diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:51:17 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 04:51:17 -0700 |
| commit | a6d2c41ae5aea156296932f81ea38e5ecae8e350 (patch) | |
| tree | 21e7ff9227c96b6ec8a6660a192e3ffb1d174e78 | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17510-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 170253 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17510-h/17510-h.htm | 2050 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17510-h/images/candle.png | bin | 0 -> 1825 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17510-h/images/cover-new.jpg | bin | 0 -> 49901 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17510-h/images/illus-01-new.jpg | bin | 0 -> 82859 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17510.txt | 1767 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 17510.zip | bin | 0 -> 32917 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
10 files changed, 3833 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/17510-h.zip b/17510-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f41ab43 --- /dev/null +++ b/17510-h.zip diff --git a/17510-h/17510-h.htm b/17510-h/17510-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..8448a48 --- /dev/null +++ b/17510-h/17510-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,2050 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta name="generator" content="HTML Tidy, see www.w3.org" /> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content= +"text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of When the Yule Log Burns, by +Leona Dalrymple.</title> +<style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + visibility: hidden; + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + .sidenote {width: 20%; padding-bottom: .5em; padding-top: .5em; + padding-left: .5em; padding-right: .5em; margin-left: 1em; + float: right; clear: right; margin-top: 1em; + font-size: smaller; color: black; background: #eeeeee; border: dashed 1px;} + + .bb {border-bottom: solid 2px;} + .bl {border-left: solid 2px;} + .bt {border-top: solid 2px;} + .br {border-right: solid 2px;} + .bbox {border: solid 2px;} + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + .figleft {float: left; clear: left; margin-left: 0; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-top: + 1em; margin-right: 1em; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .figright {float: right; clear: right; margin-left: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; + margin-top: 1em; margin-right: 0; padding: 0; text-align: center;} + + .footnotes {border: dashed 1px;} + .footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + .footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + .fnanchor {vertical-align: super; font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem span.i0 {display: block; margin-left: 0em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem span.i4 {display: block; margin-left: 4em; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + +</style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of When the Yule Log Burns, by Leona Dalrymple + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: When the Yule Log Burns + A Christmas Story + +Author: Leona Dalrymple + +Release Date: January 13, 2006 [EBook #17510] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHEN THE YULE LOG BURNS *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Suzanne Shell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + +<p class="center"><img src="images/cover-new.jpg" alt= +"The Book Cover" /></p> + +<p><br /> +</p> + +<hr style="width: 90%;" /> +<h1>When the Yule Log Burns</h1> + +<h2>A Christmas Story</h2> + +<hr style="width: 30%;" /> +<h3>By Leona Dalrymple</h3> + +<h4>Author of "Uncle Noah's Christmas Party," etc.</h4> + +<hr style="width: 30%;" /> +<p class="center"><img src="images/candle.png" alt= +"candle image" /></p> + +<h4>New York</h4> + +<h4>Robert M. McBride & Company</h4> + +<h4>1916</h4> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h4>Copyright, 1916, by <span class="smcap">Robert M. McBride & +Co.</span></h4> + +<h4>Published November, 1916</h4> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>CONTENTS</h2> + +<h2><br /> +PART I</h2> + +<h2>IN WHICH WE LIGHT A YULE-LOG</h2> + +<h3><br /> +<a href="#I">I <span class="smcap">Kindlings</span></a><br /> +<br /> +<a href="#II">II <span class="smcap">Wishing +Sparks</span></a><br /> +<br /> +<a href="#III">III <span class="smcap">By the Fire</span></a><br /> +<br /> +<a href="#IV">IV <span class="smcap">Embers</span></a></h3> + +<h2><br /> +<br /> +<br /> +<br /> +PART II</h2> + +<h2>IN WHICH WE LIGHT THE NEW LOG WITH THE EMBERS OF THE OLD</h2> + +<h3><br /> +<a href="#Part_Two">I <span class="smcap">The Fire +Again</span></a><br /> +<br /> +<a href="#II2">II <span class="smcap">It Blazes +Higher</span></a><br /> +<br /> +<a href="#III2">III <span class="smcap">The Log at +Dawn</span></a><br /> +<br /> +<a href="#IV2">IV <span class="smcap">The Log at +Twilight</span></a><br /> +</h3> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>Part One</h2> + +<h2>In Which We Light a Yule Log</h2> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2>When the Yule Log Burns</h2> + +<h2><br /> +<a name="I" id="I"></a>I</h2> + +<p class="center"><img src="images/illus-01-new.jpg" alt= +"Dr.'s House" /></p> + +<h2>Kindlings</h2> + +<p><br /> +Polly, the Doctor's old white mare, plodded slowly along the snowy +country road by the picket fence, and turned in at the snow-capped +posts. Ahead, roofed with the ragged ermine of a newly-fallen snow, +the Doctor's old-fashioned house loomed gray-white through the +snow-fringed branches of the trees, a quaint iron lantern, which +was picturesque by day and luminous and cheerful by night, hanging +within the square, white-pillared portico at the side. That the +many-paned, old-fashioned window on the right framed the snow-white +head of Aunt Ellen Leslie, the Doctor's wife, the old Doctor +himself was comfortably aware—for his kindly eyes missed +nothing.</p> + +<p>He could have told you with a reflective stroke of his grizzled +beard that the snow had stopped but an hour since, and that now +through the white and heavy lacery of branches to the west glowed +the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg +9]</a></span> flame-gold of a winter sunset, glinting ruddily over +the box-bordered brick walk, the orchard and the comfortable barn +which snugly housed his huddled cattle; that the grasslands to the +south were thickly blanketed in white; that beyond in the evergreen +forest the stately pines and cedars were marvelously draped and +coiffed in snow. For the old Doctor loved these things of Nature as +he loved the peace and quiet of his home.</p> + +<p>So, as he turned in at the driveway and briskly resigned the +care of Polly to old Asher, his seamed and wrinkled helper, the +Doctor's eyes were roving now to a corner, snug beneath a tattered +rug of snow, where by summer Aunt Ellen's petunias and phlox and +larkspur grew—and now to the rose-bushes ridged in down, and +at last to his favorite winter nook, a thicket of black alders +freighted with a wealth of berries. How crimson they were amid the +white quiet of the garden! And the brightly colored fruit of the +barberry flamed forth from a snowy bush like the cheerful elf-lamps +of a wood-gnome.</p> + +<p>There was equal cheer and color in the old-fashioned +sitting-room to which the Doctor presently made his way, for a wood +fire roared with a winter gleam and crackle in the fireplace and +Aunt Ellen Leslie rocked slowly back and forth by the window with a +letter in her hand.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id= +"Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Another letter!" exclaimed the Doctor, warming his hands before +the blazing log. "God bless my soul, Ellen, we're becoming a +nuisance to Uncle Sam!" But for all the brisk cheeriness of his +voice he was furtively aware that Aunt Ellen's brown eyes were a +little tearful, and presently crossing the room to her side, he +gently drew the crumpled letter from her hand and read it.</p> + +<p>"So John's not coming home for Christmas either, eh?" he said at +last. "Well, now, that <i>is</i> too bad! Now, now, <i>now</i>, +mother," as Aunt Ellen surreptitiously wiped her glasses, "we +should feel proud to have such busy children. There's Ellen and +Margaret and Anne with a horde of youngsters to make a Christmas +for, and John—bless your heart, Ellen, <i>there's</i> a busy +man! A broker now is one of the very busiest of men! And what with +John's kiddies and his beautiful society wife and that grand +Christmas eve ball he mentions—why—" the Doctor cleared +his throat,—"why, dear me, it's not to be wondered at, say I! +And Philip and Howard—busy as—as—as architects +and lawyers usually are at Christmas," he finished lamely. "As for +Ralph—" the Doctor looked away—"well, Ralph hasn't +spent a Christmas home since college days."</p> + +<p>"It will be the first Christmas we ever spent without some of +them home," ventured Aunt Ellen, biting<span class='pagenum'><a +name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> her lip +courageously, whereupon the old Doctor patted her shoulder gently +with a cheery word of advice.</p> + +<p>Now, there was something in the touch of the old Doctor's broad +and gentle hand that always soothed, wherefore Aunt Ellen presently +wiped her troublesome glasses again and bravely tried to smile, and +the Doctor making a vast and altogether cheerful to-do about +turning the blazing log, began a brisk description of his day. It +had ended, professionally, at a lonely little house in the heart of +the forest, which Jarvis Hildreth, dying but a scant year since, +had bequeathed to his orphaned children, Madge and Roger.</p> + +<p>"And, Ellen," finished the Doctor, soberly, "there he sits by +the window, day by day, poor lame little lad!—staring away so +wistfully at the forest, and Madge, bless her brave young +heart!—she bastes and stitches and sews away, all the while +weaving him wonderful yarns about the pines and cedars to amuse +him—all out of her pretty head, mind you! A lame brother and +a passion for books—" said the Doctor, shaking his head, "a +poor inheritance for the lass. They worry me a lot, Ellen, for +Madge looks thin and tired, and to-day—" the Doctor cleared +his throat, "I think she had been crying."</p> + +<p>"Crying!" exclaimed Aunt Ellen, her kindly<span class= +'pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> brown +eyes warm with sympathy. "Dear, dear!—And Christmas only +three days off! Why, John, dear, we must have them over here for +Christmas. To be sure! And we'll have a tree for little Roger and a +Christmas masquerade and such a wonderful Christmas altogether as +he's never known before!" And Aunt Ellen, with the all-embracing +motherhood of her gentle heart aroused, fell to planning a +Christmas for Madge and Roger Hildreth that would have gladdened +the heart of the Christmas saint himself.</p> + +<p>Face aglow, the old Doctor bent and patted his wife's wrinkled +hand.</p> + +<p>"Why, Ellen," he confessed, warmly, "it's the thing I most +desired! Dear me, it's a very strange thing indeed, my dear, how +often we seem to agree. I'll hitch old Billy to the sleigh and go +straight after them now while Annie's getting supper!" And at that +instant one glance at Aunt Ellen Leslie's fine old face, framed in +the winter firelight which grew brighter as the checkerboard window +beside her slowly purpled, would have revealed to the veriest tyro +why the Doctor's patients liked best to call her "Aunt" Ellen.</p> + +<p>So, with a violent jingle of sleigh-bells, the Doctor presently +shot forth again into the white and quiet world, and as he went, +gliding swiftly past the ghostly spruces by the roadside, oddly +enough, despite his cheerful justification to Aunt Ellen, he +was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg +13]</a></span> fiercely rebelling at the defection of his children. +John and his lovely wife might well have foregone their fashionable +ball. And Howard and Philip—their holiday-keeping +Metropolitan clubs were shallow artificialities surely compared +with a home-keeping reunion about the Yule log. As for the children +of Anne and Ellen and Margaret—well, the Doctor could just +tell those daughters of his that their precious youngsters liked a +country Christmas best—he <i>knew</i> they did!—not the +complex, steam-heated hot-house off-shoot of that rugged flower of +simpler times when homes were further apart, but a country +Christmas of keen, crisp cold and merry sleigh-bells, of rosy +cheeks and snow-balls, of skating on the Deacon's pond and a +jubilant hour after around the blazing wood-fire: a Christmas, in +short, such as the old Doctor himself knew and loved, of simplicity +and sympathy and home-keeping heartiness!</p> + +<p>And then—there was Ralph—but here the Doctor's face +grew very stern. Wild tales came to him at times of this youngest +and most gifted of his children—tales of intemperate living +interlarded with occasional tales of brilliant surgical achievement +on the staff of St. Michael's. For the old Doctor had guided the +steps of his youngest son to the paths of medicine with a great +hope, long abandoned.</p> + +<p>Ah—well! The Doctor sighed, abruptly turn<span class= +'pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span>ing his +thoughts to Madge and Roger. They at least should know the +heart-glow of a real Christmas! A masquerade party of his neighbors +Christmas eve, perhaps, such as Aunt Ellen had suggested, and a +Yule-log—but now it was, in the midst of his Christmas plans, +that a daring notion flashed temptingly through the Doctor's head, +was banished with a shrug and flashed again, whereupon with his +splendid capacity for prompt decision, the Doctor suddenly wheeled +old Billy about and went sleighing in considerable excitement into +the village whence a host of night-telegrams went singing over the +busy wires to startle eventually a slumbering conscience or so. And +presently when the Doctor drew up with a flourish before the lonely +little house among the forest pines, his earlier depression had +vanished.</p> + +<p>So with a prodigious stamping of snow from his feet and a +cheerful wave of his mittened hand to the boy by the window, the +Doctor bustled cheerily indoors and with kindly eyes averted from +the single tell-tale sauce-pan upon the fire, over which Madge +Hildreth had bent with sudden color, fell to bustling about with a +queer lump in his throat and talking ambiguously of Aunt Ellen's +Christmas orders, painfully conscious that the girl's dark face had +grown pitifully white and tense and that Roger's wan little face +was glowing. And when the fire was damped by the Doctor himself, +and his Christmas guests<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id= +"Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> hustled into dazed, protesting +readiness, the Doctor deftly muffled the thin little fellow in +blankets and gently carried him out to the waiting sleigh with arms +that were splendid and sturdy and wonderfully reassuring.</p> + +<p>"There, there, little man!" he said cheerfully, "we've not hurt +the poor lame leg once, I reckon. And now we'll just help Sister +Madge blow out the lamp and lock the door and be off to Aunt +Ellen!"</p> + +<p>But, strangely enough, the Doctor halted abruptly in the doorway +and turned his kindly eyes away to the shadowy pines. And Sister +Madge, on her knees by Roger's bed, sobbing and praying in an agony +of relief, presently blew out the lamp herself and wiped her eyes. +For nights among the whispering pines are sleepless and long when +work is scarce and Christmas hovers with cold, forbidding eyes over +the restless couch of a dear and crippled brother.<span class= +'pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="II" id="II"></a>II</h2> + +<h2>Wishing Sparks</h2> + +<p><br /> +Round the Doctor's house frolicked the brisk, cold wind of a +Christmas eve, boisterously rattling the luminous checkerboard +windows and the Christmas wreaths, tormenting the cheerful flame in +the old iron lantern and whisking away the snow from the shivering +elms, whistling eerily down the Doctor's chimney to startle a +strange little cripple by the Doctor's fire, who, queerly enough, +would not be startled.</p> + +<p>For to Roger there had never been a wind so Christmasy, or a +fire so bright and warm, and his solemn black eyes glowed! Never a +wealth of holly and barberry and alder-berries so crimson as that +which rimmed the snug old house in Christmas flame! Never such +evergreen wreaths, for, tucked up here in this very chair by Aunt +Ellen, he had made them all himself of boughs from the evergreen +forest! And never surely such enticing odors as had floated out for +the last two days from old Annie's pots and pans as she baked and +roasted and boiled and stewed in endless preparation for Christmas +day and the Christmas eve party, scolding away betimes in in<span +class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg +17]</a></span>dignant whispers at old Asher, who, by reason of a +chuckling air of mystery, was in perpetual disgrace.