Newspaper Page Text
Mixing Gifts,
on the Train.;/
by KATHERINE!
( EDELMAN
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(©, 1914, Western Newspaper Union.)
sz SHARP, chill wind
/' X w JL was blowing as
John Trenton
/ stepped out of the
j I big office building
I L——/ that houged th e
/ fi™ of Under-
•7*775 wood & Under
y wood, architects
ft'. and engineers. It
7777'7’7*. was a llttle past
b-——f Our o’clock In the
afternoon and It was the day before
Christmas. He stood a moment or
two on the steps and looked up at the
lowering gray sky. Like a heavy cur
tain it hung over the endless sea of
city roofs, holding within it the prom
ise of a big snoXvfall by morning.
Ever since John remembered he had
always loved a white Christmas and
he smiled now In anticipation of the
thrill It always brought.
Everywhere within view a surging
mass of humanity moved this way and
«
"Why, Moore," He Bald, “You In a
Hurry, Too?"
that, all with eager, intent faces —the
hurrying, nervous, yet gladsome crowd
of last-minute Christmas shoppers.
John's progress was slow as he tried
to elbow his way along, and because
of the fact that a number of packages
nestled in the folds of his arms, all
of them bearing the hall-mark of
Christmas time. One In particular,
however, seemed to be singled out In
a special manner from the rest, in that
it reposed on that part of John’s over
coat where his heart was supposed to
be located and that every minute or
two he felt of It with the little of his
finger tips that were available. A
smile played about the comers of his
mouth as he thought of the moment
that the package would be opened and
the little cry of delight that Jean
would surely give when she gazed on
Its contents. For was there not re
posing there the very gift that he
knew she wanted most —had he not
heard her express the wish for it Just
a week before as they stood window
shopping outside Bolton’s store:
What a beautiful cape,” she had ex
claimed; ‘‘some woman will surely be
happy Christmas morning when she
receives it. But I—”
The rest of the sentence, however,
had never been finished because of
some interruption from the street, but
“ John had heard enough to know that
’he thing Jean desired most was the
beautiful cap e that had been displayed
so prominently among the most desir
able Christmas gifts In Bolton’s win
dow— th' cape that she said would
make any woman happy. And John,
to whom the thought of her happiness
®«ant more than all else in the world,
ad forthwith set out to secure the
gift.
Els smile grew deeper as he thought
o ’he piece of good news he had to
7 Jean, too, that beginning the New
aar a substantial Increase per month
7to be added to his salary. He
®aw that Jean would rejoice—there
7* 80 many things that they needed
for the pretty little home which
7 theirs and of which they were
r ‘ so proud. John thought as they
•• 1 rg that the first Christmas of
if married life would be a truly
f and his heart sang within
as he pushed his way through the
crowd.
tec ‘ in read y sympathy as he
you-' at the holJ day shoppers—
®P?n g ' th m!dd,e ’ aßed and old—all Intent
Plne« f Snn:le P ur Pose; to give hap
o°i ° ne el߀ - “ What “
thougi. i 'orld this would be,” he
*pir.t ?We cou,d only keep this
yei r ■’ ° Or Yearta all through the
of ' y this thought take hold
s t 7 ’‘‘ at he almost collided with
ttj , "“‘ J * aa coming out of a bulld
s way to the car. Instantly
he was all apology, then he gave a lit
tle laugh as he recognized the one he
had nearly bowled over: “Why,
Moore,” he said, “you in a hurry, too F
M alter Moore laughed good na
turedly: “Tying up Christmas gifts
with clumsy fingers takes time/' lie
said. “Looks to me as If you had
been doing something of the kind your
self, too? On your way home, are
you ?”
Just making it for the car when I
was so unfortunate—or rather fortu
nate enough to bump into you.”
They pushed their way to the subur
ban station two blocks distant., Since
John and Jean had moved out to
Meadowvllle six months before they
had been next-door neighbors to the
Moores and had found in them a genu
ine friendship and comradeship that
was very pleasant. Now, they talked
of many things on the homeward
Journey and John confided in Walter
about the present he was bringing
Jean, and Walter in turn told John
that he, too, had Just the gift his wife
desired most, no matter now the why
or wherefore of how he had come to
know. And all the while the pile of
Christmas packages lay on the seat
between them. So Interesting was
their conversation, as it so often is
I between men who have a great deal in
; common, that they almost forgot their
■ stop until they heard the conductor’s
I voice calling out Meadowvllle. Then
I hastily gathering up their packages
| they made a hurried exit from the car,
i anxious to get home.
