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The Clinton News Record, 1920-12-23, Page 3BY= By Nina Wilcox Putnam Out of the Swfrof a l h Snow and Blackness Night Her "Prince Charming" Caine, a d Too,on Jingling Bells to Find the Princess Waiting for f t fi f yr i ,.rte :>,niic And so at last the prince came in his state carriage of gold, and the ogre, seeing his 'strength, did not dare to keep the princess. * * *" Libby - Ann read.at slowly, savoring each ro- mantic - sentence. To -night there was no one_to•laugh at her for taking pleasure in so childish a book; and that fact was the orfe comfort of the situation. 'For the solitude was dread' ful, and the snow had even crept in under• the doorain; Libby-Anncould see ,it frim .her- crouched position. on the -hearth. It had filtered through the -chinks of the east window,; too, •cuttiing the blackness of the night be; gond- into fresh:silhouettes. at ,every new dniive of the jeering -gale. The house was full of strange, untoward noises;, of• cracklings and creakings, as of ghostly footsteps, or—worse yet!—of trespassing human feet. "Did not dare to keep the prin cess. * * ,N» A shutter banged distantly, and Libby -Ann started from her seat trembling: •T•hen• she pulled herself together. "Of course it's nothing!" she said aloud. "I know it's nothing. None of the noises are anything but noises! Still * * *" She . glancedapprehensiively over her •shoulder as the lonely little build- ing trembled from attic to cellar. It, seemed the very -heartof a maelstrom,' • whose • malignity was centred upon herself. Libby -Ann defied it with a laughs that had a sob of sheer loneli- ness and terror perilously close be- hind it. Then, crossing to where the supper day spread upon the red -and - white checked el ti she turned the dull flame of the swinging lamp above it a to tIe Higher, glances at the clock, whose solemn face told that the hour was well past 10, and then gazed mournfully at the untouched food. "He won't be -home to -nighty" she said. "'Tien't possible now. Some- thing must have hapiienedl Oh; isn't it just awful to have such a Christ- mas Eve!" ' A log fell in the grate, an!d Libby - Ann jumped.. Eat? Im'possibie! As well put the things away and' be done with the pretense! Picking up the butter -dish and the cake, she started boldly for the kitchen. It seemed a mile away, a mile terrifyingly full of treacherous shadows. But she kept bravely on until, just as she reached the door sill, there came a lull in the wind, end. over vague distances of snow -muffled, silent 'suds a faint sound. Doubtful of her overstrung imagination, she stood still, rigid with listening. Silence. Then it cane again, between the low meanings of the gale; a faint tinkle of little bells, distant as yet, and hardily perceptible except to anxiously straining ears, but of blessedly human significance. Libby -A ih set back the cake and the butter hurriedly, •anti took down the lamp. "bather!" she exclaimed in a tone of relief that was a confession of all the agony of nervousness which, for hours past, she had been denying ,to herself. "Father! He's managed• to get back after all!" And then she shuddered involuntar- ily, the grim atmosphere of her diffi- cult parent seeming to move into the house ahead of him at the mere men- tion of his approach. Yet it was bet- ter, far better, than this beim alone with the terrifying nothings. which women find in a house at night. She placed the lamp et the unshaded east whitlow, tapping away some of the snow that he might see the 'light the better, and then went about straightening the things on the table, listening—but vain' now, Y, "He must have been in the hollow when I heard hint," she murmured. "I'll just put the coffee back on the As she did so, the book of fairy- tales lying opeti on the heanth-rug caught her eye. ' With a swift 'gesture elm gathered it up, listening again and holding on to, the book as to a friendly, hand that soon must 'be re languished, -Agadir the bells! Nearer now. They were coming up the ]Hill- rad, they were :turning in at the lower gate. In another instant he would be there! "Where was I?" Libby -Ann breath- ed amelouely. "Oh, yes! 