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THE MEDFORD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, OREGON, SUNDAY,, DECEMBER 10, 1009.
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CHRISTMAS AND
AN ICEBOAT,
By GEORGE P. CARD
(Copyright, VXO, by American Vroxt Aio-
I
V elation.
T had ntopped Knowing, but tlio
wind still blew n hurricane. The
sun was shining, but the air wns
so filled with the drift that the
outside- world wns hidden from those
who tried to peer Into It through frost
ed wlndowpanes. Myles Fearing had
been trying to ponctratc the shimmer
ing mist, but he Anally gave up the
attempt In disgust.
"How long nm I likely to be held up
In this Infernal placer' he wondered
audibly,
"lteckon ye'll have a chanco to hang
'up ycr socks In that thar cblmley,"
consoled his host, tho proprietor of
the comfortless little public houso In
whldh ho had taken refuge from the
storm when the stage which had
brought him tins far had succumbed
to the Inevitable. "There won't be
anythln' lcavln' hero 'fore mornln'.
anyways, and mebbo not then. Bet
tcr make up yer mind to stay hero
overnight Sandy Claws Is tho only
feller likely to do any travelln' fer
some time in theso parts."
Fearing did not take kindly to the
proposition. Ills knitted brows did
not relax, and ho drummed viciously
against the frosted wlndowpane.
"For two cents," he threatened, "I'd
cross the lake on foot."
Mine host shifted his quid and looked
properly serious. "1 wouldn't not even
to spite the meanest life Insurance
company In Amcriky. Seventeen miles
and a half to Oriskany as the crow
flies and u good thirty-eight around the
lake road 1 reckon yo'd better take
pot luck with us."
With this wholesome advice he left
the room.
There seemed to bo no help for It,
and the weather tricked young man
flung his six feet of baffled humanity
into a big splint bottom armchair and
proceeded to lose himself in a far from
agreeable reverie. lie really had abun
dant reason to resent his unexpected
captivity. Jnst across tho lake In the
snow enveloped village of Oriskany, as
he knew perfectly well, a certain young
woman for whose good opinion he
would' have risked anything capablo of
being risked was trying to convince
herself nil against her better Judg
ment that be was a hero quite supe
rior to ordinary, everyday heroes; that
by some clever maneuver possible only
to Ideal heroes ho might circumvent
tho evident design of fate to prevent
him from keeping his engagement and
make his appearance at about the hour . "ami nm ready to use them to tho beat
. ... . . - m . . . M ft I ........ t ...... ...... 1., I, ,.. ,11..
fixed In his letter or acceptance of her
Invitation to upend tho Christmas holt
days In Oriskany.
He had pictured It nil so minutely.
She would be at the station to meet
htm. and together they would walk
leisurely to her father's house. That
houso would be n gleam with lights, and
holly wreaths would hang In every
window. Of course there would be
mistletoe suspended from the hall light
and as they passed beneath It
All off schedule now, postponed" In
definitely by the strops of wenthcr.
Tho realization wns sickening, but
"Want to go over this afternoon?"
Fearing saw before, him nn over
grown boy of sixteen, n shock of red
hair falling low upon his forehead, his
advantage. If you doubt It, try mo
and see."
"Oh, you're nil right." the lad admit
ted, with an appreciative gleam lu his
eyes. "Now, listen. Night In that shed
nt the bottom of this here lot there's
nn Iceboat belongln to a city chap that
comes out here every summer. He'll
bo here after Christmas to sail his
boat, mul I'm goln' to help him. Now,
what's to prevent mo and you from
tnkln' n skim over to Oriskany? Just
to see if the thing's In good runnln' or
der, you know," he added, with a sug
gestive squint of hts left eye.
Fearing did not stop to go Into the
moral consideration of the situation.
The prospect of gettlug to Oriskany
was too attractive for that. His ea
gerness to accept the proposition was
so great that he could hardly wait un
til tho youthful originator of the
scheme was ready to put It Into execu
tion. Toward nightfall tho precious
pair made their way through tho drifts
to the boathonse, and half nn hour later
the rakish looking craft was ready for
, business.