I The snow, which had been threat
; enlng all day, was now coming down
■ln big, feathery flakes. Lights
| gleamed from the windows of the llt
| tie homes they passed and showed up
I in relief the wreaths of holly and
j Christmas bells that hung in the wln
-1 dows. From somewhere afar came
■ the shouts of a group of merry young
sters, and the sound was good to hear.
Everywhere the spirit of Christmas
was in evidence —In the quiet suburb
as well as on the busy street —and
John thought to himself that life was
Indeed good and worth while 7 he
walked up the little path that led to
his home, where welcoming lights
gleamed from every wifidow.
• *»♦««•
Christmas morning dawned bright
and clear—a perfect Christmas day,
John thought, as he lifted up the
shades and looked without. The land
scape which only yesterday morning
looked bare and ugly in all the naked
ness of winter, glistened with won
drous beauty now as if some magic
hand had passed over it through the
I night. A carpet of snowy whiteness
covered the earth —a delicate tracery
of snow and ice glistened on every
tree and shrub —the whole scene was
like the work of some master artist.
Dressing hastily, John ran down
stairs making his way to the little den
at the rear of the dining room—his
own sacred For there, the
evening betole/after had got away
from Within reach of Jean’s eyes, he
had hidden the precious package
which was to give so much joy to her.
He handled It lovingly as he went up
the stairs again, all the while a de
licious feeling of happiness surging
over him as he thought how glad Jean
would be when she saw it.
Tiptoeing softly across the room he
stooped down slowly and kissed her
cheek. “Merry Christmas, sweetest of
women 1” he whispered softly as he
placed the decorated package in her
hands.
Jean held it a while, her fingers
playing with the string that bound it.
It seemed as if she was almost loth to
open It, preferring rather to linger in
the delightful land of anticipation
a while. Then she undid the box very
slowly. A cry of delight came from
“Why, No, John," She Anewered
Sweetly.
her lips as the beautiful gift was un
earthed from the many folds of tissue
paper that surrounded It.
"Oh John! John it was really too
good of you to do this,” she mur
mured “How could you have known
hat this beautiful fur was the thing
i wanted most. You dear, man.
it was just too good of you. But bo
could you have known it was Just the
very thing I was wishing for.
Then John told her the secret that
he kept from her for a whole week—
?ha beginning with the New Year
their income would be Increased by a
tat there ... ta*
thuslasm or happiness in bls voice
now Hl« throat felt dry and husky,
and his voice sounded strangely un
’-ft'
me a nt and consternation. For, Instead
of ie cape that he had purchase
tJ a soft beautiful fur, whlci
? caressing with loving touch
7®? between breaths she was telling
O s tJe wonderful things they coni
in her eyes there was a y
THE HARTWELL SUN, HARTWELL, GA., DECEMBER 26, 1924
love for him that ordinarily would
have sent him into the seventh heaven
of delight, but which now only brought
him a sense of misery.
“But Jean,” he whispered tensely,
“didn’t you really want a cape instead
of this fur. Wouldn’t you have liked
it far better?”
“Why, no, John.” she answered
sweetly, all the while her fingers run
ning back and forth across the soft
ness of the fur. “I was half afraid
that you might buy me a cape, from a
remark or two that I heard you make,
but I might have known that you’d un
derstand. That’s the very nicest thing
about you, John, you always seem to
understand without being told over
and over as so many other men have
to be.”
“But, Jean,” he answered, catching
nt a last straw, “didn’t you say that
night outside Bolton’s store that the
cape In the window was so beautiful —
ti>at it would make any woman happy
—and that you—”
“Yes, 1 know, dear, but I was going
to add that it would be the last thing
that I would desire for myself. You
know the one Aunt Jane sent me
some time ago is Just about the same
shade, and then, too, my heart was so
set on a fur like this that I could not
think of wanting anything else Just
now. So please quit worrying, Mr.
John Trenton, for you have brought
me Just the thing that I wished most
for. In fact, to tell you the truth, if
you had brotignt me tViat cape I would
have beerj fearfully disappointed, al
though, of course, I would not have
told you so. But I am Just happier
than I can say over the gift you
brought me, and also over your won
derful news.”