'And so at last the prince came In his- state ear -,i siege of geld * * *" That was it! She slipped a nee ker between the pages, and closing the volume with a , uajs hid it under the cupboard by the hearth, A faint "Hello14 came ifinom without almost inaudible Aristech the seenrm, which had incense' et again, The tali wars utterly tun connoted, What eteild it merit? `ather never calla a wield sacci y vittdlsle Ilesd and conte sinus sing In', silent and morose and hdngre. Again came the call: 'something about "What ho! the castleb" At least that was what it sounded like. Libby-Ann:looked-at the clock. Close.. to eleven! What en earth could the call forebode? Never: before in all her nineteen years had a stranger visited the lonely mountain farm at such an hour. Something must have happened to her father! In an agony of fear she grossed to the side door, undoing the belts with trembling fing- ers. As she opened, a fierce •blast of icy air entered joyously scattering the ashes on the hearth and playing havoc with the lamp -flame,. which prornptly:'danced••ta.its piping. And with the wind ,came the words,- un- mistakable•,this .birne: • "W.•hat ho! . The castle!" Libby -Ann looked eautionsly around , the, edge'of the- dew, :bee emelt •'beat- ing.euriously.with a terrible {.Yet love- ly) sense of something tremendous about to happen. And there do the stable -yard was an incredible sight. The prince had arrived in his golden carriage of state! At any rate, it was a golden car- riage. Of that there could be no ves- tige of doubt. It was about the size of a small house, and square, and its sides, even under their heavy 'burden of snow, glittered with. gold. A pair of huge white horses, caparisoned in crimson and little silver bells, drew the coach, the reins by which they were guided passing through an aper- ture in the front to the warmly light- ed interior, in which sat a wonderful, young man: He smiled at. her, show- ing a gleam of very white teeth. It was a splendid smile, and At set her heart. beating anew, in e strange, ex- pectant sort of way. Behind him, and around him in the interior of the ear, or whatever it was, wore innumerable objects, forming a sort of decorative background; little shelves, boxes; glass eases, on which the hght of the lantern that swung from the ceiling shone glitteringly. Indeed, the whole thing glittered and. swans 'before her eyes, as she stood rooted to the spot, unmindful of the colki and' the snow that eddied in about her feet... "Snow princess; is the barn -door open?" shouted•.the young man. Libby -Air swuld only nod, speech- less. ' • "All right, then!" the young man cried, gathering up the reins with- a beautiful, sure gesture. "I'11 put 'em up, and be right in. Come on now, Pegasus; come on, Phoenix! Oh, my brave steeds—one more pull, and then a feast, and blessed sleep!" The horses, who had stood:like statuary figures • of fatigue, pricked up their ears at the command of his silver voice, acrd the whole gorgeous affair lunged forward through the en- cumbering snow. As it vanished around the corner of the house, Libby - Ann caught a fleeting gliTpse of an illuminated sign which said something about popcorn; but it was meaning- less to her dazed eyes. Then through eons of magical time she Waited, dumb and motionless, once the door was mechanically closed. Finally the sound' of his approach, stamping on the porch, electrified her into action, and, flying to the mirror above the mantel, she snatched one fleeting, despairing glance at her white ' little face and smooth hair, so tightly ,brushed back. It was dreadful,— dreadful! The prince had come at ' last—and caught her in ealieol If only- she were not so plain, so un - ornamental, so hopelessly unattrac- tive! Of course no one ever noticed her—but perhaps, if only she had thought to rush upstairs end put on her lilac silk with the sprigged pat- tern * *- * We11, it was too late for that .now! 0. He flung the door wide, brushing , oft the snow from sleeve and breast, ' shaking bis woollen • cap, and baring his yellow head, on which the curls grew rough and vigorous, Then he came in and closed the'` wild night out, shooting the bolts with earn Sortie- how the sight of it sent thrills of de- lightful terror up and down her spine Then he mads her a g3'ave bow of salutation, his twinkling 'blue eyes taking her into hif •confldenco and challenging her imagination, her sense because the house is so—so alone, of- :piayeeer-capacity-for finding•life, with father not getting back, and all, a great, wonderful joyous game, but now * * *" "Dear prieeess of this lonely strong- "I know!" he nodded. "House all hold,", said he, 9s the lord of the