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" T11 school techer at ltock gulch dlismtissed her pu pilS with a smilling face. 4 Behind the smiles lurked unshed tears. \Vhen the / last youngster had van fished down the snow-cov ered trail, Bernice leaned her head against the, win dow frame and the hot, rebellious tears flooded her soft gray eyes, How she hated this far western country, with its crude ways, its dowdily dressed women, its unpol ished men, -ad, above all, its lonell. ness! It was all so different from New :ngland-alnd yet she fled from Mnssnachusetts to hide a heartache. "There is something wrong with me," she sighed at last. "It can't be the country or the people--they are kind and generous-it's the way I feel I How can I cure the ache and the honueslckness for things that may nev er be?" No answer came to her out of the swiftly falling winter twilight. Perhaps the knowledge that a wed ding was taking place in HtostoIn at that very hour confused her reasoning powers. The matan had ceased to lovo her and she had offered hium his free dom and he had accepted it, and so, being without near relatives, Bernice had found a position out here in Mon tana. This was her first Christmas in Rocky Gulch. After awhile she locked the school house door, and with the children's Christmas offerings in her lunch has ee 00 * e "Merry Christmas!" All Three Said in Unison. jahice, wheutre ashe 0 boaded. It wa-s snow''ing hard nIoiw andal lhe trail wais raidlly di-isaeainiug mialer the whlite blauo, in the udtepening gloomi dairk shapiles apI peaIred, ti approachi inmg andu recedinlg, butt they p~rovedi to be t he pine t rees fringinzg I he steep slopes. Iar below, the lights of the town gleaned thr-ough the (iarkness an t hen vanishued, and Bherunice, palunginig ('at of thle pathi to avoid a deep drft, took ai wr~ong tuning nndit soon ac knowiedged to herself with a fright (Jned sobi that shte wvas lost on the xaoun taini in a raging huhizza rd. Ihours afterward, she sank exhaust ed at the fot of a pine tree ead drop IPed hmers headh oan her outstretched turms. "I will rest for a few minutes," she murmured drowsily. Down in the town Mrs. Tucker waited supper that Christmnas eve un tii nine o'clock. Then little Willie Tucker sleepily announced that Mrs. Hlalliday had Invited teacher to spend the night and eat Charistmnas dlinner at the Ilalliday ranch. Chiding Willie forI his tardy information, Mrs. Tucker hastened to tihe telephone and called the Hialliday ranch ; baut the wires were all down, and so the anxious little woman decided that the teacher huadJ been unable to send word about her change of Christmas plans, and went about the trimming of the Tucker Christmas tree with renewed activity. B ernice opened her eyes in the liv lng room of a warm log cabina. (lay NJavajo blankets hung from the walls and coveredl the broad couch on whilh she reclined before a blazing fire of hickory logs. ITwo meon were bending over the fire;I newas stirring something in a brIght tin 8auucepan, somnethting hot and steanr..., whieh lhe pouredi into a tumu bier and brought to her hiedside, "Hello I" he smiled. ''Awake aevn :R, 4' 0 Kt hrs ackie lhrinil; this imless and tell us how it all 'ini'penedl." liernice smiled bacik into a bronzed luCee that inspired instant conIidence. Iie was young, with very hliue eyes and very brown hair. Bernice obediently drat the steam ing mixture and snuitgglei down in the liinkets and went to sleep. "I wonder who she is, Jil," said the last coller. "She came to Us out of the storn a little snowbird," murmured Jim But ler. Hilly Smith smiled shrewdly. "Little Snowbird will be missed on Christmas eve," lie said. "Some one is probably looking for her now, so (lon't set your heart on her, Jim." Jill laughed softly. "t tih. get out, you old idiot I" lie :rinm'd. "Can't a chap sentimental ize a bit on Christmas eve without your getting silly? I was thininig it wllI be a sorry Christanas for this little airl, and this blizzard looks good for all duy tomorrow !" "SIre thing- .so I'm going out to cut a Christmas tree for her," said Billy strulg-ling ilto his heavy coat. "You're atn angel," laughed Jim, get ting out an ax. lie had never seen Bernice Avery before the moment when he had stum bled over her snow-covered form, lie had carried her to the cabin three miles up the mountain and given Billy Smith the surprise