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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Exeter Advocate, 1921-12-22, Page 6Christqi.s For Rent By Mary Carolyn Carolyn .Davis though she did not consider it neves- nary to; tell him that it had anything ' to do with her Christmas pians. These last two weeks before Christ- mai were rediant ones..$he found she was actually looking• forward to Christmas. She could see people wear- ing .holly without feeling a pang of envy for their happiness. She .was happy, too. She smiled at • children, she sang as she worked, until the peo- ple next door, on both sides of her;, banged on the wall. Her chief worry was uncertainty as to what she should, buy her mother for Christmas. She read lists published in magazines, she asleed the .advice of t clerks, she .even read: Christmas stop A studio is half -way betwen a room.thoughts or consciences alone that can les to see what fictitious daughters did andan apartment, To live in a studio torture. Days can. That day did. So' about it. She had quite gotten over one reed eat recessaxily be an artist; "this year I' u afraid of Christmas, and any feeling that she was a. fictitious tic .ten home to get the parental eon - one need only have an income half-, for a shield I'm going to get myself daughter herself. sent to her borrowing. She knew the way between the income of room; a Christmas Present! In between times she wondered what mothers. of this district as well as she dwellers and apartment dwellers; as. He leaned forward, all attention. hex mother, with the stipulated sunt did the children; and all the mothers . had"I'mperfectly grown upenough to she had set aside for that purpose proved willjng, even anxious, to .lend Theodora at times, Per would buyfor her Christmas present their children to Theodora. Everything At oilier ti:rtea she had ,nothing 'a# waste my own money!"Perhaps she would buy her mittens was arranged. They were to be ready U. Her chosen . profession involved i "Well, get yourself whatever you and mufflers and good stout shoes, cheques, n,'so long interrala• Of cheque- want for Christmas, child. If this There was no telling. Theodora reallypromptly, and she was to call for them, Christmas morning. She wrote lessness. She had just lived through weather holds out the ice will be great didn't at all mind what the present M. Ferguson to explain about the an interval, And to -day had conte a by Christmas Deed' was. The point was that it would be ebildren and to say that the cheque cheque Theodora drew her typewriter on a secret, and secrets are so necessary would be enlarged commensurately. Itwas a stupe ndous chequer snipes- its footstool toward her, "Give ahs to Christmas, ! done, that la, to Theodora, for it was door a little slays as you go out, she There was only one thing that she Chr• istmas nsnow And such a the largest she had ever hind. As SIM said. "There's something wrong with really wanted, anyway.. Douglas was morning! Sun and all a -sparkle! w lookingmond eyes at her th© lock." personwho knew what it was Tess was so lovely in tdevil, wrhat would as with n act "The :, the only , it he in the country? Theodora nnar- clteque, somebody knocked. ice will be fine by Ghristrans, , Douglas repeated. and, as it wash t iiowers or books or She sprang to turn the Hey in the „ , candy, of course it didn't do him the she st her children and led thein to p „the station. It wasn't so hard to get I m sure tt will,"she answered, lock but she was too late. The in -least bit of goad to know, What Theo- them into the train as she had feared, trader had already entered. aw'eetly interested. "ii'ill you o skit}n with ane?" ao wanted was a wrist watch, an for the older children instinctively took He shook the snow oar hisbat into g„ g inflnitesunally small, queer -shaped, possession of the g her fireplace. : "No, tltanka, e- said�rabsently, gold, one, she had seen just the very ged, pushed, bulled and earried theist Will you inane- me . "I saw the sign en your door 'Busy. , „ one in a jeweler's -window on Yonge into their seats. As the train started Keep Olt,' so I carie ir,," he explained No, thanks. p „ ,� street when she had been window Theodora. looked et her charges., Perseverance brings success, ho' easily. shopping with Douglas, and bad point - "Have "Be ause you knew that you'd be quoted. ed it out to him, Have you ever been in a train bo- botxezirg ni2," she cried wrathfully. "Does rt?