I As the landlord's son had predicted,
the frozen surface of the lake wns as
i ."roe from snow as If It had boon swept.
, Tho force of the wind had nlso lessen
ed greatly, but enough remained to
make the voyage a daring venture. It
, was n ticklish business to put on full
sail in such n breeze, but Fearing
. would be satisfied with nothing less,
and his reckless companion was only
too willing to have it so. Almost be
fore the self appointed crew of two
could adjust Itself the machine made a
leap for the open roadway and before
tho first half mile was completed was
speeding nt a rate that would have
made n bird envious.
Luckily there was nothing to opposo
Its progress. The Ico was lu prime
condition nnd ns smooth as crystal.
All tho Intrepid navigators had to do
was to keep the craft In position and
haug on for dear life. Fearing was
sport enough to enjoy tho risky busi
ness even divested of Its ultimate ob
ject nnd the lad wns too excited to
remember the financial end of tho
matter. Tho soventeen miles nnd a
half were traversed with n speed that
must havtf made u now record In Ico
yncbtlng had It been noted. Almost
too soon the lights of Oriskany ad
monished them that It was time to
lower the canvas and make ready tho
drag. Five minutes later they were
nnm nimln nn form (Iran, tho vneht's
"Tt.cn I'll foot it! Sevcnteon ration nccb burlw, ,n nn ,mmonso 8tOWdrIft
that rose like n fortification along tho
shoro.
"OeoP tho other ejaculated. "Ye
must 'a' wanted to git to Oriskany
mighty bad."
A little later, when Fearing nnd tho
girl for whom ho had accepted n des
pernio chance stood under tho mistle
toe, he did not reproach himself for
what he had done.
WOULD BATE MADE A BfJlD RNYIOCS.
darK eyes aglenm'wlth interest.
"Fop sex yer anxious to git to Oris
kany," ho continued.
"no hasn't suggested any way to do
It. has he?" Fearing returned glnmly.
"Kin yo sknto?"
"Never had n pair of skates on my
feet"
'Too bad. By sundown the Ico Ml bo
os clean as a wnx floor and twice as
slippery. Tho northeast wind Is sweep
in' nil the snow on t'other side of the
lake."
isnl much of a tramp." Fearing de
clared, with n sudden revival of energy.
Tho red headed youth sniffed dlsap
provlngly. "If ye'vo got to cross," h"
said, lowering his voice nnd movInT
nearer to Fearing. "I enn put rt on t
sometbln' better that Is, if yo've got
the ncrvo and and n little snrnothh'
That was dead ea3y," said the lad.
'Tho hardest Job's to come. I've got
to get this concern back, nnd nnd
probably I'll have to explain how It all
happened."
I'll keep the secret. Fearing prom-
I 1 I 1. 1 1 ,ftft.T I.i MsimfV-
to make it intorestln" to mo. henddod. ., , . ,i ,-, ,
h ro-nrl, ntmlm hf thing t0 W tb magCS. tl0
nuueu, uunuiiig mm a urauu uuw twen
ty dollar bill.
with a mysterious pantomime
Fearing understood perfectly.
"I've plenty of both." he declared.
Chrlitmnt Chimes In Many Cllmot.
Christmas Is always a season of
good wishes nnd loving kindness.
lu America almost all little children
hang up their stockings on Christmas
eve, to be tilled by kind old Santa
Claus. lu (crmnny they make more
of Christinas than we do lu America.
Hvorywhoro the Christmas tree Is
used.
If n fatuity Is too poor to have n
whole tree, a single brunch only will
stand In a completions place, hung
with the few simple gifts.
A week before Christmas St. Nicho
las visits the children to find out who
have been good enough to receive the
gifts the Christ Child will bring them
on Christmas eve
It Is a very usual thing to see on a
(Jennnn Christmas tree, wny u,p In the
very topmost branch, an Imago or doll
representing the Christ Child, while
below are sometimes placed other
Images representing angels with out
spread wings.
