The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, December 25, 1898, Page 25

9000000000060 000060O0660060 Copyrighted, 1898, by Bret Harte. s surprise and some disap- % ment in Rough and Ready when was known that Dick Spindler in- e d to give a “Family” Christmas pa at his own house. That he d take an early ppportunity to cele- brate his good fortune and show hospital- ity was only expected from the man who had made a handsome ‘‘strike” on , but that it should assume . so servative, old-fashioned and respect- able a form w quite unlooked for by Rough and Ready, and was thought by some a trifie pretentious. There were not half a dozen families in Rough and Ready; nobody ever knew before that Spin- dler had any relations, and this “ringing in” of strangers to the settlement seemed to indicate at least a lack of public spirit. *““He might,” urged one of his crit- ev given the boys—that had worked ongside o° him in the ditches by , and slung lies with him around the ire by night—he might hev given square ‘blow out’ and kep' the s for his old Spindler crew, just as amilies do. Why, when old man r had his house-raisin’ last yea y lived for a week on what was wver after the boys had waltzed through the house that night—and the Scudders warn't strangers, either.” It was also evident that there was an un- easy feeling that Spindler’s actions in- dicated an unhallowed leaning to- ward the minority of respectability and exclusiveness, and a desertion—without the excuse of matrimony—of the conviv- jal and independent bachelor majority of and Ready. e was stuck after some gal and er lookin' ahead, I'd hev under- argued another eritic. ‘ ve be too sure he atu't,” said Uncle Jim Starbruck, gioomily. “Ye'll find that some blamed woman is at the bottom of this yer ‘fammerly’ gathering. That and_trouble ez almost all they're made for!” There happened to be some truth in this dark prophecy—but not of the kind that 16 misogynist supposed. In fact Spin- had called a few evenings before at house of the Rev. Mr. Saltover, and Saltover having one of her *“Salcra- headaches” had turned him over to er widow sister, Mrs. Huldy Price, who diently bestowed upon him that prac- tical and critical attention which she di- 1ed with the stocking she was darning. was a woman of 35, of singular nerve sdom, who had once wounded fiusband home , calmly made coffee for his deceived pursuers while he lay hidden in the loft, walked four miles for at medical assistance which arrived too save him, and buried him secretly own ‘‘quarter section,” with oniy one other witness and mourner, and so saved her position and property in that 1ld communit who_believed he had d. There was very little of this expe- rience to be traced in her round, fresh- colored, brunette cheek, her calm black eyes, set in a prich hedge of stiff lashes, detire, or her frank, cour: The latter appeared as a she welcomed Mr. Splndlell'; t Seen him for a coon's age, oned he was busy fixin' up his plump ugh. ' said Spindler with a slight p 806 T?m reckonin’ to hev ‘hristmas gatherin’ of my—'" he out to say “folks,” but dismissed ‘relations,” and fimally settled upon atives” as being more correct in a J cher's house. Mrs. Price thought it a very good idea. Christmas was the natural season for the family to gather to “‘see who's here and who's there, who's gettin’ on and who fsn't, and who's dead and burfed. It was lucky f them who were so placed that t could do so and be joyful.” Her invincible philosophy probably car- icd her past any dangerous recollections the lonely grave in Kansas, and hold- g up the stocking to the light she lanced cheerfully along its level to Mr. Eoindier's embarrassed face by the fire n't say much ez to that,” re- indler still awkwardly, “for on’t know much about it any- “Well, 1 sponded you see 1 tHow long since you've seen ‘em?” asked Mrs. Price, apparently addressing elf to the stocking. or gave a weak laugh. “Well, you ef it comes to that, I've never seen em! rs. d oper ing in_her lap her < :s on_Spindler. seen ‘em?" she repeated. ‘‘Then not near relations?" are three cousins,” said Spindler cking them off on his fingers, “a half- >, a_kind of brother-in-law—that is of my sister-i aw's second j—and a niece. That's six.” ve not seen them, 1 with Price put the stoc x. suppose you?" said of 'em written to name in the returned sent ft, 1 nearly all ney—seeing my ad wvin’ returning to the e of her cjacula s e Arrassn des blurted out, I eckon they are on,' don't you are t them a emed ¢ Suthin brother ked again at His saliow, pe ding the Suin’ bp 1 whibe your doin recwtyir tubie ) the meiwtress with her o e v ms A i .733/ Bret Harte. POPP00002929000900090000000000PPCPPPP0P 0000000000000 06003, such signs of distress that the widow de- clared she would ‘“think it over’—a pro- cess which the sanguine Spindler seemed to consider 8o nearly akin to taking it over, that Mrs. Price began to believe it herself, as he hopefully departed. She “thought it over” sufficiently to go to Sacramento and excuse herself to her nieces. But here she permitted herself to “talk it over” to the infinite delight of those Baltimore girls, who thought this extravaganza of Spindler’s “so Califor- nian and eccentric!” So that it was not strange that presently the news came back to Rough and Ready, and his old assoclates learned for the first time that he had never seen his relatives and that they would be doubly strangers. This did not increase his popularity; neither, 1 grieve to say, did the intelligence that his relatives were probably poor and that the Rev. Mr. Saltover had approved of his course, and had likened it to the rich man’s feast to which the halt and blind were invited. Indeed, the allusion was supposed to add hypocrisy and a bid for popularity to Spindler's defection, for it as argued that he might have feasted “Wall-eyed Joe” or “Tangle-foot Billy”— who had once been ‘“‘chawed” by a bear while prospecting—if he had been sin- cere. Howbeit, Spindler's faith was ob- livious to these criticisms in his joy at Mr. Saltover's adhesfon to his plans, and the loan of Mrs. Price as a hostess. In fact, he proposed to her that the a- tions should also convey that information on, by the kind permission . Mr. Sal as a guarantee of good faith—but the widow would have none of it. The invitations were duly written and dispatched. “‘SBuppose,” suggested Spindler, with a sudden lugubrious apprehension, ‘sup- pose they shouldn’t come?"” “‘Have no fear of that,” said Mrs. Price, with a frank laugh. “Or ef they was dead?’ continued ey’ couldn't all be dead,” sald the v, cheerfully. written to another cousin by mar- said Spindler dublously, “in ¢ of accident—I didn’t think of him before because he was rich.” . u ever seen him, either, Mr. Spindler?” asked the widow, with a slight ?iscmevounncss. 5 “Lordy! No!" he responded wi af- fected concern. b b el Only one mistake was made by Mr Price in her arrangements for the parts. She had noticed—what the simple-mind. Spindler could never have conceive the feeling toward him held by his old assoclates, and had tactfully suggested that a general invitation should be ex- tended to them in the evening. ‘“You can have refreshments, you know, too, after the dinner, and games and music.” ... But” said the \xx\snl{vhislira(nl host, won't the boys think TI'm playin' it rather low down on them—so to speak— givin’ them a kind o’ second table, as ef it was the tailings after a strike?" 'Nonsense,” said Mrs. Pric’e, with de- cislon. “It's quite fashionable in San Francisco—and just the thing to do.” To this decision Spindler, in his blind faith in the widow’'s management eakly ylelded. An announcement in the “Week- ]fi' Banner” that “On Christmas_evening ichard Spindler, Esq., proposed to en- tertain his friends and fellow-citizens at an “ Home' in his own residence,” not only widened the breach between him and the “boys,” but awakened an active re- sentment that only waited for an outlet. It was understood that they were all com- ing; but that they should have “‘some fun out of it,” which