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(Copyright, 1910, by American Press Association.! AT E L E G It A M from Chris- j topher." suid Mrs. Larimer, thrtistin;; her head within the open iinrary aoor ar.u reau ing from tbe yplluw slip in her baud " 'Snowbound. Will arrive late this evening. Don't sit up.' " "Thoughtful Christopher." murmured Dick Mason from tbe depths of bis easy chair. "Poor old Cbris?what luck!" cried Amy. while Alice murmured to her Jover. "I am so anxious that you should meet Christopher. Dick." "Pray, who is Christopher? Tell me. that I. too. may be distraught at his lionarrival." drawled Pen held, surveying the love stricken Dick and his be frothed with some disgust and turning 1-' Amy. who was viewing him with unmistakable relish. "Christopher Drowning Is our onus la." she replied, with a wicked look r.t her sister. "The dearest fellow' "Writes, you know." "I didn't know." murmured Penfleld ?l>olo;;e:icnlly. "Well. Chris does write for the pa pers. magazines or anything that will take the stuff." "Hai-ui!" Amy looked at him from inirrh brim n:ed eyes, she was dressing a doll for tbe cook's little niece, and she tied a [link bow ou the flaxen eurls and then admired the effect with audible satisfaction. "Isn't she too sweet? Now I'm going down to the village to leave this ar Mrs. Lee's, and you taav come. too. Mr. I'etilield. for the way is long and the night Is stormy.1" IVnfiold arose with alacrity. Anything was better than sitting before the cheery fire and staring at the plio tognipb of tlie girl lie loved unwisely and trying to summon courage to ask carelessly whom the picture represent ed. I?idn't he know? When they reached, the front door [ Amy mn back to the library, and he ' heard the rise and fall of her shrill girlish voice as she expostulated with , bcr sister. It was evident that she j gained her point, for when she returned she was smiling and her eyes were as bright as the snow crystals : sparkling under the radiance from the ' wide open door. They plunged into the softly falling whiteness, and Peufiekl bared his head ' to the cold fresh air uud eudeavnred to i thrust aside the burden tiiat lay ncavi]y up .:i his heart. ".Simb an ideal Christmas eve!" said | Amy. *"\Vheu 1 was a little girl"? "Oh. WHEN!" interrupted Jack mockingly. "WHEN I was a litrlo girl." insisted Amy serenely. "I used to believe that something wonderful must buppeu <211 Christmas < ' e. I would watch at the window arid look f r a messenger to arrive wiiti marvelous news or expect that a long ! si uncle would appeari and shower gifts upon us. Hut it never ' happened. Nothing wonderful ever does happen to uie." she added, with a sigh that was nmiiled in a mist of living Hakes. "Time enough for things to happen when you are grown up. child." Jack said gravely, and then, arousing him self from tlie unpleasant thoughts that. v:.iupire-like. seemed to cling to hitn. he added: "Come! A race to the corner!" They reached it laughing and breathless. Later, when they had returned and were silting before the tire, each wait iug for the other to make a bedtime i start. Jack remarked lazily: "When do you expect Mr. Rrowuing to arrive?" Amy giggled. Dick looked amused. . and Alice and her mother exchanged glances of distress. ; "Oh. any time before midnight. 1 i suppose." replied Alice, with evident constraint. "We will uot sit up? the arrival of the train is too uncertain. One of us will hear the bell and come down." "1 was about to volunteer to sit up aud wait for him." said Jack. "I am - - 1 ??1 ? , 111 H W'dtvClUi aiwu ivui^ui. "lie;*lly. Mr. Pcutield." began Mrs. Latimer anxiously. wheu Amy interrupted tier eagerly: "Oh. mother, let him sit up if he I wishes to. W e cas? ."" 