW ?
Christmas visit this year, and yto
and Mr. Willis^ would be so Welcome!'
"Why, -this won't do 1" ejaculatet
John Willi8, replacing the letter thai
had been carelessly opiened by the of
flee mall cterfe. "Dear old people?an<
Nellie I"
His heart suddenly smote him. Nel
lie never murmured at the exaction!
business. Faithfully she ' accom
panted hlra to seela! foeetlens, and aT
the time a conception of their holloa
superficiality had ended in a dream o:
the dear old life, where true hearti
and quiet, humble pleasures seemed t<
beckon longingly. *
'Tm going to take a run down t<
the country to look after my ole
home," John Willis told Nellie tha
evening. "The tenant has left and ]
want to see what can be done with it.'
He returned two days later. "Sav
your folks, dear," he said, and Nellie'i
famished soul greeted the tender won
like a cooling draught to a thirsting
spirit. "Look: here, Tuesday is Christ
mag eve. Those suowclad hills a
home have made me hungry^ for i
sleigli ride. Be ready to take a regu
lar old-fashioned frolic." And then
awoke in Nellie the most extravagan
soul of hope.
"Bundle up good," directed her hus
band the next evening, as a doubl<
team attached to a roomy cutter ar
rived in front of the house. "Now
then, snuggle under those robes anc
let us see if I have forgotten how tc
drive. Thirty miles?do you think
you can stand it?"
"Oh, John?' she almost gasped
"That would be our home town. Yob
don't mean?"
"That I am going to take you to
yonr folks? Yes, dear, and stay there
with ycu over the holidays. I say,"
bracing and thrilling as they started
down a clear smooth road full speed,
"this Is Uke the old times, when I used
to steal a kl$s from you, and? m
take one now;"
She was crying for Joy. Her trem*
bllng hpnd stole to his arm and lightly
rested there. Her heart was singing
amid a aewly awakened happiness.
"The river, hill and old bridge I"
Bhouted John in hour later, alive with
enthusiasm. f,Bonfire on the skating
patch afid?\yhoa! Nellie, this is my
Christmas present to you."
He had haired In front of the old
Willis homestead, pretentious In its
mansionlike beauty. "I've decided to
give up the crowded city. Well, what
Isltr
She could irot tell him at that supreme
moment
The merry sleigh bells rang out a
gay eon? of renewed youth and contentment
in a dash for Nellie's old
home. She ran up the steps to greet
loving outstretched arms and fond
cries of heartsome welcome.
"Home at last!" cried John Willie,
bursting into the brightly decorated
parlor radiant with evergreen and
holly. "Why! you loots Uke ft flrl
again, Nellie! Merry Christmas!" And
be kissed her under the mistletoe.
'
SHVmMWWUWiHVHWWVit
ij Under the ij
i: Mistletoe I;
i! I
j; . By RALPH HAMILTON
LACKED a week to
Christmas, but Ted
^ II S Newton, office boy for
?Ri JL Willis & Co., had been
,n holIday buhaor since
the first of the month
tif. and 'ust now was
caught by the full influence
of Yuletide.
vHis eyes sparkled as
jVk 1 he lifted various pack[
flv*v 0 | ages from a box that
had just arrived by express.
Amid his chuckling and gloating
smiles there came a check.
"What you got there, Ted?? squnded
a sudden voice, and Ted, turned to be
confronted by his "boss."
"If you please, sir," he stammered,
"it's my regular Christmas box from
the folks home on the farm."
''Let's see what yoo'rW got, Ted,*1
suggested John Willis, and he fished
out a cake of maple sugar, bit off a
fragment and smacked his lips.
"Genuine 6tuff, 6h?" he laughed
Jovially.
.'You're a lucky lad, Ted," spoke Me
Willis, his voice a trifle husky. Thee
he went into his private office and toi
ten minutes sat Idly in his swivel chair,
a dreamy, far away expression upon
his face.
"I can taste that maple sugar yet!"
he' sighed finally. "Let me see, lt>
two years since I've visited the -old
home town. I'm ashamed of It, foi
we've run down to Nellie's folks onl)
twice since we were married. Maybf
she's longing for a sight of the com*
toy, too. Hello iH " '
He had picked up his mail and be
gan to rifle the slitted envelopes. Th?
first lines of^the letter he opened read:
. "My.dear daughter Nellie: We ar<
?M\n' tnov erltro no c
Mj Santa Claus' j!
!; Present jj|?
