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The Goderich Star, 1898-12-16, Page 25A NgW $ANTA .PIMA Wit/etre the brad was wade& Tits Slight wen *Old wad dread Weide the god lops araFklfpg, erect -Med the Chrlistreite a errs elf eetata C1anp w2 St onlye; Said little eertha. "Pew' Come own lee Week. ehlettler aletee .doll. ane COW. "With elephant Mn. knee, Anti comet Week/HOPI, RhItteceroa *lid camel, Altafres and tlgneereq, "I should be very happy TO wee hie features sweet,„ leer father said, with laugher, "The logs wall& burp lits feet,” Be cant them to the kitchen Ali$ told them ?_het no doubt 6antted come down the ebletney When he saw -tee a legit net out. Teen upstairs went the tether A -laughing with, delight, Put on a great fpr teeter And hair and whisker¢ white. Be brought the tops down with blm, And when they flecked, about Be gave theta fruit and eandtes And laughed to hese them eltout. He gave them tops and kissed them, And sent them up to bed, That be might Jain the reindeer And speed upon the sled. "The children all are happy;" Uuto his wife aald he, "And we shan't have the bother Of dressing up that tree. ""Burrtb for all the blessings That light our cozy ken! H rrnh for Merry Chrlstmae And peace unto .all meal TWO CHRISTMAS EVES CHAPTER 1. "Not another word, sir," said old Eben Withers in his usual decisive manner. "I know nothing about the girl, and I don't desire to, but I do not intend you to marry for some years, and then you are not to choose a penniless bride- You are to bulls up the family fortune. sir, not etetear it. No; I will not listen." And Its turned to his morning paper again!, Young Eben said more than file prayers sometimes, and it would not do to set down all he said to himself az he left the room. He was as plucky a lad as there was in seven counties 'LET .US PART IN KINDNESS.. around, but he had always been obedi- ent, partly from a sense of duty and partly because of the genuine love that existed between rather and won. But even young Eben, after he met Miss Mildred, saw things a little die - fervently and would perhaps have need another word than love in speaking of his father. Certainly • It did not reenn as'tf his filial love was very strong when he came to tell her what his father had said. In those days he told her everything. Afterward be grew older and learned a good many things. Masa Mildred did not take It well. Young Eben was dtesatiasfled with the ,promptness with whtoh she said that she would never forgive hereelf If she should be the cause of a quarrel be- tween him and his father. Young Eben !oohed d,t her attentive- ly before speaking again, and that was a thing calculated to „bewilder a man. You couldn't fully appreciate the beauty of her brown hair with Its odd gleams of red and of gold before you would be admiring .e. r bi ,t.,t 1'tw fore - bead, full in the temples, rounded and eymmterleal as It was. Then a flash from her deep, large,. hazel eyes would fasten your gaze for a. moment, till the perfect complexion and chiseled, classic features would coax It away, and the sweet glory of her face wbutd perplex you so with its multiplicity of charms that you woad fall to won, der'ng which of them Was most to be desired. All this beauty, which his father load undertaken to One Jtlm, without even seeing It, made young Eben des- perate. "Then you want nie td marry some other woman" lie eaalri "No, no! Never!'he exClalmed al- moet wildly as she threw her perfect arms around his neck and began to sob at the thought. Her quick emo- tions were not the least of her charms. And that Is why she did npt take .It well. She would, •and she wouldn't listen to either side of the question. Young Eben must bbey his father, and lie must never cease to love her, nor ever marry any one else. And nothing pt'ns ever to induce Tier` to waver in any respect. It was dellghttul—and some- what perrplexing. "If you won't settle the matter," he said finally. "I will." This. by the way. was what he had intended from the 'flret• 'Settle it, how?" she asked In some alarm. "By ma,rrytn•gs You,' he teed firmly, "but not Just now. I will do nothing rashly." It must be said that the next few months were pretty h'tard ones for the boy. He had set himself to waft (111 he should be of no, the next Deeem- bei?eget with the thought of defying his father even thichr but because he would render his servleea' loyally to the lass day. So time went on, His duty was done at his desk Ip the counting rorm so well that his father coukl dot complain, rigid taelefnaater th0ugh'he was. Hie sweetheart-. Waits not nigleet- dd, and,yet he fouftd^tittle.