John did not answer. He felt sick
with misery and disappointment. Every
word that Jean uttered made the
telling of the thing all the harder.
- *
But Walter Moore Got No Further
With His Explanation.
For he knew now how the awful blun
der had happened. In the hurry of
getting off the car the packages that
he and Walter Moore had carried had
been exchanged. He remembered now
how similar the packages had looked
—that they had both come from Bol
ton’s. At any moment now Walter
would be coming over after the fur
and then he would have to tell Jean
the truth—have to present her with a
Christmas gift that he now knew she
cared nothing for. Her Christmas
would be spoiled and he hud meant it
to be such a happy day for both of
them. What a blundering fool he had
been not to have found out what she
had really wanted!
He fidgeted from one foot to anoth
er, but Jean was taking no notice of
him now. Instead she was still fin
gering the fur, a rapt look of happi
ness upon her face. How could he
ever tell her that it really belonged
to Mrs. Moore —that her gift was the
cape that she did not want?
"Jean, Jean, I—l ” he stam-
mered —
At that moment there was a gentle
tapping at the side door. John’s
heart stopped beating a moment, for
well he knew who it was. Walter
Moore was outside, coming to get the
fur that Jean was now gazing enrap
tured upon. The thing would have to
be explained now —Jean would have
to know —
He went down the stairs for the sec
ond time that morning, but now there
was no lightness In his step, and a
dull feeling of misery was gnawing at
his heart. Going to the side door he
opened it slowly and Walter Moore
stepped in. In the weight of the dis
appointment and depression that held
John he never noticed that Moore
was looking strangely white and that
his voice was tense and breathless as
he spoke:
“Trenton, I’m in a deuce of a fix,” *
he was saying. “Won’t you tell me
what in thunder to do. I Just gave
Madge her Christmas gift, and what
do you think the package contained—
nothing more or less than your gift
to Jean. And the worst thing about it
is that before I could get a chance to
explain the mistake Madge was raving
about the cape and telling me that it
was the very thing she wanted most
I hadn’t the heart to tell her the truth
as yet, and came over here to you—”
But Walter Moore got no further
with his explanation, for John Tren
ton had taken hold of him and was
acting In away that no sane man of
thirty had ever acted before. And
his Joy was so great that it was a mo
ment or two before he could explain
his strange actions to his neighbor.
When he could do so it was an even
which was the happier of the
two.
\ little later John was bending over
lean and whispering softly in her ear:
•jgn’t Christmas just the loveliest time,
nd aren’t we two the happiest of all
the «ppy crowd today:
jea n’s muffled “yes” came from the
tenths of the fur which was
X trvlng on-HER WONDERFUL
GIFT.
House Peters
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This popular man of the “movies"
was born in Bristol, England, and
educated all over the world. Such, at
least, is Mr. Peters' own description
of himself. He has lived at one time
or another in Hong Kong and Peking,
China; in Johannesburg, South Africa;
Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires, Mel
bourne in Australia, Sydney In New
and latterly in Hollywood.
Most o/ these places Mr. deters visited
in the course of his theatrical work
before his entrance into fllmdom.
Peters is over six feet tall, married,
and has two beautiful children.
n
Pistols That Figured
in Affairs of Honor
Apropos of the Nomad's dueling
stories, a correspondent, says the Bos
ton Transcript, sends the following:
“Dear Nomud —This regarding the
duel between Hamilton and Burr may
be of interest to you:
“Some years ago, in passing through
Geneva, N. ¥., I was guest of Mr.
Richard Church, an old family friend.
In talking on things of historic inter
est. Mr. Church paused and, stooping
down, reached under the sofa and re
vealed to my expectant gaze a mahog
any box. On opening the box, he
showed me the original flintlock pis
tols used in the Hamilton-Burr duel.
Mr. Church Informed me that these
same flintlocks had been used also in
two other duels —the Wilkes-Burr duel
and the Church-Burr duel. Mr. Rich
ard Church was a descendant of the
opponent (Church) of Burr in the
Church-Burr duel. Mr. Church showed
me that one of the flintlocks was
broken and informed me this break had
occurred while he was a lad in shoot
ing while at play. Mr. Church has
passed away and I do not know the
present whereabouts of these historic
flintlocks. Perhaps they fell to his
daughter, who at the time of my visit
was the wife of Rev. Dr. Hart of St.
