Lakeland Evening Telegram Newspaper, December 13, 1913, Page 14

r Cace gV — 4 RICHARD L HE nursery rang with the childish volces. “Hark, the herald angels 8i- ing—" “That’s too high. Walit a min- ute!” “Hark, the her- ald—" “That’'s better. Now, Seraphina! Now, Thad!” “Hark, the herald angels si-ing, Glory to the new- born King—" “Seraphina, can't you take thatl plece of candy out of Thad’s mouth? He nearly choked himself just then. You can have it back, Thad, when you've sung two verses. Don't be such a baby! Now, good and loud!” “Hark, the herald angels si-ing—" Schuyler bellowed lustily and beat tlme with a drumstick. Seraphina P ——— On the Still Winter Alr Rose the Three Childish Voices. Post's advice most, there had been some vague trouble between the doc- tor and Aunt Margaret. Aunt Marga- ret no longer wore the diamond ring on the third finger of her left hand, and Doctor Post came no more to the ; house. It was very disheartening. Schuyler wanted to ask Doctor Post a score of questions about the carols. Did the people who sang them wear surplices, like the choir boys in the Christmas procession at St. Jude's? Did they stand still or march around while they sang? These and other points sadly taxed his eight-year-old intellect. But his determination to |alng that carol in the street never faltered. Hence the secret rehear- | sals in the nursery. After much deliberation, he decid- ed that surplices would lend dignity to the occasion, and this decision was furthered by the thought that night- gowns would make very passable sur- ! plices. Then, a tomato can suggesting possibilities, he added a censer to the | properties. A tomato can punched full : of holes, swung on the gilt cord that tle white cot and indulged in a series Ge NIFALD ANGILS DARKER SHELTON i | sang with much fervor and many false . COmes about candy boxes, and fllled | notes; while little Thad followed the ; With burning joss-sticks, would make | tune manfully, and substitued a ‘la-la- la” when the words proved elusive to s four-year-old memory. The second verse brought to a suc- tessful issue, Schuyler dismissed the chorus and turned to the door. “You see 'f you can’t teach Thad the words of that second verse while 1 go downstairs and get some joss- sticks for the censer,” he told Sera phina. Schuyler Van Brunt was working un- | der difficulties. Doctor Post had told him of the old English custom of sing- ing carols in the streets on Christ- mas morning. It had taken a strong Yold on the boy’s fertile imagination— ¢0 strong a hold that he had planned to smuggle Seraphina and Thad from the house, when Christmas came, and to sing a carol out-of-doors in true English fashion. Then, just when he needed Dootor L4 panD S B Rt T P B EAD ZHO FAD BT BRI T a m D S CHINI TS 21 s R0 DugRu sl ut 2l Sud prices. G OO SISO O SO RO ORI SO B OEO B0 T O BOED PO O B OEDHOG LI o, Pt e m 2 DATHOSLSLPTSEIS ST OTH TSI SIS T MO S04 a beautiful censer. It was Christmas Eve, and Schuy- ler's plans were complete. He felt , sure they would put up a very credit- | able carol in the morning, even if Doc- | tor Post’s advice had not been obtain- able. As he crept upstairs with the ! joss-stick, which he had begged from | Agnes, the second girl, he felt that | the last obstacle had been surmount- , ed. ! “Come on now, once more,” he said as he entered the nursery door. “Elsa " will be up with supper in a minute. We've just time before she comes. Stand up, Thad. Yes, I'll let you have a plece of the joss-stick if you'll sing good and loud. Now!” | 1L Very early in the gray of the Christ- mas dawn Schuyler awoke, bounced ! out of bed, and began to rouse his co- horts. He tiptoed to Seraphina's lit- of vigorous shakes and punches. “Get up! Get up, Seraphina! It's time to go out and carol,” he whis- pered hoarsely. Seraphina arose, and, sitting on the side of her bed, blinked at him re- proachfully. Little Thad was already awake and ready for anything which savored of exciting novelty. The two elder children dressed hurriedly, and between them they managed to put | on little Thad’s clothes. Then Schuy- | ler crept noiselessly to the hall below "and returned with coats and hats and | mittens. When they had bundled | themselves into these outer garments, each donned a “surplice.” At the last ' moment Schuyler bethought him of the brilliant cord on his father’s bath- | robe, and at the imminent peril of dis- covery he stole into Mr. Van Brunt’s dressing-room and returned with the coveted cord encircling his small walist. This finishing touch, he felt sure, made him quite like the altar boys at St. Jude’s. He fished beneath his bed and drew out the tomato can censer filled with the joss-stick. “Come on!” he whispered, and led the way down the wide stairs. With a caution worthy of better things, he shot the bolts and opened the front door. The three grotesque figures stole silently out and stood on the stoop in the cold Christmas dawn. The air was still and biting; the si- lence of the streets appalling. Sera phina’s mind reverted to the luxury of the bed she had just quitted. “0-0-oh!"” she chattered. “It's cold —aw-awful c-cold to be out in your nightie!’ Schuyler snorted scornfully. “Haven't you got enough on under- neath it?” he demanded angrily, and Seraphina was silenced. “C-0-0ld!” echoed little Thad, and then, evidently thinking the sooner he caroled the sooner he would be back in the house, he began in his piping voice: ! “Hark, er heral dangel—" Schuyler thrust a hand over his mouth. “Shut up!” he said disgustedly. “Do | you want Elsa to come out and sneak ‘ us back into the house? Come on, ! now!” i He led the way down the steps and around the corner, where he paused ! to light the joss-stick in the tomato can. When they started again, little Thad tripped on his night-gown sur- plice and went sprawling into the gut- ter. He was rescued, howling; butf not until he had been promised unlim- ited candy could the march be taken up again, ! “Who are you going to sing your carol to?” demanded the practical Seraphina. “Ninny! To no one in particular,” sald Schuyler. “You ought to sing it to some one,” she persisted. “Well, who?” he challenged; but Seraphina was unable to defend her fifi»wm:mmm&mmm AP OI TP OTOFCPR LR QLB QBIFEIL O SOHCBODCUFO TG BD IO I B AR OB 1 ¢ EOI0TOAPVIIPRPOEAPAPAVATAFIDAL0 T QT OO OPOBOBLBOICBUFOIPBCILPOET D 1O DD DOT OO IOMIIPPUD O QBT O ) THE EVENING TELEGRAM, LAKELAND, FLA., DEC. | rose the three childish voices in the 13, 1913. point thus specifically. “I'll tell you,” i “we' tor he compromised, “we'll g0 to Doc f Post’s. We'll sing it on the way, and | sing it to him. too.” ’I‘ghrough the deserted suburban l streets they marched; Schuyler in the ‘ lead, swinging his smoking censer vgl' ! iantly: Seraphina ambling along in his \(‘nke: and little Thad bringing'un the rear, his strange surplice bearing unmistakable evidence of the gutter from which he had been recentl}‘ fished. And en the still winter air old, old hymn. Doctor Post heard them caroling on the lawn, and came to the door in his bathrobe. The three strangely garbed figures met his astonished gaze. : “Good Lord! What have we here?” he gasped. “We're heral dangels,” piped little Thad. “We're Christmas carolers,” correct- ed Schuyler with much dignity. “I'm frozen,” chirped Seraphina. The doctor made a heroic effort to maintain his gravity. “Come in, come in and get warm,” he said. “Merry Christmas to you!” They filed up the steps into the warm, wide hall, the tomato can send- ing out its reek of burning joss-stick. “I would like to ask if carolers gen- erally wear surplices and carry cen- gers?” Schuyler questioned doubttully. The doctor’s eyes twinkled. “The best I ever heard did,” he sald gravely. At that moment the telephone bell whirred wildly, and this is what they heard the doctor say: “Hello! Yes, this {8 Doctor Post talking. Who? Oh, it's you, Marga- ret!"—he lingered affectionately on the word— “Y-es. Now don't be Best Butter, per pound. ......o.c.. L R RS 10 alarmed. They're not lost. In fact, o they're here with me this minute. Sugar, 17 pounds ....... sl R R R e 0 They came to sing me a carol in good i old %}nglish fashion. No, don’t trouble ! Cottolene, 10 pound Pails.........coev oo R ! to send Elsa; I'll send them home in | : e e ; the carriage as soon as I can get Dan | Cottolene, 4 pound pails........ " up. Not at all! Good-by! Oh, Marga- 4 pounds Snowdrift Lard. ........... i e A 30 ret, merry Christmas! Perhaps, if: you don’t mind, I'll drive over with Snowdrift, 10 pound pails......... SR 1.25 them. Thanks. Good-by!” | ; o Half an hour later a carriage drew ' 3 cans family size Cream...........v. e e up before the Van Brunt house, and | sl from it emerged Schuyler, Seraphina, t cans baby size Cream.........coeeee voe R g g Thad and Doctor Post. Mrs. Van Rt LG A T SR 34 Brunt and Aunt Margaret met the cav- [ bannelB LR BIGUR o s alcade at the door. 12 pounds best Flour.......ovevevese S b N 4 “Oh! Oh!” sald Mrs. Van Brunt, | gathering the three strange little fig- Outogon BoaD, 6808 .oy ss curss SR A S by 2% ures in her arms, while tears of mer riment ran down her face. Ground Coffee, per pound.......ovvvn s 25 Doctor Post had turned to Margaret. i ¥ “I thought I'd come with the herald ) gallons Kerosene. ......oovve G O O 60 angels,” he sald laughingly, “and let | them plead ‘peace on earth and mercy mild’ for me.” | Her eyes softened. A hesitating ' smile trembled on her lips a moment uncertainly, the next moment with no ungertainty whatever. And then he' knew that the herald angels had ac: complished an unwitting mission. (Copyright, Frank A. Munsey Co.) O All we prices can not b ——— — LT re—— Ml we +sk is your inspection, :OODS, and so much LESS guarantecd by oo Eialeyley e cint Sud pul pubdutdecug tey dud bat Suc Qultle . Bet Bel Jut al Bul 2ud et el ey 20 < QBOBOPCPOIPCHIIRICD RIS CHROR CHIUIP OB LRUHCHS Qb ORQBO 0! LE At THE LE Will pen Saturday, Dec. 13th, and LastE Dys Best Merchandise Lowest Prices This is what should attract you to our Store. and positively you will not duplicate them again at o will give us your valued patronage if you will only You will be convinced that these | ——— . ———" — —— e = s —— Malke our Store your Store. Leaders for selling only the BEST ( Lakeland. Every article sold at our Store is Remember, SATISFACTION OR YOUR MONEY Nuff ced. Remember the Date and Place: Saturday, Dec. 13th, and Lasts Ten Days The Leader in Low Next to American State Bank, Cor. Lakeland We will offer Some BARGAINS ther stores, come agd compare our goods and 2 beat, BACK. Tennessee Ave, Ry, —\ r The Cost of Living IS Greg! ~— | _————————x Untess You Know Where Lo by et ——— e — - ——— IF YOU KNOW The selection will be the bes: The variety unmatched The quality unsurpassed The price the lowest All these you find at our store Just trade with us This settles the question of living (. 6. ITWLLDLLL We are sure that you We stand as the than any Store in prices and quality. his is our motto. us as to Prices Florida