</p> + +<p>Wonderful days indeed for Roger, with Sister Madge's smooth, +pale cheeks catching the flaring scarlet of the holly, and Sister +Madge's slim and willing fingers so busy hanging boughs that she +had forgotten to sigh; with motherly Aunt Ellen so warmly intent +upon Roger's comfort and plans for the masquerade that many a +mysterious and significant occurrence slipped safely by her kindly +eyes; and with the excited Doctor's busy sleigh jingling so +hysterically about on secret errands and his kindly face so full of +boyish mystery that Roger, with the key to all this Christmas +intrigue locked safely in his heart, had whispered a shy little +warning in the culprit's attentive ear.</p> + +<p>And presently—Roger caught his breath and furtively eyed +the grandfather's clock, ticking boastfully through a welter of +holly—presently it would be time for the Doctor's masquerade, +and later, when the clock struck twelve and the guests unmasked, +that great surprise which the doctor had planned so carefully by +telegram!</p> + +<p>But now from the kitchen came the sound of the Doctor +singing:</p> + +<p><span style="margin-left: 9.5em;">"Come bring with a +noise,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 9em;">My merry, merry boys,</span><br /> +<span style="margin-left: 10em;">The Christmas log to the +firing!"</span><br /> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg +18]</a></span></p> + +<p>Roger clapped his thin little hands with a cry of delight, for +old Asher and the Doctor were bringing in the Yule-log to light it +presently with the charred remains of the Christmas log of a year +ago. To-morrow another Yule-log would crackle and blaze and shower +on the hearth, for the old Doctor molded a custom to suit his +fancy. And here was Annie splendidly aproned in white, following +them in, and Aunt Ellen in a wonderful old brown-gold brocade +disinterred for the doctor's party from a lavender-sweet cedar +chest in the garret. And <i>Sister Madge</i>!—Roger +stared—radiant in old-fashioned crimson satin and holly, +colorful foils indeed for her night-black hair and eyes! As for the +doctor himself, Roger now began to realize that with his powdered +wig, his satin breeches and gaily-flowered waistcoat—to say +nothing of silken hose and silver buckles—he was by far the +most gorgeous figure of them all!</p> + +<p>"I," said the doctor presently, striking the burning Yule-log +until the golden sparks flew out, "I charge thee, log, to burn out +old wrongs and heart-burnings!" and then, in accordance with a +cherished custom of his father's he followed the words with a wish +for the good of his household.</p> + +<p>"And I," said old Asher as he struck the log, "I wish for the +good of the horses and cows and all the other live things and," +with a terrific chuckle<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id= +"Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> of mystery, "I wish for things aplenty +<i>this</i> night."</p> + +<p>"And I," said old Annie, with a terrible look at her imprudent +spouse as she took the poker, "I wish for the harvest—and wit +for them that lack it!"</p> + +<p>But Roger had the poker now, his black eyes starry.</p> + +<p>"I—I wish for more kind hearts like Aunt Ellen's and the +Doctor's," he burst forth with a strangled sob as the sparks +showered gold, "for more—more sisters like Sister +Madge—" his voice quivered and broke—"and for—for +all boys who cannot walk and run—" but Sister Madge's arm was +already around his shoulders and the old Doctor was patting his +arm—wherefore he smiled bravely up at them through glistening +tears.</p> + +<p>"Now, now, now, little lad!" reminded the Doctor, "it's +Christmas eve!" Whereupon he drew a chair to the fire and began a +wonderful Christmas tale about St. Boniface and Thunder Oak and the +first Christmas tree. A wonderful old Doctor this—reflected +Roger wonderingly. He knew so many different things—how to +scare away tears and all about mistletoe and Druids, and still +another story about a fir tree which Roger opined respectfully was +nothing like so good as Sister Madge's story of the Cedar King who +stood outside his window.</p> + +<p>"Very likely not!" admitted the Doctor gravely.<span class= +'pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I've nothing like the respect for Mr. Hans Andersen myself that +I have for Sister Madge."</p> + +<p>"I thought," ventured Roger shyly, slipping his hand suddenly +into the Doctor's, "that Doctors only knew how to cure folks!"</p> + +<p>"Bless your heart, laddie," exclaimed the Doctor, considerably +staggered; "they know too little of that, I fear. My conscience!" +as the grandfather's clock came into the conversation with a +throaty boom, "it's half-past seven!" and from then on Roger +noticed the Doctor was uneasy, presently opining, with a prodigious +"Hum!" that Aunt Ellen looked mighty pale and tired and that he for +one calculated a little sleigh ride would brace her up for the +party. This Aunt Ellen immediately flouted and the Doctor was +eventually forced to pathetic and frequent reference to his own +great need of air.</p> + +<p>"Very well, my dear," said Aunt Ellen mildly, striving politely +to conceal her opinion of his mental health, "I'll go, since you +feel so strongly about it, but a sleigh ride in such a wind and +such clothes when one is expecting party guests—" but the +relieved Doctor was already bundling the brown-gold brocade into a +fur-lined coat and furtively winking at Roger! Thus it was that +even as the Doctor's sleigh flew merrily by the Deacon's pond, far +across the snowy fields to the north gleamed the lights of the 7:52 +rushing noisily into the village.<span class='pagenum'><a name= +"Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="III" id="III"></a>III</h2> + +<h2>By the Fire</h2> + +<p><br /> +How it was that the old Doctor somehow lost his way on roads he had +traveled since boyhood was a matter of exceeding mystery and +annoyance to Aunt Ellen, but lose it he did. By the time he found +it and jogged frantically back home, the old house was already +aswarm with masked, mysterious guests and old Asher with a lantern +was peering excitedly up the road. Holly-trimmed sleighs full of +merry neighbors in disguise were dashing gaily up—and in the +midst of all the excitement the Doctor miraculously discovered his +own mask and Aunt Ellen's in the pocket of his great-coat. So +hospitable Aunt Ellen, considerably perturbed that so many of her +guests had arrived in her absence—an absence carefully +planned by the Doctor—betook herself to the masquerade, and +the Christmas party began with bandits and minstrels and jesters +and all sorts of queer folk flitting gaily about the house. They +paid gallant court to Roger in his great chair by the fire and +presently began to present for his approval an impromptu Mummer's +play.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg +22]</a></span></p> + +<p>And now the lights were all out and a masked and courtly old +gentleman in satin breeches was standing in the bright firelight +pouring brandy into a giant bowl of raisins; and now he was +gallantly bowing to Roger himself who was plainly expected to +assist with a lighted match. He did this with trembling fingers and +eyes so big and black and eloquent that the Doctor cleared his +throat; and as the leaping flames from the snapdragon bowl flashed +weirdly over the bizarre company in the shadows. Roger, eagerly +watching them snatch the raisins from the fire, fell to trembling +in an ecstasy of delight. Presently a slender arm in a crimson +sleeve, whose wearer was never very far from Roger's chair, slipped +quietly about his shoulders and held him very tight. So, an endless +round of merry Christmas games until, deep and mellow came at last +the majestic boom of the grandfather's clock striking twelve and +with it a hearty babel of Christmas greetings as the Doctor, +smiling significantly down into Roger's excited eyes, gave the +signal to unmask.</p> + +<p>By the fire a mysterious little knot of guests had been silently +gathering, and now as Aunt Ellen Leslie removed her mask, hand and +mask halted in mid-air as if fixed by the stare of Medusa, and the +face above the brown-gold brocade flamed crimson. For here in +Puritan garb was John Leslie, Jr., and his radiant wife—and +Philip and Howard, smiling Quakers,<span class='pagenum'><a name= +"Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> and Anne and Margaret and +Ellen with a trio of husbands, and beyond a laughing jester in cap +and bells, whose dark, handsome face was a little too reckless and +tired about the eyes, Roger thought, for a really happy Christmas +guest—young Doctor Ralph.</p> + +<p>As Aunt Ellen's startled eyes swept slowly from the smiling +faces of her children to the proud and chuckling Doctor who had +spent Heaven knows how many dollars in telegraphed +commands—she laughed a little and cried a little and then +mingled the two so queerly that she needs must wipe her eyes and +catch at Roger's chair for support, whereupon a kindly little hand +slipped suddenly into hers and Roger looked up and smiled +serenely.</p> + +<p>"Don't cry, Aunt Ellen!" he begged shyly. "I knew all about it +too and the Doctor—<i>he</i> did it all!"</p> + +<p>"And merry fits he gave us all by telegram, too, mother!" +exclaimed Philip with a grin.</p> + +<p>"Moreover," broke in John, patting his mother's shoulder, "there +are eleven kids packed away upstairs like sardines—we hid 'em +away while dad and you were lost, and—" but here with a +deafening racket the stairs door burst wide open and with a swoop +and a scream eleven pajama-ed young bandits with starry eyes bore +down upon Aunt Ellen and the Doctor.<span class='pagenum'><a name= +"Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Great Scott!" exclaimed John, thoroughly scandalized, "you +disgraceful kids! Which one of you stirred this up?" But the guilty +face at the tail of the romping procession was the face of old +Asher.</p> + +<p>Radiantly triumphant the old Doctor swung little John Leslie 3rd +to his shoulder and faced his laughing family and as old Annie +appeared with a steaming tray—he seized a mug of cider and +held it high aloft.</p> + +<p>"To the ruddy warmth of the Christmas log and the Christmas home +spirit—" he cried—"to the home-keeping hearts of the +country-side! Gentlemen—I give you—A Country home and a +Country Christmas! May more good folk come to know them!" And +little John Leslie cried hoarsely—</p> + +<p>"Hooray, grandpop, hooray for a Country Christmas!"</p> + +<p>Carelessly alive to the merry spirit of the night, the jester +presently adjusted a flute which hung from his shoulder by a +scarlet cord and lazily piping a Christmas air, wandered to another +room—to come suddenly upon a forgotten playmate of his +boyhood days.</p> + +<p>"It—it can't be!" he reflected in startled interest. "It +surely can't be Madge Hildreth!"</p> + +<p>But Madge Hildreth it surely was, spreading the satin folds of +his grandmother's crimson gown in<span class='pagenum'><a name= +"Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> mocking courtesy. +Moreover it was not the awkward, ragged elfish little gipsy who had +tormented his debonair boyhood with her shy ardent worship of +himself and his daring exploits, but instead a winsome vision of +Christmas color and Christmas cheer, holly-red of cheek, with +flashes of scarlet holly in her night black hair and eyes whose +unfathomable dusk reflected no single hint of that old, wild +worship slumbering still in the girl's rebellious heart.</p> + +<p>"And the symbolism of this stunning make-up?" queried Ralph +after a while, lazily admiring.</p> + +<p>The girl's eyes flashed.</p> + +<p>"To-night, if you please," she said, "I am the spirit of the +old-fashioned Christmas who dwells in the holly heart of the +evergreen wood. A <i>country</i> Christmas, ruddy-cheeked and +cheerful and rugged like the winter holly—simple and +old-fashioned and hallowed with memories like this bright soft +crimson gown!"</p> + +<p>Well, she had been a queer, fanciful youngster too, Doctor Ralph +remembered, always passionately aquiver with a wild sylvan poetry +and over-fond of book-lore like her father. Mischievously glancing +at a spray of mistletoe above the girl's dark head, he stepped +forward with the careless gallantry that had won him many a kindly +glance from pretty eyes and was strangely to fail him now. For at +the look in Madge's calm eyes, he drew back, stammering.<span +class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg +26]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I—I beg your pardon!" said Doctor Ralph.</p> + +<p>Later as he stood thoughtfully by his bedroom window, staring +queerly at the wind-beaten elms, he found himself repeating Madge +Hildreth's words. "Ruddy-cheeked and rugged and +cheerful!"—indeed—this unforgettable Christmas eve. +Yes—she was right. Had he not often heard his father say that +the Christmas season epitomized all the rugged sympathy and +heartiness and health of the country year! To-night the blazing +Yule-log, his mother's face—how white her hair was growing, +thought Doctor Ralph with a sudden tightening of his +throat—all of these memories had strummed forgotten and finer +chords. And darkly foiling the homely brightness came the picture +of rushing, overstrung, bundle-laden city crowds, of shop-girls +white and weary, of store-heaps of cedar and holly sapped by +electric glare. Rush and strain and worry—yes—and a +spirit of grudging! How unlike the Christmas peace of this white, +wind-world outside his window! So Doctor Ralph went to bed with a +sigh and a shrug—to listen while the sleety boughs tapping at +his windows roused ghostly phantoms of his boyhood. Falling asleep, +he dreamt that pretty Madge Hildreth had lightly waved a Christmas +wand of crimson above his head and dispelled his weariness and +discontent.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg +27]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="IV" id="IV"></a>IV</h2> + +<h2>Embers</h2> + +<p><br /> +And in the morning—there was the royal glitter of a Christmas +ice-storm to bring boyhood memories crowding again, boughs sheathed +in crystal armor and the old barn roof aglaze with ice. +Yes—Ralph thrilled—and there were the Christmas bunches +of oats on the fences and trees and the roof of the barn—how +well he remembered! For the old Doctor loved this Christmas custom +too and never forgot the Christmas birds. And to-day—why of +course—there would be double allowances of food for the +cattle and horses, for old Toby the cat and Rover the dog. Hadn't +Ralph once performed this cherished Christmas task himself!</p> + +<p>But now, clamoring madly at his door was a romping swarm of +youngsters eager to show Uncle Ralph the Christmas tree which, +though he had helped to trim it the night before, he inspected in +great surprise. And here in his chair by another Yule-log he found +Roger, staring wide-eyed at the glittering tree with his thin +little arms full of Christmas gifts. Near him was Sister Madge +whose black eyes, Ralph<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id= +"Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span> saw with approval, were very soft and +gentle, and beyond in the coffee-fragrant dining-room Aunt Ellen +and old Annie conspired together over a mammoth breakfast table +decked with holly.</p> + +<p>"Oh, John, dear," Ralph heard his mother say as the Doctor came +in, "I've always said that Christmas is a mother's day. Wasn't the +first Christmas a mother's Christmas and the very first +tree—a mother's tree?" and then the Doctor's scandalized +retort—"Now—now, now, see here, Mother Ellen, it's a +father's day, too, don't you forget that!"</p> + +<p>And so on to the Christmas twilight through a day of romping +youngsters and blazing Yule-logs, of Christmas gifts and Christmas +greetings—of a haunting shame for Doctor Ralph at the memory +of the wild Christmas he had planned to spend with Griffin and +Edwards.</p> + +<p>With the coming of the broad shadows which lay among the stiff, +ice-fringed spruces like iris velvet, Doctor Ralph's nieces and +nephews went flying out to help old Asher feed the stock. By the +quiet fire the Doctor beckoned Ralph.</p> + +<p>"Suppose, my boy," he said, "suppose you take a look at the +little lad's leg here. I've sometimes wondered what you would think +of it."</p> + +<p>Coloring a little at his father's deferential tone Ralph turned +the stocking back from the pitiful shrunken limb and bent over it, +his dark face keen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id= +"Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> and grave. And now with the surgeon +uppermost, Roger fancied Doctor Ralph's handsome eyes were nothing +like so tired. Save for the crackle of the fire and the tick of the +great clock, there was silence in the firelit room and presently +Roger caught something in Doctor Ralph's thoughtful face that made +his heart leap wildly.</p> + +<p>"An operation," said the young Doctor suddenly—and halted, +meeting his father's eyes significantly.</p> + +<p>"You are sure!" insisted the old Doctor slowly. "In my day, it +was impossible—quite impossible."</p> + +<p>"Times change," said the younger man. "I have performed such an +operation successfully myself. I feel confident, sir—" but +Roger had caught his hand now with a sob that echoed wildly through +the quiet room.</p> + +<p>"Oh, Doctor Ralph," he blurted with blazing, agonized eyes, "you +don't—you can't mean, sir, that I'll walk and run like other +boys—and—and climb the Cedar King—" his voice +broke in a passionate fit of weeping.</p> + +<p>"Yes," said Doctor Ralph, huskily, "I mean just that. Dad and I, +little man, we're going to do what we can."</p> + +<p>By the window Sister Madge buried her face in her hands.