Mark’s church, Rochester, N. Y. Mrs.
Hart’s mother was one of the Sctiuy
lers, and was christened Angelica
Schuyler Church. Perhaps some read
er can give data as to the present
owner of the flintlock. DAMON.”
That the dueling pistols used in the
Burr-Hamilton affair should also have
served in two other encounters in
which Burr was concerned is a pretty
good Indication that Burr kept him
self supplied with weapons. But In the
Church affair his pistols seem to have
gone to bls antagonist. The veritable
weapon with which Burr killed Hamil
ton must be a valuable possession tor
a collector.
What is believed to be the oldest
Juniper tree In the world Is now being
protected by the forest service, United
States Department of Agriculture, ac
cording to word received from the
Cache National forest in northern
Utah. A careful examination of the
tree by scientists from the Utah Ag
ricultural college and by Forest Su
pervisor Carl B. Arentson shows the
age of the tree to be not less than
3.000 years, thus placing this tree on
a par with some of the big redwood
trees In California which have so
often been spoken of as the “oldest
living things on earth.”
v jffl ~ IE We cannot pass the season without an expres- B
s * on our d ce P eß * lasting appreciation for the
V patronage given during 1924. May it be our priv- ■
ilege to serve you through a happy, prosperous
* New Year.' ’ ||
HARBIN BROTHERS LUMBER CO. =
■
LAVONIA, GA. I
t 4. ’ ||
■ b.k ■ a u ’■ ’■ rtr® ■■■ a a ■ ■ ■.nmai
From Our Readers
Biltmore, N. C., Dec. LBth, 192-1.
Dear Sun:- I find my mind and
heart at this glad Christmas season
living over again the happy days in
Hartwell. I wish that I might send
a personal greeting to all the friends
and acquaintances there. Time for
bids and so, thru your sunny sheet
won't you please let me say to one
and all Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year. God bless and keep you
one and all. Thanking you, I am
Cordially your friend,
F. RAUSCHENBERG.
Canon, Ga., Dec. 22, 1924.
Dear Editors:—-Please find enclosed
check for my subscription. Am sor
ry I have neglected it. I heartily en
dorse the several articles written by
“Citizen” and if all of our good peo
ple would get behind this action
against the bootleg traffic it would
soon be a thing of the past.
We all wish you and yours a
Merry Christmas and a Happy New
Year.
Yours very truly,
K. S. PRICE.
CHURCH OF GOD
There will be preaching at the
Church of God on Christmas day at
eleven o’clock a. m.
NEW~HARMONY church
Rev. J. H. Nichols will hold a
special Christmas service nt New
Harmony Methodist church next
Sunday afternoon at 3 o’clock.
Let all the members attend. Vis
itors welcome.
LAWANDORDER
Some one in writing from Hartwell
to the Elberton Star said in part,
“While the jury was deliberating in
the Vickery case—about four and a
half hours -four liquor cases wer<*
disposed of.”
The names of certain parties were'
given and their fines. In every case
a certain fine was paid or to be paid.
One of the parties said “I will make
enough by January the first 1925 to
pay my fine.” He did not say just
how he was going to make this money
but it is generally conceded that he
will sell more liquor and it may be
that another lift will be snatched
away, while this bootlegger is making
enough money to pay his fine.
In a few cases a fine may serve to
check the bootlegger hi his death toll
parade and if it does a fine is good
and should satisfy the best of men,
but when a fine is taken for granted
as a legal license to continue the
moral wrecking game the best of
men should rise up as one man and
demand a few rnord chaingang
sentences.
Hart county has been literally
cursed with bootleggers for a long
time and just when we are going to
come to our senses and use the courts
as a means of putting a to it
is a mystery that is as astonishing
and puzzling as a cyclone in cold
weather. One prominent official
said, “It is not customary to give
any man a chaingang sentence for
a misdemeanor unless he continues
to violate the law.”
We have some folks right here in
Hart county that have been continu-1
ing for twenty years to desecrete
the Sabbath by peddling liquor and
gambling and just how long they can
continue without a ehaingang sent
ence is a mystery to all our folks ex
cept those that enjoy politics and of
filling their pockets with money se
cured from fines.
We need a prohibition law that will
prohibit or we need to enforce the
law in a manner that will meet the
approval of men and women that
stand behind Hart county with a good
moral record and that believe in the
sanctity of home and the moral up
lift of all the people.