creaks and groans, and your heart castle at home.?" . jumping by and down!". He arranged "He—he is not!" she ' stammered, a chair for her. "Now you sit here, smi•Jdn•geand.blushing. "•'The -storm— and let me do the waiting." he must have stayed in ,Middletown "But that's the woman's work!" for the night." , she protested, though feebly. He had The stranger gave - a low whistle. such a queer yet charming way 'of "Middletown!" said he. "That's where sweeping matters :along, and making 1 was bound for when I lost my way the oddest things seen all right. in the snow—end, incidentally,, the "Not tri my world, it isn't!" he trade I might have had at the shop- said firmly. "In my world the prince ping -centre to -night, along With it" serves his lady, always, and the mean - "It's twelve miles over the mount- est task is an honer `when it is per - sin," said Libby -Ann. "Then it's plain I can't get there toenight!!" he :ex;alaimed,_ snaking. a wry -face. "Great Scott! And • to- morrow is Chrlitmus! I promised my mother, too; that I'd be home for sure. Bat the horses are dead beat, and so -am,I: the Ark.'s pretty heavy * * * Lovely princess; is your royal mother visible" " Libby -Ann shook her head. "My mother is dead," she said simply. "There is no one here but me." Inatantly his manner changed. "Forgive me!" he said, gravely and asked solemnly. "I—nobody ever said sweetly. "Here I come rushing in anything nice abort niy cooking be - with my fooling and nonsense, never fore." dreaming that you were alone. Please "They didn't!" ITe seemed asbon- forgive me—I only talk that way to ished. Then he took a swallow of keep the world as beautiful and gay coffee, set down the cup, and regarded as I'd like -to have it. I'm not cra%y, her almost seriously. "It's magni- really. I—I apologize!" ficent pie!" he declared. "And I'm a "Oh, don't!" said Libby -Ann, sud- good judge, too, for my mother is seine denly, breathlessly. "Go on that way. cook. But what snakes you ask if I please! I understand!" am real? Wes it my appearing so "You do?" he exclaimed, coming a suddenly?" ! She nodded, "Partly," she said,' But now about my staying p nearer. "You don't say! i' * i "And what was .the rest of the res - Bu ,maybe the horses can go on * * * son?" he wondered, very frankly, with � why, I never thought of there being simple curiosity. "PIeese tell me!" Ionly a lone gird * * *" She could deny him nothing. If he , "Of ,eourseyou'll stay," she replied, had asked for the sun, she would her hands. twisting nervously under have gone after it. Slowly she got hex apron in fear lest he vanish into up and went to the cupboard, from the night as mysteriously as he bad beneath which she drew the red bound come. fairy book. Somehow she could not The stranger seemed to hesitate, help doing it. She did not exactly advancing doubtfully from the door went to` and yet she felt so sure that toward which he had instinctively he would understand! Opening it at taken a few steps. her marker, 'she placed it before him "Well, if you really don't nand,"' on the table. he began, smiling again. "'And so at last the prince came •"A Wilton never turned away a in his state ,carriage of gold,'" he guest yet!" she assured him, proud- read aloud; 'and the ogre, seeing his ly, innocently. "Of course you can strength, did not dare to keep the have the best chamber. And—and .princess.' * *" you must be hungry, too, There's With a sudden blush she snatched supper, and coffee all hot," she added the book back, holding it tightly to timidly.her brevet, as the crimson mounted He .laughed his silver laugh that her burning cheeks. formed for her!" "How lovely!" sighed 'Libby -Ann. "But -hut * '" *" "Butwhat?" he. •asked•, "Go on. Say it! You have got to 'get the habit of saying -things. That's half the fun of thinking them. Go on— But what?" "But are you real 9" Libby Ann burst out. "Am I real?" he retorted gaily. "Just watch me get after this wonder- ful pie!" "Is it really wonderful pie?" she approving, and never ;have b good time. It's no awffilly metra ]little teen, Nobody could by happy With only Middletown Corners!" lie pushed back his chair frees :the 'revisited' sulaper-tale+ a. ligl;t'shades of setieuenes aver his fine eyes. "brat the same, itin probably very 1'bttle dif- i!erent from the rest of tho,'towne!" lie declared, "For the people in them ere much the same the world over, It's only that there are fewer of eaela sort of people