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9U war ture Jars. They wouldn’t come here to get money or anything else.” Indeed, the Burkeham homestead wasn't a very promising place for burg- lars. The house stood back from the toad a quarter of a mile. It. was a large, wood-colored structure, and had been neglected for years. and large populars grow all around the house GIRL up to the door. Bl th ".\ ml is this a surprise to you ?" ask- ezl Harry Holding. “I saw your fath- er in the village to-day. He said you would be all alone this evening. so we made up a party to surprise you," “Indeed. it is a surprise, but I had a presentiment that there would be somebody hero to-night. and I am truly lad that you came. for I was gettin onesome. Now ”or the (Popcorn an taffy." exclaimed Lido. an she got the pcorn ready to pap. end Molly Leu- 53:: end Harry popped the corn over the red-hot coals. am} they soon had e large n heaping full. “Now e nay. You know it will “I can make all the doors and win« dows burglar proof. but I am not “raid of burglars.” said Lida, "in this dogolqte place." So it was decided that the would 0. and they started on the a ternoon gefore Christmas. The sleighing was excellent, with a cold wind blowing from the north. "Lida, you must keep fresh logs on the fire. and keep warm. I think there is going to be a snow storm, and it is getting so much colder." and the snow flakes began to fall as he spoke. "Well, old Dobbin. we will have to o," and after the good byes were said- g‘armer Burkehzun took up the reins and old Dobbin started off at a pace you would not think he possessed. kle of sleigh-bells and laughing voices. “Oh." thought Lida. quickly. “some one from the village gonng out sleigh- lng." and they came nearer and near- er. "They are coming down the lane," and as she arose a two-horse sled load drove up to the door, and a number of her most intimate friends and school- mates alighted. Lida received them all with a hearty welcome. and soon a merry rompany seated themselves aroi_ind_ the big fire-place. â€" '- v r vmwumvu. v Lida stood and watched them until they got out of sight. and as she re~ turned to the house it was with a feel-o ing of dread. as she happened to think there might be such a thing as burg- lars. She went into the house and busied herself with the household duties. First she got the children their supper. then tidied up the big, room): kitchen. stirring the embers in the big-old-fnshioned fire-place. which lit up the whole kitchen with. a red glare. Then she made a hasty toilet and set down to read. after lighting the lamp. while Bennie and Tot amused themselves playing marbles. The old- lashlone'l clock slowly ticked the time any. end just then chimed out seven. "Oh. how vtimeriiééis Vf'liyt'T': mu:gzl‘f1d; She was interrupted bv the merry tin- k‘e 0f SlOiflh‘Mlls and IA‘IUhinO’ Vn‘nna a very common educatio int my heart’s desire is that I will I lucky. I can't more than fail, and it“ Here Lida was interrupted by t] ludden entrance of her father, who be Just returned from the 'village. “Here, wife. I have a surprise f( you. Brother Johns wants us all 1 come and spend Christmas with them and he studied awhile. ”Wall. Christmas will soon be here. 5nd I wonder if I will get something ml nice for Christmas this year I” “f cannotâ€"expect anything of much value. as father has a place for all of his money,” said Lida. “Yes, Lida, you know just how it is,’ "plied Mrs. Burkeham in her easy-go- ‘M Way. "Father has all he can do to get money to pay on the farm; he laid his wheat last week. and with what he has saved up through the sumâ€" mer. makes three hundred dollars in .11., It you were successful in get- ting the village school this winter it would be a great help. And there is little Tot and Bonnit, they will both need new shoes and coats and”’-â€" “Yes," interrupted Lida, “if I am Only successful in getting the village Ochool it will give me something to do and be earning some at the same time. Of course I have never had anything but a very common education, but my heart's desire is that I will be Bo muled pretty Lida Burkeham as me stood by the window thoughtfully looking across the bleak meadows of Chestnut Grove farm. There had been Il bevy {all of snow the night before. end 3 sharp, piercing wind blew from the north, While a distant tinkle of sleigh-bells pervaded the air. om ‘Well rmer w, mother. ur mind t father. don't talk about h 'hey wouldn't come here to or anything else.” Inner IS mm 1503 [son was rohbc .9 broken into and eigt lars in cool cash was; urglars, and they offe three hundred for the Ill think it V011 with you hat as on account 1 know he wa ut a we :18!) is there ift SD 101W nt 1y link house 1D can “103 GM. M rs. Burkeham " . by the tire-place. tmnm a 3‘” pr ‘33 for ant surprise her friend: wants us all to her. and how terribly nas with them," some it seemed now. w as morning. and glam , to find it was nearly t I say about 1t- “()h, I must. retire, b1 miles from the. bits"; d 1 t 1 1t - , . .