Trials of criminals are for the
purpose of not only punishing crimi
nals but to make our court house
temples of justice instead of tem
ples of politicians and fees. No one
desires to work a hardship on the un
fortunate fellow that is caught with
booze, but when we have seen so
many innocent women and children
suffer on account of whiskey, so
many homes and lives wrecked, we
wonder why, our courts cannot be
used to aid us in bringing back to
these homes more sunlight and a
sober dad. CITIZEN.
Exemption of Personalty.
Georgia—Hari County.
Allen Starke has applied for ex
emption of personalty and setting
apart and valuation of homestead,
and I will pass UftOn the imm« at 10
o’clock a. m., on the 3rd day of Jan
uary, 1925, at my office.
This Dec. 13, 1924.
20-2 t J. W. iiCOTT, Ordinary.
STAR THEATRE
TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY
December 23-24
“The Enemy Sex” featuring-
Betty Compson.
The story of a Broadway butter
fly who thought the famous play
ground was a place of fun. And
learned—?
A jazzy, thrilly, lavish production
by the maker of “The Covered
Wagon.”
—o—
THURSDAY-FRIDAY
December 25-26
Jack Holt in “Empty Hands.”
One of the most talked of stories
in recent years made into one of the
most entertaining productions of the
current season.
From the popular novel of the
same name by Arthur Stringer. Di
rected by Victor Fleming. Screen
play by Carey Wilson.
The scenes, laid in Northern
Canada, filmed amid Nature’s grand
eurs.
SATURDAY
Big Boy Williams in “The Eagle’s
Claw,” “Fast Express," No. 10 and
a big Comedy. The feature picture
“The Eagle’s Claw” sets a new pace
in Western scene films. Don’t.misa
Saturday’s program.
—O’-
MONDAY
December 29
John Gilbert in “A Man’s Mate.”
A super-production.
TUESDAY-WEDNESDAY
December 30-31
“The Dawn of a Tomorrow.” It’s
a Paramount film.
A story of tremendous punch—
yet with such a bright outlook on life
it will send you away with a smile
in your heart.
COMING
January 1-2, 1925
Gloria Swanson in “Her Love
Story.”
- » •i - * 0 - . „
BABY CLINIC A SUCCESS
Last Wednesday afternoon, Dec.
17th, is a day that will be remember
ed with much pleasure by all who
met with us in the house next to
Mr. Rogers, which had been beauti
fully cleaned, also water and lights
connected, by the kindness of Mr.
Rogers, to be used by the Brenau
Club. •
It was made more homelike by
being artistically decorated with
poinseltas, holly and bowls of nar
cissus.
The most interesting and ef
fective work done by the Brenau
Club this year was the “Better Babies
Contest” put on that afternoon in
the Mill village where 30 babies
were examined free of charge by
this clinic, composed of six of our
best doctors, dentist and a specialist
from one of our neighboring cities.
This contest was put on according
to the directions sent out by the
“Woman’s Home Companion,” which
demands a very strict and thorough
. examination. The committee coop
erated, with the efficient chairman,
Mrs. H. I. Alford, in every part of
the work which helped to make it a
success.
Drs. B. C. Teasley, J. C. Jenkins,
W. E. McCurry, Geo. T. Harper and
I W. H. Nardin, from Anderson, M. M.
Parks, S. R. Patton and Mrs. Saine
who gave the mental examination,
did excellent work in each depart
ment for which we thank each and
every one for their cooperation a»-
sitance, especially Dr. Teasley who
so kindly secured the services of
the other doctors for us, without the
help of which it could not have been
a success. We also thank Mr. and
Mrs. Rogers for their help.
The scoring committee will finish
their work in a few days, and it will
be announced which baby or babies
scored the highest.
We hope to have the contest year
after year, believing much benefit
will be derived from it.
A chart, with record of each
child examination, is filed for future
reference.
After the examinations were com
pleted, sandwiches and coffee were
served the doctors.
Everybody left feeling happy and
looking forward to the next.
'o •
When a man tells a wealthy widow
that she is all the world to him he
evidently believes that the world
owes him a living.
CONSTIPATION
A cauxn of many 111*. Harm
ful to elderly people.
Aluaj/t rtlitf in taking
CHAMBERLAIN’S
TABLETS
Eaxy—pleaeant— effective only 25c