in the small planes, And•people Bice you, and me ave in the minority everywhere; there 'are only a sew of us, and never enough, even in the 'big titles,, to snake ne feel the strength of a majority. We're a'l'ways the oddidot, and, in a way, We're bound to feel it. But that doesn't mutter.. Believe me when T tell you this; it isn't the place you live in that snakes for happiness— it's the way you live! The town doesn't matter. Think! Why, if you, were to move away from here .to- morrow, you'd take yourself along. And your 'inside life would still be your real life! :What folks really mean when they -say they want to leave a place where they couldn't em- ceed in living happily is that they want to run away from themselves. They want to leave themselves be- hind, and it can't be done!" "1 expect that's true," said Libby Ann. She looked across at him as though in a dream, and somehow in that instant her fear of her father, of her lonely life, of that dreary round of housework, melted into noth- ingness, and a new, brave feeling flooded her veins like wine. "I, too, used to have the idea that roving would help," Iso went on after a little pause; "that if I went away things would be better •with me, P' had a good start in life; the oppor- tunity for a college education. And I made a bad mistake. I didn't make good, as I should have ;eons after all the sacrifices mother made to give me my chance. I was always dreaming, ioaflng, and I couldn't study. Some- how the idea -of the university and a profession didn't interest me. And when the time eame, I couldn't pass the examinations, and there was no snore' money for tutoring * *-* and later, when I saw how disappointed mother was in me, and 'how the friends and neighbors talked, I thought I'd get away, that the town was no place for me, and that I'd have to go to some better. place to make a decently happy life for myself. Well, I've suc- ceeded 'pretty fairly. I made a good living, too, and can take care ofs mother now. But et wasn't because I took my body away from home that I succeeded. It was because I learned to live inside my body. And ray do- ing that the very best I could—I got along." He finished off with a sigh and, ris- ing from the table, went closer to the hearth, piling on new logs. Spell- bound, Libby -Ann followed. And when he found a seat close to the blaze, she took a place opposite him on a cushion. The lamp had flickered and burned out, leaving the room with only the firelight, but neither of them noted the fact, The corners fillet' with shadows, crouching and mysterious, and across the low ceiling other shadows of a gayer sort danced in company. with the flames. The air was sweet with the warm 6dor • of the crackling pine and the smooth smoke of dry applewood. • The glow of the fire was reflected on Libby -Ann's cheeks, a' ! ser gray eyes were very wide. St,•,e mystic and tender spirit had crept into the room, Mc -toeing the two of them as though in a mist. Her heart beat so that it almost pained, and yet she would not have had it otherwise! Presently he spoke again: "I'd like you to know my mother," ho said dreamily. And the words seemed to increase immeasurably their intimacy. "She As so dear, so was like Chrvstmas bells for gladness. "Hello!" said he, as though all at wonderful end" patient. She, is like "You are a royal princess, for sure!" once he beheld her through new eyes. one of the wise 'women of the Bible— he cried, slipping out of his great With the color in her face she was as 'She openeth her mouth with iyis- coat. "I knew it at first sight—in- nearly pretty as her tightly bound hair dor; and in her tongue is the law deed, as soon as I saw your castle on permitted. of kindness.' Often I see her iii my the hill, with the light beckoning In "I was reading it when you called," imagination, when I'm driving my the windrow! Coffee? With pleasure,' ' she stammered. your highness!" He drew up the cthair which she in - 1. cheated, making a delightful igrimuce over the food like a pleased boy, as the uncovered it. He seemed perfect- ly at home and at his ease once more, the slight shadow of his hesitation wholly vanguished. "I'mfiercely hungry," •he\eenfessed, ""but not so hungry that I'm going to turn cannibal and begin on you, so' you needn't lookelso scared, child! Cheer up, and smile at a poor wand-; erer. Honest, I'm a perfectly desir- able citizen; a good, respectable mer- chant, though not exactly what you Might call steady, seeing that I move about a good bit, shop, and all, -But otherwise an good standitg,,1 can tell you truly. So don't -be afraid, min.