't up and greet Chris afterward, burr v??re is no use in all of us sitting w. Ike owls until | that train conies 'tr may not arrive i f<>r hours yet. and i'eters will be waiting at the station with the sleigh, so Chris will be all right." "Very well. dear, it doesn't seem quite fair to Chris." remarked Mrs. Larimer gravely, "but you may settle that between yourselves." "Perhaps I'd better go with Peters." said Lick. "1 am ashamed that I did not think of doing so before." "Oh. Peters has gone." said Mrs. Lat- j inier. "I thought it best for him to be there in case the train should arrive I earlier than expected." "It's t<oi a particularly bad night. 1 Mrs. Latimer." said I'eufield reassnr : gCfarissa ingly "Miss A::jv and I got alnug i t;iiinm?!v Tin? snow is very light and 1 soft. an! it is not particularly cold. Of course down in the valley at San- j dTson. where the tram is stalled, it ; has drifted, and that lias caused the blockade. Mr Drowning will not mind ! the adventure unless be is an Invalid." j he added doubtfully. "Oh. Chris is (juite robust." replied Alice sweetly. "Now that it is settled Mr. Pen field is to remain up to greet I our cousiu suppose we bang the stock- i intrs and go to l?ed. We must deposit' our gifts ou the table here, aud mother will till the stockings at some we sma hour, as usual. Wheu Chris arrives mother aud i will come' down and give the child something to eat. You must keep up a rousing lire. Mr. Pentield." "Depend on me for that," returned Jack. Tli re was much ruuniug to and fro' and a great deal of merriment as the stockings were buug in the wide old j chimiieypiife. Then each oue brought j gifts carefully wrapped and labeled. ; and with tunny attempts at secrecy j they were heaped ii|K>n the library ta- j ble. Finally, with warm exchnugcsj of Christinas wishes. Mrs. La timer and I her daughter* withdrew, leaving the two men ai<?ne before tbe tire. Wheu Dick Mason had finished his cigar he. too. sought Ills room, and i.? S.O.I I...... I.i^ vi.rll tr ! lUl'ii I L'.lli?'UI U\ JM IVUVIJ ? t^lli -% was 11 uV.'urk. ami the storm was. abating. The soft spat of snow usalust the window panes had ceased, and I ?i r "DID YOU TAKE THAT there was an occasional tinkle of sleighbells from the highway which proclaimed that belated Christinas shop pers were venturing out. reutickl stared moodily at the picture of the girl he loved. It stood on the mantelshelf. framed in silver. It portrayed a girl in riding dress with one Arm thrown over the neck of a horse, whose nose muzzled her other hand. She was a wide eyed, soft featured girl, with dark hair parted in the middle and topped by a broad felt hat. Iler round < hin was lifted above the low e'ollar of her white blouse, am: from the crown of her hat to the tips of her riding boots she appeared the embodiment of life, health and love. Yet love she had withheld from JiicK " ' ' " - * ,,f tllilt HOW ? cnueiu. ru* ?.i-? ihin?iun ;is he sat there? thinking how strauge i it was that lie Should have found her j picture hi the home of his cousin's j tian-ee. anion;; people whom he had! never before met. hut who had greeted ! him waruil;. as i>i.-u Mason's cousin j and had taken him into their midst as j one of themselves. lie had come out | of the west a fortnight before?our of the west where he had made his home for years?away from the open life of the plains, the free air of Montana, where he was king on his own ranch, to the overcivilized east, where to timple hearted Jack Penfield God seemed shut up in the stuffy brick ind stone churches. In the wild fres - - '-"2. \ - v,/ , west (Jot? wu > e\cry where. That was his fancy He ti:i;! cone east because a trh ! had implanted tb? germ <?t restlessness within ill :> a restlessuoss that forbade him peace of uiind until he eould persuade Iter to reconsider her decision The picture before him was Hn enlargement of one he had taken himself with a pocket camera. Its duplicate in miniature was folded iu his letter case next his heart, la the spriug Kitty Brown had come to the west to visit his neighbors, the darks. She was a writer, one who whs tired and whose body und soul needed relaxation. She found It under the free blue sky as she skimmed