might not coincide with Bpindler’'s nor his relatives’ sense of hu- mor, seemed a foregone conclusion. Unfortunately, too, subsequent events lent themselves to this frony of the situ- ation. A few mornings after the invit: tions were dispatched Spindler at one of his dally conferences with Mrs, Price took a newspaper from his pocket. “It seems,” he said, looking at her with an embarrassed gravity, “that we will have to take one o’ them names off that list— the name o' Sam Spindler—and kalkilate upon only six relations coming.” “Ah,” said Mrs. Price interestingly, “then you have had an answer and he declined 7" “‘Not that exactly,” said Spindler slow- 1y, ‘but from remarks in this yer paper he was hung last week by the Vigliance Committee of Yolo.” Mrs. Price opened her eyes on dler's face, as she took the paper his hand. “But,” she sald quickly, y all be a mistake—some other Yon know, you say you've them!" Spin- {rom caid dler, with patient gravity, ‘for the mittee sent me b ¥y invitation the kinder disparagin’ remark that they've ‘sent him whera It ain’t bin the habit to keep Christma: Mrs. Price gasped, but a glance at Spindier's patient, wistful, inquiring eyes brought back her old courage. ‘“‘Well she sald, cheerfully, “perhaps it's just as well he didn't come.” “Are ye sure of that, Mrs. Price?” said Spindler, with a slightly troubled ex- sfon. 'Seems to me now that he was sort as might hev bin gathered in at Spin- com- with feast—and kinder a d from the burnin ' to B know best " sald Mrs. Price, sud- with a slight snap in her black . “are yunr--are the others like thix? Or"'—here her eyes softened again and her laugh returned, albeit slightly hysterical ‘Is this kind of thing likely to happen agamn?” “I think we're pretty sartin o' hevin' six returned Spindler simply ¢ some other signifi- he added wistfully, on me lace such pathetic relia t that o hesitated tc shock s revelation And what she was fascinated was per- she han Kot on e t seems was @i rowd. |} h heard that Mre. Price ga and was ked hin What he or wyes was more Brouyh (Bfs (hing Vig et " xe - And e "o i ety N THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 25, 1898. . PPV P000PPPIVPC00C0PPPP0P9000P000P9000000COCGO0OC0S00 08 Twice of,” an Dick J,w'nr//er’s famz{y Christmas. P00V ICPOVPPOPOPPOOOOOROO wanted to use him to get into soclety; and the fun of the whole thing was that this half-uncle and wnole brute is himself a parvenu—a vulgar, ostentatious creature, who was only a—"" “Never mind what he was, Kate,” Inter- ce hastily. "I call his con- duct a sham ‘So do we,” sald both girls, eaierly. After a pause Kate clasned her Kknees with her locked fingers and rocking back- ward and forward, said: “Milly and I have got an ldea, and don’t say ‘no’ to it. We've had it ever since that brute talked in that way. Now, through him, we know more about this Mr. Spindler’s family con- nections than you do; and we know all the trouble vou and he'll have In getting up this party. You understand? Now, we first want to know what Spindler's like. Is he a savage, bearded creature, like the miners we saw on_the boat?” Mrs. Price said that on the contrary he rupted Mrs. P u 4| | she said “it couldn’t be thought , d “it was _impossible,” once ad- dressed Kate as “You limb!"" and finally said that she ‘‘wouldn’t promise—but might write!” . . . . . . It was two days before Christmas. There was nothing in the air, sky or land- scape of that Slerran slope to suggest the season to the Kastern stranger. A soft rain had been dropping for a week from laturelhplgrl\e and buckeyea axgl lthe blatlies of springing grasses and shyly opening flowers. Sedate and silent hiilsides that had grown dumb and parched toward the end of the dry season became gently ar- ticulate again; there were murmurs in hushed. and forgotten canyons, the leap and laugh of water among the dry bones of dusty creeks and the full song of the larger forks and rivers. Southwest winds brought the warm odor of the Pme sa swelling in the forest, or the