- cess—smile a iritic'" ' She brought him the ooffee from the hob, holding, the hat handle with ' her apron, her gray eyes wide, her timidity smelting. For he was irre- sistible as the west wind in summer, so fail d romance and gentle sport. '•Feast well, , 0 prince" eh, said shyly, half -shamefacedly, seared know- ing herself. "Feast well; the ogre will not be home to -night!" He dropped his fork in surprise,' and his laugh rang out.agadn, full ,of delight and encouragement "Well! I'm blessed !f you don't really under- stand!" lie -cried, springing up to help her. "HereI Let me pour that! Aren't you going to eat, your high - nese ?" ..guess maybe I will," she answered. "I wasn't hen before' gee , I see!" he nodded, that new con- sciousness still burning in his eyes. She was perfectly well aware that he was really seeing bee for the first tine, and vaguely wondered why. He held out les hand for the book. "Let's have it back," he begged. "It looks like a pretty story: I'd like to know how it ends." "Oh, no!" enact Litby-Amt, hastily. "That is, the end is no matter. I was just trying to show you how I came to wonder if youcould be real, and how it was that I ootrhl understancl — the `gams'!" "Because you Live' jest in fairy- tales!" he seed, softly.. ` "Poor little girll" "You have to live that way up here on the eerie," 'tithe murmured. "Yes, l suppose so," said he. "But then, you have to anywhere. Life is a little dull, you ]snow, unless. you make it interestingl" "Dull9"-cried Libby -Ann, dropping' the last vestige of her self-conscious- ness. "Not ,your ,life!—wandering about from place to place. Why, it must beone l w d xfu , seeing the gay towns and the happy people, and the. theatres, and everything! I'm sure it must be different from anything here!" "I'm not so'.certain," said he, slow- ly. "I've seen a lot of, places, that's a fact; and I haven't seen your near- est village, But I'd like to bet that it's no differeet from the rest," "Ole but it is!" she assured him, "Middletown Corners, five miles en thet's the nearest piece—is awful' The people are .so—so prim and die - • shop over the quiet roads, acid there is no sound bit the birds, and the 'rustle of hidden creatures in the woods, and the tinkle of my horses' little silver bells as they pull me along in my 'state carriage of gold.' And there she is, waiting for any return, always so glad to greet me with her; up beguilingly in a snood of blue rib - quiet 'well, son!' a' ' * I'd like you bon, crept quietly down the stairs. to know her!" I Far off in the East the crimson sun was sending advance rays over the gl'istenin'g fields of snow, tinting the heavy -laden branches of the trees with rose lutes, gleaming on icicled eaves and frosted hedgerows. The world was intensely still, intensely glad, as though the whole universe laughed fax Holy joy. Very softly Libby -Ann entered' the kitchen, betiding swiftly and silently over the soon cheerily cracking stove and the preparations fol: breakfast. ' Then, when :all was ready, she tap- ped upon -the door of the living -room, smiling to herself the while. The'r'e was no reven:ee. With epprcheesiot creeping ever her lute an icy cloud, she waited •a breathless moment, and knocked again, louder. Still the 15 - tenso, n onuiet 'broken l by the s'nan- q Y pining of the kitchen fire. Then, with a desperate movement, she opened the door. Tho living -room was empty! Despair swept over her like a storm. Gone! He was gone! In,- /nee -fide! After last night, after the begtiiming of lifo for heel With slamrbling feet she managed to reach the east window, and looked out. There on the s'moot'h new snow lay the evidence, damning, +irrefutable- 1,�ruit Nut Balls. Wash and 'Mone ane cured detes, wash one cup el figs and reineve stems, and••put through food ehopper, together with two cups of nut meats of any Sort, Mix all thoroughly, shape in email. !halls, well in powdered - vitae, If the minters sticks to the hands, use some of the powdered sugar, not .enough, however, to Make fruit dry and crumbly, Chocolate Pop -Corn. Cools one cupful of •granu'lated sugar,' one-half -cup •of. milk, three tablespoons of - grated eh000iate and a lump of butter time size of a wal- nut together until a tittle dropped in water is quite brittle. Pour