The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, December 20, 1916, Image 7
" 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