Mary Ware in Texas

as it was finished, and sitting down on the floor beside it, proceeded to take an inventory of the packages wit

the year before at Warwick Hall, when the very air seemed charged with a spirit of delightful expectancy; when everybody had se

skin head which she had made for little Patricia. She was very well satisfied with them all, as well as with the fancy trifles she had made for Ll

e longest distance to go should be started that very day. These she took from the drawer an

one who opens them, and yet do it all without one spark of festal feeling herself. But it is impossible to write a Christmas letter and put the proper zest into its greet

ht. "Luckily the letters travel faster than second-class mail, so I'll take my packages to the post-office now, and then g

around by the Metz place to get them on her way home, which would take so much longer that there wouldn't be much time for m

etween the stiff rows of coxcombs and prince's feather, she could see that the old lady was knitting, as usual. He sat with a newspaper a

dle-lighted tree. Their voices were thin and tremulous, and broke now and then on the high notes, but it was a gay little tune, very sweet and full of cheer; and Mary, who stopped to listen just inside the gate, was thankful that they had

baum die Lich

ward saying, "Oh, I understood one word of it. You were singing about a Christmas tree, weren't you? The children in the blue cottage

them along with a rush of happy memories, to a state of enjoyment that was almost childish in its outward manifestation. Finding that Mary was really

ressions of several earlier ones. In the course of describing them it c

ch was halting and broken, and he pulled his white beard desperately, and used many despairing gestures whe

hat you call it-picture-scene-till the eye laughs and the heart laughs an

ld wife, prompting him a

nderstand all that he tried to convey, but she caught the meaning of the last part, that t

said, clearing his throat preparatory to

el alone. We will make ready one little tree, and in our hearts we will join hands with all the happy one

omething in the zest with which they sung it, something in the expression of the wrinkled old faces, which gave her the inspiration she was

th the eggs, and immediately set about the writing of her Christmas letters in her usual resourceful way. Mrs. Ware look

himney," exclaimed Mary gravely, catching her mother's amused glance. "You may think it is foolish, but really it

n her palms to bring out the pungent fragrance, and afterwards, from ti

t, feathery greenness, sat on a window-sill, waiting for its time to go. The crate in which it was to be shipped stood ready in the wood-shed, even

u can't eat when it's all ready, some of the things are sure to dry up and some to get cold. I was worked up

right now, and open each thing that comes after this when it comes instead of waiting for one grand surprise on Christmas morning. You never will try my way, and it would

the box Mary flopped down on the floor beside it, Jack wheeled his chair closer, and Mrs

ing of the box. The holly-wreaths on top, tied with great

that studio into a perfect bower of Christmas greens? She gives it all the elegant costly touches that Joyce never could afford,

out six inches long, dressed like a ballet dancer. Its fluffy scarlet skirts hid the leaves of a needle-book, concealed among its folds, and fr

t-over embroidery. It's not that she's trying to economize. Joyce says she has the piece-bag habit. The girls tease her about not being able to see a scrap of goods without wishi

oll," remarked Mrs. Ware as Ma

, and this has raven curls. We would have called her 'Lady Agatha' if we had had her then. I believe

long wanted to own. Joyce had had little to spend this year compared with last, but in her hurried shopping e

st she had ever owned. "Now I can write my note to Gay on this. If we had waited I should have had to use the common paper t

eedle-book could readily be reached. Then she thriftily gathered up every bit of ribbon and tinsel from the discarded wrappings, smoothed

packages. That box that the doll came in is exactly what I want to put the candy in that I made for the Barnabys. And that plain one that holds the stuffed dates that Lucy Boyd sent will do for the candy I'm

hat Norman looked up from the book and other gift

s 'a little Ingenuity added to almost any material that comes to hand will make a tasty pie!' You ought to send the Ladies' Home Magazine some pointers,

of scraps. She had all sorts of things to draw on in emergencies. In the one month they had been in Bauer she had nearly filled a shoe-box with odds and ends. She had sheets of t

Mary had seen her, and which she rapturously compared to "a moonbeam spangled with dew-drops," only she thought hers far lovelier than Roberta's. A dozen times a day she slipped into her room to take the floating, filmy web from its box, and spread it out to gloat over it. She had to try the effects

ely as a greeting. It was only a green bay-berry candle,

ry candle's t

age. Prith

s mid your Ch

you all i

, passing it around for each one to enjoy the sp

of her absent friend; of the bloodstone and the Good Times book Betty had given her. Of Betty's clear brown eyes and dearer ways, of Betty's sweet consideration for others, of her talent for writing

les of home-made wine. His own pecan trees and vineyard had furnished his offering. He thanked them so volubly in his broken way for the little gifts that Norman had carried over when he went for the milk, and

w himself had really been here. He and Betty's candle have given me a re

the rectory. When they had passed the cotton field, the bend in the road soon brought them to the edge of the village,

ch both men and beasts might find shelter in time of storm. Usually they slept in the open, however, with little campfires here and there to boil their coffee and give them light. Peddlers, hucksters and belated country people wer

ome in for one of the Saturday night balls, held regularly in the town hall. The week before, part of a disbanded freak show had taken refuge in

stubble of red beard on his chin, was beginning to unhitch. His wife, who was only a young thing, and pretty in a worn, faded way, put down the sleeping baby that she had been holding, and stretched her arms wearily. She seemed too tired and lis

