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| L A Frozen Santa H Bb Harrg Boehme I* "I was in a Cheat mountain camp * last Christmas eve when someone mentioned the name of 'Billie' Burke. There was an instant stillness in the cabin; the boys dropped their cards, and the words 'poor Billie' were cn almost every lip. I was somewhat 'puzzled. 'Who was Billie Burke?' I ? inquired. For a momentv no one answered. One of the boys called on o*d Sam?'Uncle Sam' they called him. 'You tell him, Sam; you knew Billie j| longer than any of us.' "The boys all drew their chairs near the fire and Sam told the story. " 'Yes, I knowed Billie from the time he was a wee shaver; me and him j^-4' used to pelt each other with stones, > .tree coons and steal whisky together. |||;4 You know Bill and his pop were in , the moonshinin' business before the i . revenue officers copped it. "'A bad cuss was that young Billie Burke before he was sent to the re- j |||.; form school. But what chances did he have? He knowed no better; the ||; whole blooming family were in that Bp/, one-roomed log house; the old lad? digging ginseng in the summer to get Bpf . enough to buy the winter's supply of i|c snuff -and chewing tobacco, and the BPfe; old man running his still in the ravine, I& using the corn for whisky that should i have made pone cakes for the kid"'Wal, sir, I never seen such a ? change in a youngster as Billie when . he came back. He read; he wrote; he wore good clothes and fine shoes, -4md he was a gentleman. His people didn't know him at first. Then Billie said he was going to meet! it on the square. . "'While he was at home the % last ' time he met the schoplmarm of the J Red Sulphur Spring school and he fell k; in love. I suppose, though, he never said anything to no one but me; he said it to me real earnestly. Any gal i -/would have been proud to have Billie: ' ;' a straight, strong, I' 0 ' +??a clean . and goodm + # .^1 hearted boy. Why, |te JaMp daughter wouldn't p| " * can see f \y yet as he left this / VI Y camP ttle last day YL O T ovor qqcH him !m. y lit ? * . Kb I done told him : to wait for the log train that went at m; hut he couldn't wait. He startover the short-cut trail to J)urbin? six-mile tramp. * There was someng in the air; I thought it was snow, are seemed a terrible silence over whpie woods when Billie left at rn. That was the last time 1 seed i alive/ "teood-by, Uncle Sam!" he uted from the hill as he waved nis id; "and a merry Christmas to you; 1 don't get drunk. Be sure to make >d resolutions for the New Year. \ xi-by!" - j; 'He stopped at the Wfdow Jones', ise on his way to Durbin, and she le him drink sa cup of hot coffee, ich she and the kiddies were havat; breakfast/ Then h2 told her ut the Christmas he expected to Dd at home. IjJe was just bubbling , r with joy, and the widow started cry. At Christmas, she said, the Qghts of the ones that are departed green in -one's memory as the Ih holly leaves that grow on the holly ^y;tr^e, and like a circle of holly leaves are they entwined in a wreath of ^ i memory. , N pf-};-/" Then Billie tried to comfort her, and asked her why she was crying. / ' She said that her kiddies wanted to p know, about Santa Claus because the !;v Paxson children who went sledding on the hill, told them what Santa was |! going to bring them, and they asked their maw when Santa was coming to gpj them. She told them that he wasn't ' RL coming; there wasn't going to be any * jppChristmas for them because they were ^ |^ > " That stuck in Billie's craw, and he \ said he^ would go ; > n^thin*^ about it ^ I in winter. One || trip -a day over > ilfcthat Cheat mountain slope is enough for any man. I don't see how Billie P? could have been so thoughtless of himpi self when he always was so thoughtful M. ' of others. " 'Wal, sir, when he got to Durbin it *.; was high noon. They say it was snowk' ing hard and he was covered with the ? soft flaies. He never tarried, but as || soon as he could get a sack full of dons, drums, candy, oranges and a sled he started for the hills. It was ;*( -, snowing hard when he came into town, ? - <linWir>or nn^or o 11'rxYtt urinrl u'hpn I J OUU Uiltlllig uuuvt u liguk (f 4UU he turned back. And it got awfully r.; com?SO degrees below. "'You know the rest; they found him at the foot of the precipice, leaning, smiling, with the sack on his buck?no more than a quarter of a mile v from the widder's home. I believe, as It 110 parson reau, ijusuuiuuii ao j c uat c don? it unto one of these?"' j . "The lumper jacks are not much for y 8^utimont, but let me tell you, when | / old Sam had finished his story you | couljf ie that it had affected every one of them."