over the ranges side by side with Jack FVd field, their flept horses over in harmony with the spirits of the young riders, and it is true she found something besides relaxation in the eyes of Jack I'enfleid when the day came for her to return to her enslnviug pen. "You do not understand." she had told him. "I could not giro up my work, and I do not lore you as much as I love that. You ran see." she had added with that frank smile of hers, "that my love Is a divided one. and you cannot accept that?" ".No." he had replied gravely. "I cannot accept a divided love." And so they had turned their horses* heads homeward, and tbeir parting had been a warm hand clasp and?that was ail. That was ail Jack Penfleki had to think and dream nbont. The great p1 r PICTURE. KITTY?" eastern city swallowed her up. lie had not asked for her address, but as the months went by and brilliant au tumn elaiiued the land, and the broad plain and-distant ranges changed eolor under her hard, eold touch, he grew restless, and finally in December he arranged his affairs, and. leaving his foreman in charge of the.Bar T outlit. he had come to New York to fiud Kitty Brown, lie had been too proud and reserved to ask for information from her friends, the ("larks, and his <|Uost for ilit' girl ho lovetl Had neon ijuilc hopeless. Then lie had dropped in upon his cousin l)iek Mason, who had picked him up and carried him olT for the holidays to the country home of the I.atiiners. and hero lie was. with tlie tirst clew to Kitty Crown staring him in the face. lie felt no elation now. for with the nearness of her discovery came the thought that she would send hint away again. Xev erthcless lie determined that he would unbosom himself to sweet, motherly Mrs. Latimer in the morning. There was a tinkle of sleighbehs drawing nearer, the faint sound of an arrival at the door, and he hastened to his feet to greet the coming stranger. whom he had almost forgotten The hall door closed softly, and then the door of the library was pushed '/cr.tlv open and a slim, dark clad figure. with arms brimming over with kages. sliyped into the room and .4 C v 1. &' 8k then paused abruptly us ' ' ranted. "Mr. Browninp"- Ja<U sio; short and stured with unbelieriti-. eyes. The i^irl laughed softly, and there was joy in her eyes as she raised them to his "WFtF.ItE did von come from?" she asked, dropping her parcels to the table and extending both gloved little bands. "From the Bar T." ho replied hi conically. holding ber hands tiruily in bis great brown palms. "Kxpiaiu why you are here of all places. I le/t you riding the ranges in Mout.iua. and 1 see you again iu the country home of my cousins, and you cull me MK. Browuing!" sbe said, withdrawing her hands and removing the heavy clonk that enveloped her. "1 was expecting Christopher Browulng. I was sitting up for him. 1 was surprised when you entered." "I am Christopher Browning." she said saucily. "Don't dare to toll me that you did not know THAT!" "1 didn't know it." he admitted hum bly. "1 knew you as Kitty Brown"? "Oh. the Chirks always abbreviated it. And so you did not know you wenwaiting for ineV" sbe said musingly, drawing uearer the tire and holding ber hands to the comforting warmth. "I've boeu waitiug for you ever site tyou left the ranges. Kitty." he said gravely. She turned away suddenly, and hoi Voice shook slightly as she replied. "3 told you that you must not." "I cannot help it. Kitty. You tnusi know"? he begau. druwiug uearer to her "You may help me distribute my gifts." she said quickly, recovering her composure, "and while we are filling the slocking* you must tell me how you came lo make the mistake iu my name and why you. instead of my affectionate cousins, are waitiug for me now." JJii'K torn nis story wuiie cue gin uis- i tributed tin* parcels sin* bail brought among the litup stockings. There was even a gift for the capacious sock that represented Dick Mason's Christmas. "1 have nothing for yours, Mr. Penfield." she