„ she was quite willing to . As Christmas came excitingly near, fore?" None of them had, "13e cure I knew no one else would be convinced, but at the same time -Whatever Theodora might be doing Like it ? asked Theodora. be here;' he corrector]. "There are faintly ironical, with her hands and eyes, her train Did they? nine men and tea here. every time I' He flushed, then laughed. "Well, it was busy every moment thinking o1 "Wait till we get into the country! getaway from work and come to call, hasn't seemed to so far,"he admitted. the Christmas day to bo, At first in You'll like that even better," flied into the dial's;-r°eat. One never sees you alone' "But, Theodora! I can't go on like her anticipations, it seemed perfect; Her prophecy was correct, There "Such a din sec` And such a din!" ' �eries, I'm levey." this! Don't you caro at all? I've been but soon, to her dismay, she found was a farmer neighbor at the station as Theodora said. "Keir ata ati1ertisirg finnan, nu used zs crazy %01 to even wish for it --but that there was something lacking,. It with a sleigh to drive them to the Turkey and cranberry sauce wind' g busy e . who' I've had dreams of your marrying me wasn't viae a coot lets Ghrlatmas fain, How the children reveled in the !Wince pie and pninlikin pie and apple to dealing with people don't some da „ q p pie, and "everythirg " as the bt' ekest want to tee nae. Have a chair. Theo- "You y-- after all, this elle that she had eon - quite and 'marveled at the eyed grandchild put it. dere," You proni'ised not to speak of that j,ui up. What could it be that it smooth fields of snow, and at the b Douglas adjusted a weird Russian again, needed? Snow, a farmhouse, a moth- horses, and at everything they saw! The borrowed children were :Having "I know. I'm sorry. Ill be care -a wonderful time. and after dinner the pimple and blue sofa cushion behind er, what else should Christmas hays , As they neared their destination, •;wonderfulness inti ,,,sed. his own euriy head, "Your house is £ul,' Why, the most necessary thing of all, Theodora realized that she was fright ,,, , now?" ower ;,o aiiuc]i snore hos i iblo than Theotlora noisily inserted a pleats of of course--ehiidxenl i'liy hadn't she ened. What if Mrs. Ferguson shouldn't H ].at would a;H lake to do T paper and began typing. As far cis thought of that before? alfa seized like her? asked Theodora. Yon," he ogrir,H,tci as lis settled him- she was conceinecl he hard Z]ready des- ,.n hat and wraps and went tearing {'Here's the place," the farmer �`Fa:�ry stories!" �,: atlf c,yuifort.by. -Hue what's thatlei. us fairy ; torics. in your hand?" tended all the flights of stairs and was down the stairs, pointed his mittened band and almost „fell us a story. teacher!" "Oh, I'd forgotten Deck! A far down the street. Still he lin eredi She left Yonge street and walked at the same instant they stopped. Anyway, tell me what you're „ ,: Theodora pounced upon the luckless chequer up to the Ward. Now sine was on All the children were out at once. Iry looked. "Thank the fates! to buy," he insisted. familiar ground. She had enc+? done Theodora marshaled them into line tenth that ]i rd beryl" 1 "teacher," "I'm "A selfish Christmas present. Some-ot ai teacher, "oz..y. she protested. You'vo been getting thinner all fall socia! service work in this neighbor- and advanced Dion Mrs, Ferguson.Fergusoe, YBnt I'11 tell you, ::r ee we're prctc+nci- until row you're cadaverous. It's time thing I've wanted every Christmas Hood• °Sine expected to Lind dicers of "Merry Christmas! Merry Christ- . c ru weregettingsomethingsubstau- I've been in Toronto—and anyway, I'in children she knew. rias!" the children shrieked. They had 'ng eo day, let's pretend—how would tial to eat. I ue Theodora" he not going to buy it, I'm going to rent] The troub:e was, did'. Almost been Merry Christmas -big the eoinduc- you'bil e to play that you're all .my hope,, „ fnieces and nephews . i d that int; your added sten y as if warned by some it'e : as Soon as she appeared, little brown- tor, the other passengers•and every aunt? You see yeti can call me 'Aunt memory, "that eiou won't spend this "Rent it. !eyed, black -haired ragamuffins darted one they had seen all morning,!