[ lite made It, t'b 'keep eep heti etti teei'fi ithit11ty. Of course, the birthday mune In due time. Birthdays du, In the Morning old kben met hint With lititttethipg like enmtion• • "1 have !oohed for4terl/ to the! dee." he said, "as anxl6ttni ittlyotl.loubeve been a good den and ?v 1ie11etre you al- ways will be. 1 alt 1p;ot you, aurd I believe you will 91Yft tat Yle »sued o yourself. Now til# 7YOU, Ire.* ?'pari I want tb st'aft .Yell WIiit thee fl Mit yours to way with .'ata yrot` ThUIfC." 'is" wait a thetlt'f r rrittlt for. .464 ii. took 3 S, % till 0planet Rr he *Poke and handed it tel: the ytattaX !Hatt, Who duetted whit halt aq wild eeefect natural Pleasure WO lgokad atM it, it would be !tile, pit; to try to Oa* XQu In WOrd@ for thine or for all Y9'14' itlnaness to nate fall MY Uf*.'fr he ftatd, "But i have somethlsg 'else to wake given this prineety gift et moneys iteeme sepall compared to that," ('Id Ebep's face darkened. He did not ilke to hear motley spoken ee lgbtly, and It seemed en ungree tette epeeeh, However,, he apoke kludly and erne alt aincertty. - "What Is it, my son'!' Tiou are not likely to ask anything that I could re- fuse to -day." "1 want you, sir, to re0Oalslder what you said about my marr1J tlg. Let me lr-troduce you to the woman—" The dark twee grew J'lkld. "Let us enderatand this now," said the father interrupting. "I Insist upon your obedience so long as• I play ,the part of a father. 1 have no leggtt elalm, I know—" "Don't talk of a legal claim, father," meld the on, Interrupting In his turn. "Very well. It 4a not a claim, but I am still your father, and so long as you continue in my home you are my son. Let me hear no more of"this golly. I will never consent to this marv'hege. Do you understand?" "I do, God help me!" exclaimed young Eben, "And you must under- stand me also. I shall certainly marry the girl I love, and I do not change, sir, any more than you. I will obey you In all else, but not in (that." "Then we may as well part now," said old Eben, stung beyond endurance by the first defiant weeds he had ever listened to. "You can have no claim on me henceforth." "If we part," sale the lad, Ids voice breaking. "let us part in kindness at least. 1 ask for nothing more." And he stepped forward with his heads outstretched. But the other drew back. "I said you had no claim on me. My kind- ness wan for my son, not for an lit- erate. Obey me and everything shall be as It was. It not, go now." QVIth a despairine gest„re the young Irian turned away, but his tether spoke, "stop e. moment,” he said. "You have forgotten your cheek." And he potntead to where young Eben had dropped it on the table. "I gave you that, ear, before you had defied me. It Is feel yours." "I oannot take It, father," said young Eben, with some spirit, though not defiantly, "Yoe we uld hot give it to me now, and I cannot receive what does not come from your hearty good will." "As you choose," said his 'father. "1 certainly would not give It to you now." And atter the young man lit the room he picked up the slip of paper and tore It In bits before throwing It Into the fire. Then, seating himself at the table, he rang for his breakfast. When It was brought, however, he sat for an hour looking straight before him and finally, leaving It untouched, he arose and went to his office. "Clod help your poor father," said Mildred as she nestled In young Eben's arms In the shelter of their new home the night before Chrlstmae "Amen!" said young' $ben. "He le poor, indeed, in loneliness, but I never can cease loving him." CHAPTER II. It was a bright, happy year for the y0ungeters, Contrary to the laws of (lotion, for they had love and hope and hare Wee'"and good commonas sense to ,e.lhean, but old Eben had never relented, and 'there" was a ehadow over the' little home, happy as It was. One evening late in the year young Eben had come hoarse from his work and settled himself, as his habit was, to study, when he wits suddenly Interrupted, "I want to talk a little while," said Mildred, pulling his book