over one quart of popped corn, stirring so that all the kernels are coated. Strawberry Divinity Fudge. Place in a saucepan two cupfuls of -granulated sugar, haft a cupful of water and 'a fourth of a teaspoon of cream of tartar, Boll to the hand- ball stage. Add one cupful of straw berry jam and boil up again. Pour the mixture over the stiffly beaten whites of .two eggs and beat until light and foamy. Haien the mixture be- gins to harden, pour'into greased pans and when cold cut into squares. Any thick preserved fruit can be used in the same way. Preserved strawberries and preserved pineapple, ]calf -and -half, make a good combina- tion. If preserved pears are useds a little chopped ginger will be an inn. prevenient, Cocoanut -Marshmallow Cubes. To make about one hundred marsh- mallows will require one package of gelatine, one and one-quarter cups of water, two cups of granulated sugar, one teaspoonful of vanilla. Soak the gelatine in half the amount of water. for five minutes. Put remaining water and the sugar in a sae -Copan, and boil until it threads. Add soaked gelatine and, let stand until partially cooled, then add vanilla, It ed beat until the nnxters comes white and ihielc, I's ar rote bettered .pans, hat ne tali mixture about One inch i1* thickness. Sprinkle geneses:- •le with shredded cocoanut, and bat stand in a cool place until thofou"laky chilled. Turn out on a board, eat in cubes aid roll in powdered sager, Fruit juice used instead of part of the water, makes a zoite variation, in wls5ib• case the vanilla Should be omitted'. Plum Pudding Bars, Clop very fine two ounces each of, •oaudied orange peel, seeded raisins, figs and dates. Beat the white of an egg slightly, add a tablespoon of water and mix with the' fruit until :smooth, adding enough confect-en- er's sugar to form a stiff paste. Mold into a loaf and brush the top with melted chocolate. Let the mixtarei stand in a cool place for two. hours. Then turn on to it greased paper, sad coat the other side with the melted. chocolate. When thoroughly set, cue into bars. Maple Sugar Fudge. If you have some sugar left over since maple sugar time, try the iol- lowiing:. Boil together two cupful's of maple sugar broken into small pieces, one tablespoon of butter and one cup - fill of (milk -until -it forms a ball when dropped into cold water. Let stand until partly cool; then add one .cup- ful of broken nut meats and beat briskly until the mixture is neary' ready to set. Pour into a buttered tin and cut into squares. Nut Crisps. Cover the bottom of -a Well -bettered pan thickly with two cups of broken peanut kernels. Melt two cups of sugar in a saucepan, stirring constant.. ly to keep from burning and free% sticking to the sides of the pan. As soon as melted, remove from fine and pour over nuts. When cold break inns pieces. nearer, into -those great, strong arms. a heavy wagee-tradc, and the mark And then, sudden and tenthly beau- of horses' hoofs,• breaking the spark-, tiful as a lightning bolt, their lips ling surface, leading away—away had met. over the brow of the hill, clean -wit For an incalculable period the world and clear, into the distance, into the spun under her,.and the raging storm shining, unknown world. With ' a without seemed a puny thing to the Heavy sob she buried her face in her storm within her. At last he put her arms, and kneeling there by the frost - away, almost roughly, and arose, ed glass, the cold light shining fell Trembling, she, watched him, feeling upon her, she wept as though her transformed, glorified, With a heavy heart would locale. Time passed, ea - movement be passed ,a hand over his reckoned, hideous. She could not live, eyes. "No!" he muttered, placing the she could not! But at length elle table between them, as cif he • feared gathered her miserable little boiy to touch her. Then•he spoke to her. from the floor and turned to the mi^-. The room was almost in darkness ror above the cold health. From its now, the red coals on the hearth her tear -stained face stared back art serving more to shadow than to re- her out of a tangled• mass of cut'ls, veal his face, "It is late," said he, "No use for them now!" she mur-1 sharply. "You must go to bed." mured. gathering thein up anti ut-1 mercifully twisting them into their% accustomed sleekness. Resolutely she turned away anile change. "But your room—I incstleho�Cing back a sib, set about clean ;, ,k ,h" ing the disordered table. The dreary monotony of her life had begun aga'a.i letter There was the ami the cake.;There. was the plate of sold meat`,; there was * "' Amazed, she picked it u•p: a beget round box with a pattern of holly en it and tied with a great crimson satin ribbon which held in place a pair ef, little gilt tongs. Candy! A box of Gandy of a size and beauty hcyoni! belief. • And, better still, n little note., With shaking lingers she ;menet it, and read, anDear! I have gene off early so a surely not to disappoint my nothcr.