faint, far-o! spice of wild mustard springing in the lower valleys. But, as if by some irony of Nature, this_gentle invasion of spring in the wild wood brought only disturbance and discomfort to the haunts and works of man. The ditches were overflowed, the fords of the fork impassable, the sluicing adrift and the trails and wagon roads to Rough and Ready knee deep in mud. The stage coach from Sacramento, entering the settlement by the mountain highway. its wheels and panels clogged and crusted with an unctuous pigment, like mud and blood, passed out of it through the over- flowed and dangerous ford and emerged in spotless purity, leaving its stains behind with Rough and Ready. A week of en- forced idleness on the river ‘“bar” had driven the miners to the more comfortable recreation of the saloon bar, its mirrors, its florid paintings, its armchairs and its stove. The steam of their wet boots and the smoke of tneir pipes hung over the latter like the sacrificial incense from an altar. But the attitude of the men was more_critical and censorious than con- tented, and showed little of the gentleness of the weather or season. “Did you hear if the stage brought down any more relations of Spindlers?’ The barkeeper to whom this question was addressed shifted his lounging posi- tion against tne bar and said: “I reckon not—ez far ez I know."” “And that old bloat of a second cousin —that crimson beak—what kem down yes- terday—he ain’t bin hangin’ round here A deep groan here broke from Uncle Jim Starbuck. “Didn’t I tell ye!” he said, turning appealingly to the e, “It's that darned widow that’s at the bottom 3 She first put Spindler u givin’ the party and now—darn my skin— ef she ain’t goin’ to fix up these raga- muffins and drill 'em so we can't get any fun outer 'em after all! And it's bein’ a woman that’s bossin’ the job and not Spindler, we've got to draw things mighty fine and not cut up too rough, or some of the boys will kick!” “‘You bet!” satd a surly but decided voice in the crowd. ‘‘And,” said another voice, “Mrs. Price didn’t live in ‘Bleeding Kansas’ for noth- ‘Wot's the programme you've settled on, Uncle Jim?” said the barkeeper, light- 1y, to check what seemed to promise a dangerous discussion. “Well,” said Starbuck, “we kalkilate to gather early Christmas night in Hooper’s Hollow and rig ourselves up Injun fash- ion, and then start for Spindler’s with sltch pine torches and have a ‘torchlight ance’ around the house, them who does the dancin’ and yellin’ outside takin’ their turn at goin’ in and hevin’ refreshment. Jake Cooledge of Boston sez if anybody objects tc it, we've only got to say we're ‘Mummers of the Olden Times,’ sabe? Then later we'll have them ‘Sabbath Evening Bells' performed on prospectin’ pans by the band. Then at the finish Jake Cooledge is goin’ to give one of his sur- kastic speeches—kinder welcomin’ Spind- ler’s family to the free openin’ o’ Spind- ler's Almshouse and Reformatory.” He paused, possibly for that approbation which, however, did not seem to come spontaneously. “It ain't much,” he add- ed, apologetically, ‘for we're hampered by women; but we'll add to the pro- iramme ez we see how things pan out. e see, from what we can hear, all of Spindler's relations ain't on hand yet! We've got to wait, like In elekshun times, for ‘returns from the back counties.’ Hello! What’s that?"” It was the swish and splutter of hoofs on the road before the door. The Sacra- mento coach! In an instant every man was expectant, and Starbuck darted out- side on the platform. Then there was the usual greeting and bustle, the hur- ried ingress of thirsty passengers into the ‘'With great care. " Occasionally their little hands livery. went up automatically and touched their labels, as if to show them. They sur- veyed, the crowd, the floor, the gilded bar and Yuba Bill without fear and without ‘wonder. There was a.pathetic estion that they were accustomed to this ob- servation. “Now, Bobby,” said Yuba Bill, leanin, back against the bar, with an air has pat , ‘half