The Corner House Girls' Odd Find / Where they made it, and What the Strange Discovery led to

corridor, a patter of softl

isen, and it was as black as pitch

ately to the swinging door of the butler's pantry, and put his nose against it. The whis

ah whined, put both paws to the door, and slipped through. He bounded through the second swinging door i

Jonah!" c

g over to the chimney-place. Then she squealed: "O

nkfully, "it's lucky Tom

n it to reach her stocking. The tree was in the shadow now, a

stockings and then jumped down, a bu

and see what's in t

t-I really can't, Tess. I just

There her gaze fell upon a shiny, smart-looking go-cart, just big enough for her Alice-do

ieked Dot. "I kno

Tess could never enjoy anything selfishl

at we've got. And Ruthie and Aggie

kings upstairs and s

and started for the door. Tess followed with her things gathered into the lap of her robe. Tom Jonah paced so

she had been up late. The chattering and laughter finally aroused the beauty, and she sat up in be

hristmas! Merry Christmas

as!" returned Agnes. "But

" cried Ruth, "and see what Sant

as she hopped out of bed. "Wh

clod-hopper shoes she wears? I wonder if

king," Tess said. "I hope she likes th

ound coffee came up the back stairway and assur

yawned Agnes, again. "Why

Linda was not noted for early rising. But now the girls heard

s, Mrs. Mac!" t

ame to the door with her

ts," she said. "Your Mrs. Mac must have a kiss from ever' ai

nd there's many and many a lonely heart beside mine ma Corner Ho

her glasses now and prepared to descend to the kitchen when suddenly a chorus of

o the window and throwing up the shade and then the sash. The sound po

aries," advised Mrs. M

upon the bed with her feet drawn up. "It's just as though w

Mr. Joe Maroni strumming his g

"It's the children

d morning, and there was only a narrow band of crims

in accord with the children's voices. There were fully a dozen of the little singers-German

se voice commanded: "Now sing de Christ-childt song-coom! Ein-zwei-drei

nd her half-brothers and sisters, and other children of the tenants in the

ain. "Isn't it great? We ou

Dot. "It-it sounds like a kind

That's gorgonzola-I aske

rgesse is money. Rich folks

they don't do it now. Poor

ade us," Ruth declared. "But it's so cold

early to make coffee against this very emergency, for Mrs. MacCall had kn

well as Mrs. Kranz and Joe Maroni. The latter had brought "the leetla padrona," as he called Ruth

iss nodt so sveet like you ki

ls brought forth the presents they had intended to send over to Meado

and then Dot and Tess insisted that the family should troop

nine o'clock. Nobody expected to eat any luncheon; indeed, Mr

fistie,' as we used to say, and be

he doctor's automobile soon after noon, and Tess and Dot were a

out of the dining room, where they could not keep their eyes off the hea

is friends at the old Corner House. But, as Ruth had been glum the day before, so Neale was

fterward-if you can't have a Christmas smi

l progress, that Ruth heard voices on the side porch

s to all creatures. Come! gather around me and lis

es. "That's Seneca Sprag

sed in a flapping linen duster and with list slippers on his feet-a queer enough costume indeed for a sharp winter's

girl in much deference. "I came to bring you good cheer and wish you a multitude of blessings. Verily, verily, I say unto you, they

made it a rule never to laugh at the "prophet," as he was cal

shes," said Ruth. "And what

purring about him and otherwise showing much pleasure. Even Almira had l

le of the pressed herb in the packet and sprinkled it on the stoop. The cats fairly

intoxicating qualities of their favorite h

e herb was sprinkled in it by the old prophet. The kittens-Sta

e," Ruth said. "Won't you come in and taste Agnes' Chr

e," said the

d him a room in one of their tenements to live in, he had become a frequent visitor at the old Corner House. Rut

verily," quoth the prophet. "

guests to-day for dinner," Ruth said, as she led him

on and the red-haired school teacher by their family name. "I remem

ce of cake, and overhearing this. "See how he let people think that his brother was dishonest, w

us. I know that you put none of the fat of the accursed

for Seneca followed the rabbinical

added bluntly. "All three of us went to school together. They were much older than I, of course;

"Did-did Uncle Peter really turn him out, and did he wander

"that Peter Stower was greatly maligned about that matter. Peter was a hard man, but he had soft spots in him

d Ruth, gently; for the old prophet was likely to switch of

ckedness, and aged beyond his years by his own miserliness. We had heard he was rich, but he declared he had

a lot of trouble. It was thought by everybody that Lemuel Aden had even more wealth than Peter Stower;

here at the old Corn

atened to hand him over to the town authorities. They quarreled harshly-I was here at

. I am not a man of wrath. Later I learned that Lemuel Aden went aw

asked. "Did Uncle Peter

Stower's account," he said. "It was believed by everybody, as I say,

in the Quoharie poorhous

ad he asked help. Peter Stower and Lemuel Aden were both misers.

ime, it is too bad Mrs. Eland can't find it. She and her sister need it now, if ever the