The Christmas Story from David Harum

rough which ran a deep bay in front), with mansard roof. On the south were two stories of the "wing," in which were the "settin'

pologetically as she let him in, "

d me to come over a little before one, but perha

sh an' fix up 'fore dinner, so I'll jes' show ye where to," an

elf comf'table, an' dinner 'll

bee's hands and looked at her, speechless. When he found words he said: "I don't know

tion. "I done it jes' t' relieve my mind, because ever sence you fus' come I b

ng her hands, "have made me a gladder and happier man th

contented here. I must go now an' help Sairy dish up. Come down to the

ulse, "do you think you could find it in your heart to complete my happi

Harum,

"seein' 't I'm old enough to be your mother, I guess 't won't hurt me none," and as

htful room it was, in immeasurable contrast to his squalid surroundings at that hostelry. The spacious bed, with its snowy counterpane and silk patchwork "comf'table" folded on the foot, the bright fire in the open stove, the big

e hours spent in the office were the best part of the day. He could manage to find occupation for all of them, though a village bank is not usually a scene of active bustle. Many of the people who did business there diverted him somewhat, and most of them seemed never too much in a hurry to stand around and talk

y resource for passing the time had been reading, which had often been well-nigh impossible for sheer physical discomfort. As has been remarked, the winter climate of the middle portion of New York State is as bad as can be imagined.

h those from which he had been rescued out of pure kindness, his heart was full, and it can hardly be imp

ad been some arranging of her hair as well, which altogether had so transformed and transfigured her that John thought that he should hardly have known her for the forlorn creature whom he had encountered in the morning.

uite as large as a saucer, and John caught the sparkle of a diamond on her plump left han

more'n a cat wanted a flag, an' I thought it was jes' throwin' away money. But

John was able to sympathize with after his two days of fasting on crackers and such provisions as he could buy at Purse's. It was, on the whole, he reflected, the most enjoyable dinner that he ever ate. Never was such a turkey; and to see it give way under David's skillful knife-wings, drumsticks, second joints, side bones, breast-was an elevating and memora

d David to Mrs. Cullom,

'm not partic'ler. Most any part o

econd jint an' the last-thing-over-the-fence. Nice 'n rich fer scraggly folks," he remarked. "How fer you,

h is jes' right

taking out; they did their own helping to vegetables and "passin'"-he hesitated a m

ked Mrs. Bixbee in surp

ed!" sa

laimed, making as i

said David. "So

ance and bewilderment. "What do you want in the wood

y might sqush it. It must be putty m

Bixbee. "You'll think (to J

aid John, smilin

d by David bearing a bottle. He seated himself and began a struggle to unwire the

got there?

er in a wink to John, "fer toothache, earache, burns, scalds, warts, dispepsy, fallin' o' the hair, windgall, ringbone, spavin, disapp'i

er with conviction, "I believe t

swindled out o' four shillin'," and he passed the bottle t

ess 'n a dollar." At which remarks David apparently "swallered somethin' the wrong way," and for a moment or two was unable to proceed with his dinner. Aunt Po

was dreadful expensive

toward her with the bottle. Mrs. Cullom lo

she said. "I n

said David, nod

se curiosity had got the better of sc

like it,"

hich the gas had driven the tears, "I guess I

d?" suggested Da

der, and this tastes to me about as if I was drinkin' c

John?" said D

relish. "I don't think I ever enjoyed a glass of wine so much, or," turning to Aunt Polly, "ever enjoyed a dinner s

shoveling a knife-load of good things into his mouth. "Polly, thi

an expression of horror. "Is tha

t Mrs. Elright has been ill for a couple of days and-we

unt Polly indignantly. "David Harum, you'd o

Harum,

believe if the meetin'-house roof was to blow off you'd lay it on to me somehow. I hain't ben runnin' the Eagle tavern fer quite a consid'abl

tone of injury, "I do think you might have let

if matters had gone on so much longer I should have appealed to you, I should have indee

gain, "you won't git no more h

said this morning," replied John