</p> + +<p>"Come, come, now Sister Madge," came the Doctor's kindly voice a +little later, "you've cried enough,<span class='pagenum'><a name= +"Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> lass. Roger is fretting +about you and Doctor Ralph here, he says he's going to take you for +a little sleigh-ride if you'll honor him by going."</p> + +<p>Outside a Christmas moon rode high above a sparkling ice-bright +world and as the sleigh shot away into its quiet glory, Ralph, +meeting the dark, tear-bright eyes of Sister Madge, tucked the +robes closer about her with a hand that shook a little.</p> + +<p>"'Gipsy' Hildreth!" he said suddenly, smiling, but the hated +nickname to-night was almost a caress. "Tell me," Ralph's voice was +very grave—"You've been sewing? Mother spoke of it."</p> + +<p>"There was nothing else," said Sister Madge. "I could not leave +Roger."</p> + +<p>"And now Mother wants you to stay on with her. You—you'll +do that?"</p> + +<p>"She is very lonely," said Madge uncertainly and Ralph bit his +lip.</p> + +<p>"Mother lonely!" he said. "She didn't tell me that."</p> + +<p>"Roger is wild to stay," went on Madge, looking away—"but +I—oh—I fear it is only their wonderful kindness. Still +there's the Doctor's rheumatism—and he does need some one to +keep his books."</p> + +<p>"Rheumatism!" said Ralph sharply.</p> + +<p>"Yes," nodded Madge in surprise—"didn't you know. It's +been pretty bad this winter. He's been thinking some of breaking in +young Doctor Price to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id= +"Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> take part of his practise now and +perhaps all of it later."</p> + +<p>"Price!" broke out Ralph indignantly. "Oh—that's absurd! +Price couldn't possibly swing Dad's work. He's not clever +enough."</p> + +<p>"He's the only one there is," said Madge and Ralph fell +silent.</p> + +<p>All about them lay a glittering moonlit country of peaceful, +firelit homes and snowy hills—of long quiet roads and shadowy +trees and presently Ralph spoke again.</p> + +<p>"You like all this," he said abruptly, "the quiet—the +country—and all of it?"</p> + +<p>Sister Madge's black eyes glowed.</p> + +<p>"After all," she said, "is it not the only way to live? This +scent of the pine, the long white road, the wild-fire of the winter +sunset and the wind and the hills—are they not God-made +messages of mystery to man? Life among man-made things—like +your cities—seems somehow to exaggerate the importance of man +the maker. Life among the God-made hills dwarfs that artificial +sense of egotism. It teaches you to marvel at the mystery of +Creation. Yesterday when the Doctor and I were gathering the +Christmas boughs, the holly glade in the forest seemed like some +ancient mystic Christmas temple of the Druids where one might tell +his rosary in crimson holly beads and forget the world!"<span +class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg +32]</a></span></p> + +<p>Well—perhaps there was something fine and sweet and holy +in the country something—a tranquil simplicity—a hearty +ruggedness—that city dwellers forfeited in their head-long +rush for man-made pleasure. After all, perhaps the most enduring +happiness lay in the heart of these quiet hills.</p> + +<p>"My chief is very keen on country life," said Ralph suddenly. +"He preaches a lot. Development of home-spirit and old-fashioned +household gods—that sort of thing! He's a queerish sort of +chap—my chief—and a bit too—er—candid at +times. He was dad's old classmate, you know." And Ralph fell silent +again, frowning.</p> + +<p>So Price was to take his father's practise! How it must gall the +old Doctor! And mother was lonely, eh?—and Dad's rheumatism +getting the best of him—Why Great Guns! mother and dad were +growing <i>old</i>! And some of those snow-white hairs of theirs +had come from worrying over him—John had said so. Ralph's +dark face burned in the chill night wind. Well, for all old John's +cutting sarcasm, his father still had faith in him and the trust in +young Roger's eloquent eyes had fairly hurt him. God! they did not +know! And then this queer Christmas heart-glow. How Griffin and +Edwards and the rest of his gay friends would mock him for it? +<i>Friends!</i> After all—had he any friends in the finer +sense of that finest of words? Such warm-hearted loyal<span class= +'pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> friends +for instance as these neighbors of his father's who had been +dropping in all day with a hearty smile and a Christmas hand-shake. +And black-eyed Sister Madge—this brave, little fighting +gipsy-poet here—where—But here Ralph frowned again and +looked away and even when the cheerful lights of home glimmered +through the trees he was still thinking—after an impetuous +burst of confidence to Sister Madge.</p> + +<p>So, later, when Doctor Ralph entered his father's +study—his chin was very determined.</p> + +<p>"I was ashamed to tell you this morning, sir," he said steadily, +"but I—I'm no longer on the staff of St. Michael's. My hand +was shaking and—and the chief knew why. And, dad," he faced +the old Doctor squarely, "I'm coming back home to keep your +practise out of Price's fool hands. You've always wanted that and +my chief has preached it too, though I couldn't see it somehow +until to-day. And presently, sir, when—when my hand is +steadier, I'm going to make the little chap walk and run. +I've—promised Sister Madge." And the old Doctor cleared his +throat and gulped—and finally he wiped his glasses and walked +away to the window. For of all things God could give him—this +surely was the best!</p> + +<p>"Oh, grandpop," cried little John Leslie 3rd, bolting into the +study in great excitement<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" +id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>—"Come see Roger! We kids have +made him the Christmas king and he's got a crown o' holly on +and—and a wand and he's a-tappin' us this way with it to make +us Knights. And I'm the Fir-tree Knight—and Bob—he's a +Cedar Knight and Ned's a spruce and Roger—he says his pretty +sister tells him stories like that smarter'n any in the books. +Oh—do hurry!"</p> + +<p>The old Doctor held out his hand to his son.</p> + +<p>"Well, Doctor Ralph," he said huskily, "suppose we go tell +mother."</p> + +<p>So while the Doctor told Aunt Ellen, Ralph bent his knee to this +excited Christmas King enthroned in the heart of the +fire-shadows.</p> + +<p>"Rise—" said Roger radiantly, tapping him with a cedar +wand, "I—I dub thee first of all my knights—the good, +kind Christmas Knight!"</p> + +<p>"And here," said Ralph, smiling, "here's Sister Madge. What +grand title now shall we give to her?" But as Sister Madge knelt +before him with firelit shadows dancing in her sweet, dark eyes, +Roger dropped the wand and buried his face on her shoulder with a +little sob.</p> + +<p>"Nothing good enough for Sister Madge, eh?" broke in the old +Doctor, looking up. "Well, sir, I think you're right."</p> + +<p>Now in the silence Aunt Ellen spoke and her words were like a +gentle Christmas benediction.<span class='pagenum'><a name= +"Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span></p> + +<p>"'Unto us,'" said Aunt Ellen Leslie as she turned the Christmas +log, "'this night a son is given!'"</p> + +<p>But Ralph, by the window, had not heard. For wakening again in +his heart as he stared at the peaceful, moonlit, "God-made" +hills—was the old forgotten boyish love for this rugged, +simple life of his father's dwarfing the lure of the city and the +mockery of his fashionable friends. And down the lane of years +ahead, bright with homely happiness and service to the needs of +others—was the dark and winsome face of Sister Madge, +stirring him to ardent resolution.<span class='pagenum'><a name= +"Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="Part_Two" id="Part_Two"></a>Part Two</h2> + +<h2>In Which We Light the New Log with the Embers of the Old<span +class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg +37]</a></span></h2> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="I2" id="I2"></a>I</h2> + +<h2>The Fire Again</h2> + +<p><br /> +"Doctor!" said little Roger slyly, "you got your chin stuck +out!"</p> + +<p>The Doctor stroked his grizzled beard in hasty apology.</p> + +<p>"God bless my soul," he admitted guiltily. "I do believe I have. +You've been so quiet," he added accusingly, "curled up there by the +fire that I must certainly have gotten lonesome. And I most always +stick out my chin that way when I'm lonesome."</p> + +<p>Roger, by way of reparation, betook himself to the arm of the +Doctor's chair.</p> + +<p>The Doctor's arm closed tight around him. A year ago this little +adopted son of his had been very lame. It was the first Christmas +in his life, indeed, that he had walked.</p> + +<p>"Out there," said the Doctor, "the winter twilight's been +fighting the alder berries with purple spears. It's conquered +everything in the garden and covered it up with misty velvet save +the snow and the berries. But the twilight's using heavier spears +now<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg +39]</a></span> and likely it'll win. <i>I</i> want the alder +berries to win out, drat it! Their blaze is so bright and +cheerful."</p> + +<p>Roger accepted the challenge to argument with enthusiasm.</p> + +<p>"<i>I</i> want the twilight to win," he said.</p> + +<p>The Doctor looked slightly scandalized.</p> + +<p>"Oh, my, my, my, my!" he said. "I can't for the life of me +understand any such gloomy preference as that. Bless me, if I +can."</p> + +<p>"Why," crowed Roger jubilantly, "<i>I</i> can, 'cause the more +twilighty it gets, the more it's Christmas eve!"</p> + +<p>The Doctor regarded his small friend with admiration.</p> + +<p>"By George," he admitted, "I do believe you have me +there—" but the Doctor's kindly eyes did not fire to the name +of Christmas as Roger thought they ought.</p> + +<p>"Almost," he said, "I thought you were going to stick out your +chin again. And you're not lonesome now 'cause I'm here an' pretty +noisy."</p> + +<p>"Hum!" said the Doctor.</p> + +<p>"Man to man, now!" urged Roger suddenly.</p> + +<p>This was the accepted key to a confessional ceremony which +required much politeness and ruthless honesty.</p> + +<p>"Well, Mr. Hildreth," began the Doctor formally.</p> + +<p>Roger's face fell.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id= +"Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span></p> + +<p>"I'm your adopted son," he hinted, "and you said that made my +name same as yours."</p> + +<p>"Mr. Leslie!" corrected the Doctor, and Roger glowed.</p> + +<p>"Well, Mr. Leslie," went on the Doctor thoughtfully, "I'm chuck +full of grievances. There's the rheumatism in my leg, for instance. +That's no sort of thing to have at Christmas."</p> + +<p>"But that's better," said Roger. "You said so this morning. I +'spect you been thinkin' too much about it like you said I did when +my leg was stiff."</p> + +<p>"Ahem! And I did hope somebody would come home for Christmas. I +like a house full of romping youngsters—"</p> + +<p>Roger pointed an accusing finger.</p> + +<p>"Aunt Ellen says every blessed one of your children, an' your +grand-children too, begged and begged you to come to the city for +Christmas an'—an' you wouldn't go 'cause you're old-fashioned +and like a country Christmas so much better—an'—an' +because you'd promised to teach me to skate on the Deacon's pond +an' take me sleighin'."</p> + +<p>"Dear me," said the Doctor helplessly, "for such a mite of a +kiddy, you do seem remarkably well informed."</p> + +<p>"Man to man," reminded Roger inexorably and the Doctor aired his +final grievance.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id= +"Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And then there's that youngest son of mine—"</p> + +<p>"Doctor Ralph?"</p> + +<p>"Doctor Ralph! What right had he, I'd like to know, to marry +that pretty sister of yours and go off honeymooning holiday time. +Didn't he know that we needed him and Sister Madge here for +Christmas? I miss 'em both. Young pirate!"</p> + +<p>Roger's heart swelled with loyalty. It was Doctor Ralph's +skilful hand that had helped him walk.</p> + +<p>"Most likely," he said fairly, "I'm a little to blame there. +After I came home from the hospital, I did tell Sister Madge to +marry him—"</p> + +<p>"Most likely," acknowledged the Doctor, "I said something +similar to Doctor Ralph. I can't have you shouldering all the +responsibility. Well, your Honor, there's the Christmas evidence. +What's the verdict?"</p> + +<p>Roger considered. This man to man game had certain +phraseological conclusions.</p> + +<p>"No case!" he said suddenly, nor would he alter his decision +when the Doctor protested against its severity.</p> + +<p>"You had so awful many peoply sort of places to go," pointed out +Roger, and the Doctor laughed.</p> + +<p>"And let you spend this first Christmas on your two legs in a +<i>city</i>?" he demanded. "Well, I guess not! No-sir-ee-bob! +There!—the alder berries have faded out and the garden's +thick with twilight."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id= +"Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p> + +<p>"And it's Christmas eve!" cried Roger, his black eyes shining +with delight.</p> + +<p>"Speaking of Christmas," said the Doctor, sniffing luxuriously, +"I feel that I ought to slip out to the kitchen for a minute or so. +I do smell something tremendously Christmasy and spicy—"</p> + +<p>Roger caught his breath. With a Christmas intrigue as surely in +the air as the smell of spice, here was dangerous ground.</p> + +<p>"Aunt Ellen," he faltered, "Aunt Ellen said she couldn't pos'bly +be bothered with—with any men folks in the kitchen—not +even me."</p> + +<p>"Pooh!" rebelled the Doctor largely, "that's merely a ruse of +hers to protect the cookies. And what I'd like to know is just +this—what's Aunt Ellen doing in the kitchen anyway? Certainly +old Annie's able to do the Christmas fussing for three people. Aunt +Ellen ought to be in here with us. That was part of my lonesome +grievance but I forgot to mention it."</p> + +<p>Roger, shivering apprehensively, visioned suspicious stores of +Christmas delicacies—holly and evergreen—and a supper +table set for <i>ten</i>! And off somewhere among those purple +spears of twilight old Asher, the hired man, was waiting at the +station with the big farm sleigh.</p> + +<p>He must keep his eye upon the Doctor until six o'clock, and lure +him away from the window.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" +id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Tell me a story," begged Roger—"over here by the fire." +And his voice was so very tremulous and urgent that the hungry +Doctor abandoned his notion of a Christmas cookie, and +complied.</p> + +<p>To Roger, in a nervous ecstasy of anticipation, the story was a +blurred hodge-podge of phrases and crackling fire, distant noises +of clinking china and hurrying feet, and wild flights of +imagination.... Old Asher must be coming past the red barn now ... +and now down the hill ... and now past the Deacon's pond ... and +now—</p> + +<p>Sleigh-bells fairly leaped out of the quiet, and Roger jumped +and gulped, aquiver with excitement. The Doctor regarded him with +mild disfavor.</p> + +<p>"Bless my soul," he said in surprise, "that was the quietest +part of my story. You're restless."</p> + +<p>"Go on!" said Roger hoarsely, and the obliging Doctor, mistaking +his agitation for interest, went on with his tale.</p> + +<p>But Roger had heard old Asher driving along by the picket fence +and turning in at the gate-posts, and the story was no more to him +than the noisy crackle of the log. Off somewhere in the region of +the kitchen door he detected a subdued scuffle of many feet.</p> + +<p>The grandfather's clock struck six.... Roger's cheeks were +blazing—the fire and the Doctor still duetting.... Why, oh, +why didn't somebody come<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id= +"Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span> and call them to supper?... There had +been plenty of time now for everything. Why—</p> + +<p>The door swung back and Roger jumped. Old Annie, Asher's wife, +stood in the doorway, her wrinkled face inscrutable.</p> + +<p>"Supper, sir!" she said and vanished. Hand in hand, the Doctor +and Roger went out to supper.</p> + +<p>The dining-room door was closed. That in itself was unusual. But +the unsuspecting Doctor pushed through with Roger at his heels, +only to halt and stare dumfounded over his spectacles while Roger +screamed and danced and clapped his hands. For to the startled eyes +of Doctor John Leslie, the snug, old-fashioned room was alive with +boys and holly—boys and boys and boys upon boys, he would +have told you in that first instant of delighted consternation, in +different stages of embarrassment and rags. And one had but to +glance at the faces of old Asher and Annie in the kitchen doorway, +at Aunt Ellen, hovering near her Christmas brood with the look of +all mothers in her kind, brown eyes, and then at Roger, scarlet +with enthusiasm, to know that the Doctor had been the victim of +benevolent conspiracy.</p> + +<p>"It's a s'prise!" shrieked Roger, "a Christmasy s'prise! Aunt +Ellen she says you're so awful keen on s'prisin' other folks that +we'd show you—an'—an' you'll have a bang-up Christmas +with kids like you love an' so will I, an' so will they an' the +minis<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg +45]</a></span>ter he went to the city and found seven boys crazy +for Christmas in the country an'—"</p> + +<p>"Roger! Roger!" came Aunt Ellen's gentle voice—"do please +take a breath, child. You're turning purple."