of his adventurous life. James Butler was a timber expert in the employ of the government and Billy was his right-hand man. Suddenly the door opened and Billy staggered in, powdered with . white ness, carrying a small, symmetrical hemlock tree. "Our Christmas tree for the kid," he said solemnly. "Good," chuckled Jim, and they set to work. It was Christmas morning when Bernice awoke again. Dimly she re membered the events of the night and when full realization came upon her she sat up in bed and looked around. "Dear mie, how horrid I feel l" she yawned sleepily, and at that instant she saw the Christmas tree and her eyes popped wide open. The little tree stood on a table near the fire, propped with heavy stones. Strings of popcorn festooned It and I're were puzzling tinseled orna mients-nuts covered with tinfoil. There were a Mlexican qulirt, a pair of gayly h1ealed Indian moccasin a roll of Nava'lo blankets and some apples and tiranges. "I wonler whose Christmas tree this Is." 11111rvietl Bernice. Thel, siun was st reainug t hroiugh thie n'Indlows when Jiml and11 Billy knock eul it the, doior andi enteredl in responuse' to Theliy had1 a rrayed'u thelmselves iln Ilir best garienits and t hey gilnced Xafl 211nuty f3 roml thle girl's 5lhyly smilI ital face to the gay little tree, "'3[erry Chbristina12!" al'iil thlree sid li unison, 1and1 then laughed In gay "'t looks so Christmuasy in hero'," sa id Bernice: "''m afraid I've stumil II''on 11 someb'Iody's Chlristas trec'." JimiI~ lghled. ''Oh, tha11t's your tree!'' "Yes5-it was BIlly's idlea--youlr bie nig away from home and everything. l'ose are Just tritlles wIe had1 arounmd he house. Please dlon't cry !" lhe pro 'estedl as tears filled the lovely eyes of uis guest. "But you don't knowv how beautiful t is," she sobbed. "I was hating rPhristmas this year-I was so lone ome-and everything!I" She toIld thema how she had dislikedl lhe West, not dIreamling if couild hold ~uch kindness, and In return both1 men lecame very gruff indleedl anil ily ternlly Inisiated uiponl her coining out uind eating her breakfast of cornbread, mueon and coff'ee. Jim said nothing, lult his eyes were eloquent. It was late afternoon when the itorm censedl so that thley coul put on mowshoes andI set out down the trail 'oward the Gulch, Bernice Ihgging her preious gifts close to her hleart. "It's the happiest Christmas I ever ind," she told Jim, wilth eyes all isine. "And you don't hate the WVest and ts people?" he smiled. "No, Indeed I" "Then-perhaps-you wIll like it v'ell enough to stay here always I" he >lurted, arid then In a panic of bash 'illness lie dashed away from the r'ucker's front gate, leaving Billy sole ,vitness to Bernice's blushes and tell ale eyes. "We'll have another Christmas tree text year-we three-and it won't he mny neeilent either," predicted the Ituide shrowdly. Billy's prophecy was fulfilled, n'nd [ernice's happy Christmas wvas follow d by many more in the country which uhe learned to love because Love had 'enlly sought and found her there', (Copyright.). CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS. Making the Cake Was What Interosted Kato Langley Boshor Most. fly earliest tiil inst viril recolleE. (lon of Chri till :s ,,irel :nttio isi is that of peelhhg unyself on the end of tile dining: room 1 tale, feet atl d;-- u lng ihg over, and wooleh1inil with aowed atliu e1Itr eyes I ltinany iII aId i4y1erio4ud s boxes10 niiil huiiiilles aind howIs :and X110011; 11ndl vurlros 1 other thi0is that wore pilt 111111 it, says Kte IaIngley Ili*her it the NeW YoIk 'T'iuns. itni Its hIeresxt 41:4l exc"itelnent 't-v w. withl i t h~illing senlse of (thilili lihlpeiing (1tat1 were deIeons. Itald 1 n1ua11, I would c r111wl'forward mut it neair thle middle of the faille, nd. eraning my neckic that nto uovent1ent of moy uoth er's han1,d, the cook's und or the nurse's h1n1( esziIoen pe tme. inl Ir'eithless delight andl fn oensioiinal swipe of iomethini I was not in viled to share ,. t wouild sit the entire moing until (he woric was1 done. In the alr "as the tiigle of mystery and ltlelipatiton. I'veryhody helped. and for days there went on the uak lug of mincoment, of friit cakes, poundenkes, -Itron cakes, -ten cakes cut in faninttistle $thameis beyond resist alice to thieving little Ihlhers, 11i4i, 4n the thrill or it. Wiill i ever 4onae igain ? I''or the 1r1it n 'IIlos II1' ra ii1n11v