Santa Claus's Partner

e was on his way home accompanied by friends whom he had brought to help him enjoy the holidays, his enjoyment doubled by their enjoyment. Once more, as he touched the soil of h

tstretched arms, affection and pride beaming in their faces. He witnessed their cor

nds had hung on his father's words had increased his own respect for him. One of them had said, "Livingstone, I like you, but I love your father." The phrase, he remembered, had not altogether pleased him, and yet it had not altogether displeased him either. But He

hs; her face was rosy from a victorious tramp through the snow, rosier at the hoped-for, unexpected, chance meeting with her brother's guest; a sprig of mistletoe was stuck daringly in her hood, guarded by her misch

essed church she seemed a sa

f the scene; an

s means, and, rather than endure the least shadow of reproach, gave up everything he possesse

uture. It was an inspiring picture: the picture of a gentleman, far past the age when men can start afresh and achieve success, despoiled by another and stripped of all he had

had at one time even felt aggrieved by his father's act;

-! Suddenly that lantern-slide shot before his e

ind reverted to

uth; family and friends. Heavens! how rich he was then! It made the man in the chair poor now to feel how rich he had

ented sacrifice, thought, affection. He could see again his father's face lit up with pride and his mother's radiant with delight in his achievement. His mother was handing him her little presents,-the gloves she had knit for him herself with so much joy; the shaving-case she had herself embroidered; the cup and sauce

n his cheek. He put his hand up to his face

h. Catherine Trelane, since that meeting in the long avenue, had grown more and m

no hardship. He was poor in purse, but rich in hope. Love lit up his life and touched the dull routine of his work with the light of enchantment. If she made him timid before her, she made him bold towards the rest of

patient waiting, the stern self-denial. He had deliberately chosen between pleasure and success,-bet

larger and dearer as he advanced, until now-A thrill of pride ran through him, which changed

en it for years, but no picture could do her justice: as rich as was her coloring, as beautiful as were her eyes, her mouth, her riante face, her slim, willowy, girlish figure and fine carriage, it was not these that came to him when he thought of her;

ry swept

tion; then opportunity to do better and better always taking firmer hold of him and bearing him further and further until t

onger. His ideals had changed. Success had come to mean but one thing for him: gold; he no longer strove for honors but for riches. He abandoned the thought of glory and of power, of w

had succeeded, her father had interposed and she had yielded easily. She had married a fool with ten times Livingstone's wealth. It was a b

e ever knew or would know. She wrote that the time had been when she might have married him even had he asked her by letter, but it was too late now. The man she might have loved was dead. He had gone to see her then, but had found what she said was true. She was more beautiful than when he had last

es and would not go away. Even when he shut his

ert. He listened to see if he could hear any sound, even hoping

oan that was almost a curse.

to go to his club; he would find company there,-perhaps not the best,

ly; put on his hat and coat; let himself quietly

ailing along a burnished track. The vehicles went slowly by with a muffled sound broken only by the creaking