„ Tlteeclora':' one foolishly." Theodora X d out a word with ilea out frits now sect and #lura their arurs Merry Christmas, grandma. tried "Butty writes• and wished him anywhere"Teacher! Teacher!" out the must remembering. one. And `You don't look like my aunt," said it's never any fun to spendabout her. Teacher, the a,, ,e. "It ien`t so feet with you." Public money the other way!" she declared. el3e' ,,, adoring cry went up, To these chit- the others took it up. , "Pun!" 1 Tell me. dren every woman from "tar • outside" "Yes, I told them you were to be stilt ol had heIpe l the races to mingle "Besides," ,: She whirled on hien. "lf I du, will their grandma to -day and they could their idioms bewilderingly Besides, she sioiel rip defiantly. Iwas a teacher. But the children accepted she idea know e .etly what 1 intend to sreni you go away?" 'Clrildrerr! I'm not a. teacher! I've all call you `grandma'!" announced the part of this cheque tin, and nothing mise. "Gracious hospitable hostess, 1 • never been a teacher! Didn't I use personal conductor: of the group. ',I avidly. Most of them. kissed her, and is going to stop inch" promise, What are you going to do to tell von that three times a day": hope you don't mind?" they all tried the new term en their CHRISTAS is the great occasion when we are all supposed to renew our allegiance W the Christ, to put the Christ teaching of the brotherhood of roan in practice. Christmas ought to be a great heart -mellowing, affection- quickening, friendship -renewing ,occasion. It is the time of all others when we should realiad' that we are all brothers; that we `are all nneen hers of the same great human family, children of the same great Fathers -Mother -God; It is the time, if ever, when ?we should recognize., that though oceans and continents divide us, though we speak different tongues, may differ in race, color and Greed, yet we are so closely related in thought and motive that our deepest, most vital interests are identical, There was no doubt about it, Mrs. mended Mrs. Ferg' son, 'while I give* Ferguson had a sense of hump.•. them timid supper, "How lorious Christmas is," sigh- Theodora rather" gladly sank down g bein the into one of the plush chairs in the now ed Theodora, "Since J. almost dust-eaptured parl.:r. city, I've wished it came once in a in ten "Merry Christmas!" said, a voice years. New I wish it came every from the dim corner of the room from month!" bah irsl the Chr stores tree, it deemed, She wished it more than ever, as the " What ---who is there?" Theodora two women in the kitchen did the ism- hili rose in startled amazement, memorial last things to the Christmas Out of the dusk stepped Santa dinner, with all the testings and ad- Maus. ventures of holiday cooking, Theodora "Ohl" she was relieved, Only the was wearing a big blue apron of Mrs, i or•taut what was the Matter Ferguson's and felt like a real woman, neighbor—bet bor? Wasshe hnagining things? she explained, instead of only a city Hie voice htel souzaded so like seineone, "I told some of the neighborsronelse's. , about the children coming," Mrs, "Merry Ohretnnasl repeated Santoviten confessed, and theya alf tClaus, coming a step hearer.were very much interested. Several of en "Merry Christmas!" answered Theo, begged to conic to the tree this after.dors, "and thank you." Then, "Doug. noon, but I wouldn't let any of thein; las"' alio shrieked, as the neighbor except that I did think that we should took off his hriek; for under the rias!:. have a Santa Claus, so I he rot ed one she saw the familiar, teasing face. 04 the neighbors that he might be "You're welcome --Theodora' tha"4" "How did you get here?" "splendid! I'd forgotten about, n "Same train you did. Smoking car. Santa Caus!",this last habeen Watched you." under their breah ,. as he lastchi! akuow? t ow did you r didn't i 13u h tell you where Mrs. Ferguson lived. I didn't. tell you anything. How- –" "Are you angry?,, "Yes, I ani!" "It's just as Mrs. Ferguson says. I'm her neighbor•er used to he about twenty years age. You never happen- ed to eek for the latitude and longi- tude of the farm I used to tell you about, where I lived when I eves a youngster. Come to the window and I can point it out -to you. Mrs. Fer- guson was our nearest neighbor and I knew she still lived here. I wrote her and sent her your ad. I dictated her letter to you." "Oh!" There was no other word big enough to hold her Svreth. 