Ball to be Hee dtteI. lie (iI-tl:Iits w1shvI. 1l1e iltron itl illt ielk es of, pr(oper size. 111 ll other ingresl latits p e its ne11 1 till vallee 40f the 11i .h1;.:. (il he inixial': in ex lct propor 1tina %%ns alwaty, dli by Illy nin4t her TWELVE DAYS OF YULE. Observation Not Confincd to Doc. 25 a Century Ago. h'le- New E-:ngland listo, 412ning Ite early yettrs4 of ti le tieteeth centItry wi to obser ve Chrinnm2s fronm IQ(' e..'5 to .linn. 5. the t w elv d 1ys heing ;elter ally given ui to recei(01ng 2n rettn1i lIg fa11ly visits. Colltelntlorary wilh this eltsto1in was the bellef. lIuttlented in the min1ds of the (lhitlren, Ihat if Ilthey wAoinll visit the vow stables att miidlalght of Cliistnu21s eve they whiltI see the cattle kneel before the itnttn ger's. A 1ocm of the twelve days shows the gift for the first dty of Christtas to h1 a parrot on a Juniper tree Instead of a "partridge on a puear tree." Tho verse for the twelfth day, which etn bodied the entire list of days and I ile! love' 1-av 'c t o 1 li t Iwi ;;1111 lictial 2is 1f lijci u, live 11 li2.ii. eilicI 1..ic'1 1111 c!l cI.. S I iI xv :'1l i i lcx l xw \1 ' I 111? I' . :i11 11i 1,1 1- 1 11c :1 "i1:cc . 11 II c ' .1111:1 1,1114-ciizc cc*.1' 11.. iii \ \ Real Churi 5trnas. IHc'21 ( 'l iinI12 1:1c l 11 1 h:11 !ii (Iii1kitl '1:au iccc. 2ic''1t1s 111 '! 1cv 1lv( -l-, Ci sicl viaChrist. limn~i n:/r:iJ'c iue1i fi 111' llcilo tutu1 Ow 1c.1 cccxc x l l everI gikeii. Proof of Marital Chains. miage lxi nnr I''xn---'' I il V' ilnl xiIi oi ' "Lor'. 1 uixxaix. ai i'l ,"cii sc'c'i (121111ug gc'i'r kuct uk lilt, 1%(1111111!l? .S'llsix'I et To Soften Paint Brushes. Vi'le'aru Iuli'iI~ 11) I tic huliling point THIS STOPS HAIR FROM FALLING OUT I 'er C on i the dead ha irs in your ( ouah au l br u sh? Th'ley are nature's mrigof' futu re bahine; s and proof (hat th) dIngerop3s dandrff gern is 1).. SangiLerhutuI,. I he falnous; l'ari~s ,r' ina b. li , discoveored( that dan I:elIf :;ui lallintg hair are caused by a )I;i:-roim. T he1 ln came IIIe discovery of the. valu!e (o! I!he r(a : l'1arislin ,age (11 'I iubi 1fori in1 (le ;roying IIte dandrulT "(ernit and protmptly preventling; the 'lr lier lo:s s of hair. The e lec t of only three days Iitse ol 'arisian Sage is simnply Ina'rvelous and the Arnerican people have now awakened to the fact 1tat Ithy can bi <quickly rid of dandrufY and save heil' hair by using 'arisian S age. Parisile Sage is sold by Laurens Drug Co. and good druggists every where. It's inexpensive, daintily per fumed, free frotm stickiness, and will surely cause halir to grow soft, lustrou and really sceem twice as abundant. FLEMING. BROS. CHRISTMAS GIFTS That Appeal To All T IS WELL to begin now to think of gift giv ing and receiving, and what to buy and where ENGRAVING to buy is the all i iportant question. It is well AND SPECIALto suggest Fleming Bros. store: First, because of DESIGNING our capability to serve you with the newest and Caw be done with more best, and Second, because the prices are always satifaction than at the time of tie consistent with the value of the goods---the best CHRISTMAS RUSH obtaimable. Our stock is second to none and you and we suggest that yo(u cal and enjoy that Ieisure.. will marvel in our splknid seCctcins cf the 1y inspection which is now los eeim Wiichistm~r Jew elers Art. possible w ith you. THE FOLLOWING SUGGESTIONS FORM BUT A SMALL PART OF OUR IMMENSE STOCK FOR THE LADY wIatch r aeets ImriendlCi,. Ir s FOR THE GETL EMAN 1old Wat he11's liar Pins Ei iWati's 31uilia r.) Sets * racelet, Vanity alns tjSal liin:s Pot 'hlu' Hlrochs Silver Ha1gs Scarf Pluns Eid Stanis Clif 1iiuilere (1,41141 'llahi Necklaces Card Purses / - ita V'allieres I'nibrellas KI'cllnives )lurch Safes iockets Toilet Sets r l e iE ( IaIns 'i l is i il siliver DIA ONDS Enduring Gifts of Silver The gift of i ine Jewel is a plea:4nre There Is nothing so acceptable as to the recipient. of today-a treasure an artistic gift for the adornim ent of to tie Inheritors of tomorrow t tthe i tome. Tihe pleasure it brings is We scell (bnly timo most perfect stonies I perimimemat,__ tie ble white stome. Our relta. Spei al attention Is called to our stones is statewide. NilV'ERi TEA% E's DIAIMOND) RINOS siiLVERi THAYi .. ~I IMOI) iItOO('iI,%TA I. hiE SILVER D)1IA ON D LOCHETS rdu mitims.ote eaiadueu WE INVITE COMPARISON OF PRICES FLEMING BROTHERS SLAURENS, ::-:SOUTH CAROLINA