• Merry, Christmas, and any be box et!, candy to you. I will he hack on New She was stunned, jolted heavily bath to earth. But bravely, :though -tvonderingly, she faced this sudden make up the bed she began. "Never mind me—I will sleep here!" he replied briefly, "But please, will you go now, at once I please'" "Very well," said Libby -Ann, deep- ly wounded and terribly confused. She lit a candle, and went to the door with leaden steps. He followed, opening the door for her. Then he stopped her with a gesture, and by the candle's light she saw that though his lips were set, his eyes were nee - =lousily tender still. "Little prin- cossl" said he. "What is your name?" "Libby -Ann," she told him; the homely sound of it seemed to typify all her drab existence. "Elizabeth -Ann!" said', he, smiling now. "Two of England's queens!" Year's Day, to face the ogre aid 1o( "Anti what is your name?" she 'finish the fairy -story. 1 love you. asked. FREEDOM. "My name is Freedom Day," said After a moment the world began he. going around again. Suddenly the Then he kissed her hand, just in sun carne over the hill, mei laughed the manner of the courtly prince he in at the window, Marveling, Libby - looked, and shut the door behind her Ann lifted the gorgeous box to her softly. * * * breast; crushing the lovely crimson The Chr'is'tmas dawn was clear and ribbon -all unheeding. And there he -I colts as Libby -Ann; her calls caught neath it lay the book of failry-talese open at her story, the end of which had been lightly underscored with, peuc!1, "Aqui so at last the prince carte in; his state carriage of geld," she read„ sand the, ogre, .seeing his strength, did, not dare to keep the princess." (Over to the next page—oh, quickly!) "And: so they were married and lived hap) pily even after!" '• "Ohl" said Libby -Ann, And all at, once she set down the box of candy and the note, and began 'fluffing out{ het hoar! Soil for Growth. At Christmas time E1 -icor got ts,se, eral little candy anima•le, which she had been saving because they were so eute. But one day the toy rabbit' was missed, "What did yea do with Bunny?" " • Oh, he got too dirty rte pliay vith,i -so I ate hits," replied Elmer. Diode are good friends of the fanner and the gardener, When the glory of the Christine tree is- past encour cage the children to set At up in the; yard and fix it up as a feeding station; for the birds. Lobby -Ann said nothing, but loanocli a little closer to the fire, a queer, I tight feeling in her throat, A strand of her hair cattle unfastened and, fall -I ing over her shoulder, curled along the curve of her flushed cheek. With a quick gesture she tried 'to replace it; 'but instantly his hand was on hers, "Don't! he begged, in a husky voice. "It is beautiful like that. You are beautiful!" "No, no!" said lobby -Ann, faintly, Then the rest of her hen followed the first strand, so tient her taco was en- veloped in a surprising cascade of lit- tle curls, And Libby -Ann, looking into his eyes, saw that she was a wo- man. That strange, intoxicating mist was enwrapping them closer now. He bent near, taking .both her landsin his, his face very grave, his silver voice low and vibrant, "0h, lovely little imprisoned prin- tiessl said .he. How strange that. I should have traveled so many Toads, and never found true happiness be. ;,Fore! I thought that I was locking for success, for peace, fol a thousand different things, while all the time I was really ;searching for—you!" Sho felt herself being g drawn to- ward hint, very slowly, nearer and ! Then Shall Come Peace. Chrletmas is here With its good shear; Peace and good wall Is its message so clear O'er all the earth, To herald Ohniet's birth; Miry love instil All its precepts of wot,-tic. Where there is blight Of Sin's dark eight, May this good news `Enter with its blest light; Then shall •oomc peace, Then sorrow cease, And holy traits Give from arra rcloa se,