'Why? Wasn't it a good letter? Wasn't it effe;,tive ?" "It wits the best of them all," she groaned, "It was meant to be, I saw my chance and I took it. What's the Liget of spending years learning' to writ an ad if you esir.'t write a wimtng one at a pinch? You had no right to refuse to entertain a lonesome person on Christmas. So I decided to make you do it anyway, and I did," "I hope you're satisfied" snapped Theodora, "Not quite," snapped Douglas. It had never been like this before. In town Theodora had always felt. so capable of living alone for the rest of her life. She liked to be free; she liked to be sufficient unto Theodora "Nevertheless—" with that money?" Hello, Mary! • llell.i, Tony! And ;Here's For a moment Mrs. Ferguson gazed "You may as well stoup there, Doug- I'm going to rent �a mother!" Angella! My, how the baby has in stern consternation at her swarthy - cheek -ed It won't do you any good, T `Rent!. day," amother, grown!" cheeked progeny; then she melted. .never did like any sentence that"began y y Theodor coal resembled the middle Suddenly all the stiffness went out of with 'nevertheless? And besides, I've He cltttehed' at a chair' for support b e 'r • -a r • the undermost man her and she beamed upon the invaders }n a oo - a scrinrnrage. r ren was doing something for her. It was I'il !lever tell!" and a farm and memories and a real were clinging to eaeb arm to her thin• of Theodora s happy-go-huky* kirts. tenguea, and found it sweet. Theodora loved the feeling of being surrounded by relatives. She was sur- prised at herself for loving it. She bad thought she was happy, being Inde - e i i a :warm, n , or r in "Mind?Scene-- pendent, being alone. But this day decided what I'm going to have! And Just over Christmas. A mother f tb 11 • Ch`ld Wind I'll love it she paid Christmas, the right things to eat—I s "Why not?" "You'd say it was extratee nt!" "Is it?" "I Kant it!" "Look here, Theodora—" heovung an arm argumentatively. Theodora explained a little further. "I'm going to speed it selfishly. Do.. you realize that two weeks from to- =freoR's Christmas? And, Doug- las•--" she hesitated, looked fearfully around. and then confessed in a gash of confidence, "I'm afraid of Christ - mast" ".afraid of Christmas!" "'Yes, just plain afraid," she tel. "Any other day of the year I can • work and laugh and talk. Any other evening of the year I can go to The, Little Dutch Inn, or to the Diet Kit- chen, or to the Brown Betty, or to half a dozen -other restaurants on Yonge or Moor streets•"• -and be happy. But on Christmas I can't be happy any -1 where! On Christmas I'm homesick!" Douglas couldn't speak. "Poor little kid," he thought. "It's tough to be an orphan, to have always been an orphan, and to have no relatives near- er than third .cousins and the Pacific coast." "Isn't this• your home i" he asked. "This ? This is -a battle -ground whl Ye I daily 'fight off the'`'invading host of callers, so that I can get a bit of work. done!` Whoever heard of a home in the city et Christmas? Christ- mas doeau't happen in !cities •anyway;, only Tin the country!" don't know what they are. How eau I, when I've been eating Christmas dinners in restaurants so long? But old ladies in the country know. And a gray-haired mother` to eat them with, and snow outside the window!!" "But where.under the sun are you going to get them?" Theodora looked at him in scorn for his ignorance. "Advertise," said she. Ile burst into a shout of uncontrol-'• !ably luerey-'laughter. She regarded him with cool dignity, them turned again to her typewriter. "You're going to advertise?' "Well, it really isn't the right way to do," she admitted. �I ought to have only to choose. They ought to adver- tise! There :ere hundreds of lonely old ladies in the country at Christmas., One reads about then! in stories! They know how to make cranberry sauce. They. have snow outside their win- dows, They should hang out signs on their front porches. 