away and seating herself on his knee. "Good," said young Eben, smiling, "but you must pay for my time," But after she had dene that very satiafactarlly with a kiss she sat for a long time with her head on his shoulder, saying nothing till at length he saki, "I thought you wanted to talk to me, dear?" Still she was ellent a moment, as it it Were hard to begin. Then she said, "What would you like best for a Christmas present?" Young Eben laughed. "It's some time to Chtlstmtts yet," he said. "I hadn't thotight. Besides you gave me the Meeet peeelous gifts In the world iaat thi'letteas. Anything else would seem vete/ kneel after that." "How lovely to say that!" she ex- cialed, kissing him again. "And to say it as if you meant it. But that is just what I am afraid of." This was bewildering. "What are you afraid of?" asked young Eben. "I think"—she faltered, "that the an- gels are going to bring you—about Christmas time—a blessed gift, stratght from heaven, and I'm afraid you'll love 1. more than you du me. Then came a flood of tears—happy ones that young Eben wee too wise to try to atop. Old Eben might have softened a bit if he had known about this, but, of course, he didn't, He kept hitneelt well informed about the lad he lovode sbut proud as he was to see that hls 'Pion could make his way In the world with- out help, he was sensitive enough to feel it an Injury to his own Import- ance and unreasonable enough to feel his anger increasing week by week. One day when he .was more incensed than usual he made a w ' leaving all his fortune to a distant cousin, Alice Withers, who had come to keep house for him. When he told her about it that night, a gleam of triumph came in her nar- sew eyes. It want what efts -hid hosed and schemed for, but her face was grave, and her voice steady, as alas Moire in rets?i: "You are doing too much for me, C.ruein Eben," she said ' I hove done nothieg to deserve such kindness, and, pardon me for saying it, you are doing a cruel injuMlce to your son." It was a Crafty speech, for she knew that the old man would resent the charge of injustice, said her ,ryes flasah- edsegalta when he cald..h_eately: 'C have no eon. I had One, but he left me. Never mention him again." And so the breach seemed hopeless. but Christmas was corning again, and strange tringle Is working everywhere Ih the Christmas season, softening men's hearte and quickening all 4m - pulses to peace and good will, As the Year drew to a close old Eben grew Weaker and there Inflran. .Day Sifter day he bat alone, careless of his butte Heti! g ftY Hefting w e of his Alined s1 Koper r and eating his heart out. On young Spat's birthday he rout gtmiieif in his room and would see no one., but he was harder than ever next day, hopes and eating his heart. On eating Eben's birthday he shut himself In his room and would see no one, but he was harder than ever next day. Nothing moved him till that strange magic of Christmastide came. Here, there and everywhere It worked, pene- trating even old Eben's mansion de- spite the barred doors, and° reaching his stony heart as he sat thinking of hes well beloved son, and of hie wife of his youth, so long dead. It was another stormy Christmas eve. Suddenly he rang for a servant, and sent for his lawyer In haste and se eFoot.I" SHE BISOAN. within an hour he tat alone again, looking with a happy smile at the new will he had made. "I will go to my son In the morning," he staid to him- self, "and we will have a happy Christ- man once more." Smiting tenderly, he A Il areeep In hie armchair In front of the great open fire place, where the flames were roar - tag uls bhe tlitmeme." After a time Be awoke with a start Between him and the fire stood Alter reading the will he had just made. She was furious with rage as he saw at a glance, and,just as he etarted tete was about to tear the document In two. With an angry cry he leaped for- ward, file Indignation giving him a strength he had not felt for months. His cry startled her, and With a quktk mo'trement ehe cast the paber Into tare names before he could retch her. Then with a mocking laugh the tureen to- ward Ws. "Fool!" she began. "Do you think." And then she stopped. The shook had been too much for the old man, and he fell on the floor before her In- sensible. n- sensible. That night in young leben'n cottage there