After the tree Is lighted tho family
gather round It nnd sing n Christmas
hymu.
In England almost every one who
can do so has a family party on
Christmas eve. Young and old Join In
the games, many of which belong
especially to Christmas time.
From the celling of one of the rooms
a large bunch of mistletoe Is hung. If
any little maid Is caught standing
under It the one who catches her has
n right to take a kiss from her rosy
lips.
In Holland the little Dutch girl puts
her wooden shoe lu tlie chimney plncu
ready for gifts. Just as the little Amer
ican girl hangs up her stocking.
Aud so In some wny nil over tho
Christian world on the eve of tho
twenty-tlfth day of December tho
birth of our Lord Jesus Christ Is cele
brated. Everywhere1 the Christmas'
chimes arc ringing out the message
the angels brought to Bethlehem
"Fence on enrth. good will to men."
Holiday Suggestions
FOR EVERYONE
DAAffC For .Men and Wom
OUUIIJ en, Fertile Boys and
Girls and for the Babies. .
8ubttantl.il Merits.
"But," 'said the Impecunious foreign
fortune hunter, "my dear .Miss (Joldl
locks, why should you prefer another
to me? 1 nm n man of titles."
"So Is your preferred rival." smiled
the womnu.
"He Is nothing hut a plain American
commoner," sneered tho nobleman.
"Indeed, he Is a muu of titles, too,"
returned the heiress. "And my father
has had nil tils titles examined by n
competent trust company. Your titles
arc but words; his are deeds nnd to
some of tho best property lu the stnte."
Baltimore American.
Pictures
Fine 'Stationery
Whitman's Candies
Christmas Cards, Etc.
A general lino of Books, Stationery, Magazinos, Offico and School Supplies,
Post Cards and Confectionery, will bo carried.
134 W. MAIN STREET WITH SHERMAN, CLAY & CO.
Sherman Clay & Co.
134 West Main Street, Medford, Ore.
Our Pianos
STEINWAY
KTJRTMA1ST
EMERSON
WELLINGTON
EVERETT
PACKARD
CONOVER
CABLE
ESTEY
A. B. CHASE
LUDWIG
KINGSBURY
l
i
PLAYER PIANOS
A. B. CHASE EUPHONA PACKARD KINGSBURY
CECDLIAN CONOVER CAROLA
ESTEY PIPE ORG.AN
ORGANS
VICTOR TALKING MACHINES
CHICAGO COTTAGE
OUR POLICY
Reliability.
One price to all.
Superior quality of goods.
A square deal to everybody.
Easy terms.
Our prices are the same in Medford as in Port
land, San Francisco, Seattle, Spokane and all
our other stores.
To offer an expensive article today at one
price, tomorrow at another, and later at half
price, indicates an enormous profit.
SHERMAN, CLAY & CO.
shuns such methods. A child can buy a piano
as safely and as cheaply from us as the most ex
perienced business man.
1
The fundamental principle upon which SEER MAN, CLAY & CO. is operating is honesty, be
lieving "To thine own self bo true and it must follow as the night tho day thou canst not be false to
any man." A number of second-hand Pianos an 1 Organs, taken in exchange, on hand.
.SHERMAN CLAY & CO.
1
134 WEST MAIN STREET
MEDFORD, OREGON
GRAND
O
P
E
R A
Beginning
Saturday, Dec. 25
CONTINUING INDEFINITELY
, INTRODUCING ARTISTS OF WORLD WIDE FAME, SUCH AS CARU
SO, CALVE, MELBA, SCHUMAN-HEINK, S C O T T I , 'TETRAZZINI,
E.AMES AND SCORES OF OTHERS NO LESS FAMOUS, WHO MAY BE
HEARD
In Every Home
WHERE THERE IS A VICTOR O R EDISO.N MACHINE.
SEASON TI0KETS--Can bo procured at J 31 W. Main street by buying one
of these wonderful machines. Call nnd hear them and got prices.
Whetsel Music Co.
HtlMTC