</p> + +<p>The Doctor adjusted his glasses.</p> + +<p>"Seven boys!" he said. "Bless my soul, when I opened that door I +saw seventy boys!" He counted them aloud—then for no reason +at all save that he had glanced into seven eager faces, thinner and +sharper than he liked, for all they glowed with excitement and +furtive interest in the long supper table asparkle with lights and +holly, he wiped his glasses and patted Roger on the back.</p> + +<p>"Is your leg botherin' so much now, daddy Doctor?" demanded +Roger.</p> + +<p>"Nothing like so much," admitted the Doctor.</p> + +<p>"Are you lonesome 'nuff now to stick out your chin?"</p> + +<p>"Bless your heart, Roger," admitted the Doctor huskily, "I'm so +full of Christmas I can hardly breathe!"</p> + +<p>"Hooray!" said Roger. "Me, too."<span class='pagenum'><a name= +"Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="II2" id="II2"></a>II</h2> + +<h2>It Blazes Higher</h2> + +<p><br /> +It was well that the Doctor had a way with boys, for there was a +problem to be solved here with infinite tact—a problem of +protuberant eyes and paralyzing self-consciousness, of unnatural +silences and then unexpected attempts at speech that died in +painful rasps and gurgles, of stubbing toes and nudging elbows, of +a centipedal supply of arms and legs that interfered with abortive +and conscience-stricken attempts at courtesy, and above all an +interest in the weave of the carpet that was at once a mania and an +epidemic—but by the time supper was well under way, things, +in the language of Roger, had begun to hum, and by the time the +Doctor had mastered the identities of his guests, from Jim, the +shy, sullen boy who would not meet his eyes, to Mike's little +brother, Muggs, who consumed prodigious quantities of everything in +staring silence, and looked something like a girl save for a +tardily-cast-off suit of Mike's, somewhat oceanic in flow and fit, +the hum had become celebrative and distinctly a thing of +Christmas.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg +47]</a></span></p> + +<p>Constraint in the mellowing halo of a Christmas eve supper where +holly and a Yule-log blazed and the winter wind frostily rattled +the checker-paned windows of the sitting-room in jealous spleen, +fled to join the Doctor's rheumatism.</p> + +<p>By the time the grandfather's clock struck seven through a haze +of holly, the Doctor had pokered the Yule-log into a frenzied +shower of gold; apples and nuts were steadily disappearing from a +basket by the Doctor's chair and the Doctor himself was relating an +original Christmas tale of adventure, born of uncommon inspiration +and excitement, to a huddled group with circular eyes and contented +stomachs. But Muggs—inimitable workman—his small face +partially obscured by the biggest apple in the basket, had not yet +spoken, and Jim, the shy, sullen little boy to whom Roger had taken +a fancy because he was lame, had met the Doctor's eyes but once, +and then with a rush of color.</p> + +<p>Now, whether it was the scheming excitement of a busy day or the +warmth of a busy log or the rambling yarn of a busy Doctor, who may +say? Certainly Roger fell asleep at a fictional crisis and remained +asleep for all that Jim furtively nudged him.</p> + +<p>"There!" said the Doctor as the clock struck eight, "that's all. +To bath and beds, every one of you! Annie's had a lamp on the +kitchen table this half hour ready to light you up the stairs. +My!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg +48]</a></span> My! My!—but there's a busy day ahead. Roger! +Well, of all ungrateful listeners! Roger!"</p> + +<p>But in the end, the Doctor carried Roger up to bed, preceded by +Annie with the lamp. And while Annie was turning back quilts and +smoothing pillows and fumbling at windows, with the freedom of long +service she soundly berated the Doctor for postponing the bed-time +hour with his Christmas twaddle.</p> + +<p>"And Mister Muggs there," she said severely, "has had one apple +too many, I'm thinkin', and the last one as big as his head. He'll +need a pill before morning. The child's packed himself that hard +and round ye fear to touch him." And then because Muggs was such a +very little boy Annie was minded to assist with his bath, and laid +kindly hands upon an indefinite outer garment which began +immediately beneath his arm-pits and ended at his shoe-tops in +singular fringe.</p> + +<p>"An', ma'am," she explained to Aunt Ellen a little later, "I had +to let him go in to his bath by himself. No more had I touched his +bushel-basket of rags—an' they were hitched over his +shoulders with school straps and somebody's shirtwaist +underneath—than he let out a terrific shriek (ye must have +heard him) an' all the boys come runnin' and crowdin' round him and +starin' so frightened at me, an' his brother yelled at him to keep +quiet or something or some<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" +id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span>body'd get him, and he kept quiet +that sudden I could fairly see the child swell. He's unnatural +still and unnatural full, ma'am, an' the Doctor better leave his +pills handy."</p> + +<p>Bathed and freshly night-gowned, the Doctor's guests tumbled, a +little noisily into bed. Only Jim lay silent and wakeful. Once he +nudged his bed-fellow.</p> + +<p>"Luke," he whispered, "d'ye think I'd orta tell 'em?"</p> + +<p>"Aw," said Luke sleepily, "dry up, Jim! Gosh, ain't the bed +soft!"</p> + +<p>Jim sighed.</p> + +<p>Christmas came to the old farmhouse with the distant echo of +village bells at midnight but, long before that, Christmas, in a +fur cap and great-coat had swept up the driveway with a jingle of +sleigh-bells, behind old Polly, the Doctor's mare, his sleigh +packed high with bundles. By the light of a late moon, flinging +festal silver on the snow, it might be seen that Christmas +resembled a somewhat guilty looking old gentleman with a grizzled +beard.</p> + +<p>"I'll catch old Scratch!" he admitted, suddenly overcome by the +bulbous appearance of the sleigh, "but Ellen may say what she will. +She <i>couldn't</i> have thought of everything!"</p> + +<p>No call for pills came that night from Muggs, asleep in a crib +that had seen much service. He was<span class='pagenum'><a name= +"Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> awake however long before +daylight, trembling with excitement.</p> + +<p>"Mike, oh Mike!" he called hoarsely. "Wake up. It's Christmas +mornin'."</p> + +<p>Mike, in a big bed with Marty Fay, sat up.</p> + +<p>"Don't you <i>dare</i> open your mouth to-day!" he cried in +blood-thirsty accents, "or Mom Murphy'll git ye surer'n scat. Ain't +I schemed enuff to git ye here? Huh? Wanta be sent home—huh?" +Muggs ducked beneath the blankets with a shivering wail.<span +class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg +51]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="III2" id="III2"></a>III</h2> + +<h2>The Log at Dawn</h2> + +<p><br /> +In the still, cold corridors of a farmhouse, with frost-jungles +clouding every window pane and a zero-dark outside, the cry of +"Merry Christmas!" is most at home. Let noses be ever so cold and +blanketed bodies ever so warm, the cry fills the dawn with electric +energy. The Doctor began it. He knew by the instant response that +he had started something that he could not stop. Almost in no time, +it seemed, Roger was leading a wild, bare-footed scamper down the +stairs—for Roger <i>knew</i>—and the Doctor, hastily +bath-robed and slippered, was on behind with a lamp. But here was +no cyclonic invasion of a dark, cold sitting-room. Old Annie and +Asher knew boys! A log blazed brightly in the fireplace and the +lamp was lit. If the room was over-warm, it proved simply that +Annie had seen boys of another generation rushing down of a +Christmas morning, scantily clad.</p> + +<p>And the King of Christmas trees blazed in candle-glory from wall +to wall, tinselled boughs sagging with<span class='pagenum'><a +name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> the weight of its +Christmas freight. It could not have been bigger—it could not +have glittered more. It had as many arms as an Octopus and its +shaggy evergreen head, starred gorgeously with iridescence, brushed +the old-fashioned paper on the ceiling. A great, lovable Christmas +giant guarding a cargo of Christmas gifts!</p> + +<p>Muggs emitted one blood-curdling shriek of delight, clapped his +hand over his mouth and began to swell about the cheeks. Then he +stepped on the hem of his night-gown and fell sprawling at Annie's +feet.</p> + +<p>"Dear me," said Annie vexedly, though she righted him with +kindly hands, "I can't for the life of me make out what ails that +child. He acts so mortal queer at times, an' he's ready to swell up +over nothing at all."</p> + +<p>With the advent of Aunt Ellen, Christmas packages began to lose +twine and paper, and what the packages lost the sitting-room +speedily gained in disorder. For here were warm suits and +overcoats, shoes and stockings and sweaters and caps, skates and +horns and whistles and drums, home-made pop-corn and candy, +oranges—ah! well, sensible gifts in plenty, and foolish gifts +that were wiser than Solomon for they included a boy's heart as +well as his body.</p> + +<p>In a lull all eyes turned to Muggs. His pockets<span class= +'pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> were +crammed with pop-corn and candy. One arm was quite as full of toys +as he could pack it—the other had begun the day's conveyance +of food from hand to mouth, but he was regarding a very small, warm +suit of clothes and substantial boots with dangerously quivering +lips. Nor could one misinterpret his disapproval. For a moment the +startled Doctor fancied he heard Mike hiss the astonishing words +"Mom Murphy!" but by the time he had wheeled about, Muggs, with +circular eyes of terror, had begun to swell.</p> + +<p>"That child," said Annie, "has something on his mind. Don't tell +me! I know it."</p> + +<p>The inevitable blare of racket came all too soon. Horns and +whistles and drums united in a deafening blast, and if thanks did +not come easily to the lips of boys, noise did. Nor could Muggs at +any time thereafter be separated from a shoulder drum upon which he +had beaten with insane and single-minded concentration even after +the din was past and a hungry hint of breakfast in the air. Lacking +one outlet of expression he had seized upon another. He drummed his +way fiercely upstairs, to dress, and he drummed his way down to +breakfast, a ridiculous self-consciousness in his small face +whenever he glanced at his new suit of clothes. Small as it was it +engulfed him utterly.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id= +"Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Jim!" said the Doctor suddenly. "You're not limping!"</p> + +<p>Jim hung his head and glanced at his shining new shoes.</p> + +<p>"No, sir!" he said and gulped.</p> + +<p>"Bless me," said the Doctor, adjusting his spectacles, "I +thought you were lame and if I hadn't forgotten it last night you'd +have had no skates this morning."</p> + +<p>"I didn't have no heel on one shoe," blurted Jim in confusion, +and Roger, in relief, hoorayed himself into hoarseness.</p> + +<p>But Jim, like Muggs, was something of a mystery, and after a +time the Doctor, with a sigh, abandoned his effort to break through +the boy's sullen shyness. Still Jim was the first at the chopping +block when Annie wanted wood, and when the task took on something +of the charm of Tom Sawyer's fence by reason of a winter wren, so +tame from overfeeding that he perched himself now and then upon the +handle of the ax, Jim fell back with resentment and resigned the ax +to Marty Fay who spat upon his hands, doubled up his fists, +sparred, in an excess of good spirits, with an invisible +antagonist, and thereafter made the chips fly so fast that the +little wren departed.</p> + +<p>Already there were great Christmas bunches of oats upon +glistening trees and fences, but, while<span class='pagenum'><a +name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> Asher was carrying +double portions of food to cattle and horses, to Toby, the cat, and +Rover, the dog, the Doctor went about, with an eager pack of boys +at his heels, distributing further Christmas largess for his +feathered friends—suet and crumbs and seed. For there were +chickadees in the clump of red cedars by the barn, and juncos and +nuthatches, white-throated sparrows and winter wrens, all so frank +in their overtures to the Doctor that the boys with one accord +closed threateningly around Muggs to keep him from drumming the +birds into flight. Jim fastened a great chunk of suet to a +tree-trunk and very soon a red-breasted nuthatch was busy with his +Christmas breakfast. Altogether Roger's bang-up Christmas began +with terrific bustle, with Annie, from whose kitchen already +floated odors that set the insatiable Muggs to sniffing, by far the +busiest of them all.</p> + +<p>The grandfather's clock struck ten. It found the old farmhouse +deserted save for Annie in the kitchen and Aunt Ellen in her +rocking chair by the sitting-room window. The Doctor was guiding +his guests to the Deacon's pond.</p> + +<p>New skates, new sweaters, and a pond as smooth as glass! What +wonder then that Roger's trembling fingers bungled his straps, and +Jim, kneeling, fastened them on with nimble fingers.</p> + +<p>"Ain't ye never skated?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" +id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p> + +<p>"No—I—I been lame. Oh, hurry, Jim! See, Mike's +flyin' down the pond like wind!"</p> + +<p>Jim's eyes softened.</p> + +<p>"I'll teach ye," he said.</p> + +<p>As for the Doctor he had disinterred an ancient pair of skates +from the attic, and presently he began to perform pedal +convolutions of such startling design and eccentricity that the +boys gathered about him and cheered until, seating himself +unexpectedly in the center of a particularly wide and airy +flourish, he flatly told the boys to run about their business.</p> + +<p>Now Muggs, though he carried upon his shoulder a ridiculous pair +of elfin skates, was much too small a boy, his brother thought, to +embark upon the ice, wherefore he stood like a sentinel upon the +shore and drummed and ate incessantly, until an orange catapulted +from an overcrowded pocket, when he pursued it with a roar.</p> + +<p>The peal of the village town-clock striking twelve came all too +soon, but homing was no task with a turkey at the end. Muggs, still +wrapped in mysterious silence, knew the very spot where Christmas +odors began to permeate the frosty air and redoubled the speed in +his drumming arm, but when after a vigorous scrubbing his +glistening eye fell upon the holly-bright table and an enormous +turkey by the Doctor's plate, only a frosty menace in Mike's eye, +it seemed, restrained another blood-curdling<span class= +'pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> shriek +of delight. There was paralyzing apology in his eyes as Mike's lips +formed the soundless threat—"Mom Murphy!"</p> + +<p>"He's holdin' himself in," said Annie, "Mister Muggs, give me +the drum! Ye'll not crowd into the chair with that upon your +shoulder!"</p> + +<p>It seemed that Mister Muggs would. He began to swell. He began +to drum. He carried his point and crammed himself and his drum into +his chair at the table. He did not speak. Neither, from that time +on, did he permit any lapse in his industry. What Muggs did, from +drum to drum-sticks, he did well.</p> + +<p>Muggs ate turkey and mashed turnips. Muggs ate potatoes, +cranberry sauce, boiled onions, and quite a little celery. He +glinted ahead at a pie on the sideboard, seemed to make hurried +structural calculations, and pushed his plate again toward the +turkey. Aunt Ellen looked at the Doctor and the Doctor looked at +Muggs.</p> + +<p>"If the child eats any more," said Annie bluntly from the +kitchen door, "he must have a pill. 'Tis enough for him to drum +away the peace of the Christmas day without stuffin' himself that +hard and round ye fear for his buttons. An' to my mind, if he'd +talk more and eat less, he'd not be in such danger o' +burstin'."</p> + +<p>Mike looked slightly agitated.<span class='pagenum'><a name= +"Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Muggs," said the Doctor firmly, "it comes to this. More +turkey—one pill. No turkey—no pill."</p> + +<p>Muggs exhibited a capacity for instant decision. With stubby +forefinger rigid, he shoved his plate a little closer to the +turkey.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg +59]</a></span></p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="IV2" id="IV2"></a>IV</h2> + +<h2>The Log at Twilight</h2> + +<p><br /> +There was a straw-ride in the farm sleigh after dinner, a story or +two by the Yule log when the twilight closed in and Annie had lit +the Christmas candles on the tree, and then as the boys were +romping in a game of Roger's the Doctor slipped away to his study +for a quiet hour with a book. His lamp was barely lighted and the +book upon his knee when the door opened and Jim stood before him, +his face so white and strained that the Doctor laid aside his book, +thinking instantly, of course, that here again was too much +turkey.</p> + +<p>Jim hung his head, one toe burrowing in the carpet.