came a feeble wail, telling that a new horn soul had flown In through the storm to the warm shelter of a Jlappy mother's arms. All was well, the nurse said as she brought the lusty man child out, for Oben to see, and the young father's heart was moved with a great yearning. It meet not be, he thought, that there sho ed be any anger or .hatred any more in the world. Whatever lay in his power he do to bring peace. Se, when the first excitement was over and he was told that Mildred. was asleep, and must not be disturbed, he buttoned himself in his greatcoat and set out 1n the worm to seek his father's house and ask once- more for his love. The wind buffeted him, and he laughed. The driving snow beat upon him, and he shook it off lightly. Sud- denly a paper fluttered along on the els and struck him In 1Le face, and he Instinctively reached up and caught it. Then, stepping under a light, he looked to See whet it might be. Iiere was magic, If you please. The will that Alice toad thrown Into the flames had been relight In the roaring draft of the old-fashioned chimney and had been carried by the spirit of Ohre -tit -nee atralght to the hands of the heir. It was e, -en -bed a little, but not Injured. Young 17hen gianoed through It and then noted the date, and with a glad shout sprang fn•ward again. At his father's door Ai', es met and would have @topped him, but he pushed her aside with a Laugh and went stratght to the old man's room There IRs itiii F,lwn, weak from hie fainting fit, but little worse for it. "My son' My arm!" he cried out eagerly. -New can die In pence." "Die nothing'" exelalmed young Fben with a cheer y laugh. "ekod has sent you a grandson and a son to- night You'll have many a merry Christmas yet with me and mine," Anil so It was. A Better Plan. • Peddler—Hare In a little device wbleh will keep you from losing your lead pen - 311e. Wette—I've found A better &theme than that. 1 have quit lending them.—Naw York Journal. A THEATRE ('HR.iSTMAS. Three weeks before the holidays, and the outlook for a merry Christmas Was a gloomy one, at least so far as the members of the stock company of the I Jollity Theatre were concerned. Salary day had come and gone, and as yet the ghost had shown no disposition to walk, and It was because of the non- appearance of that most welcome epee - ter of etageland that the rumor had started and was rapidly gaining ground that Messrs. Hustle and Hardup, pro- prleters and managers of the Jollity Theatre. were "In a hole again." The piece which occupied the boards had proved a flat failure, and receipts at the box office hnd f t.:,I n In Conse- quence to a plane never before reached In the history of the house. Moreover, no new play had as yet been put In re- hearsal, and an atmosphere of unmin. takable gloom and apprehension per vaded the region behind the footlights and weighed heavily on the svelte of every line there, from Pearl Living- stone, the talented emotional actress who played the leading female parts, down to little Kitty Sullivan, who was only 7 years old and was In the depths of despair because for fully three week/ she had been out of the bill. In short, every member of the company Wan in a condition of mingled uncertainty and curiosity In regard to the future of the playhouse and the projects of Its mana- gers, who as yet had given no earn of their Intentions and hl(, In fact, been invisible to the members of their artis- tic staff ever tenet+ the Met day on which eateries became due. nese became au bad. "Are you sure It was Mr, Freelance. Tommy."" "Sure!" rejoined Tom, with empha- sis. "I seen him myself when he come Lt' "Then Tom, you be sure and see IR wee Mita telae teles as a mascot tulle lig Pa .111.0b ail hie ltentarkabls talepte whin A eatfs , tTt. Whets avant scene to brighten up at the nswe of his Presence In the theatre, fol? playtolk are notor- iously auperatttioue. and have an un- boundee and': Childlike teeth in the elle racy of e. malietit Ire wall es In the de- etruotvs giN4111.40 orf a "Jonah." Juan as the etlrt*tri tell on the geoend act Ur. lertteleelett RpPeared Debinte the scenes and resected the rapturous fruitiness Of the company. Them Miss Livingstone took ban by the arm, de- tached him from the'Uttle group which Surrounded bite, led him gently but firmly Into her dressing room, ptacetl him on