managerial, “tell these gents how you came here.” “By Welith Fargeth Expreth,”. lisped Bobby. “Whar from?"” - ““Wed Hill, Owegon,” “Red Hill, Oregon. Why, it's a thou- sand miles from here,’ remarked a by- stander. “I reckon,” said Yuba Bill, coolly, “they kem by stage to Portland, by steamer to ’Frisco, steamer again to Stockton and then by stage over the whole line. Allers by Wells, Fargo & Co.'s express, from agent to agent, and from messenger to messenger. Fact! They hain’t bin tetched or handled by any one but the company’s agents; they 't had a line or direction except them checks around their necks! And they've wanted for nothin’ else. Why, I've carried heaps of treasure be- fore, gentlemen, and once a hundred thou- sand dollars in greenbacks, but I never carried anythin’ that ‘was watched and guarded as them kids. Why, the divis- jon_inspector at Stockton wanted to go with 'em over the line; but Jim Bracy, the messenger, said he’'d call it a reflec- tion on himself and resign ef they didn’t ive 'em to him with the other gncka es! Yo had a pretty good time, Bobby, didn't ye? Plenty to eat and drink, eh?” The two children laughed a little wealk laugh, turned each other bashfully around and then looked up shyly at Yuba Bill and sald “Yeth.” “Do you know where you're goin’?"” asked Starbuck in a constrained voice. It was the little girl who answered quickly and eagerly: “Yes, to Chrissmas and Sandy Claus.” “To what?’ asked Starbuck. Here the boy interposed with a supe- rior air. “Thee meanth Couthin Dick. He'th got Krithmath.” ““Where's your mother?" GRAGEFUL AS A NYMPH, SHE LED WIJH “GOUSIN DIGK™ A VIRGINIA REEL UNTIL THE WHOLE ASSEMBLY JOINED, EAGER FOR A PASSING JOUGH OF HER DAINTY HAND. was very gentle, soft-spoken and rather good looking. “Young or olu “Young—in_ fact, a mere boy, as you may {un ge from his actions, returne:! Agrs. ‘rice, with a suggestive, matroni alr. Kate here put up a long-handied eye. glass to her fine gray eyes, fitted it oster tatiously over her aquiline nose snd ther ald, in a voice of simulated horror Aunt Huldy—this revelation is shock .(Ir- Price laughed her wusual frank laugh »eit her brown cheek tok ) 1 aint tint of Indian red. *“If that's the wonderful idea you girls have got. ’ don't see how It's going to help matie she sald, dryly. not it! We really have ar ook here!" looked here.” This proce Mrs seemed to the superfilcial observer t e submitting her waist and shoul arms of her nieces rad her confidential and mxing merely ders to the ears to thelr voices. to-day for his reg'lar pizon ™ ¢ said the barkeeper, thoughtful I reckop Spindier's got ked and is séttin’ an him to ke ] after Christmas, and gettin® at him.” “He'll have the jimja returned the first about that dead be £ who borrowed twenty dollars of ¥ t be ms before tha pd on the way down and then want off at Shootersville, but Bill it him, and scooted him down to Spindlers and’ coil the money from Spindier himself, afore he d give him up?” “He's up thar with the rest of the me- I nagerie,” said the barkeeper, ‘hu reckon that Mrs. Price has bin din’ him up. And ye know the old woman fifty fifth cousin b marriage whom Joe Chandler swears e.- remembers old eook for & Chinese restaurant pekton--darn my skin ef that Mrs Price haen't rigged her aut In some fancy duds of her own, and made her look guite decent saloon and 4 pause excitedly @ =! Kt this X y_say there's two m Spindi-r'y express froig “I didn’t ge hey " The a inughin m. jed Then srowd midst stepped two children. A boy and girl, the cidest not more than € years, hoidin er's b They were coars dressed, and by with a form precision that st chari Hut more remar around the neck of ea chain from which ¢ check ” and lahs Wel 000000000000002000200000000000000000000000000000C0OC00 HOW QUEEN VICTORIA SPENDS CHRISTMAS. HE Queen likes, as other people do, to spend Christmes ‘n the bosom of her family. Osboene » ehosen for winter abode, cwing w tae slubsity of 1t; climate and its Seme asmotations I e before (hristmas srriey any over the gifts whi @ : mrmely Majesty Is fond of Rnittu stenw piaiting. She alse Bhe or chetizg with & large ivery houw Shetiand wool Quilts, " andd hety made by marmoa, we o “ anod deuahtery oall the Queen, ot g o> Hee soamma. 