The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

f^AusUBti4 ' • • " • ^ i^^^ i . -• -' â- â- ' - :'' â- â- ? : 4mm '^->V ^ .. r;-^^ '..., ,^- 'A u/€ emfxectedr Jku/cyoiiifiluiit 7 . ^^' - < JAPAKTEAX ^^' perl lb |:n.EXH m.OM THE CARDENJ" perj irlb 513 c< THE CHAPTKK 1. THE CHRISTMAS TRFIj:. Here and there al>ove the i-oofs and gable!!, eaves and steeples that ad? the tkyec-ape of New York, there towers an occasional church ^pire, a Rreat, sensitive, hindly finrvr pointing: to Heaven. The Church of the Nativity holds â-  loft just Kuch a finjferâ€" but it risi-s from a smug, sleek, soft hand. An habitue of Now Y.,rk'B most fashionable club would feci quite v.t home in the Church of the Nativity. There is the same rich .'implicity in both, the same .warm comf<jjr^ and, above all, the .same exclusivf nc-;.s. But a thr^•ad^)are man woultl be as .self- ccntcious in one ini<titutioi. as in tlic «th«r. <*- A flM-tiiiK winter sun, hohicward bound on Chrietmai tvc, pc;rcd through stained fflnss windows ujK.n a scene of (lisor<Jer rot in ke>pirTjr\vith the priiniiefs it ur^ually .'ound in "tlic rich shadows of thco rtatcly Walla. . Crunipl^ pa()cr, \,)\v\ an I "'Wo({ sliavingp-^<fcre scatlorcri everywhere. Bits of abandoned string strawlcd 8lran(r« fiKJrcs on th« .floor. '^ Ki.iinK above thi.-* oonfugi<,n' towered "Perhaps they've noticed the kind She rummaged in the toy box to con- of men that niarrv chorus girls," I^ila ceal her agitation. , „ „ , . ,„ from I Where's the Star of Bethlehem?" a box of toys, one marriage a giant lir tree, decked with the liRhts and colors of an Aurora Boreolis. Tin- sel and trinket;; weighed its boughs>. A young girl poised on a step ladder, draped a strand of silver on already overloaded branches, then sat down awkwardly on one of the steps. A woman, dressed too youthfully for her 40 years, and too tightly for her 180 pounds, turned slowly, survey- ing a dazzling ball held level with her eyes. As she faced the ladder she glimpsed other ornaments. "Dilly!" she reproved. "Dilly, for pity's sjike pull down your skirt." She turned tf> a jlhirtj feiviinine figure bend- ing over a box. "I don't know what skirts are coming to!" "They're ilot coming to (the ground, niothrr, you crtn be sure of that," Dilly rejoined flippantly. y Dilly, otherwise DafTodil Gillinm, ' uns pretty even before she learned • that nature had adjuncts sold in small j round boxes. Twenty years old, sh« | Thombury remarked, looking up At ."^O Ix-ila had left behind, <'arrying away court-awarded spoils of war. There was something feverish and restless in her eyes, something deliberately at- tractive in her manner. "I've two engagements l)efore din- ner," said Mrs. Thornbury, finally, "and I've got to go home and undrcjis for the opera." "I gave up the dance for this," boasted Dilly. "But you all waste your time so dreadfully," objected Mrs. Gilliam. "I'm busy too, but my life is given to the service of others." "What could be sweeter!" her daughter mockeii. "Dilly! Nobody knows better than you that I've never had a selfish thought. Mr. Gilliamâ€"" "Of the Gilliam Groceries, Inc.," in- terjected the girl. "Mr. Gilliam says I'm far too good! Only yesterday I gave 500 pounds of coflfeo and sugar to t"he Salvation Army." "And today." interrupted the incor- yer>rs worldly and fiO years cynical.' "1 can't understand why our young women chorus irritably, rigible Dilly, "fallier jumpeo the price of sugar 32 cents!" Mrs. Gilliam saw the futility of further argument. "Ono gets precious little reward. I can tell you," she said witli rising .emotion. "I sent helpful from the Rible to all Mr. she asked absently. "It doesn't work, mother," explain- ed Dilly. "Are those your husband'^ men on