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/ivr*' ? t UK red farmhouse wu set in the midst of a white expanse of enow, The dropping elma protected the roof with widespread arma cloth ed in ermine and where the crlep wind had Djown away the covering the limbs were darkly sketched against the bright blue sky. A thin ' spiral of ?moke drifted up from the big chim ney and shimmered away Into noth ingness. Lorlng tramped wearily up the path and turned the oprner by the clump of boxwood where a little side poroty lutted out to the south. There was a window here filled with red geraniums and the brilliant color seemed to Im part warmth to bis benumbed body. The steps had been swept clear of ?now and he was oareful to scrape his boots before he knocked at the door. The whirring of a sewing machine stopped suddenly and quick steps came afcross the floor. The door flew opezi and revealed two faoes; that of Miss Anne, timidly expeotant, and the fair face of the young girl, hopeful and esger. ?' J - "Oh!" they cried in unison and their rolces betrayed bitter disappointment "We thought It might be the express man," added Anne In explanation. "I'm sorry to disappoint you." said Loring courteously as he bared his head. "As a matter of fact, I came to beg a night's lodging. I have rather a bad knee and it's gone back on me In the midst of a long tramp. I won* 4ep? ? ? "Come In," Interrupted Anne hos pitably. "It's bitter oold out t<Hlay and the drifts are awful. We haven't M many fires as we used to keep, but you're weloome to sit ? and get thawed out." Robert Lorlng entered the low- I L ceiled alttlng-room where a small cyl- < ' Inder stove gave forth welcome heat In the oenter of the room. The cor ner* seemed chill and dusky, but in the circle of warmth from the stove It Was very comfortable. A sewing ma chine was drawn within the magic circle and there was a low rocking chair and beside It a huge work basket overflowing with bright bits of silk. I Anne pushed a big rocking chair close to the stove and motioned Lor lng into it. "Bit close to the fire and let thawed out. Grace will fetch you a glass of currant wine ? or maybe you'd rather have a cup of coffee?" She beamed hospitably at him over steel-bowed spectacles that were the oolor of her silvery hair. '1 would say 'oofTee' If It were not so much trouble/' hesitated Lorlng. It does seem an Imposition for me to drop In on you in this manner, but as I was explaining ? " "It will be no trouble at all. Qraoe will be glad to make you a eup of cof fee." The fair-haired girl hastened to a tiny cupboard and brought out a small oanlster and a ooffee pot. Miss Anne, excusing herself for a moment, rose and left the room. Lorlng watching the young girl's graceful movements was suddenly impressed by a painful faet. 9 His hostesses were unmistak ably poor. s The girl had shaken the last grains of coffee Into the, pot and Ailing It with cold water placed It on . the top of. the cylinder stove. Then she stepped to and fro from cupboard to table, laying a meal on a snowy cloth. There were fresh bread and butter, baked apples and some slices of cold ham. When she had/ Invited him to sit down, Lorlng arose with many apolo gies upon his lips. Just then the door opened to admit Miss Anne muffled In Shawl and hood and trembling with agitation. She seemed to forget Lor* Ing's presenoe and her words were ad dressed to her niece. * - "Qraoe ? what do you think has hap pened? That ? that ? he's gone!" Her thin hands flew to her faoe and the tears trickled between her fingers. "Oh, Aunt Anne!" The girl threw her arm around the older woman's shoulder. "Are you sure T Why he was there not a half hour ago because I looked at him. How do you suppose he got awa*?" "I guess somebody has taken him ? he was so fat, too, Qraoe." Miss Annto sank down in a chair and slowly re moved her jrraps. "Oh, dear, I'm afraid your coffee will get Co.ld. Sit down and eat your supper, sir." "Thank you," said Lorlng, as he obeyed. "I hope you are not In trouble, Miss Anne? Is there anything that I can do to make things right?" Miss Anne surveyed him with ap proving eyes. All at onoe her eyes wrinkled pleasantly and she began to .laugh. "Do yon think you can die* cover who stole the white rooster ws were going to have tor our Christmas dinner? I had him penned up safely and. I just went out now to hare a look at htm and he Is gone? the hen house la empty." "That Is too bad. Cant I oatch an . i vr~" - - -? ither on? for yot? or was the whit? rcoBter enpecially fatteued for the oo cation!" asked boring. MIm Anno hesitated aud looked at h?r niece. But th? girl busied with hsr bright silks did not lift her eyes; a faint color glowed in her cheeks. "There isn't another chicken about the place," aald