54 the Bitle ones Bave 7. aes inrpely prined oy thelr lueky ol enia Cher@tmns cards the Queer & wle or fond. Mew ocollection is sme ¢ reavee tevest, and, ender her v gor visbon, preserced 8 books ey wade fvi the purpane. Yier lnrme feaniy of chidres. & o roidrer and great - grandchiddres. X . = g ber Majewty's Hking for posoass 204 cards Aure somesbing Soyment vie with one snother to peo bomutiful for her en- fura te mede of T mawcd & ropal Kitchoa - gy ensue® e TInE R baron of Weaf wihich always graces the roynl sideboard on December 25 This formidabie plece of ment hew 1% he couked at V.indsor and b8 conveyed By Queen's mestenger to the Inle of Wight it » mken erross Southamy - o water th wkat i fasvilinsty sabied the milkenrs - that W the roynl vessvd spcin Ly aside fur 1Be cvmvernme provender—-in time %o w Chrutinae dey te the Bory roya Fowcw wind gentie wmerrinment foatures of < The Quesn Whiptingham . Gree S Une latune dny we wesally sitends FEhoukd her B cobebirmted na b g it vies st Magossy g M b it W herever was Ay she 'ihew the muwle composed Wy the Prines Consort to be performmd A guiet dinner party, with 8 gorgeeas tinplay of gold pinte, apd a wmusiosl i ahe woralips ¢ FrogTamme Queen's band Pyt it through by the Brintmas dvy at LR e R [ B Basivy do mot be A ad - S ¥ o uf thelr poverty . afe anable N BE e1her for themise £ YUY Presents to stantial thewn o8 of warm it Freecerios o Chr | eRmas Rtian, tepped with o P R And 1 Wit ass Brintamns o wimn taen wihel el S e afford B, som waris sl A Gleow ol i wnlen i gty gl o wirt whe Bag geeer, peitepe. had n rew Seess in her Gfe. Acosmpeny pow e o presssts With sotme Chears Chmeetses veetings Awh evme Clodl wmee @ wory e Vg this Ui 5 dwe Ertng (e wwn pownd the yoars o compn the Shepery # 5 * EaE DGR TN RO PARE et - Tonat wiil be (e Sanuies o — Lalin®' Wit Liv was a laugh somewhere on the outskirts of the crowd. ery one faced angrily in that direction, but the laugh- er had disappeared. Yuba Bill. however, sent his voice after him. “Yes, In hos pital! Funny, ain't 1t — amoosin’ plas Try it. Step over here and in five m utes, by the Nving Hoky, I'll qualify you for admisston and pot charge you a cent!™ He stopped, gave & sweeping glance of dissatistaction around him, snd thes, leaning back agalnst the bar, beckotied to son or. and said in & S L 1 those galoots how Th make me sick Thus appealed to, Bracy, the express messenger, stepped forward in Yuba Bill's place. “It's nothing particular, gentle- men,” he said, with a laugh, “only it -ems that some man called Spindier, who lives about here, sent an invitation to the father of thess children to bring his fam- ily to a Christmas perty Tt wasn't a bad sort of thing for Spindler to do, consid- ering that they were his poor reiatio: though they didn't know him from Ada was 117 He paused. Several of the by standers cleared their throats but sald =0 1 nothing. “At least” resumed B y “that's what the boys up at Fed Hil, O egon, thought, when they heard of it, 1, as the father was in hospital with oken leg, ahd the mother anly a few weeks dead, the boys thought it mighty tough on theso poor kids if they were dovwe out of thelr fun because they had we one to hring the The baye cowldn's aril 46 @ themeeiven, but they gt & i maney together and got ¢ s v el wan By express Our sgoe Red MO iumbled To the tdea ..