the front steps?" Mrs. Thombury asktd after a moment's pause. "Oh, no," said Mrs. Gillicra. "Those are people from the sweat shops. They're starving, I hear, and Mr. Gil- liam says it serves 'em right." By this time she had found the object of her search â€" a large, brilliar.t star- shaped ornament "What's the matter with the Star of Bethlehem?" she in- quired. "Oh, the usual," saiil Dilly. "Who- ever heard of the lights working on a Christmas tree?" "But this must work," Mrs. Gilliam decl^jred firmly. "Mrs. Tice had it made to order â€" of Parisian diamonds. It cost $300." "All right, it's bette.' than nothing," said Dilly, taking it from her mother ' and clambering up the shaky ladder. I "Well, I'm half dead and there can't : bo any more presents," droned Mrs. I Thornbury, reaching for her wrap. j "I'd give tijy left hand for a cigaret." "Not here!" exclaimed Mrs. Gillia:m, a bit shocked. I "Why not? We've had almost cvery- ' thing else." "Mother's so mid-Victorian," whined get out of it want to go around looking like ^^"^ """.' <h«t- K"t '!;« content with your ; proa^-hcrs who go in girls." Mrs. Gilliam complainetl , "^•'"^" ' " '<-"''»'«< he st riker.,." i movies and they dr MInard's Liniment for Asthma. ./^' iV>' % â- V 1 r -^ In the storv or on the phone, a/ways askfirr Chrisilies Biscuits Dilly. "And ministers are finding thoughts (hpyvp pot to do something to make <"•'"'!*"' Vchurch-going attractive. What do we employes! Now thcy'r • on strike, and .„f „„t nf it. now? I've heard of for dances and draw crowds, too. ;Who wouldn't go to church to get a ' squint at Dougy Fairbar.ks?" s'Si t She clamliered down the ladder, [having hung the star at the top of the [tree. Light from an opening door fdrow attention to a small, bent, niouse- jlike man, a grayed creature who bow- jed his way apologetically, hia arms Idled with bundles. "Clood liord!" expostulated Mrs. Gilliam. '»More presents?" "Mrs. Tice brought them," he ex- plained. "She and Mr. Jerry Good- kind. They're coming right in." "Oh, Mr. Harnnby," said DHly. "t\\\T star won't light. Will you se^ if you can fix- -" "One moment--" The fexton was hurrying back to the d<«>r, fre« of his arm-load. The GiUiams could wait, .vlis. Tice was much wealthier. With a .'ervile how Mr. Harnaby opened the tj.>nr. j.. ' > < â- â- > I ! â-  » ' ek^rch in much the same manner that she had just entered middle age- refusing to close the door behind her. "Hello, everybody," she s&id jit airy grteting, which "everybody" returned. "Who are those people on the c))urcb steps? A lot of dirty foreigners blocV- iri4 the sidewalk." "It's the grating, Mrs. Tice," ex- plained the chronically apologetic Mr. Barnaby. "The f umata room's under- neath and they're trying to keep warm." "Well, let 'em try somewhere el.se," said Mrs. Tice, brushing herself in unpleasant recollection. "I don't mean to be unkind, you know, but there must be missions or something." Proper obeisance having been paid to Mrs, Tice, Leila Thornbury turned to the man who had entered leisurely in her wake. Jerry Goodkind leaned indolently on a ^hiny, yellow walking stick. It was a favorite, pose,' restful and at the same time m'an-about-town- Ish. Jerry was .35. Having had every- thing he wanted hadn't left him bored or jaded. On the contrary, he was well pleased with things in general, and himself in particular. "W^e didn't hope to see you here, Mr. Goodkind," said Mrs. Thornbury graciously. "I met him in froni of Tiffany's," explained Mrs. Tice. • "The most dangerous corner in New York!" Jerry said knowingly, with a STnile. He was always smiling, some- times carelessly, sometimes amusedly. But his eyes seldom joined in the smile. "I lured him here by mentioning that Clare Jewett