?Philadelphia North 1 American. The Yuletide Dawn Bu Victor Radcliffe | ; I (Copyright by Western Newspaper Union.) j fi Joy bells were ringing out upon the j | clear, frosty air, but their sweet tin- j (! tinabulations had little of cheer or . | comfort for Gabriel Monroe. g He had made his own life's history, gj and this was what made him somber ; 1 this ideal winter's day?tne day oe- i | for? Christmas. Pride had been hum- ! | Died by regret; he was old, wearied, j | heartsick. This was his second day j | home?if he could call it that?after j I a five years' sojourn in a foreign land. ! I It all came back to him now, the I I salient appeals to his better soul j H pierced the frail armor of the heart he ; 2 tried to make i?on. He recalled the H hour when his daughter, Eloise, had j E come to him with the news that his I I son, Gerald, had married against his wishes. On the moment, Gabriel Monroe had disowned him, banished him j from heart and home. Iu. vain had ; Eloise pleaded for her brother. j He closed the old mansion at once, 1 announcing that he intended to live Abroad. Eloise declined to go with j him. Gerald was young, inexpert- j I enced, without resources. Plainly she j I recited her duty to her father as she | felt it. She would stay and help Ger- j | aid become a man. I Since his return, after a lapse dur- j I ing which he had j I y in k m not so much as ! B \ I fej I written t0 b*8 re" I t I &^ecte(* children, V he hac* s learne(i ! a VSM /iH -'that a little gold- j Jj r en-^aired child ~ ^ad come *? ^er* sjf JjJgg&M aid and his wife. \jM~~ | K? His son had not j made a great sue- ; 00*^ J cess in a business j ' . way. He had been i ill and at present had a hard time making ends meet. But he had turned out to be a dili- j gent, earnest man. The gentle influ- : 'C ence of a loving wife, the sisterly care i of Eloise, had been his at all times, j ^ Eloise, her father heard, was beloved ; o of a worthy young engineer, at present at a distance. * Old Gabriel moved about uneasily in \ his luxurious armchair. He paced the ! apartment for an hour, he tried to 1 ? read. His eye caught a notice in the local paper. There was to be a Christ- * mas sale at the village hall, he noted, q under the auspices of a ladies' club, for the benefit of the poor. Why not! ?go? Sooner or later he must meet old q acquaintances. The. maddest, merriest of Christmas t O groups thronged the big hall. There gj were booths and counters and, near a j . bewildering Christmas tree, an im- j ,U mense papier mache creation in the < form Ot a stocking. Its province simu-1 lated a fishing well, for near by were j poles and line, and upon payment of i a fee a cast over into the top of the! ^ stocking brought up a gift, fastened i on by someone concealed inside. . Old Gabriel made happy a score ofj V little ones by paying for their fishing j plunge. He bought several- trinkets and toys and dis: ^ t r i bu t ed them J|||M ' j freely. His heart In was beginning to. || i warm up. He met a few old friends, IJfc yi III He lingered late. Somehow his rifi'&Jw/ thoughts were fa I ('A/** turned into a new vlY W ? channel. The \fjrl If ' flood gates of sen- If }/ timent were wide- * open in his heart for the first timfe in years. ? The auctioneer of the occasion began to sell off what had not been disposed of. He came at last to the big stocking. Someone started a bid of ten dollars. Almost unconsciously old Gabriel doubled it. Thirty?forty? S there was zest in helping a good'pur- I pose. The auctioneer nursed the ex- V citement of the bidders. 1 "What a Christmas the money will I make for the poor!" he shout-ed. "May- ft be the stocking isn't half empty? S stocking and all there is in it goes to I the highest bidder!" - | "Forty-five!" sang out the town | banker. , 8 "Fifty," nodded old Gabriel, and jl "Sold!" announced the auctioneer, jj highly pleased, and then, as everybody, excited and laughing, surrounded the fortunate purchaser, there came a tap from inside the stocking and a muffled voice sounded: "Please let me out?it's dreadfully close in here!" As a section of the papier mache contrivance moved apart, revealing the "fisher maiden" of the occasion, out stepped?Eloise. . "Father!" she gasped. He started and quivered. He had bought "all there was in it." Upon the impulse of a moment hung all the future destiny of four souls. He opened his arms, the tears rushed to his eyes and Eloise was in his embrace. It was the gossip of all the town how old Gabriel Monroe met and expanded T1 the golden opportunity of his life that ~ Christmas eve Cli It was like a romance?the faithful suitor of Eloise telegraphed^ for, the discarded # son, nis wife, sweet little Co Dolly, sent for and installed in a home whence want and care were banished. It was "grandpa" who carried the 1& rp1 little one in his arms into the room * ^ lift.fl +V> a Phn'otmao trop was Jl.1T AIU1 ^ tllV VUl auvihiw ? ? %/w >f ? .. ablaze and sparkling next morning, ^ and sweetest music to his stormtossei, out now haven-found soul, an were the rapturous words: v. "Oh, the beautiful?the beautiful!" S. i i dickering Pianos Boardman & Gray Pianos | Hr Rshiot* PiannQ 1 UlUlliJ Vk- VUUV1 A IUI1VU B THE BEST IN THE WORLD I Over twenty