Hi ** III".
" |: By GBNBVIBVB ULMAR ||i vi
WAS the mournftf- cc
rlS est face ever was, p]
f s II though rotund, smooth fci
JL as a woman's, with .
kindly but serious
eyes. Their owner waa tl
thoughtfully pacing the
sidewalk 4n front of the j q(
hotel. Suddenly he
: baited and his face
Ay . j shone as with an in? Is
: r < ? I spiratlon.- tc
"The chimes ol a]
, 'Christmas eve," he murmured, and a
smile, peaceful, reverential, all good '
1 will and gentleness, told that his soul B
i was drinking In the sweet music of the oi
distant bells, their notes mellow and ; a;
; soft as silver beads dropped within a|
i crystal dish. "Fire!
flrel" someone yelled. "It'sjP
' the schpolhouse. 'No, It's Benton's l
[ store." Tne man watcnea tne nretracK
pass bat did DQt join the rushing
throngs. He entered the hotel, sank,
into an armchair and sat Immersed In.
meditation. He was not aroused until
an hoar had passed by. Two men took (
the chairs just beyond him.
"That settles Santa ClausI" spoke
one of them.
."Much of a blaze?"
, "Enough to burn to ashes the Santaontflt
the store had ordered from the
1 city." >
'We must rig up. a home-made,
- Krlss Krlngle, then. There's no tlmej
l to lose, either. Those little ones will;
' be on hand at the hall In two hours."
, The sad face of their listening neighi
bor lit up with responsive sentiment
"Excuse me, gentlemen" he spoke,
> "bat do I understand that yon are look*
i ing for a Santa Clans?'
I "That's it," nodded the man nearest
> to him.
r . 'Td like the job. Td enjoy the Joli
Uty; I am the Hranpty Dnmpty of a
. stranded company, homeward bound.
I fin my wardrobe, I am sure, I have a
. Very notable Kriss Krlngle disguise." j
i Z Thus it was that Robert Merrill, ex- j
?lrcus clown and famous Humptyi
. Pumpty, set Juvenile Belleville wild j
j with delight that memorable Christ,
mas eve. (
I > "You have won all hearts," enthused
? Mr. Arnold Drew to the great star of,
f the occasion. "You have gloriously,
3 saved the day. Of course you will be
j] iny guest."
Robert ^Merrill hesitated. Then he '
glanced at four little happy-faced chll-,
dren In the Drew automobile. "Perj
haps I can make np a Christmas spej
cial for those cherubs," he said.
For two hours at the Drew home:
| Robert Merrill fascinated the little'
ones. He exercised the best that was
' in him of grimace and contortion to j
1 set thett wild with delight* They were j
! singing a carol at the piano when Mr. j
' Drew beckoned, led him into a small;
' room and proceeded to a closet.
"We have a jewel of a governess for j
the children and this is her sewing J
room," he said, going to a cabinet
"This may be - acceptable after your ~
. arduous exercise," and he set a decan- ~
i ter and a glass on the table.
k He was almost startled at the sud
den change that came over his guest
Robert Merrill's features grew stern.
"I want to show you something," h? j
said, and bared one arm. Across its j
surface was revealed a date. "Ten i
years back?you note it? The circus
tattoo man did that. It commemorate
ed the day when I realized that my
i reckless way had brought me to poverty,
had cost me a loving wife and
j two little cherubs. Ten years?twenty
?a lifetime, still will I seek them the
1 world over to atone for my cruel neglect
I"
"You brave, true man!" cried Ar1
nold Drew shamedly, and swept the |
1 table clear and went back to the room j
where the children were, leaving his I
guest to recover his composure.
[ "Show me!"
Robert Merrill started with a thrilL
fffelMkpl
''V---; -
^ 2?I
He turned to confront a sweet, patient* j
faced woman, whose eyes were fixed.
upon the tattoo chronicle as though !
? fascinated. '
"It is true?" she whispered, and
tottered, and he caught her in his'
arms, and the joy of his own soul
seemed imparted to that of the lost
one found?his wife!
"At last!" his tones vibrated. "You
believe? You forgive? Our little ones?"