</p> + +<p>"Doctor John!" he burst forth hoarsely.</p> + +<p>"Yes?"</p> + +<p>Jim gulped.</p> + +<p>"I—I been in <i>jail</i>!"</p> + +<p>The Doctor looked once at Jim's face, quivering in an agony of +shame, and hastily wiped his glasses. In the quiet came the +laughter of romping boys.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" +id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Why," said the Doctor very gently, "did you tell me?"</p> + +<p>Something in the kindly voice opened the flood-gates of a boy's +sore heart. Jim's mouth quivered piteously, then he broke down and +hid his face behind his elbow, sobbing wildly.</p> + +<p>"I wanta be square," he cried passionately, "I wanta be square +like you've been to us, an'—an Luke said ye might not want a +jail-bird here for Christmas. I—stole—coal—for +mom—"</p> + +<p>It was the old tale, one boy caught, paying for the petty +thievery of the score who ran away. The Doctor heard the mumbled +tale to the end and cleared his throat.</p> + +<p>"And so," he said slowly, "you wanted to be square. That's the +finest thing I've heard this Christmas day. Wanted to be square. +Well, well!" His hand was on Jim's shoulder now. "Jim, I wonder if +you could come back to me next Christmas and tell me you'd been +absolutely straight—"</p> + +<p>"Here!" said Jim in a choking whisper, his eyes blazing through +his tears, "again—for <i>Christmas</i>!"</p> + +<p>Somewhere on a snowy page a Christmas angel wrote: "One boy +saved by the spirit of a country Christmas!"</p> + +<p>"Here," repeated the Doctor, "again—for<span class= +'pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> +Christmas." He opened the door. "Run along, now, Jim," he said +kindly, "or the boys will miss you."</p> + +<p>Jim's final words were very queer.</p> + +<p>"Doctor John," he blurted, "I—I'm a goin' to send poor +little Muggs."</p> + +<p>The Doctor was devoutly hoping that Muggs had never been in jail +for stealing food or drums, when Muggs himself appeared clinging +desperately to the hand of Mike. He seemed on the verge of a +lachrymose explosion.</p> + +<p>Mike's face was very red but it was also very hopeful.</p> + +<p>"Jim said to tell ye," he mumbled. "She ain't never had no +Christmas an' the minister he said the order was all boys +an'—an' she cried, so Mom said bring her anyway in my ol' +suit—you'd never know, an'—an'—an'—Oh, my +gosh!" finished Mike tragically, "Muggs is a girl. Her—her +name's C-c-c-c-clara!"</p> + +<p>The Doctor jumped. So did Muggs. The lachrymose explosion came +and the drum slipped down from the shoulder of Muggs with a +clatter.</p> + +<p>"Don't wanta go home!" came the heartbroken wail, "don't wanta +go home. Mom Murphy'll git me."</p> + +<p>"I—I tol' her," explained Mike uncomfortably, "that she +mustn't open her mouth once—jus' act<span class='pagenum'><a +name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> deaf an' dumb or +you'd guess maybe an' send her home an' Mom Murphy'd git her. +An'—an'—she must take a drum like a boy—"</p> + +<p>Literal Muggs! Heaven alone knew by what other blood-thirsty +threats than Mom Murphy Mike had encompassed the stony silence and +frenzied drumming of the little sister who had never had a +Christmas.</p> + +<p>"But why," burst forth the despairing Doctor. "In heaven's +name—why—Muggs?"</p> + +<p>"She makes such awful faces," said Mike apologetically. "Mom +don't know what makes her that way." And then as Muggs was at the +climax of one of the spasms that had won her her name, the Doctor +suddenly lifted her in gentle arms and tossed her to the +ceiling.</p> + +<p>"Poor, poor little kiddy!" he said huskily. "What a price she's +paid for her Christmas."</p> + +<p>But Muggs had forgotten the price. Though it had been a hard day +the Doctor's eyes were kind and twinkly. Muggs buried her flushed +and tearful little face on his shoulder with a sigh of content. He +saw now that one knot of ribbon on the tousled, sunny curls would +have told the story, then he glanced at the bagging suit and opened +the door. Muggs went forth upon the Doctor's shoulder.</p> + +<p>"Asher," cried the Doctor, "hitch old Polly to the sleigh and +telephone Sam Remsen that he can oblige me for once and open his +store."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg +63]</a></span></p> + +<p>"Ye—ye ain't goin' to send her home, are ye?" faltered +Mike.</p> + +<p>"I'm going," cried the Doctor, "to buy Clara Muggs a dress and a +doll. It's her night."</p> + +<p>The boys cheered.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id= +"Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span></p> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's When the Yule Log Burns, by Leona Dalrymple + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHEN THE YULE LOG BURNS *** + +***** This file should be named 17510-h.htm or 17510-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/5/1/17510/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Suzanne Shell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +*** END: FULL LICENSE *** + + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> + diff --git a/17510-h/images/candle.png b/17510-h/images/candle.png Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b921b63 --- /dev/null +++ b/17510-h/images/candle.png diff --git a/17510-h/images/cover-new.jpg b/17510-h/images/cover-new.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d146108 --- /dev/null +++ b/17510-h/images/cover-new.jpg diff --git a/17510-h/images/illus-01-new.jpg b/17510-h/images/illus-01-new.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ca3a8c9 --- /dev/null +++ b/17510-h/images/illus-01-new.jpg diff --git a/17510.txt b/17510.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..db6724e --- /dev/null +++ b/17510.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1767 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of When the Yule Log Burns, by Leona Dalrymple + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: When the Yule Log Burns + A Christmas Story + +Author: Leona Dalrymple + +Release Date: January 13, 2006 [EBook #17510] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHEN THE YULE LOG BURNS *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Suzanne Shell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +[Illustration: "The Doctor's old-fashioned house loomed gray-white +through the snow-fringed branches of the trees."] + +When the Yule Log Burns +A Christmas Story + +By Leona Dalrymple +Author of "Uncle Noah's Christmas Party," etc. + + + + +New York Robert M. McBride & Company 1916 + + + + +Copyright, 1916, by Robert M. McBride & Co. + +Published November, 1916 + + + + +CONTENTS + + +PART I + +IN WHICH WE LIGHT A YULE-LOG + +CHAPTER + + I Kindlings + + II Wishing Sparks + +III By the Fire + + IV Embers + + +PART II + +IN WHICH WE LIGHT THE NEW LOG WITH THE EMBERS OF THE OLD + + I The Fire Again + + II It Blazes Higher + +III The Log at Dawn + + IV The Log at Twilight + + + + +Part One + +In Which We Light a Yule Log + + + + +When the Yule Log Burns + + + + +I + +Kindlings + + +Polly, the Doctor's old white mare, plodded slowly along the snowy +country road by the picket fence, and turned in at the snow-capped +posts. Ahead, roofed with the ragged ermine of a newly-fallen snow, the +Doctor's old-fashioned house loomed gray-white through the snow-fringed +branches of the trees, a quaint iron lantern, which was picturesque by +day and luminous and cheerful by night, hanging within the square, +white-pillared portico at the side. That the many-paned, old-fashioned +window on the right framed the snow-white head of Aunt Ellen Leslie, the +Doctor's wife, the old Doctor himself was comfortably aware--for his +kindly eyes missed nothing. + +He could have told you with a reflective stroke of his grizzled beard +that the snow had stopped but an hour since, and that now through the +white and heavy lacery of branches to the west glowed the flame-gold of +a winter sunset, glinting ruddily over the box-bordered brick walk, the +orchard and the comfortable barn which snugly housed his huddled cattle; +that the grasslands to the south were thickly blanketed in white; that +beyond in the evergreen forest the stately pines and cedars were +marvelously draped and coiffed in snow. For the old Doctor loved these +things of Nature as he loved the peace and quiet of his home. + +So, as he turned in at the driveway and briskly resigned the care of +Polly to old Asher, his seamed and wrinkled helper, the Doctor's eyes +were roving now to a corner, snug beneath a tattered rug of snow, where +by summer Aunt Ellen's petunias and phlox and larkspur grew--and now to +the rose-bushes ridged in down, and at last to his favorite winter nook, +a thicket of black alders freighted with a wealth of berries. How +crimson they were amid the white quiet of the garden! And the brightly +colored fruit of the barberry flamed forth from a snowy bush like the +cheerful elf-lamps of a wood-gnome. + +There was equal cheer and color in the old-fashioned sitting-room to +which the Doctor presently made his way, for a wood fire roared with a +winter gleam and crackle in the fireplace and Aunt Ellen Leslie rocked +slowly back and forth by the window with a letter in her hand. + +"Another letter!" exclaimed the Doctor, warming his hands before the +blazing log. "God bless my soul, Ellen, we're becoming a nuisance to +Uncle Sam!" But for all the brisk cheeriness of his voice he was +furtively aware that Aunt Ellen's brown eyes were a little tearful, and +presently crossing the room to her side, he gently drew the crumpled +letter from her hand and read it. + +"So John's not coming home for Christmas either, eh?" he said at last. +"Well, now, that _is_ too bad! Now, now, _now_, mother," as Aunt Ellen +surreptitiously wiped her glasses, "we should feel proud to have such +busy children. There's Ellen and Margaret and Anne with a horde of +youngsters to make a Christmas for, and John--bless your heart, Ellen, +_there's_ a busy man! A broker now is one of the very busiest of men! +And what with John's kiddies and his beautiful society wife and that +grand Christmas eve ball he mentions--why--" the Doctor cleared his +throat,--"why, dear me, it's not to be wondered at, say I! And Philip +and Howard--busy as--as--as architects and lawyers usually are at +Christmas," he finished lamely. "As for Ralph--" the Doctor looked +away--"well, Ralph hasn't spent a Christmas home since college days." + +"It will be the first Christmas we ever spent without some of them +home," ventured Aunt Ellen, biting her lip courageously, whereupon the +old Doctor patted her shoulder gently with a cheery word of advice. + +Now, there was something in the touch of the old Doctor's broad and +gentle hand that always soothed, wherefore Aunt Ellen presently wiped +her troublesome glasses again and bravely tried to smile, and the Doctor +making a vast and altogether cheerful to-do about turning the blazing +log, began a brisk description of his day. It had ended, professionally, +at a lonely little house in the heart of the forest, which Jarvis +Hildreth, dying but a scant year since, had bequeathed to his orphaned +children, Madge and Roger. + +"And, Ellen," finished the Doctor, soberly, "there he sits by the +window, day by day, poor lame little lad!--staring away so wistfully at +the forest, and Madge, bless her brave young heart!--she bastes and +stitches and sews away, all the while weaving him wonderful yarns about +the pines and cedars to amuse him--all out of her pretty head, mind you! +A lame brother and a passion for books--" said the Doctor, shaking his +head, "a poor inheritance for the lass. They worry me a lot, Ellen, for +Madge looks thin and tired, and to-day--" the Doctor cleared his throat, +"I think she had been crying." + +"Crying!" exclaimed Aunt Ellen, her kindly brown eyes warm with +sympathy. "Dear, dear!--And Christmas only three days off! Why, John, +dear, we must have them over here for Christmas. To be sure! And we'll +have a tree for little Roger and a Christmas masquerade and such a +wonderful Christmas altogether as he's never known before!" And Aunt +Ellen, with the all-embracing motherhood of her gentle heart aroused, +fell to planning a Christmas for Madge and Roger Hildreth that would +have gladdened the heart of the Christmas saint himself. + +Face aglow, the old Doctor bent and patted his wife's wrinkled hand. + +"Why, Ellen," he confessed, warmly, "it's the thing I most desired! Dear +me, it's a very strange thing indeed, my dear, how often we seem to +agree. I'll hitch old Billy to the sleigh and go straight after them now +while Annie's getting supper!" And at that instant one glance at Aunt +Ellen Leslie's fine old face, framed in the winter firelight which grew +brighter as the checkerboard window beside her slowly purpled, would +have revealed to the veriest tyro why the Doctor's patients liked best +to call her "Aunt" Ellen. + +So, with a violent jingle of sleigh-bells, the Doctor presently shot +forth again into the white and quiet world, and as he went, gliding +swiftly past the ghostly spruces by the roadside, oddly enough, despite +his cheerful justification to Aunt Ellen, he was fiercely rebelling at +the defection of his children. John and his lovely wife might well have +foregone their fashionable ball. And Howard and Philip--their +holiday-keeping Metropolitan clubs were shallow artificialities surely +compared with a home-keeping reunion about the Yule log. As for the +children of Anne and Ellen and Margaret--well, the Doctor could just +tell those daughters of his that their precious youngsters liked a +country Christmas best--he _knew_ they did!--not the complex, +steam-heated hot-house off-shoot of that rugged flower of simpler times +when homes were further apart, but a country Christmas of keen, crisp +cold and merry sleigh-bells, of rosy cheeks and snow-balls, of skating +on the Deacon's pond and a jubilant hour after around the blazing +wood-fire: a Christmas, in short, such as the old Doctor himself knew +and loved, of simplicity and sympathy and home-keeping heartiness! + +And then--there was Ralph--but here the Doctor's face grew very stern. +Wild tales came to him at times of this youngest and most gifted of his +children--tales of intemperate living interlarded with occasional tales +of brilliant surgical achievement on the staff of St. Michael's. For the +old Doctor had guided the steps of his youngest son to the paths of +medicine with a great hope, long abandoned. + +Ah--well! The Doctor sighed, abruptly turning his thoughts to Madge and +Roger. They at least should know the heart-glow of a real Christmas! A +masquerade party of his neighbors Christmas eve, perhaps, such as Aunt +Ellen had suggested, and a Yule-log--but now it was, in the midst of his +Christmas plans, that a daring notion flashed temptingly through the +Doctor's head, was banished with a shrug and flashed again, whereupon +with his splendid capacity for prompt decision, the Doctor suddenly +wheeled old Billy about and went sleighing in considerable excitement +into the village whence a host of night-telegrams went singing over the +busy wires to startle eventually a slumbering conscience or so. And +presently when the Doctor drew up with a flourish before the lonely +little house among the forest pines, his earlier depression had +vanished. + +So with a prodigious stamping of snow from his feet and a cheerful wave +of his mittened hand to the boy by the window, the Doctor bustled +cheerily indoors and with kindly eyes averted from the single tell-tale +sauce-pan upon the fire, over which Madge Hildreth had bent with sudden +color, fell to bustling about with a queer lump in his throat and +talking ambiguously of Aunt Ellen's Christmas orders, painfully +conscious that the girl's dark face had grown pitifully white and tense +and that Roger's wan little face was glowing. And when the fire was +damped by the Doctor himself, and his Christmas guests hustled into +dazed, protesting readiness, the Doctor deftly muffled the thin little +fellow in blankets and gently carried him out to the waiting sleigh with +arms that were splendid and sturdy and wonderfully reassuring. + +"There, there, little man!" he said cheerfully, "we've not hurt the poor +lame leg once, I reckon. And now we'll just help Sister Madge blow out +the lamp and lock the door and be off to Aunt Ellen!" + +But, strangely enough, the Doctor halted abruptly in the doorway and +turned his kindly eyes away to the shadowy pines. And Sister Madge, on +her knees by Roger's bed, sobbing and praying in an agony of relief, +presently blew out the lamp herself and wiped her eyes. For nights among +the whispering pines are sleepless and long when work is scarce and +Christmas hovers with cold, forbidding eyes over the restless couch of a +dear and crippled brother. + + + + +II + +Wishing Sparks + + +Round the Doctor's house frolicked the brisk, cold wind of a Christmas +eve, boisterously rattling the luminous checkerboard windows and the +Christmas wreaths, tormenting the cheerful flame in the old iron lantern +and whisking away the snow from the shivering elms, whistling eerily +down the Doctor's chimney to startle a strange little cripple by the +Doctor's fire, who, queerly enough, would not be startled. + +For to Roger there had never been a wind so Christmasy, or a fire so +bright and warm, and his solemn black eyes glowed! Never a wealth of +holly and barberry and alder-berries so crimson as that which rimmed the +snug old house in Christmas flame! Never such evergreen wreaths, for, +tucked up here in this very chair by Aunt Ellen, he had made them all +himself of boughs from the evergreen forest! And never surely such +enticing odors as had floated out for the last two days from old Annie's +pots and pans as she baked and roasted and boiled and stewed in endless +preparation for Christmas day and the Christmas eve party, scolding away +betimes in indignant whispers at old Asher, who, by reason of a +chuckling air of mystery, was in perpetual disgrace. + +Wonderful days indeed for Roger, with Sister Madge's smooth, pale cheeks +catching the flaring scarlet of the holly, and Sister Madge's slim and +willing fingers so busy hanging boughs that she had forgotten to sigh; +with motherly Aunt Ellen so warmly intent upon Roger's comfort and plans +for the masquerade that many a mysterious and significant occurrence +slipped safely by her kindly eyes; and with the excited Doctor's busy +sleigh jingling so hysterically about on secret errands and his kindly +face so full of boyish mystery that Roger, with the key to all this +Christmas intrigue locked safely in his heart, had whispered a shy +little warning in the culprit's attentive ear. + +And presently--Roger caught his breath and furtively eyed the +grandfather's clock, ticking boastfully through a welter of +holly--presently it would be time for the Doctor's masquerade, and +later, when the clock struck twelve and the guests unmasked, that great +surprise which the doctor had planned so carefully by telegram! + +But now from the kitchen came the sound of the Doctor singing: + + "Come bring with a noise, + My merry, merry boys, + The Christmas log to the firing!" + +Roger clapped his thin little hands with a cry of delight, for old Asher +and the Doctor were bringing in the Yule-log to light it presently with +the charred remains of the Christmas log of a year ago. To-morrow +another Yule-log would crackle and blaze and shower on the hearth, for +the old Doctor molded a custom to suit his fancy. And here was Annie +splendidly aproned in white, following them in, and Aunt Ellen in a +wonderful old brown-gold brocade disinterred for the doctor's party from +a lavender-sweet cedar chest in the garret. And _Sister Madge_!