years experience in the piano busi- ? ness has taught me how to sell GOOD PIANOS TO I GOOD PEOPLE, giving them EIGHT PRISES i AND PROPER TREATMENT. i I have the best line of pianos in existence, and if 1 you are thinking about one I would be glad toAfig- ? ure with yc;u. I I also have a nice line of Victrolas, Records, | Sheet Music and Musical Merchandise. * I sincerely appreciate the splendid patronage I given me by the good people of Bamberg and sur- I "1 - ? ? ? ? - rt Vl/^ ft V\ rt + A /lAVlAl V?1l ft rounding country m me past, ami nupc tv cuiibmuo to merit the same. Your inquiries will receive my prompt attention. G. A. LUCAS MUSIC HOUSE AIKEN, S. C. A Card to Owners * * * of Rural Telephone Lines S.I We are anxious to see that all lines owned by >ther parties and connected with us are kept in such ondition as to furnish efficient service. Where the wners of rural lines are responsible for their upkeep, ye want to co-operate with them. I , All lines require a thorough overeauling occa ionaUyif the best service is to be obtained. We ecommend that every line connected with us be verhauled at least once a year, and that at least one xperienced telephone man assist in this work. The ost of this work when divided among all the patrons f the line, makes the amount paid by each man mall, and this cost will be more than offset by the nproved service. , - If the owners of rural telephone lines in this seeon are experiencing trouble with their service, we rill appreciate their talking the matter over with our [anager or writing us fully. We will gladly do rhat we can toward helping you improve the conition of your line. SOUTHERN BELL TELEPHONE fAl AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY MM BOX 108. COLUMBIA, SOUTH CAROLINA. [3 v j * ?| i ^ fj screens as well as the woven net in fill ?ur ^ou^ry wire .is treated to \\\ J?|/ Sox&" withstand the ravages of bad ll\\ wSl I iMm weather. It will not rttst. Yon ll\k\ vvifE/ lll^M can ^ave ** any w^tL or any length.\\m\ v \ / Jllll ^sQyv ^ron P?s^s or w^re fencing can be Your Home Dealer Knows the Wants of the Home People. G. O.SIMMONS hie Hardware and Furniture Man Bamberg, S. C. \w Yftnr Excursion i Notice to Debtors and Creditors. I'lS in iay> aim Fares. | State of South Carolina?Bamberg Between all points on the Atlantic j County?Probate Court In the ast Line and points on connecting j J5 i?r ? estate of Jacob Ehr? I hardt. deceased. A ~ All persons having claims against Tickets on sale December 1 f th. , tjie es^ate 0f jacoi3 Ehrhardt, deceasth, 23rd, 24th, and 2oth, limited | are notified to file their :urning until midnight of January , claims, duly itemized and verified, th, 1916. ' I with the undersigned, within the time Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. ! required bv law, and -all persons ine Standard Railroad of the South. ; debted to said estate will please make For ticket and puIlman reservation , payment of same to the undersigned, d any desired information call on j. BEX EHRHARDT, t" Tnxjvrcn\r nprpnt. Bamberg, ; Administrator. 1. O ? | C. I Ehrhardt, S. C. 12-24. | j ( ' ; J BuyingforXmas I I .11 THE DOLL-MODEUT CONTEST I ' P STANDING DECEMBER 13: | MODE LIT. Ralph Kirkland ' 6,885 1 Fritz Kilgus 5 f> iO "7 ^ ^ Lonnie Price 3,825 I Shannon Ray 2,725 I Frank McMillan 1,400 \ Charlie Moye 1,355 m Lemuel Wiggins 1,350 3 Frank Cook 1,175 j| Caldwell Jones 1)25. Marie Simmons 7,300 ./ ? Mary Aldrich VVyman 4,750 Dorothy Johnson .... 4,305 Daisy Free 2,185 4 <\|| Aline Hutto 1,675 Hariet Wiggins 1,445 Lucile Copeland L...1,275 } Ruth Cook ....1,255 Mary Harvey Newsom 1,045 Lucile Folk 860 \ The "wise shoppers who buy their . Christmas gifts early in the season get the pick of the stock. By waiting until . || just a few days before Xmas, many per- i sons find it difficult to secure the gifts I they wish. I diiv r fi ni v N } DUI CHHLI I ' And come to The Herald Book Store, where you will find a large and select I stock of Christmas postcards, novelties, / etc. Below we list a few of the many things to be found at this store: For a Gentleman ' Fountain Pens Coin Parses Coin and Bill Purses Pocket Books ! Pass Cases Bill Books v^^li Smoker Stands ' I Smoker Sets I Shaving Stands / ' 1 Shaving Sets 8 Drinking Cups 1 Military Sets I Collar Bacrs (Cigarette Cases ' , l\n: | For a Lady Bud Vases I Jewel Cases I Service Trays I Tourist Cases Lap Tablets Crumb Sets Hand Bags. ^ Manicure Rolls ,-^Mm Hand Mirrors Carving Sets Sewing Bags Picture Frames Manicure Fittings ^ I Vanity Sets I. Fern Holders : Manicure Cases l Toilet Sets I\ I For the Children I Infant Sets Story Books Paint Books Doll Cut-Outs Henty?Alger?Boy Scout Books Toys, Balls, Blocks And many other things too numerous to mention. \ You can get a nice gift for a lady, gentleman, boy, girl, the little folks, or the baby here, at any price you wish to pay, from 25 cents to $6.00. I A ../ 1 m ncidiu I Book 1 1 ' I I O^AMA 1 I amm | | ^ 1