her sine trunk, and standing before him with folded arms sold. "BIIIY, what's going to happen?" "My dear." replied Mr. Freelance. per��c�haelv�ely, "everything Is all rlghte lifeTijtist Left Kurile 1-'- live minutes to come back here and tell yeti so. IN e are going to put on a new pies•, and there's a part In It that's simply great —out of sight, In fact. We are not quite sure who'll be cast for the part, because It's a very Leavy emotional one, and If we put e, woman In it who didn't know how to read lines she would go all to pieces, and the bottom would drop out of the whole play. I thought I'd speak to you about It, because Hardup has caught a new 'angel' and Bald something to me about Kitty Bracebrldge"— "if that wolf puts her toot In this theatre"—began Miss Livingstone, but Mr. Freelance. interrupted her by Prue" Ing his hand over her mouth and say- ing "Walt for me atter the ourtaln gees down, Pearl, end 1'11 tall( to you about It. Shadrach's waiting In the ()MMae, and I've got to give him • ',Mlle so as to get the costumes out of him. but I'll be back here atter the last act." In spite of the storm outside and the inspiriting atmosphere within, the per- formance given that night by the Jol- lity stook company was a notaply brll- tient one, for the news had spread that there was to be a speedy change of bill, and hope wan once more In every mem- ber's breast. Mr. Freelance invited Miss Livingstone out to supper just as she va' on the point of declaring that ehe would not go on again unless she re- solved every cent of the back salary teat was due her, . nd Lenore they lett the restaurant she had meekly agreed to study the great emotional role which had been intended for Mies Bracebridge end to say nothing more about back eatery. The next morning, In accordance with t call posted in the stage entrance, the 'ompany assembled to hear the new play read by the gifted Mr. Freelance, and such was that gentleman's elocu- tionary power that when he laid the manuscript aside expreaelona that ringed from mere satisfaction to rap- ,uroue enthusiasm were heard on etery hand, and there was scarcely an ,e(or or actress present that did not r •,•I confident of a personal success In t')1' new production. The reading over, Mr. Freelance look Miss Livingstone, Mr. Borders and one lir two other rebellious aplrite aside, end, as he expressed 1t in a subsequent interview with 1L/r, Hardcastle, "stif- fened their backbones" with the assur once that everything was all right and that the piece was to be done on Christmas eve In order that they might have a really merry Christmas on the preeilects of its success. Atter that, he assured them, their back salaries would pout In upon them in a perfect aver lanche. As Mr, Freelance was leavin the Otero-- a' '." vTlls him when he comes out and tell him that I am parttoularty anxious to see him hack here as noon as the curtain goes down on th•• .econlaet. Here's a quarter for you, Tom, and you'd better keep it as a curiosity, for it's getting to be a very rare sort of bird In the Jollity Theatre preserves" "Thank you, mu.n." aid Tom, an he pocketed the ooln with a grin, "1 faney I see a gleans of light on the distant horizon," remarked the vener- able Mr. Borders In n tone similar to that which he nasumes In the great melodratna called "The Ocean Blue," In the scene In wb1Ch he Is discovered sitting on a raft In midocean on the lookout for a passing Rall. "In the meantime," he added, "1 think we had better wait and hear what Billy has to say before we take any further action In the matter." L'p to that moment they had taken no action whatever In the matter, but the phrase sounded well, and so Mr. Borders employed It. Now Mr. William Freelance, called by his Intimate/I Billy, was and le to- day, one of the best known figures In the theatrical nffalrn of the town. and. ■e every member of the stook company knew, he had on more than one pre - On this particular night, which hap- pened to be one of storm and rain, two or three pf the principal actors had gathered together for a sertoua talk about the situation, when Tom, the pro- gramme boy, appeared suddenly before them In an almost breathless condition and exclaimed: "Mr. Freelance is back f•om Chicago, He'e In the o"lce with Ale Hustle- They're esti both door@ to" ked!" "Mr. Freelance!" etlee