'Christmas for Rent!' They should put that:notice in the papers. anyway; hut they don't." She looked immeasurably grieved. "So you're looking for a 'Christmas For Rent' ". He still hesitated aborit going. "Theis' I shan't, see you Christmas Day at all?" "No. Will you take my ad to some new-spaper or other?" "Theodora, you slave drher! Yes, 1 will." Douglas still hed his hat in hand but did not seem at all anxious to use it. She waved her°hand 'toward the door. "I've a lot to do'before I home for Christmas!„ 'And whets he had gone, she locker' the 'door. Douglas was always about when she wanted to work-, anyway. It was really annoying. For the,'next few days Theodora hardly. left her room, except to scurry round the corner to eat. In feet, she had her mneai.s atm, places where she knew the coffee and the tableclothi execrable, simply inthat To please the Lord in rising the holiest of days . were ex p y order --Maurice Francis Egan. g. "I've always been afraid of Christ- . Mae -in' Toronto. Christmas -hurt me last year and the year before, It isn't Christmas -Time. Jingle Of the sleigh -bells, Little feet astir, Scarlet of the holly, Greet of. pane and fir, Gleam of gilt and silver Where the candles�`glow, Little trees a -glitter, Brancbes bending 'lows Jingle of the 8relga-teras,: on the sno Starlight.w, Stockings by the fireside, Svringing to and fro, Restless heads a-rlreanuing, Loving- faces near, Now, as all the clli+tldrea know, Ohristra,a:time is here! • By a judicious questioning she found out which ones tivere to go to a Sunday school or settlement Christmas tree, which ono aright have some ether bit o:f Christmas, and from the remainder she (hoed as she had intended, the ten that seemed doomed to be the most Christmas lees. She aceonnranied each of the mita- fellowship with the corners seemed to snaking her over, or at least trying to have enveloped her already. But here, in. this snow -nestled farm - Ferguson the twelfth fairy story,the 1 f Ferguson kissed Theodora as natural- „ home and dependence, and had known ly as if the had seen her before. "Did glance. I think we might haveyit you have a good trip?" now," she said. So they all trooped "A splendid trip. And how well into the parlcr, where a beaming you're looking, mother! You've gainer! Christmas tree caught their breath since I was home last, haven't you?" ,with its glitter and color and the She lowered her voice, "How am I do_ mysteriousness of its pendant pack - in" it? All. right?' They laughed •'s tee Qh Ant She was in a fright lest it succeed.. and to need no one, not even Douglas. "How are you, daughter?"'Mrs. house, vi*here she had felt the pull 0 rented mother answered Theodore's the sweetness of some things she had forgotten for the last few busy years —here, it was different. "Theodora?" "0, Douglas!"' His arms were about her, and she • „ ages Give me the Hearthstone with the glowthat warms the soul within: I choose the gift of kindly smiles, that wealth can never win: The laugh that ripples to the lips froth hearts where peace sublime Reigns in the fullness of content to bless ,the Ch! istmas-brie. Theodora! gleefully • as two schoolfl•irl conspire- ' u e with as much the manner of the tree put her head down on his shoulder tors. "Look, grandmother! A Christmas ditiorial clinging vine be if she had "Would h'Id 1'1. toh it !" you c ! ren like have ai snowman? Would you like to build; forts . and have a snowball fight here 1 hi the yard? They may, mayn't they? It's "not noon yet." Theodora turned l +,o her mother 1 • "Just the thing! It will take theani off our hands and they'll have a fine! time. 1'i get an old coat and a stove pipe bat for'the snowman!" l `"It's good of you to take. so much: trouble." 'Trouble! P'or mil gr•anrichildren!" ree "A Christmas tree!" "A Christmas tree!" "Oh, and a doll!" At this moment there was the sound of sleigh -bells. They came nearer, they, seemed to be on the side veran- dab. There was a loud whoa! and a snowy person in red leaped through the window grandmother had opened in order to look out a bit worriedly.. "I wet afraid he wasn't coming," she confided to Theodora. "Ile is a little late. It's the neighbor: I told __ _ _ _ __----•�---- I you about." "Santa Claus! Santa Claus!" (6risa8 eatht it is easy, 0 m ; masters, to find the best -of ways s, Y To please the Lord in using the holiest of days. "No !' says the rich man, "I am filled with care, Sables for my wife—diamond-fine.; and; rare? `earls for my,daughters,• swift -cars --for my sons ?