was helping us," continued Mrs. Tice. Dilly saw a chance to tantalize. "Page Mr. Gilchrist!" she called in strident bell-boy tones. "Dilly!" rebuked her mother. "What u way of saying that Clare is engaged to the assistant rector! Dilly's looking well today, isnt she, Mr. Goodkind. So young and â€" " "Fresh!" added Jerry. "Well, good people, I must leave ; you," Mrs. Thombury remarked, turning to her wraps Jerry was at her side in a moment helping her into an enormous fur coat, admiring it the while. "Miss Jewett's in the chair room," che murmured to him as she left. "She has an engagement for din- ner, but you notice she didn't say with whom," Mrs. Gilliam said when the outer door slammed. "I don't think they ought to allow divorced women in the church!" "The church won't marry them," Mrs. Tice answered. "That's the trouble," complained Mrs. Gilliam. "The church will let 'em grive stained-glass windows, though," inter- jected the rebellious Dilly. "Where does she get all her money?" querie<l Mrs. Gilliam, brushing aside her daughters irony. "Billy settled for J3C,000 a year," Mrs. Tice replied. Jerry chuckled. "Think of getting $36,000 a year out of munitions," he laughed. "Gee! what a lot of lives that coat must have cost!" It was a pleasantry which pleased Jerry. He saw the tragedy of men's lives exchanged for women's finery, one of life's little jokes. The others joined in his merriment and the Rev. Everett Wadham, walking in upon the scene, found "the flower of his flock" in high good humor. "Here's Dr. Wadham," welcomed Dilly. Dr. Wadham bowed in well- BAKE YOUR OWN BREAD WITH . ROYAL YEAST CAKES &iestandard for cv^ soy ears contrived humility. He was an easy- going man of 60, a kindly, earnest, pleasant soul. As rector of a rich churhh he had no worries, so those of ethers did not occur to him. He had knov n no discomfort in his life, hence it was simple for him to deny it« exi.stence. (To be continued.) 4i Minard's Liniment for Grippe. 4 ''It makes me despair of the com- mon sense of my fellow man when I hear people discussing the problems of another war with as much indiffer- ence "as if they were talking about a football match."â€" Sir Esme Howard. "In my Judgment this world needs the metaphysics of Jesus to govern its intelligence, to give stability, clear- ness, and strength to Its reason." â€" The Rev. George A. Gordon. Educator finds girls lead hoys â€" and a merry chase it is. â€" Wall Street Journal. Outdoor! or indooii~ whatever your task. Let WRIGLEVS refresh you â€" allay your thint, aid appetite and digestion. Helps keep teeth dcan.^ A/ter Every Meed Li^t as the^ SeaBreezes Marshmallow, light .ind creamy; crisp, ^^ ^^ vanilla -flavfircd cake wafer; fresh â-  •* I fruir jelly 'fillihgs and â€" a generous!/ f thick coating of pure Cocoanut Icing t Even more delicious than it soundst Christie's •iJCOCOANUT PUFFS riLM'TKR n. . MUS. J. (iRSOV Tict: . .\li.s. J. Orson Tice swept into the haden shadows of the darkening ISSUE No. 46-1^8 SPIRIN Perhaps you didn't realize that Aspirin tablets are made to relieve the deep-down rheumatic aches as well as dispel the occa- sional headache. They do! In cases of neuralgia, neuritis, lum- bago; for those pains that penetrate one's very kines, Aspirin tablets offer real relief. Just be sure you are gcttine the real Aspirin, with Bayer on each tablet and on the boxâ€" with proven directions inside. All druggists. Physicians prescribe Aspirin; it does NOT affect the heart AaplHo \* th* tr«a» avk (r»tliit»rnl !â-  Ctnadt) Indlfiilnj Ba^w MinnraciDrr. Wl\il» It la r-rll kiKiwo that Aaplrls nrana Bayer mannfai-iurr. tu a-xui-* lb<> V'i>>lii: axaliist tuiiM* tiona, tk« Tableu »IU li* atanpnl wttb tbalr '-Ba;*r Crou" iradaiitck.