Mira Living- stone, her face lighting up with joy precisely as It does to her seen In the second act, where her lover comes., bank from India, s. rtlher as It did ; light up In that seen* before the bust. "Lilt. Fghl91,A\1'1t Ie. vlous oreaAlon, Come to the rescue Of hilt old friends, Meagre. Hurtle and Hardup, and that. tau), when they were In even more deplorable flnanCla straits than they were at the preen moment c Amodio * the arc entrance. with i U haaa elltlXlttst lis that of Mr, `tewttt ,t MK* *Olt Cu ulna ane u she Welk*.. ed out Orb .eke stage, the Ideal, of gtJti' Ish tramline**, a murmur of dalt!;11t 11 threugh every part of ties arelwded house. "They're going to forecloses tie win - Sage on the old mill to -morrow night, and It that child twee 1 am a b *gree. Said the polished, etgarette•smoking latn, wad then a youngster in the Par- quet set up a pitiful howl of deepalr, which was followed by a general rlpptle n1 merriment that might have proved fatal to the piece, had not Kitty gone en with tier linea with the coolness and gravity of the torn and experienced artist, whleb she waw diaplaying there by a presence of mind which won for her, on her exit, the first real applause of the evening. Kitty BBtelivan was, es the eminent dramatic critic had 011ser'ved; an ofd, hand at the business. despite the fact that she Was but 7 years of age, for see 11x.4 leen *torso and brought tip on the stags, Sad Was as much at home In the preheat/ of a great audience as an orgiaixy Bits l/ before a nursery. As the Om want on. she reallxedathat she was ns•if111A' it hat—a far greater one than she bad ever made before—and. Young as *1ta weir she was enough of an *attire to appreciate tate Importance lit keee)e1ng a restraint on herself and not overdoing her role. She"Was leaking forward to a certain Hoene In the last act --a scene which she had rebeareei with much delight, and fn which she thinly expected to make a great Impression. Billy, who had been Waiting oath Homo anxiety for the same scene, came down and took a a at in a proscenium be: and as the child stood in the wings wafting for hor elle ehe saw him smiling encourage- ment to her. The scene represented a barren, wave-waalied rock near the coast of Ireland, and on this rock was standing the virtuous heroine, just where ,she tree ,been lett by the villain. The lieeste grew dim, the moon arose from bey st the scene, and the Phlla- deipl]lie •puartet, stationed behind the secrete wsrbied plaintive Irlah melody., "Must I die hers alone?" moaned the herolile, as the tide rose higher and higher about the rock on which she ntuod and hravy el uds began to gather above her bead. And just at fila mo- ment a rowboat. propelled by childish arms, came swiftly around the rocky point at the left of the stage, and Kitty Runlvan, throwing aside the oars, stood up In the boat with her foot on the prow and exclaimed In a clear, infantile treble, "I have car I to ,ave you for the sake of old Ireland!" Commonplace as it was, with Its old, well-worn melodramatto effects of soft Kitty Sullivan standing Dearne ntfit attar• toying In earnest toner, and with a erd, wistful face, "I .}ly, isn't there any ?'art for me In the new piece?" The child called hen by re's that name because she had always heard him spoken to in that way by other mem- bers of the company, and Billy rather encouraged her In the Idea, because It sounded funny to him to hear himself addressed In such familiar terms by an Infant of her size. Kitty wan a veritable child of the avant scene, and had been an actress from her very earliest Infancy.- She was now about 7 years of age, and was Just beginning to comprehend the dif- ference between the real things of life, such as houses, trees and streets, ani the painted Intitatione bt atagetand. And yet it was only two years and .t half ago that she beheld the ocean tot the first time, and it is related of he. that on that a•caaton she ntood w'!tit Billy's hand tightly clasped in hers, watching the waves an they broke uton the beach, and finally turned to her companion and said In her serious way, "B111y, how do they work 'em?" And now she wan here beside her old ft -tend, with her small, pathetic face upturned, and inquiring earnestly If there was a role fur her In "The Olant's Causeway.' ^lie,' here, Kitty," exclaimed