Misa Anne bluntly. "I may as well say, sir, that it was the laat of my (lock; that 'a why It is a dls appointment to me." ! coring arose from his chair and reached for his overcoat. "Then lt'a my place to scour the country-side for one to take lta plaoe," be said firmly. "Please don't tell me not to? It's Cbrlstmas eve, you know, and there isn't a soul that expects me to do anything and I'd like to feel I waa of souie use at sueh a time, i wont return without a bird of some sort if I have to rob a roost myself." Without waiting to hear their pro teats, Lorlng let himself out Into the starlit night and plunged into the crisp snow. Two hours afterward when he re turned heavily laden, the windows of the farmhouse glowed pleasantly and aeemed to offer a welcome. As he ?tamped the snow from his feet at the side door he heard Miss Anne's voice raised In warm approval, "Well, now, Grace, I believe the poor fellow will be tickled to death to get that pin book; he aald the didnt have any folks ? he seems honest enough?" Lorlng stumbled Into the warm room and let his, packages down on to the round table. He held hla ookl fin gers to the heat. "I didn't find the white rooster, but I did oorral the plumpest little white gooee you ever saw; lt'a such a long time slnoe I've prepared for Christmas that once started I couldn't atop, ao I went on through the village and bought all the reet of the fixings ? I hope you won't object ? oh, well, Mlaa Anne ? 1 shall JuBt take my packages and have Christmas by myaelf In the woods." Miss Anne's sensitive pride had prompted her to wive aside the proffered edibles, but as Lorlng re placed the packages In the basket she watched him all unconscious of the fact that her eyea were wistful. First went the plump gooee and following It were turnips and potatoes, cranber ries and onlona and oelery; a bag of white grapes; another of nuts and a large and tempting box of candy. With hla basket on hla arm, Lorlng turned to the door, "I must thank you tor your kindness." ha aald gravely. Thoro Isn't Another Chlokon About tho Placo." "You ha ve taken me In and permitted me to rest when I was cold and tired; and you hare offered me the sweetest hospitality. I wish you and Miss Brace the most Joyful Christmas you have ever known." His hand was on the knob when Miss Anne stopped him. "I dont like to have you go like that, sir. You are welcome to remain until you can re sume your Journey and to our fare plain as It Is ? the Lelghtons have al ways prided themselves on their hos pitality, but of late years ? " "Lelghton ! " Interrupted Lorlng, placing his basket on the floor and opening his overooat. "Are you Miss Anne Lelghton TM Miss Anne's round eyes opened wide*. "Yes ? why do you ask?" Lorlng took a letter case from an Inner pocket and searched carefully In Its depths. "You are a cousin to Mr. Joslah Lelghton, of Boston? Yes? Very well, my searoh Is ended then. I am Mr. Lelghton's private secretary. Robert Lorlng, and he sent me to seek you out apd present this letter. I be lieve It contains a Christmas gift as well as an offer to make your future home with him. By Jove, but It's the merest chanee that led me here. I reached the station all right and hired a man to drive me to your place. He lost his way and we traveled half s ?day; then he managed to upset me Into a snow bank and he made off, leaving me to find my way back to civilisation as best I could. You see fate led me here.** He was looking at Grace's downcast faoe rather than at Miss Anne's excitedly bobbing figure. "Oraoe Lelghton ? here we were watching for the expressman, thlnklni Cousin Joslah was going to send his usual presents of silk waists ? and here is his letter and a check for $50. You wished us a Joyful. Christmas, Mr. Lorlng; I guess it's going to be one!" "I have a feeling," said Lorlng, de liberately, "that it Is the beginning of many happy Chrlstmases for me." He was still thoughtfully regarding the sweet profile of the young giri bending over her bright silks. ? ? ? WHAT USZT DID FOR MUSIC HI? Compelling Personality, Genius and Inspiration Mad* Poaaibla tha Later Wagner. But ba Introduced Into the musty academic atmosphere of musical Eu rope a strong, fresh breese fropa the Hungarian putt*; this wandering piano player of Hungarian-Austrian blood, a genuine cosmopolite, taught music a new cbarm. the charm of the unexpected, or the Improvised. The freedom of Beethoven 1b his later works and of Chopin In all his music became the principal factor In the style of Llsst. Music mast have the shape of an Itnprovlslon. In tha Hun garian rbapaodlea, the majority of whloh begin In a mosque and always end In a tavern, are the extremes of his system. His orcheetral and vocal works, the two symphonies, the masses and