‘ abe o But he woulds't take eny s Fanoe, AR Be wouwid sers o @ BBy ONERE et o « ud Deve chey ane TEANT 3 A% e Fentienmen, we 1ve 40 M0 agite ’ perranaily ty S - twpt and toke 3 - a W et G0 AR At e o wn e 1 Wells- @ L unders o laose kids, at » He laughed, 1 him, said i " oon. wir volee, Wi , Bow w fudible to the ildrea CL‘)llect on fle-v “ messenger—enou; . cared for by the messengers that their “There’'s as much three bags of silver| in quarter and half dollars in my treasure | box in the coach that has been poured, | yes, just showered upon them ever since | they ‘started, and have been passed over from agent to afient and messenger to gh to pay their passage from here to China! It's time to say quits ! now. But, bet your life, they are not go- Infi to that Christmas party poor! i e caught up the boy, as Yuba BIIL| lifted the little girl to his shoulder, and| both passed out. Then one by one the | loungers in the barroom silently and | awkwardly followed, and when the bar- keeper turned back from g\llmng away hi decanters and glasses, to his astonishmen tha_ronm was em.pty. % . Spindler's _House, _or “Spindler's| Splurge,” as Rough and Ready chose to| < , stood above the settlement on & deforested hillside, which, however, re= venged itself by producing not enough vegetation to cover even the few stumps that were ineradicable, A large woode: structure In the pseudo-classic style af-! fected by the Westerners, with an incone: gruous cupola, it was oddly enough re= ! ieved by a still more incongruous ver=, anda extending along its four sides, up held by wooden Doric columns, were already picturesquely covered flowering_vines and sunloving roses. Mr. | Spindler had trusted the furnishing of Ltz interior to the same contractor who had upholstered the gilded barroom of the: Eureka Saloon, and who had appmng.lr bestowed the same design and material, impartially, on each. There _were/ gilded mirrors _ all and cmlg— marble-togped plaster Cupids in he corners stuccoed lons in the way everywhere. tactful hands of Mrs. Price had screen some of these with seasonable laurels, fir? boughs, and berries, and had lmgmed- a slight Christmas flavor to the house. But the greater art of her time had beer: employed in_trying to subdue the eccen- tricities of Spindler’'s amazing relations; in tranquilizing Mrs. ‘“Aunt” Martha Spindler—the elderly cook before all\edefl to—who was inclined to regard the glided' splendors of the house as indicative of dangerous__ immorality; in restraining “Cousin”_ Morley Hewlett from conslder- ing the dining-room buffet as a bar for “intermittent refreshment’; and in keep- ing the. weak-minded nephew, FPhinney Spindler, from shooting at bottles fromx the veranda, wearing his uncle’s clotaes, or running up an account in his uncie's name for various articles at the general stores. Yet, the unlooked-for arrival of the two children had been the one great, compensation and diversion for her. She’ wrote at once to her nieces a brief H count of her miraculous deliverance, *L think these poor children drop) from | the skies here to make our Christmas, party possible, to say nothing of the sym-« athy they have created in Rough and glea v for Spindler. He is going to keep them as long as he can and is writing to the Tather. Think of the poor little tots{ traveling a thousand miles to ‘Krissmass,’ as they call it!—though they were so wel little bodles were positively stuffed lik quails. So you see, dear, we will be able | 1s get along without airing your famous | jdea. I'm sorry, for I know you're just . dying to see it all.’ 3 hatever Kate's “idea” might have been, there certainly seemed now no need of any extraneous aid to Mrs. Price's management. _Christmas night came at last, and the fateful dinner part?" Yet, spite of the gloomy festal fears of Annt Marthe,” Who Was now more than ever convineed that Mre. Price’s position. in the house was more ihai ogulw\al.; the weak garrulity of Phinney Spindies; the bolsterous alcoholic sentiments o Morley Hewlett, or the half-frightened, T‘ui(-cimked‘ silence of the two children, the dinner passed off without serious dis- aster. But the ordeal of the reception of Rough and Ready was still to come. For Mrs. Price well knew that, althougl “the boy were more fubdued and, in- deed, inclined to sympathize with their! host’s uncouth endeavor, there was still much in the aspect of Spindler’s relations to excite their sense of the ludicrous. If they overlooked a kindred human wuk-_‘ ness In the