said, regretfully surveying the remaining empty sock. "A little note saying that you had changed your mind"? he began. . "Hut I haven't changed my mind," she murmured faintly. "Are you sure?" he insisted. "Your eyes. Kitty, betrayed you when you came inio this room. You WERE glad to see me. Say that you will go back to the Bar T witb me iu the spring." She hesitated. "Oh. there is something in the sock." she said evasively, and she stepped forward and. thrusting a hand into the toe. brought forth a small card, which she extended to v. : d IVnlield. lie took it and giauceu at the opposite si te, lie uttered an es* ia naiion of surprise. Then he beid it out to her. She too!: it reluctantly. As she looked a warm flush spread over hot* face, and she cried impnisively, "Why. that's tume!" It was ? snapshot of the master of J the Bar T ranch standing in the corral. surrounded by hundreds of horned cattle. "Did you take that picture. Kitty?*' asked .lack eagerly. She uoddial shamefacedly. "IIow did ii get in there?" he asked, with a puzzled look. A merry voice called from the doorway: "I found it on the floor of your room. Christopher Kit. carefully wrapped in tissue paper, after you went home at Thanksgiving. Of course I wj^.rtn-ni-7o<l Mr I'entielil when he flf *V"": ? ? | rived yesterday, and?and I wanted I something wonderful to happen on [ Christinas eve. and for the first time I in my life it has happened. And that's I ... . ..... . all. except merry cnrisnuas ix>uj: "Bless the child:" niurniuied .lack ' happily, gathering the abashed Chris- i topher into his arms. j "That's what I say, too," she wbis- j pored softly. Net the Christmas Spirit. "It isn't the presents?it's the spirit." J said January Jones, the. millionaire j miner of (Joldfield. apropos of Christ- j! mas. "1 was in a jewelry shop last January, and something that took place there showed me that with too J many of us the Christmas spirit is not ! the proper one. I was talking to the i proprietor. One of the clerks stepped | up excitedly, his eyes beaming with j the hope of a big sale. " 'Say, boss.' he whispered, "give me i the key to the safe. There's a lady j wants a solitaire just like the one she has on.. She thinks it will be fun to have two rings alike.' The proprietor did not bring forth the key. He only shook his head and said sadly: " 'Don't waste any time on her. The ring she has on Is a Christmas present, t and she only wants to tiud out what it i cost.'" c rs for l| ill Toys I It Fire Crackers from ?k V i 1 to 3 1-2 inches aj r . J long. a \ ^oman Candles |1 ? a/fa . ? ? a or _i-_x_ ?5 > 6//" / 1 irum ** tu snuus. ; j j (9 ? r Sky Rockets, 2 sizes |S jjj I 1 Seif-Action Repeat- Sj; I 1 J 0 ing Pop Guns. | Jj ; $ Cannons and Caps. ^ | || |? ,0 All sorts of novelties ? 3 |f? j in Fireworks. ;bj | smallest to the larg- | | False Faces. Toy Ships |; ;1 Several Different Kinds of Games. g I Nuts, Fruits and Can- | j as well as our regular line of General Merchan- | \J It will pay everybody who comes to town J Jl during the holidays to come to see us. ? J. W. Coward ;j|j 8 ocun 110 vniio 8 ^ 0Lnu 1,0 ,uun jl' J ^ vi^it ouv ston*. ^ Anything in * 0 1 C?mk' *"""""" |[.Jj $ ENGRAVING ON SHORT NOTICE ^ | rA bv expert workmen. We can duplicate any catalogue price. Mail W/ orders receive careful personal attention. Wr ? Stephen Thomas & Bro., fi. J >) 257 King Street* - - Charleston. S. C ff\ Fireworks - Fire Crackers, all sizes; Roman Candles, from 4 to 30 shots; Sky Rockets, all sizes. All kinds of I novelties in Fireworks. aSf >b\\ n I A n iiniiol ttrA U o xrA I II " \ \ w n.o usual vv c nave h Y A ^5* on hand for the holi^ trac*e a se^ect hne IMK ?^ ^n"t and Nuts Oranges, Bananas, I eMOKfcBC Lemons, Raisins, Cit- I I OUPPLI SiTU* Irons' Currants, Eng I } lish Walnuts, Pecans, ^ We have a full line of Cig- Butter Nuts,^Imonds, R ars, Cigarettes, Pipes, and " ' | Tobaccos. Call in for your etc. | holiday smoking goods. I L. D. Rodgers & Co. J