oratorios and symphonic poems are full of dignity, poetlo feel ing, religious spirit, and a largeness of accent and manner. Tet the gypsy glance and gypsy voice lurk behind many a pious or pompous bar. Apart from his invention o{ a new form?or rather the condensation and, revlaal of an old one ? the symphonlo poem ? Liszt's greatest contribution to are is the wild, truant, rhapsodle extempore element he Infused Into modem mu sic; nature In her most reckless, un trammeled moods he Interpreted with fidelity. But the drummers In the line of moral gasoline who controlled criti cism In Germany refused to see Llsst except as an ex-plano virtuoso with the morals of a fly and a perverter of art. Even the piquant triangle In his piano concerto was suspected aa pos sibly suggesting the usual situation of French comedy. The Lisst-Wagner queetlon no long er presents any difficulties to the fair minded. It ts a simple one, for men still living know that Wagner, to reach his musical apogee, to reach his public, had to lean heavily on the musical genius and Individual Inspira tion of Llsst. The later Wagner would not have existed ? as we now know him ? without first traversing the gar den of Liszt. This Is not a theory but a fact. ? From Frans Llsst? The Real and Legendary," by Jamea Huneker, In Bcrlbner's. FLOCK OF CROWS ON A JAG Farmer Soaks Corn In Whisky and Ftndi Eight Bird* Aotlng MuoH Llko Msn. William Oles of Colebrook, has a large field of corn which has been ravaged for months by crows. Mr. Oles did not like that sort of thing very much. Searching his brain for a plan to end the ui^elcome atten tions of the crows, he came upon this idea : He would soak some of the corn in' whisky and place It in the corn patch. He did that the other night. The next morning he was awakened by a fearful Jabbering In the cornfield. He rushed out to Investigate. He fbund eight large crows staggering around the field and simulating the human voice as closely as nature would per mit. He says he heard one of the crows singing. When they saw Mr. Oles they triad to fly, but it was impossible. They couldn't even walk straight; in fact, they fell every few seconds. Mr. Oles bundled them Into a couple of parrot cages. When they sobered up he lectured them severely. Then he took them Into the field, shot them, and left their bodies as a warning to other crows. ? Wlnsted Correspondent New York World. The National Tree of Chins. The tung, or wood oil tree, is worth, lly named the national tree of China. It Is stately la appearance, with smooth green bark and wide-spreading branches, affording a flue shade. It bears a fruit resembling a shellbark hickory nut, but as large as a small orange. Each nut contains three tri angular seds similar to small Brail! nuts. The oil is pressed from these ; seeds and the refuse is used as a fer tiliser. The oil is used principally for polishing woodwork and dressing leather. Considerable quantities are exported. . The wood of the tung tree is used for making musical Instruments, fine boxes and the framework of small houses. It is believed that this tree might flourish in warmer parts of the Unltyd States. ? Scientific American. 8psrlng the Rod. The bishop of Carlisle, Esq., Is no believer In "sparing the rod" and "spoiling the child." In a recent ad dress he deplored "the soft notions now being preached by people calling themselves humanitarians." "It Is said to be degrading to flog a boy," said the bishop. "Well, I am truly thankful that I was often degraded in that sense In my boyhood. If I had not been bo degraded then I should be more degraded now. We need to eliminate these enervating, foolish, soft and therefore cruel notions from our educational system. This Is a matter not only for teachers, but for parents." Judlelsl Advlee. "I hope you won't be hard on me, Judge," he said. "You see, I was under the Influence of liquor when I done it." . , ' "You seem to have been unger the Influence of something equally bad wtten you studied grammar. During the spare moments that you are going to have, permit yourself to indulge in Judicious study of . the construction of simple sentences. Here Is one to be gin wTth ? sixty days," "WE-. INSURANCE SIXTEEN COMPANIES TELEPHONE No. 5 2 D. R. Williams, Agt Surety Bonds Plate Glass Steam Boiler ?pHE Santa Claus Special has just pulled in with a great consignment of Christmas de licacies and all the things that go to make the coming season the usual one of joy and hearty goodwill. Look over our stock before you do your Christmas marketing. We have bought so keenly that the bargains offered are almost beyond belief. Everything you need is here, down to the candies for the kiddies. Come in whether you buy or not ? let us wish / you a Merry Chrtstmas, anyhow.