drunkard, swaying in osten tatious dignity beside the window, they ! would be sure to resent the uncompro- mising self-righteous and lofty dissatis- faction of the cook, rigid in her hostess stlk dress, in a gilded arm chair. She hi diplomatically put the two children In front, but even then she could not hel seeing that in their new adornments o bows and ribbons they had lost the pa- thetic aspect of thelr chains and labels, and even looked commonplace. But here fortune again favored the. * house of Spindler with a dramatic sur< prise, even greater than the advent of the children had been. In the change ‘(.hlt had come over Rough and Ready, “‘the boys” had decided out of deference to the women and children to omit the first part of thelr programme and had ap- roached and entered the house as So- Eorly and uietly as ordinary guests. But before they had shaken hands with the host and hostess, and seen the rela- tions, the clatter of wheels was heard be- fore the open door, and it lights lashed upon a carriage and pair—an actual priv- ate carriage—the like of which had not been seen since the Governor of the State had come down to open the new ditch. Then there was a pause, the flash of tha carriage lamps u}mn white silk, the light tread of a satin foot on the veranda and in the hall, and_the entrance of & vision of loveliness. Middle-aged men and old dwellers of citles remembered their vouth; younger men bethought them- selves of Cinderella and the Prince! Thera Was & thrill and & hush as this last guest —a beautiful girl, radiant with youth and adornment—put a dainty ass to her sparkling eye and advanced fumiliarly, with outstretched hand, to Dick Spindler. Mrs. Price ve 8 single gasp, and drew back speechiess. “Uncle Dick,” said a laughing contralto voice, which indeed somewhat recall Mrs, Price’s own, In its courageous frank- ness, “I am so delighted to come—even if a little late; and so sorry that Mr. Me- Kenna could not come on account of busi- ness.” Everybody listened eagerly, but none more eagerly and surprisedly’ than the host himself. “McKenna! the rich cousin who had never answered the invitationl And Uncle Dick!"” This, then, was his di- Vorced niece! Yet, even in his astonish- ment he remembered that of course no one but himself and Mrs. Price knew it— and that lady bhad glanced discreetly Ves continued_the hail-rieca hright- tv, “T came from Sacramento with some friends to Shootersville, and from thera 1 drove here, and though to-night 1 eould not fo pleasure of coming, If it were ¢ for an_hour or two, to answer the Invitation of the uncle 1 have not seen for years” She paused, nd rajsing her glasses. turned a polite sstioning eve toward Mrs. Price, me of our relations?’ she said, smil- to Spindi r, with some embare nd.” Mrs, fol= igr turking safety pin in Mrs, t her hand. Mrs. her other guests iptness. Spin- gave a strange fittie jealous? But the fair sald were the onl Rough and R hat she did and tmembered {n at festive occa- sion; no one bt of the other rela. tions: po one recalled them nor thelr ec- centricities: Spindier himsel! was forgote ten. People oniy recollected bow Spind- ler's lovely niece d her smiles and courtesies on ev me, i brought to her feet particulariy the misogynist Siare buck nn-& the sarcastic ( wiedge, oblivie ous of his previous speee i W s sal 8% the pisno and sang like &n aagel, Busd e the most hilartous and exeited fot. o, mental and even maudiin slicaen. due graceful as & Dymph, she 0 wET o in Dick"” & Virg wal Gt e & ansembly joined, enger touch of her datuty lsas how, when twas 3 v wswiftly for tm baved Deads =@ veranda fairy po o dest W e o P T - = s ’ ’ " - -~ o My & > h, |~ 24 ate— » e . and will ‘ g y and poor o m 1 to Jo, o t out? Fog S 10 tell him at least e ut-nigce of his ’ said the young lady, with f . ¥ repeated the aw, e ntly. “Have I? "'., e | have, ty,” snid the gin, L wial I've Bptudier to. t, oo mow. it's only & quest ¢ ::me 8o youw'd Better watt, Sood-night, o8 And resly-!it tarned out that she was i The End.