-- shall shallTee mac! from worrying before the: -great Eve .runs! "Ah," SetyS itis brother, " I know the Gift He gave; I know that He redeemed me—I was once a. slave_., o I wish I had a, chalice set with rubies led As the blood of -pigeons, or sapphires for His Head." — ek' out the sad man to whom all inns are; closed But—oh---seek se, Who knocked in vain at every door - wherehonest 'folk reposed. Oh, cheer the widowed woman and dry the children's tears, And drive awayfoo• one whole year the wolf the orphanan rears! My 1masters, to find the best of ways' It is easy, -0 ri ,. , Ys' she might get back to her Toole sooner and. go' on reading : the letters. Even ' .: , . • : :...�.,,�v�,.��..�:;"=.^!-•.,_-•.�:,..,.,,�. _ te..-�..._..«.�...-,...- �rt� ...,._,« interested in the the ostmarr tiy.ts postman. of them. But when the real s^ quantity a. one came, sln i There was r . 3 a. v :... 2 ...... a .S doubt, no weighing of two or !hies. ,. ,�. _. •.:�: _.... ,- .:.: � . •... � favorites, She ould rent Mrs, e'er- ,guson. or no mother at all!' She' Wrote her answer, clinching the matter .and settlin�g the little questioas of hours, Douglas himself mailed ' the letter-, "Look! He's got a pack!" "Olt, oh!" Then the real climax of the day was upon them, and the ten were de= liious with joy. Santa showered candy and apples and oran:ges on. them, he cnt the strings of the' pack- ages on the tree, and handed about the packages at the foot of -it,; and each child found himself a hewildered. little Aladdin in a cave of treasures. Theodora was so busy winding up toys that would wind, and admiring dolls t6 order,that she had no tinge. for" anything else. For the moment she ,ahn•ostforgot to give Mrs,her- g !son• the polar bear bathrobe she had .bought for her. When she had .pre:: seated it and been Ouleekissed she un- tied the package which Mrs. Ferguson pressed into her hand. When she saw what it contained, she ;almost cried out. It was a wrist watch of precisely the queer shape that she had yearned for! But she had no, time to puzzle over this, for the children claimed her again. . By the time the hubbub was over, they all euddenly discovered thatt it was alarmingly late and the, winter "dusk was upon ' then, so it was de- cided to. give ,the children a light sup- pet 'of bread and butter at once before they set cutler their train. - Theodora herself wasnb hungry: "You sit bele and rest, then;" coni - never owned a studio or seen a city street. It was a complete' surrender, and Douglas knew that his siege of many months was over at last.. The snowy silence without. was bro- ken by the quick passing of some fes- tive team. At the sound of the bells, Theodora, startled, remembered' the day. She raised her heal from his Ehoui- der. "It's over, Christmas! And it didn't hurt me at all! I'll -never, never ,beafraid of C'Cristmas again!" And together they went happilti opts- into the dining -room where See.. rOotolk mother and the borrowed ten were still revelling in the high tide of hi1rt-hi rs. A good rnagazi.ne or a good. book is a fine Christmas present for the young folks. as ,yell, a the .grown-ups. In slaking yoiir Christinas caramels, it is well to x ententber.. that a pinch of yeast powder put. into cane/1'10s after they lave begun to boil will; make thtnn' smoothes; and More creamy. To give gifts which are so elaborate that one must economize fora *hole year afterward in order to get ,square with the•Wot'1d, is to lose, sight or the true spirit - of Christmas. Gifts should be ,appraised. on the basis of their- spiritual, not their material, ' valuation. Not even the high cost or living can rob. Christmas of its if one'sheart is true. spirit Light.. The best part iiof Christmas is not in 'the gifts which are, given, lent ,the love which prompts giving. • wee awl ore >i wa the wa the SXI� str! S'4 it 0141 hall rot eln th hal eon qui rel did ova dr on y'oi tri t};! ci thi r?i of Ail • QHl ju liy sit tri ca ni pl aj sa hl r, i Hv si as el 1 lr h 11 .x 1