Mr. Fr, elanee, touched i y (h. ehl'c''s grief, "1'11 tell you what 1'11 do for you, and what's more, I wouldn't do It for anY one else In the company. Are you Its- tening?" "Yea," said Kitty, turning her head around, "Well, I'll write in a part npeclohy for you, and therm something that an author like Sardou or myself rarely does for anyone, except a Bernhardt or a Duse. Now run along, and be here to -morrow at I1 for rehearsal." The child darted away, wiping' the last tear from her cheek as she ran, and Barney said approvingly, "'that's the beat deed you'll ever do In your life, Mr. Freelance. and, mark my word.. the child'!l bring good luck to the housew," HoBilly succeeded In persuading the economieal Hardup that the piece wcutd prove a failure unless a r illi were Introduced Into It, and hoe he rontrk ed to write the part In ror her that very night. are nmltere that had Lent be left to eon!., tur • but the very next day Kitty re, elved the typewritten Copy of her ane. and rehearsals of "The (Ilan!'. I'neeeway•' were carried forward under Mr Freelance'. dlrae• lion with the energy and spirit that meek sal of t' at gentleman's •'ndSt taking.. The opening night. flee 24, found the houee well fill d with an audl'nee whi.h made a favorable Impression on the venerable Mr herders os he looked out thro0ah the peephole .n the curtain, while behind the to, flights feverish ex- citement and ant ielpet ion prevailed. An for Kitty. she had become aro - n R'rollght up over her n,1, (h longest one she hnd ever been Intrusted with -- that alto Reamed In oang• , of loving her vlines that she hnd, t v diligent t*udy. Cramfned tato het small head. She wall QJ KITTY MAKES A HIT. music and moonlight, n: ertheleee the situation had taken a strong hold on title audience, and the a olden appear- ateee of the sweet-faced child, who had charmed everyone during the earlier portions of tho play, sent a distinct thrill through the entire house, and then canto such an outburst of spon- taneous applause as had not been heard In the Jollity Theatre for many a year. Even Billy Freelance felt a touch of a magnetic current wl"1 whirl the at- mosphere was charged, and might ha"e been heard to remark half audibly. "The kid's knocked 'em good this time, sure, for a thing's got to he good if it gets ale." And as the audience dispersed that night It seemed e, Mr Freelance, as he at 041 alert and wat'ehfut In the lob• by, that then' was but one name cm every tongue, and that Kitty's sweet face and Infantile art had made their way Into the very heart of an always Prkle pnWla "You were right about her, Billy," said llardtlp. "I told you the young one woubl bring us good tuck," Wald ofd Barney at the Stage door. "The idea of making such a funs over It 7 -year-old brat! That oho, 1 What art 19 coming to In file country' exclaimed Miss I,Ivingstone, an she swept through the drafty passage, leaving an odor of senlekln, tube roses and rachet p der behind her The member. of the stock company had their Christmas dinner In the wardrobe room betwe e the matinee and the evening per mance, M,'sa•a- r/u.tle and Hardup f • ling the bill end Mr. Freelance preetdleg, with Mies Pearl Livingtttune on his right hand and the venerable )8r it ,rdere on his left. And it Is a matter of record that no toast offered that .•c ening was drunk with heartier aptluuse than wit, the one proposed by )ir Freelance to Kitty 6tell. an, "the m' 01 of the Jo1Ilty 'theatre and the 1.. ruder of this feast.' t-hrt{tmaa 1,.-e rattan is Italy Store attention bt paid to Christmas decoration of t1,.• churches In Italy perhaps than le any other country, On Christmas eve the young men and wot'ru'n assemble at the churches end spend their hours In making them hewatlfuL At anldnlght a mase la said, and after this a toothsome collation tie served to the youthful workers and there Is singing and p:ayli g upon musical tnstrttmenta 1te Plereeesate For His. "What you r.adin, Samuel?" •" 'Platar b. lives,' dad." "Say it again." " 'Platarekes Lyrae.' " "Yens put dat book right down, son. Ictal you know dem plutarchs Is de wrist enemies 011 lar country's got/ Date Sleet, boy. Et it wasn't ter de mill'on• alese and de trusts an 1 de Out/eche we all aught be gleno s eh an happy. So don't you read lie stir t of dat book, eon— not aaudde • 11 tit." —Cleveland Plain Dealer.