--Roger +stared--radiant in old-fashioned crimson satin and holly, colorful foils +indeed for her night-black hair and eyes! As for the doctor himself, +Roger now began to realize that with his powdered wig, his satin +breeches and gaily-flowered waistcoat--to say nothing of silken hose and +silver buckles--he was by far the most gorgeous figure of them all! + +"I," said the doctor presently, striking the burning Yule-log until the +golden sparks flew out, "I charge thee, log, to burn out old wrongs and +heart-burnings!" and then, in accordance with a cherished custom of his +father's he followed the words with a wish for the good of his +household. + +"And I," said old Asher as he struck the log, "I wish for the good of +the horses and cows and all the other live things and," with a terrific +chuckle of mystery, "I wish for things aplenty _this_ night." + +"And I," said old Annie, with a terrible look at her imprudent spouse as +she took the poker, "I wish for the harvest--and wit for them that lack +it!" + +But Roger had the poker now, his black eyes starry. + +"I--I wish for more kind hearts like Aunt Ellen's and the Doctor's," he +burst forth with a strangled sob as the sparks showered gold, "for +more--more sisters like Sister Madge--" his voice quivered and +broke--"and for--for all boys who cannot walk and run--" but Sister +Madge's arm was already around his shoulders and the old Doctor was +patting his arm--wherefore he smiled bravely up at them through +glistening tears. + +"Now, now, now, little lad!" reminded the Doctor, "it's Christmas eve!" +Whereupon he drew a chair to the fire and began a wonderful Christmas +tale about St. Boniface and Thunder Oak and the first Christmas tree. A +wonderful old Doctor this--reflected Roger wonderingly. He knew so many +different things--how to scare away tears and all about mistletoe and +Druids, and still another story about a fir tree which Roger opined +respectfully was nothing like so good as Sister Madge's story of the +Cedar King who stood outside his window. + +"Very likely not!" admitted the Doctor gravely. + +"I've nothing like the respect for Mr. Hans Andersen myself that I have +for Sister Madge." + +"I thought," ventured Roger shyly, slipping his hand suddenly into the +Doctor's, "that Doctors only knew how to cure folks!" + +"Bless your heart, laddie," exclaimed the Doctor, considerably +staggered; "they know too little of that, I fear. My conscience!" as the +grandfather's clock came into the conversation with a throaty boom, +"it's half-past seven!" and from then on Roger noticed the Doctor was +uneasy, presently opining, with a prodigious "Hum!" that Aunt Ellen +looked mighty pale and tired and that he for one calculated a little +sleigh ride would brace her up for the party. This Aunt Ellen +immediately flouted and the Doctor was eventually forced to pathetic and +frequent reference to his own great need of air. + +"Very well, my dear," said Aunt Ellen mildly, striving politely to +conceal her opinion of his mental health, "I'll go, since you feel so +strongly about it, but a sleigh ride in such a wind and such clothes +when one is expecting party guests--" but the relieved Doctor was +already bundling the brown-gold brocade into a fur-lined coat and +furtively winking at Roger! Thus it was that even as the Doctor's sleigh +flew merrily by the Deacon's pond, far across the snowy fields to the +north gleamed the lights of the 7:52 rushing noisily into the village. + + + + +III + +By the Fire + + +How it was that the old Doctor somehow lost his way on roads he had +traveled since boyhood was a matter of exceeding mystery and annoyance +to Aunt Ellen, but lose it he did. By the time he found it and jogged +frantically back home, the old house was already aswarm with masked, +mysterious guests and old Asher with a lantern was peering excitedly up +the road. Holly-trimmed sleighs full of merry neighbors in disguise were +dashing gaily up--and in the midst of all the excitement the Doctor +miraculously discovered his own mask and Aunt Ellen's in the pocket of +his great-coat. So hospitable Aunt Ellen, considerably perturbed that so +many of her guests had arrived in her absence--an absence carefully +planned by the Doctor--betook herself to the masquerade, and the +Christmas party began with bandits and minstrels and jesters and all +sorts of queer folk flitting gaily about the house. They paid gallant +court to Roger in his great chair by the fire and presently began to +present for his approval an impromptu Mummer's play. + +And now the lights were all out and a masked and courtly old gentleman +in satin breeches was standing in the bright firelight pouring brandy +into a giant bowl of raisins; and now he was gallantly bowing to Roger +himself who was plainly expected to assist with a lighted match. He did +this with trembling fingers and eyes so big and black and eloquent that +the Doctor cleared his throat; and as the leaping flames from the +snapdragon bowl flashed weirdly over the bizarre company in the shadows. +Roger, eagerly watching them snatch the raisins from the fire, fell to +trembling in an ecstasy of delight. Presently a slender arm in a crimson +sleeve, whose wearer was never very far from Roger's chair, slipped +quietly about his shoulders and held him very tight. So, an endless +round of merry Christmas games until, deep and mellow came at last the +majestic boom of the grandfather's clock striking twelve and with it a +hearty babel of Christmas greetings as the Doctor, smiling significantly +down into Roger's excited eyes, gave the signal to unmask. + +By the fire a mysterious little knot of guests had been silently +gathering, and now as Aunt Ellen Leslie removed her mask, hand and mask +halted in mid-air as if fixed by the stare of Medusa, and the face above +the brown-gold brocade flamed crimson. For here in Puritan garb was John +Leslie, Jr., and his radiant wife--and Philip and Howard, smiling +Quakers, and Anne and Margaret and Ellen with a trio of husbands, and +beyond a laughing jester in cap and bells, whose dark, handsome face was +a little too reckless and tired about the eyes, Roger thought, for a +really happy Christmas guest--young Doctor Ralph. + +As Aunt Ellen's startled eyes swept slowly from the smiling faces of her +children to the proud and chuckling Doctor who had spent Heaven knows +how many dollars in telegraphed commands--she laughed a little and cried +a little and then mingled the two so queerly that she needs must wipe +her eyes and catch at Roger's chair for support, whereupon a kindly +little hand slipped suddenly into hers and Roger looked up and smiled +serenely. + +"Don't cry, Aunt Ellen!" he begged shyly. "I knew all about it too and +the Doctor--_he_ did it all!" + +"And merry fits he gave us all by telegram, too, mother!" exclaimed +Philip with a grin. + +"Moreover," broke in John, patting his mother's shoulder, "there are +eleven kids packed away upstairs like sardines--we hid 'em away while +dad and you were lost, and--" but here with a deafening racket the +stairs door burst wide open and with a swoop and a scream eleven +pajama-ed young bandits with starry eyes bore down upon Aunt Ellen and +the Doctor. + +"Great Scott!" exclaimed John, thoroughly scandalized, "you disgraceful +kids! Which one of you stirred this up?" But the guilty face at the tail +of the romping procession was the face of old Asher. + +Radiantly triumphant the old Doctor swung little John Leslie 3rd to his +shoulder and faced his laughing family and as old Annie appeared with a +steaming tray--he seized a mug of cider and held it high aloft. + +"To the ruddy warmth of the Christmas log and the Christmas home +spirit--" he cried--"to the home-keeping hearts of the country-side! +Gentlemen--I give you--A Country home and a Country Christmas! May more +good folk come to know them!" And little John Leslie cried hoarsely-- + +"Hooray, grandpop, hooray for a Country Christmas!" + +Carelessly alive to the merry spirit of the night, the jester presently +adjusted a flute which hung from his shoulder by a scarlet cord and +lazily piping a Christmas air, wandered to another room--to come +suddenly upon a forgotten playmate of his boyhood days. + +"It--it can't be!" he reflected in startled interest. "It surely can't +be Madge Hildreth!" + +But Madge Hildreth it surely was, spreading the satin folds of his +grandmother's crimson gown in mocking courtesy. Moreover it was not the +awkward, ragged elfish little gipsy who had tormented his debonair +boyhood with her shy ardent worship of himself and his daring exploits, +but instead a winsome vision of Christmas color and Christmas cheer, +holly-red of cheek, with flashes of scarlet holly in her night black +hair and eyes whose unfathomable dusk reflected no single hint of that +old, wild worship slumbering still in the girl's rebellious heart. + +"And the symbolism of this stunning make-up?" queried Ralph after a +while, lazily admiring. + +The girl's eyes flashed. + +"To-night, if you please," she said, "I am the spirit of the +old-fashioned Christmas who dwells in the holly heart of the evergreen +wood. A _country_ Christmas, ruddy-cheeked and cheerful and rugged like +the winter holly--simple and old-fashioned and hallowed with memories +like this bright soft crimson gown!" + +Well, she had been a queer, fanciful youngster too, Doctor Ralph +remembered, always passionately aquiver with a wild sylvan poetry and +over-fond of book-lore like her father. Mischievously glancing at a +spray of mistletoe above the girl's dark head, he stepped forward with +the careless gallantry that had won him many a kindly glance from pretty +eyes and was strangely to fail him now. For at the look in Madge's calm +eyes, he drew back, stammering. + +"I--I beg your pardon!" said Doctor Ralph. + +Later as he stood thoughtfully by his bedroom window, staring queerly at +the wind-beaten elms, he found himself repeating Madge Hildreth's words. +"Ruddy-cheeked and rugged and cheerful!"--indeed--this unforgettable +Christmas eve. Yes--she was right. Had he not often heard his father say +that the Christmas season epitomized all the rugged sympathy and +heartiness and health of the country year! To-night the blazing +Yule-log, his mother's face--how white her hair was growing, thought +Doctor Ralph with a sudden tightening of his throat--all of these +memories had strummed forgotten and finer chords. And darkly foiling the +homely brightness came the picture of rushing, overstrung, bundle-laden +city crowds, of shop-girls white and weary, of store-heaps of cedar and +holly sapped by electric glare. Rush and strain and worry--yes--and a +spirit of grudging! How unlike the Christmas peace of this white, +wind-world outside his window! So Doctor Ralph went to bed with a sigh +and a shrug--to listen while the sleety boughs tapping at his windows +roused ghostly phantoms of his boyhood. Falling asleep, he dreamt that +pretty Madge Hildreth had lightly waved a Christmas wand of crimson +above his head and dispelled his weariness and discontent. + + + + +IV + +Embers + + +And in the morning--there was the royal glitter of a Christmas ice-storm +to bring boyhood memories crowding again, boughs sheathed in crystal +armor and the old barn roof aglaze with ice. Yes--Ralph thrilled--and +there were the Christmas bunches of oats on the fences and trees and the +roof of the barn--how well he remembered! For the old Doctor loved this +Christmas custom too and never forgot the Christmas birds. And +to-day--why of course--there would be double allowances of food for the +cattle and horses, for old Toby the cat and Rover the dog. Hadn't Ralph +once performed this cherished Christmas task himself! + +But now, clamoring madly at his door was a romping swarm of youngsters +eager to show Uncle Ralph the Christmas tree which, though he had helped +to trim it the night before, he inspected in great surprise. And here in +his chair by another Yule-log he found Roger, staring wide-eyed at the +glittering tree with his thin little arms full of Christmas gifts. Near +him was Sister Madge whose black eyes, Ralph saw with approval, were +very soft and gentle, and beyond in the coffee-fragrant dining-room Aunt +Ellen and old Annie conspired together over a mammoth breakfast table +decked with holly. + +"Oh, John, dear," Ralph heard his mother say as the Doctor came in, +"I've always said that Christmas is a mother's day. Wasn't the first +Christmas a mother's Christmas and the very first tree--a mother's +tree?" and then the Doctor's scandalized retort--"Now--now, now, see +here, Mother Ellen, it's a father's day, too, don't you forget that!" + +And so on to the Christmas twilight through a day of romping youngsters +and blazing Yule-logs, of Christmas gifts and Christmas greetings--of a +haunting shame for Doctor Ralph at the memory of the wild Christmas he +had planned to spend with Griffin and Edwards. + +With the coming of the broad shadows which lay among the stiff, +ice-fringed spruces like iris velvet, Doctor Ralph's nieces and nephews +went flying out to help old Asher feed the stock. By the quiet fire the +Doctor beckoned Ralph. + +"Suppose, my boy," he said, "suppose you take a look at the little lad's +leg here. I've sometimes wondered what you would think of it." + +Coloring a little at his father's deferential tone Ralph turned the +stocking back from the pitiful shrunken limb and bent over it, his dark +face keen and grave. And now with the surgeon uppermost, Roger fancied +Doctor Ralph's handsome eyes were nothing like so tired. Save for the +crackle of the fire and the tick of the great clock, there was silence +in the firelit room and presently Roger caught something in Doctor +Ralph's thoughtful face that made his heart leap wildly. + +"An operation," said the young Doctor suddenly--and halted, meeting his +father's eyes significantly. + +"You are sure!" insisted the old Doctor slowly. "In my day, it was +impossible--quite impossible." + +"Times change," said the younger man. "I have performed such an +operation successfully myself. I feel confident, sir--" but Roger had +caught his hand now with a sob that echoed wildly through the quiet +room. + +"Oh, Doctor Ralph," he blurted with blazing, agonized eyes, "you +don't--you can't mean, sir, that I'll walk and run like other +boys--and--and climb the Cedar King--" his voice broke in a passionate +fit of weeping. + +"Yes," said Doctor Ralph, huskily, "I mean just that. Dad and I, little +man, we're going to do what we can." + +By the window Sister Madge buried her face in her hands. + +"Come, come, now Sister Madge," came the Doctor's kindly voice a little +later, "you've cried enough, lass. Roger is fretting about you and +Doctor Ralph here, he says he's going to take you for a little +sleigh-ride if you'll honor him by going." + +Outside a Christmas moon rode high above a sparkling ice-bright world +and as the sleigh shot away into its quiet glory, Ralph, meeting the +dark, tear-bright eyes of Sister Madge, tucked the robes closer about +her with a hand that shook a little. + +"'Gipsy' Hildreth!" he said suddenly, smiling, but the hated nickname +to-night was almost a caress. "Tell me," Ralph's voice was very +grave--"You've been sewing? Mother spoke of it." + +"There was nothing else," said Sister Madge. "I could not leave Roger." + +"And now Mother wants you to stay on with her. You--you'll do that?" + +"She is very lonely," said Madge uncertainly and Ralph bit his lip. + +"Mother lonely!" he said. "She didn't tell me that." + +"Roger is wild to stay," went on Madge, looking away--"but I--oh--I fear +it is only their wonderful kindness. Still there's the Doctor's +rheumatism--and he does need some one to keep his books." + +"Rheumatism!" said Ralph sharply. + +"Yes," nodded Madge in surprise--"didn't you know. It's been pretty bad +this winter. He's been thinking some of breaking in young Doctor Price +to take part of his practise now and perhaps all of it later." + +"Price!" broke out Ralph indignantly. "Oh--that's absurd! Price couldn't +possibly swing Dad's work. He's not clever enough." + +"He's the only one there is," said Madge and Ralph fell silent. + +All about them lay a glittering moonlit country of peaceful, firelit +homes and snowy hills--of long quiet roads and shadowy trees and +presently Ralph spoke again. + +"You like all this," he said abruptly, "the quiet--the country--and all +of it?" + +Sister Madge's black eyes glowed. + +"After all," she said, "is it not the only way to live? This scent of +the pine, the long white road, the wild-fire of the winter sunset and +the wind and the hills--are they not God-made messages of mystery to +man? Life among man-made things--like your cities--seems somehow to +exaggerate the importance of man the maker. Life among the God-made +hills dwarfs that artificial sense of egotism. It teaches you to marvel +at the mystery of Creation. Yesterday when the Doctor and I were +gathering the Christmas boughs, the holly glade in the forest seemed +like some ancient mystic Christmas temple of the Druids where one might +tell his rosary in crimson holly beads and forget the world!" + +Well--perhaps there was something fine and sweet and holy in the country +something--a tranquil simplicity--a hearty ruggedness--that city +dwellers forfeited in their head-long rush for man-made pleasure. After +all, perhaps the most enduring happiness lay in the heart of these quiet +hills. + +"My chief is very keen on country life," said Ralph suddenly. "He +preaches a lot. Development of home-spirit and old-fashioned household +gods--that sort of thing! He's a queerish sort of chap--my chief--and +a bit too--er--candid at times. He was dad's old classmate, you know." +And Ralph fell silent again, frowning. + +So Price was to take his father's practise! How it must gall the old +Doctor! And mother was lonely, eh?