xclaimed Norman as they passed on. "And Christmas eve, too

in every house in Bauer. Mrs. Metz says that is one custom that they keep up here as faithf

d just seen to put the subject by. "That oldest little girl with the yell

, they could see a tree, standing all ready for the lighting, from gift-laden base to top-most taper. As they drew near the camp-yard again they saw the red-whiskered man going into the corner grocery with a tin pail on his arm. At t

n early, because the two small lads for whom it was designed were so young that their bedtime came early. They were handsome little fellows, one in kilts and the other just promoted to trousers. The gifts hanging from the lighted boughs were many and costly. The two little ones outside looking

ed the gate, so they paused to listen, also, more intereste

y friendly response, and in a few moments she had learned what she wanted most to know about the strangers. They were moving on

her shoulder told the woman that her husband was returning to the wa

ngness. Then as one of them stumbled and caught at her skirts she added impatiently,

exclaimed in a regretful tone, "It's too bad that we didn't find out about them sooner, in time t

d been thinking rapidly as she walked. "We've got to get so

how you'll do it this

ty added to almost any material that comes to hand will make a tasty pie?' Well

to start her to working out her resolution with the force of a young wh

d all help," sh

ingness to do anything he could to carry

came in, and nail it in place with cleats made from the lid. Better weight it with some stones in the bottom, and we can tack green crêpe paper all over the base. We've nothing but ord

donate the candy cane Joyce sent as a joke, although he is so fond of old-fashioned striped peppermint sticks. We'll break it up into short pieces and hang that on. And we can tie up a few dates and nuts into tiny

top to take off her hat. Throwing off her coat, she began talking "on the bounce" as Jack said, for she hurried from one room to the other, explaining at the top of her voice, while she gathered up pop-corn, scrap-box, paste-tube and scissors. Her enthusiasm

ed on a green base. In thirty minutes more the candles were wired in place; a few skilful twists had turned part of the tinfoil into silvery ornaments to hang beneath, while the rest had gone to the making of a great star to blaze on the top-mos

he scrap-box. Then exclaiming over a sudden happy thought Mary darted into the bedroom and took down Lady Agatha. Three snips of the scissors robbed her of the needle book hidden under her fluffy scar

hildren," Mary said as she tied it to one of the highest br

d her sister both want to play with it at t

trunk to snatch out a woolly toy lamb, that had fallen

went the lamb was sure to go.' I expected to keep it always as a reminder of that l

e around the room to see what else she could a

them. Hurry, mamma, and help me untie them! The needle-book may as well go too

were none of the spun-glass birds and crystal icicles and artificial fruits that had made little Patricia's tree such a gorgeous affair the year before, and were probably making it beautiful to

umphantly, "and in onl

" acknowledged Norman. "I'll bet it's the onl

raph which was still playing in the cottage down the road. The quilts were spread out in the wagon, ready for the night, but the

hrough cracks in the fence. "The man looks awfully down in the mouth," w

f everything, that it might do them good to tell them we brought it because the angels sang peace on earth,

"Well!" was his whispered ejaculation. "If you want all t

put the tree down in front of the astonished family and then turned and ran. However, her words must have carried some of the good cheer she intended, for when she and Norman paused again o

the sky," whispered Norman. "Now the kids are getting over their daze

n ecstatic little face. I wouldn't have missed it for anything. Now they've got the lamb. I'm so glad

d up at the stars saying reverently, "Somehow I feel as if we'd been taking part in the first Christmas. It was a sort of camp-yard that the Star of Bethlehem led to. Don't you remember, 'there was no ro

as trees of the world brought together in one place, and trying to imagine the enormous forest they would make. Then she fell to wondering what it was about them that shou

y bond of understanding and kinship. It had taken the hard, hopeless look out of the older faces around the camp-fire, for awhile at least, and made the little ones radiant. And at home-she remembered gratefully how Jack had burst out whistling several times while he helped to trim it. And the tune that came in such lusty, r

r by letter, one little finger pointing to each in turn. It was a verse from Revelation, about the tree that stands on either

ly hearts the world over. They are the symbols, which the Spirit of Christmas sets ashine, of that Tree of Life. And the Spirit of Christmas is o

uld not have expressed it to any one else, but

g the turkey which the Barnabys had sent with their greetin

back end, carefully tied to the tail-gate, stood the tree which had taken them fifty-eight minutes to prepare, but wh

hey dear? And oh, look! Goldilocks is still holding Lad

to them that morning; a dissected puzzle picture which Norman had made for her, a spool case that Jack had whittled out, and a strip of exquisitely embroidered rosebuds that Mrs. Ware had wrought t

ristmas, hasn't it!" exclai

d," she answered, "for one reason because it'

her Good Times book to record the happenings of the day. She had a few more notes of acknowledgment to write also, and was glad that Jack was busy wi

eautiful lettering; odd initials and old English script, and had copied verses for calendars and fly-leaf inscriptions. Jo

last envelope. He laid down his pen and pus

to end the day with, Mary," he s

one line, and the line was from the verse which she

f all the world, Love'

o speak he interru

the dumps and I don't want you to think that is my usual state of feelings. Really I'm getting more out of life than you imagine. I'm putting up the best fight I can. I just wanted you to know that although every other road in the world is closed against m

oth joy and tears. "I've had a happy Christmas, but kn