"Safe In the care of kind friends. I
nave toiled for tnem so giaaiy, tmnKing
you dead. My husband, you have
redeemed all those bitter, cr,uel years 1"
' Arnold Drew, returning, stood spellbound
viewing the reunited twain? j
and comprehending. "You
will send for your little ones,"
he said, "end tomorrow will be for all
of us tie brightest, happiest Christmas
day that loving hearts can makeltr
... I ^ _ _ .. j
STOCKHOLDERS MEETING. . ei
s<
A meeting of the Stockholders of tl
te Abbeville Ice, Laundry and^Fuel t(
ompany is called to meet in the of- s<
le of William P. Greene, at J?bbe- vi
ille, South Carolina, on January ci
rd, 1919, at 6:30 o'clock P. M. to L
)nsider a resolution, authorizing the d;
roper officers of the said corpora- a:
on, to execute and issue one hun- n
red fifteen (115) Coupon Bonds of si
le said corporation, of the par va- k
le of One Hundred Dollars ($100.- ir
0) each, making in the aggregate
leven Thousand Five Hundred Dol- p
trs ($11,500.00), which bonds are* a
> be dated January 1st, 1919, pay- p
ble in lawful gold coin of the Unifri
states of America at the Farmers t<
ank of Abbeville, South Carolina,
a. January 1st,, 1926, which bonds
re to bear interest at the rate of 1
They Have Ar
The Ford
??f the i Labo
"*c. '
that you have been lo<
o# come to Greenwood
will ,do. Will give yoi
yqu want to see. The;
a rtiule will. ... '
JNO. I. (
' G
i.l '11 I i.l, PF-ff
Nnf ftnlv Tfip :
A1VI VUIJF M liVi
r . rr.- v/(l- . .. V * .
But at the present ppic<
GRANITE is the CHEAP
/
construction of WALLS, I
NEYS and UttDERPINNI
or on the Farm.
We can furinsh promptly
class of work drilled and br
twjQ men can handle.
II. . Carload Ship
WRITE FO]
OGLESBY G1
. ELBERTON,
TELEPHONES
'
.
"d ? .
817,000 Cars Went to i
r No Need to "S
v'.'j
, The Red Cross I
in France?Ever
Automobiles i
AND believe us?saving au
is a mighty important ma
anyone to neglect it. This is ai
Look out for ruinous sulphati
battery troubles. We test you
5 minutes?to protect you agi
repair all makes of batteries. C
will do the rest.
Don't lose the use of your car in 1919
Eveready Storage Battery is definitel;
if not abused it will repay your investi
have the right size for every car.
OITX/ r> /
v-fi 1 I U/
We test and repair Cy Ifjlt
all makes of batteries Ll '1mUL|
MiMlMWMMnMPBMMMMi
? tei
r ii
ght per' cent per annum, payable
;m'i-annually at the same place, on
le surrender of the coupozfe attached
> the bonds, the said bonds to be
:cured by and subject to the proisions
of a mortgage to be exeated
by the said Abbeville Ice,
aundry and Fuel Company, to be
ated January. 1st, 1919, conveying
nd assigning to a trustee to be
amed, all of the property ,of the.
lid corporation of every nature- and
ind, including, its real estate and j
lachinery. . ' :
The stockholders of the said, cor
oration are notified to ' be present'
t the said meeting: in penon or by
roxy to vote on tlje said resolution.
By order of the Board o? Direct
ors.:
William P. Greene, President,
F. E. Harrison, Secretary.
2-3-5t. Toes.
'
: ^
J
rived
" |Tractor
In I '
r Saver ?
{
3king for. Write us
, s' ' y*' ' ''
i and see what they
1 any demonstration 3
y will pull any place
MPLEY j
reenwoodyS. C.
i. ' > i
*
^t !
Most Durable
?:? : ii . z '
3 of building materials J
EST you can use in the . I
i-Oj1 ,DATIONS, CHI#NG
for Houses in/ Town
if
'
- ' ?
r stone snitable for .$18 \ j;
oken in sizes that one and
" t
merits Only *
I PBICES. | ]
RAMIE CO. i
UHUKUIA If B
1 2602?208. - |.fl
he Junk Pile in 19171 1 B
crap" Yours j H
^I 'r ' BC3|
r%jf"" i " ?g
s Saving Lives n
eady Is Saving 9
in America 9
^ KCT
itomobiles for use in 1919 GBR
tter?far toe important for
n "old car" year. oil.
It causes 90% of all - ESl
r battery free?a matter of |SH
ainst it?and we skilfully
jive us the chance and we
for want of a new battery I The jfifl
y guaranteed for 1 yean, and |SH
nent over and over again. We SB9
^RAGE I
A ||yt'Oar repair workIs H
Mr M