--and Dad's rheumatism getting the +best of him--Why Great Guns! mother and dad were growing _old_! And some +of those snow-white hairs of theirs had come from worrying over +him--John had said so. Ralph's dark face burned in the chill night wind. +Well, for all old John's cutting sarcasm, his father still had faith in +him and the trust in young Roger's eloquent eyes had fairly hurt him. +God! they did not know! And then this queer Christmas heart-glow. How +Griffin and Edwards and the rest of his gay friends would mock him for +it? _Friends!_ After all--had he any friends in the finer sense of that +finest of words? Such warm-hearted loyal friends for instance as these +neighbors of his father's who had been dropping in all day with a hearty +smile and a Christmas hand-shake. And black-eyed Sister Madge--this +brave, little fighting gipsy-poet here--where--But here Ralph frowned +again and looked away and even when the cheerful lights of home +glimmered through the trees he was still thinking--after an impetuous +burst of confidence to Sister Madge. + +So, later, when Doctor Ralph entered his father's study--his chin was +very determined. + +"I was ashamed to tell you this morning, sir," he said steadily, "but +I--I'm no longer on the staff of St. Michael's. My hand was shaking +and--and the chief knew why. And, dad," he faced the old Doctor +squarely, "I'm coming back home to keep your practise out of Price's +fool hands. You've always wanted that and my chief has preached it too, +though I couldn't see it somehow until to-day. And presently, sir, +when--when my hand is steadier, I'm going to make the little chap walk +and run. I've--promised Sister Madge." And the old Doctor cleared his +throat and gulped--and finally he wiped his glasses and walked away to +the window. For of all things God could give him--this surely was the +best! + +"Oh, grandpop," cried little John Leslie 3rd, bolting into the study in +great excitement--"Come see Roger! We kids have made him the Christmas +king and he's got a crown o' holly on and--and a wand and he's a-tappin' +us this way with it to make us Knights. And I'm the Fir-tree Knight--and +Bob--he's a Cedar Knight and Ned's a spruce and Roger--he says his +pretty sister tells him stories like that smarter'n any in the books. +Oh--do hurry!" + +The old Doctor held out his hand to his son. + +"Well, Doctor Ralph," he said huskily, "suppose we go tell mother." + +So while the Doctor told Aunt Ellen, Ralph bent his knee to this excited +Christmas King enthroned in the heart of the fire-shadows. + +"Rise--" said Roger radiantly, tapping him with a cedar wand, "I--I dub +thee first of all my knights--the good, kind Christmas Knight!" + +"And here," said Ralph, smiling, "here's Sister Madge. What grand title +now shall we give to her?" But as Sister Madge knelt before him with +firelit shadows dancing in her sweet, dark eyes, Roger dropped the wand +and buried his face on her shoulder with a little sob. + +"Nothing good enough for Sister Madge, eh?" broke in the old Doctor, +looking up. "Well, sir, I think you're right." + +Now in the silence Aunt Ellen spoke and her words were like a gentle +Christmas benediction. + +"'Unto us,'" said Aunt Ellen Leslie as she turned the Christmas log, +"'this night a son is given!'" + +But Ralph, by the window, had not heard. For wakening again in his heart +as he stared at the peaceful, moonlit, "God-made" hills--was the old +forgotten boyish love for this rugged, simple life of his father's +dwarfing the lure of the city and the mockery of his fashionable +friends. And down the lane of years ahead, bright with homely happiness +and service to the needs of others--was the dark and winsome face of +Sister Madge, stirring him to ardent resolution. + + + + +Part Two + +In Which We Light the New Log with the Embers of the Old + + + + +I + +The Fire Again + + +"Doctor!" said little Roger slyly, "you got your chin stuck out!" + +The Doctor stroked his grizzled beard in hasty apology. + +"God bless my soul," he admitted guiltily. "I do believe I have. You've +been so quiet," he added accusingly, "curled up there by the fire that I +must certainly have gotten lonesome. And I most always stick out my chin +that way when I'm lonesome." + +Roger, by way of reparation, betook himself to the arm of the Doctor's +chair. + +The Doctor's arm closed tight around him. A year ago this little adopted +son of his had been very lame. It was the first Christmas in his life, +indeed, that he had walked. + +"Out there," said the Doctor, "the winter twilight's been fighting the +alder berries with purple spears. It's conquered everything in the +garden and covered it up with misty velvet save the snow and the +berries. But the twilight's using heavier spears now and likely it'll +win. _I_ want the alder berries to win out, drat it! Their blaze is so +bright and cheerful." + +Roger accepted the challenge to argument with enthusiasm. + +"_I_ want the twilight to win," he said. + +The Doctor looked slightly scandalized. + +"Oh, my, my, my, my!" he said. "I can't for the life of me understand +any such gloomy preference as that. Bless me, if I can." + +"Why," crowed Roger jubilantly, "_I_ can, 'cause the more twilighty it +gets, the more it's Christmas eve!" + +The Doctor regarded his small friend with admiration. + +"By George," he admitted, "I do believe you have me there--" but the +Doctor's kindly eyes did not fire to the name of Christmas as Roger +thought they ought. + +"Almost," he said, "I thought you were going to stick out your chin +again. And you're not lonesome now 'cause I'm here an' pretty noisy." + +"Hum!" said the Doctor. + +"Man to man, now!" urged Roger suddenly. + +This was the accepted key to a confessional ceremony which required much +politeness and ruthless honesty. + +"Well, Mr. Hildreth," began the Doctor formally. + +Roger's face fell. + +"I'm your adopted son," he hinted, "and you said that made my name same +as yours." + +"Mr. Leslie!" corrected the Doctor, and Roger glowed. + +"Well, Mr. Leslie," went on the Doctor thoughtfully, "I'm chuck full of +grievances. There's the rheumatism in my leg, for instance. That's no +sort of thing to have at Christmas." + +"But that's better," said Roger. "You said so this morning. I 'spect you +been thinkin' too much about it like you said I did when my leg was +stiff." + +"Ahem! And I did hope somebody would come home for Christmas. I like a +house full of romping youngsters--" + +Roger pointed an accusing finger. + +"Aunt Ellen says every blessed one of your children, an' your +grand-children too, begged and begged you to come to the city for +Christmas an'--an' you wouldn't go 'cause you're old-fashioned and like +a country Christmas so much better--an'--an' because you'd promised to +teach me to skate on the Deacon's pond an' take me sleighin'." + +"Dear me," said the Doctor helplessly, "for such a mite of a kiddy, you +do seem remarkably well informed." + +"Man to man," reminded Roger inexorably and the Doctor aired his final +grievance. + +"And then there's that youngest son of mine--" + +"Doctor Ralph?" + +"Doctor Ralph! What right had he, I'd like to know, to marry that pretty +sister of yours and go off honeymooning holiday time. Didn't he know +that we needed him and Sister Madge here for Christmas? I miss 'em both. +Young pirate!" + +Roger's heart swelled with loyalty. It was Doctor Ralph's skilful hand +that had helped him walk. + +"Most likely," he said fairly, "I'm a little to blame there. After I +came home from the hospital, I did tell Sister Madge to marry him--" + +"Most likely," acknowledged the Doctor, "I said something similar to +Doctor Ralph. I can't have you shouldering all the responsibility. Well, +your Honor, there's the Christmas evidence. What's the verdict?" + +Roger considered. This man to man game had certain phraseological +conclusions. + +"No case!" he said suddenly, nor would he alter his decision when the +Doctor protested against its severity. + +"You had so awful many peoply sort of places to go," pointed out Roger, +and the Doctor laughed. + +"And let you spend this first Christmas on your two legs in a _city_?" +he demanded. "Well, I guess not! No-sir-ee-bob! There!--the alder +berries have faded out and the garden's thick with twilight." + +"And it's Christmas eve!" cried Roger, his black eyes shining with +delight. + +"Speaking of Christmas," said the Doctor, sniffing luxuriously, "I feel +that I ought to slip out to the kitchen for a minute or so. I do smell +something tremendously Christmasy and spicy--" + +Roger caught his breath. With a Christmas intrigue as surely in the air +as the smell of spice, here was dangerous ground. + +"Aunt Ellen," he faltered, "Aunt Ellen said she couldn't pos'bly be +bothered with--with any men folks in the kitchen--not even me." + +"Pooh!" rebelled the Doctor largely, "that's merely a ruse of hers to +protect the cookies. And what I'd like to know is just this--what's Aunt +Ellen doing in the kitchen anyway? Certainly old Annie's able to do the +Christmas fussing for three people. Aunt Ellen ought to be in here with +us. That was part of my lonesome grievance but I forgot to mention it." + +Roger, shivering apprehensively, visioned suspicious stores of Christmas +delicacies--holly and evergreen--and a supper table set for _ten_! And +off somewhere among those purple spears of twilight old Asher, the hired +man, was waiting at the station with the big farm sleigh. + +He must keep his eye upon the Doctor until six o'clock, and lure him +away from the window. + +"Tell me a story," begged Roger--"over here by the fire." And his voice +was so very tremulous and urgent that the hungry Doctor abandoned his +notion of a Christmas cookie, and complied. + +To Roger, in a nervous ecstasy of anticipation, the story was a blurred +hodge-podge of phrases and crackling fire, distant noises of clinking +china and hurrying feet, and wild flights of imagination.... Old Asher +must be coming past the red barn now ... and now down the hill ... and +now past the Deacon's pond ... and now-- + +Sleigh-bells fairly leaped out of the quiet, and Roger jumped and +gulped, aquiver with excitement. The Doctor regarded him with mild +disfavor. + +"Bless my soul," he said in surprise, "that was the quietest part of my +story. You're restless." + +"Go on!" said Roger hoarsely, and the obliging Doctor, mistaking his +agitation for interest, went on with his tale. + +But Roger had heard old Asher driving along by the picket fence and +turning in at the gate-posts, and the story was no more to him than the +noisy crackle of the log. Off somewhere in the region of the kitchen +door he detected a subdued scuffle of many feet. + +The grandfather's clock struck six.... Roger's cheeks were blazing--the +fire and the Doctor still duetting.... Why, oh, why didn't somebody +come and call them to supper?... There had been plenty of time now for +everything. Why-- + +The door swung back and Roger jumped. Old Annie, Asher's wife, stood in +the doorway, her wrinkled face inscrutable. + +"Supper, sir!" she said and vanished. Hand in hand, the Doctor and Roger +went out to supper. + +The dining-room door was closed. That in itself was unusual. But the +unsuspecting Doctor pushed through with Roger at his heels, only to halt +and stare dumfounded over his spectacles while Roger screamed and danced +and clapped his hands. For to the startled eyes of Doctor John Leslie, +the snug, old-fashioned room was alive with boys and holly--boys and +boys and boys upon boys, he would have told you in that first instant of +delighted consternation, in different stages of embarrassment and rags. +And one had but to glance at the faces of old Asher and Annie in the +kitchen doorway, at Aunt Ellen, hovering near her Christmas brood with +the look of all mothers in her kind, brown eyes, and then at Roger, +scarlet with enthusiasm, to know that the Doctor had been the victim of +benevolent conspiracy. + +"It's a s'prise!" shrieked Roger, "a Christmasy s'prise! Aunt Ellen she +says you're so awful keen on s'prisin' other folks that we'd show +you--an'--an' you'll have a bang-up Christmas with kids like you love +an' so will I, an' so will they an' the minister he went to the city +and found seven boys crazy for Christmas in the country an'--" + +"Roger! Roger!" came Aunt Ellen's gentle voice--"do please take a +breath, child. You're turning purple." + +The Doctor adjusted his glasses. + +"Seven boys!" he said. "Bless my soul, when I opened that door I saw +seventy boys!" He counted them aloud--then for no reason at all save +that he had glanced into seven eager faces, thinner and sharper than he +liked, for all they glowed with excitement and furtive interest in the +long supper table asparkle with lights and holly, he wiped his glasses +and patted Roger on the back. + +"Is your leg botherin' so much now, daddy Doctor?" demanded Roger. + +"Nothing like so much," admitted the Doctor. + +"Are you lonesome 'nuff now to stick out your chin?" + +"Bless your heart, Roger," admitted the Doctor huskily, "I'm so full of +Christmas I can hardly breathe!" + +"Hooray!" said Roger. "Me, too." + + + + +II + +It Blazes Higher + + +It was well that the Doctor had a way with boys, for there was a problem +to be solved here with infinite tact--a problem of protuberant eyes and +paralyzing self-consciousness, of unnatural silences and then unexpected +attempts at speech that died in painful rasps and gurgles, of stubbing +toes and nudging elbows, of a centipedal supply of arms and legs that +interfered with abortive and conscience-stricken attempts at courtesy, +and above all an interest in the weave of the carpet that was at once a +mania and an epidemic--but by the time supper was well under way, +things, in the language of Roger, had begun to hum, and by the time the +Doctor had mastered the identities of his guests, from Jim, the shy, +sullen boy who would not meet his eyes, to Mike's little brother, Muggs, +who consumed prodigious quantities of everything in staring silence, and +looked something like a girl save for a tardily-cast-off suit of Mike's, +somewhat oceanic in flow and fit, the hum had become celebrative and +distinctly a thing of Christmas. + +Constraint in the mellowing halo of a Christmas eve supper where holly +and a Yule-log blazed and the winter wind frostily rattled the +checker-paned windows of the sitting-room in jealous spleen, fled to +join the Doctor's rheumatism. + +By the time the grandfather's clock struck seven through a haze of +holly, the Doctor had pokered the Yule-log into a frenzied shower of +gold; apples and nuts were steadily disappearing from a basket by the +Doctor's chair and the Doctor himself was relating an original Christmas +tale of adventure, born of uncommon inspiration and excitement, to a +huddled group with circular eyes and contented stomachs. But +Muggs--inimitable workman--his small face partially obscured by the +biggest apple in the basket, had not yet spoken, and Jim, the shy, +sullen little boy to whom Roger had taken a fancy because he was lame, +had met the Doctor's eyes but once, and then with a rush of color. + +Now, whether it was the scheming excitement of a busy day or the warmth +of a busy log or the rambling yarn of a busy Doctor, who may say? +Certainly Roger fell asleep at a fictional crisis and remained asleep +for all that Jim furtively nudged him. + +"There!" said the Doctor as the clock struck eight, "that's all. To bath +and beds, every one of you! Annie's had a lamp on the kitchen table this +half hour ready to light you up the stairs. My! My! My!--but there's a +busy day ahead. Roger! Well, of all ungrateful listeners! Roger!" + +But in the end, the Doctor carried Roger up to bed, preceded by Annie +with the lamp. And while Annie was turning back quilts and smoothing +pillows and fumbling at windows, with the freedom of long service she +soundly berated the Doctor for postponing the bed-time hour with his +Christmas twaddle. + +"And Mister Muggs there," she said severely, "has had one apple too +many, I'm thinkin', and the last one as big as his head. He'll need a +pill before morning. The child's packed himself that hard and round ye +fear to touch him." And then because Muggs was such a very little boy +Annie was minded to assist with his bath, and laid kindly hands upon an +indefinite outer garment which began immediately beneath his arm-pits +and ended at his shoe-tops in singular fringe. + +"An', ma'am," she explained to Aunt Ellen a little later, "I had to let +him go in to his bath by himself. No more had I touched his +bushel-basket of rags--an' they were hitched over his shoulders with +school straps and somebody's shirtwaist underneath--than he let out a +terrific shriek (ye must have heard him) an' all the boys come runnin' +and crowdin' round him and starin' so frightened at me, an' his brother +yelled at him to keep quiet or something or somebody'd get him, and he +kept quiet that sudden I could fairly see the child swell. He's +unnatural still and unnatural full, ma'am, an' the Doctor better leave +his pills handy." + +Bathed and freshly night-gowned, the Doctor's guests tumbled, a little +noisily into bed. Only Jim lay silent and wakeful. Once he nudged his +bed-fellow. + +"Luke," he whispered, "d'ye think I'd orta tell 'em?" + +"Aw," said Luke sleepily, "dry up, Jim! Gosh, ain't the bed soft!" + +Jim sighed. + +Christmas came to the old farmhouse with the distant echo of village +bells at midnight but, long before that, Christmas, in a fur cap and +great-coat had swept up the driveway with a jingle of sleigh-bells, +behind old Polly, the Doctor's mare, his sleigh packed high with +bundles. By the light of a late moon, flinging festal silver on the +snow, it might be seen that Christmas resembled a somewhat guilty +looking old gentleman with a grizzled beard. + +"I'll catch old Scratch!" he admitted, suddenly overcome by the bulbous +appearance of the sleigh, "but Ellen may say what she will. She +_couldn't_ have thought of everything!" + +No call for pills came that night from Muggs, asleep in a crib that had +seen much service. He was awake however long before daylight, trembling +with excitement. + +"Mike, oh Mike!" he called hoarsely. "Wake up. It's Christmas mornin'." + +Mike, in a big bed with Marty Fay, sat up. + +"Don't you _dare_ open your mouth to-day!" he cried in blood-thirsty +accents, "or Mom Murphy'll git ye surer'n scat. Ain't I schemed enuff to +git ye here? Huh? Wanta be sent home--huh?" Muggs ducked beneath the +blankets with a shivering wail. + + + + +III + +The Log at Dawn + + +In the still, cold corridors of a farmhouse, with frost-jungles clouding +every window pane and a zero-dark outside, the cry of "Merry Christmas!" +is most at home. Let noses be ever so cold and blanketed bodies ever so +warm, the cry fills the dawn with electric energy. The Doctor began it. +He knew by the instant response that he had started something that he +could not stop. Almost in no time, it seemed, Roger was leading a wild, +bare-footed scamper down the stairs--for Roger _knew_--and the Doctor, +hastily bath-robed and slippered, was on behind with a lamp. But here +was no cyclonic invasion of a dark, cold sitting-room. Old Annie and +Asher knew boys! A log blazed brightly in the fireplace and the lamp was +lit. If the room was over-warm, it proved simply that Annie had seen +boys of another generation rushing down of a Christmas morning, scantily +clad. + +And the King of Christmas trees blazed in candle-glory from wall to +wall, tinselled boughs sagging with the weight of its Christmas +freight. It could not have been bigger--it could not have glittered +more. It had as many arms as an Octopus and its shaggy evergreen head, +starred gorgeously with iridescence, brushed the old-fashioned paper on +the ceiling. A great, lovable Christmas giant guarding a cargo of +Christmas gifts! + +Muggs emitted one blood-curdling shriek of delight, clapped his hand +over his mouth and began to swell about the cheeks. Then he stepped on +the hem of his night-gown and fell sprawling at Annie's feet. + +"Dear me," said Annie vexedly, though she righted him with kindly hands, +"I can't for the life of me make out what ails that child. He acts so +mortal queer at times, an' he's ready to swell up over nothing at all." + +With the advent of Aunt Ellen, Christmas packages began to lose twine +and paper, and what the packages lost the sitting-room speedily gained +in disorder. For here were warm suits and overcoats, shoes and stockings +and sweaters and caps, skates and horns and whistles and drums, +home-made pop-corn and candy, oranges--ah! well, sensible gifts in +plenty, and foolish gifts that were wiser than Solomon for they included +a boy's heart as well as his body. + +In a lull all eyes turned to Muggs. His pockets were crammed with +pop-corn and candy. One arm was quite as full of toys as he could pack +it--the other had begun the day's conveyance of food from hand to mouth, +but he was regarding a very small, warm suit of clothes and substantial +boots with dangerously quivering lips. Nor could one misinterpret his +disapproval. For a moment the startled Doctor fancied he heard Mike hiss +the astonishing words "Mom Murphy!" but by the time he had wheeled +about, Muggs, with circular eyes of terror, had begun to swell. + +"That child," said Annie, "has something on his mind. Don't tell me! I +know it." + +The inevitable blare of racket came all too soon. Horns and whistles and +drums united in a deafening blast, and if thanks did not come easily to +the lips of boys, noise did. Nor could Muggs at any time thereafter be +separated from a shoulder drum upon which he had beaten with insane and +single-minded concentration even after the din was past and a hungry +hint of breakfast in the air. Lacking one outlet of expression he had +seized upon another. He drummed his way fiercely upstairs, to dress, and +he drummed his way down to breakfast, a ridiculous self-consciousness in +his small face whenever he glanced at his new suit of clothes. Small as +it was it engulfed him utterly. + +"Jim!" said the Doctor suddenly. "You're not limping!" + +Jim hung his head and glanced at his shining new shoes. + +"No, sir!" he said and gulped. + +"Bless me," said the Doctor, adjusting his spectacles, "I thought you +were lame and if I hadn't forgotten it last night you'd have had no +skates this morning." + +"I didn't have no heel on one shoe," blurted Jim in confusion, and +Roger, in relief, hoorayed himself into hoarseness. + +But Jim, like Muggs, was something of a mystery, and after a time the +Doctor, with a sigh, abandoned his effort to break through the boy's +sullen shyness. Still Jim was the first at the chopping block when Annie +wanted wood, and when the task took on something of the charm of Tom +Sawyer's fence by reason of a winter wren, so tame from overfeeding that +he perched himself now and then upon the handle of the ax, Jim fell back +with resentment and resigned the ax to Marty Fay who spat upon his +hands, doubled up his fists, sparred, in an excess of good spirits, with +an invisible antagonist, and thereafter made the chips fly so fast that +the little wren departed. + +Already there were great Christmas bunches of oats upon glistening trees +and fences, but, while Asher was carrying double portions of food to +cattle and horses, to Toby, the cat, and Rover, the dog, the Doctor went +about, with an eager pack of boys at his heels, distributing further +Christmas largess for his feathered friends--suet and crumbs and seed. +For there were chickadees in the clump of red cedars by the barn, and +juncos and nuthatches, white-throated sparrows and winter wrens, all so +frank in their overtures to the Doctor that the boys with one accord +closed threateningly around Muggs to keep him from drumming the birds +into flight. Jim fastened a great chunk of suet to a tree-trunk and very +soon a red-breasted nuthatch was busy with his Christmas breakfast. +Altogether Roger's bang-up Christmas began with terrific bustle, with +Annie, from whose kitchen already floated odors that set the insatiable +Muggs to sniffing, by far the busiest of them all. + +The grandfather's clock struck ten. It found the old farmhouse deserted +save for Annie in the kitchen and Aunt Ellen in her rocking chair by the +sitting-room window. The Doctor was guiding his guests to the Deacon's +pond. + +New skates, new sweaters, and a pond as smooth as glass! What wonder +then that Roger's trembling fingers bungled his straps, and Jim, +kneeling, fastened them on with nimble fingers. + +"Ain't ye never skated?" + +"No--I--I been lame. Oh, hurry, Jim! See, Mike's flyin' down the pond +like wind!" + +Jim's eyes softened. + +"I'll teach ye," he said. + +As for the Doctor he had disinterred an ancient pair of skates from the +attic, and presently he began to perform pedal convolutions of such +startling design and eccentricity that the boys gathered about him and +cheered until, seating himself unexpectedly in the center of a +particularly wide and airy flourish, he flatly told the boys to run +about their business. + +Now Muggs, though he carried upon his shoulder a ridiculous pair of +elfin skates, was much too small a boy, his brother thought, to embark +upon the ice, wherefore he stood like a sentinel upon the shore and +drummed and ate incessantly, until an orange catapulted from an +overcrowded pocket, when he pursued it with a roar. + +The peal of the village town-clock striking twelve came all too soon, +but homing was no task with a turkey at the end. Muggs, still wrapped in +mysterious silence, knew the very spot where Christmas odors began to +permeate the frosty air and redoubled the speed in his drumming arm, but +when after a vigorous scrubbing his glistening eye fell upon the +holly-bright table and an enormous turkey by the Doctor's plate, only a +frosty menace in Mike's eye, it seemed, restrained another +blood-curdling shriek of delight. There was paralyzing apology in his +eyes as Mike's lips formed the soundless threat--"Mom Murphy!" + +"He's holdin' himself in," said Annie, "Mister Muggs, give me the drum! +Ye'll not crowd into the chair with that upon your shoulder!" + +It seemed that Mister Muggs would. He began to swell. He began to drum. +He carried his point and crammed himself and his drum into his chair at +the table. He did not speak. Neither, from that time on, did he permit +any lapse in his industry. What Muggs did, from drum to drum-sticks, he +did well. + +Muggs ate turkey and mashed turnips. Muggs ate potatoes, cranberry +sauce, boiled onions, and quite a little celery. He glinted ahead at a +pie on the sideboard, seemed to make hurried structural calculations, +and pushed his plate again toward the turkey. Aunt Ellen looked at the +Doctor and the Doctor looked at Muggs. + +"If the child eats any more," said Annie bluntly from the kitchen door, +"he must have a pill. 'Tis enough for him to drum away the peace of the +Christmas day without stuffin' himself that hard and round ye fear for +his buttons. An' to my mind, if he'd talk more and eat less, he'd not be +in such danger o' burstin'." + +Mike looked slightly agitated. + +"Muggs," said the Doctor firmly, "it comes to this. More turkey--one +pill. No turkey--no pill." + +Muggs exhibited a capacity for instant decision. With stubby forefinger +rigid, he shoved his plate a little closer to the turkey. + + + + +IV + +The Log at Twilight + + +There was a straw-ride in the farm sleigh after dinner, a story or two +by the Yule log when the twilight closed in and Annie had lit the +Christmas candles on the tree, and then as the boys were romping in a +game of Roger's the Doctor slipped away to his study for a quiet hour +with a book. His lamp was barely lighted and the book upon his knee when +the door opened and Jim stood before him, his face so white and strained +that the Doctor laid aside his book, thinking instantly, of course, that +here again was too much turkey. + +Jim hung his head, one toe burrowing in the carpet. + +"Doctor John!" he burst forth hoarsely. + +"Yes?" + +Jim gulped. + +"I--I been in _jail_!" + +The Doctor looked once at Jim's face, quivering in an agony of shame, +and hastily wiped his glasses. In the quiet came the laughter of romping +boys. + +"Why," said the Doctor very gently, "did you tell me?" + +Something in the kindly voice opened the flood-gates of a boy's sore +heart. Jim's mouth quivered piteously, then he broke down and hid his +face behind his elbow, sobbing wildly. + +"I wanta be square," he cried passionately, "I wanta be square like +you've been to us, an'--an Luke said ye might not want a jail-bird here +for Christmas. I--stole--coal--for mom--" + +It was the old tale, one boy caught, paying for the petty thievery of +the score who ran away. The Doctor heard the mumbled tale to the end and +cleared his throat. + +"And so," he said slowly, "you wanted to be square. That's the finest +thing I've heard this Christmas day. Wanted to be square. Well, well!" +His hand was on Jim's shoulder now. "Jim, I wonder if you could come +back to me next Christmas and tell me you'd been absolutely straight--" + +"Here!" said Jim in a choking whisper, his eyes blazing through his +tears, "again--for _Christmas_!" + +Somewhere on a snowy page a Christmas angel wrote: "One boy saved by the +spirit of a country Christmas!" + +"Here," repeated the Doctor, "again--for Christmas." He opened the +door. "Run along, now, Jim," he said kindly, "or the boys will miss +you." + +Jim's final words were very queer. + +"Doctor John," he blurted, "I--I'm a goin' to send poor little Muggs." + +The Doctor was devoutly hoping that Muggs had never been in jail for +stealing food or drums, when Muggs himself appeared clinging desperately +to the hand of Mike. He seemed on the verge of a lachrymose explosion. + +Mike's face was very red but it was also very hopeful. + +"Jim said to tell ye," he mumbled. "She ain't never had no Christmas an' +the minister he said the order was all boys an'--an' she cried, so Mom +said bring her anyway in my ol' suit--you'd never know, +an'--an'--an'--Oh, my gosh!" finished Mike tragically, "Muggs is a girl. +Her--her name's C-c-c-c-clara!" + +The Doctor jumped. So did Muggs. The lachrymose explosion came and the +drum slipped down from the shoulder of Muggs with a clatter. + +"Don't wanta go home!" came the heartbroken wail, "don't wanta go home. +Mom Murphy'll git me." + +"I--I tol' her," explained Mike uncomfortably, "that she mustn't open +her mouth once--jus' act deaf an' dumb or you'd guess maybe an' send +her home an' Mom Murphy'd git her. An'--an'--she must take a drum like a +boy--" + +Literal Muggs! Heaven alone knew by what other blood-thirsty threats +than Mom Murphy Mike had encompassed the stony silence and frenzied +drumming of the little sister who had never had a Christmas. + +"But why," burst forth the despairing Doctor. "In heaven's +name--why--Muggs?" + +"She makes such awful faces," said Mike apologetically. "Mom don't know +what makes her that way." And then as Muggs was at the climax of one of +the spasms that had won her her name, the Doctor suddenly lifted her in +gentle arms and tossed her to the ceiling. + +"Poor, poor little kiddy!" he said huskily. "What a price she's paid for +her Christmas." + +But Muggs had forgotten the price. Though it had been a hard day the +Doctor's eyes were kind and twinkly. Muggs buried her flushed and +tearful little face on his shoulder with a sigh of content. He saw now +that one knot of ribbon on the tousled, sunny curls would have told the +story, then he glanced at the bagging suit and opened the door. Muggs +went forth upon the Doctor's shoulder. + +"Asher," cried the Doctor, "hitch old Polly to the sleigh and telephone +Sam Remsen that he can oblige me for once and open his store." + +"Ye--ye ain't goin' to send her home, are ye?" faltered Mike. + +"I'm going," cried the Doctor, "to buy Clara Muggs a dress and a doll. +It's her night." + +The boys cheered. + + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's When the Yule Log Burns, by Leona Dalrymple + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK WHEN THE YULE LOG BURNS *** + +***** This file should be named 17510.txt or 17510.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/5/1/17510/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Suzanne Shell and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + +*** END: FULL LICENSE *** + diff --git a/17510.zip b/17510.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..4deb639 --- /dev/null +++ b/17510.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..62d115c --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #17510 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/17510) |