‘ e proves e( (3 )0 ‘8 so deep, and fasten all the windows ; it “‘ill not be ”Oh let me think! housef' H D1 I wil 583' upted by the ther, who had )e sate,’ said are burglars but a week II‘ Johns 50 mix“: them of Bennie’s taken with ill 11 )bed. The ght hun- as taken it II BIN out 1 0111 U SO “'6 an At thisasudden thought of burglars ‘flashed upon her mind. and all the blood in her seemed settling around . her heart. Bolt upright now she sat. {and 1istened breathlessly. Hush! } there it was again. She felt sure now gflfiat the sounds issued from the kit- i 0 en. ‘.‘Oh heaven help me.l they are in the china closet, and that is where the money is." and a bright thought sud- denly tlashel umn her mind as she listened with bated breath. “I will slip out and lock the door and they will be imprisoned. and they cant possibâ€" ly escape." Softly she glided out into the dining- room. and more cautiously aha tiptoed across to the closet doors; it did not take one second to alida the bi iron bar to. and the door was locked efore those inside could guess that 15th were money was in the china closet. off the «lining-room. Oh, I wish there wasn’t a cent of money in the house,” and she put an extra log on the fire. The sparks flew out m all directions, and she ran upstairs and threw herself on the bed. In Spite of her brave thoughts she was a hit of a coward. Sleep was out of the question. and she lay wide awake, thinking of what a good time her folks would have at Un- cle John's, and wondering if she would be missed, and if Aunt Jane would send her_ a piece of that delicious plum cake Presently mere came a faint clink as q! bxjeaking glass. “It’s a good thing that the old man and woman is gone." said one of the ruffians inalow voice: "and if the young gal or one of the brats would make a. scene we would soon silence 'em." This was plainly audible through the key-h‘ofe. “Hark! what was that? Just‘a slight noise in the kitchenâ€"the wind, may be!) “Drat the dog! I would. soon quiet his nerves if it wasn't for arousing the house." ”So they must have watched when father and mother left this afternoon,” thought Lida; and her heart heat so she could scarcely breathe. Then the dog began to growl in the kitchen. and they were silent for a moment. “I must act now, and quivkly too," and she sprang out of. her bed on the instant. out in the hall and down stairs. through the lower hall, until she got to the diningâ€"room door; here she stopped to breathe, and she saw a small streak of light through the key-hole, so she quickly knelt down and peerel through the small opening to the room beyond. She could hear voiges and muffled footsteps. THE DOOR WAS LOCKED BEFORE 'IHEY COK'LD GUESS THiY \VERE ENTRAPPED. land of dreams. And Lida. sat down by the fire-place. thinking of the pleas- ant surprise her friends had made for her. and how terribly dull and lone- some it seemed now. She wished it was morning, and glamed at the clock to find it was nearly twelve. __5‘()h, I must retire, but sleepâ€"not a ed alone before.” Lida was a brave girl indeed. She wasn’t of the hysterical sort. “\Ve shall not forget this evening's enjoyment soon." they exclaimed, as they started away with the speed of the wind. There was a. pale moon visible. and Lida watehed the merry party as far as her eyes could see by the faint moon- light. But. as she went into the house, it was with a feeling of loneliness. Ben- nie and Tot had long since been in the not be complete without something sweet.” said Hattie Fielding. Lida got a generous supply of molas- ses and sugar for the taffy, and in a fewmoments they pronounced it done to a turn. so Lida poured it out on plates and set it in the snow to cool. and Bennie went to the cellar and soon appeared with a llarge pan full of bright, red-cheeked a ples. By this time the taffy wascoo enough to pull, so they were full of glee. ”Say we tell stories," exclaimed pret- ty Daisy Green. "All right," they all exclaimed in a vhorus, so they went on to relate weird. ghost stories. indian stories, and stories of daring robbers. ”Speaking of robbers, that just reâ€" minds me of Farmer Boylson's house being robbed and eight hundred dollars taken. They offer three hundred re- ward for their capture, and I wouldn’t care if I could capture them," exclaim- ed Harry. “Three hundred don’t grow un every bush. There were two very SllSpit‘lOllS looking fellows seen yester- day on the old Pike road. I’ll bet they are notprpwl‘ing around for any good." The clock stroked the time away. and the evening passed only too quickly for them. ' “()h, who would have thought it was so late ?” exclaimed Daisy, as the hands pointed to eleven, and they started for their wraps. “Won‘t you be afraid to stay here all alone '2" said another. “Oh, no," Lida replied, “I have stay- d to bolt the doors xindmvs securely. think! Papa said 1nd the About a week after Christmas Mr. ‘Burkeham was greatly surprised as he was about to start for the village by hearing Lida say: "Father. I am go- ing to let you have that money. for I will not have any use for it.” and she went and got the money. As she “ Oh, it nearly escaped my mind. Li- da." exclaimed Mr. Burkeman; “here is a letter I got out of the office to- day," and be handed it to her. It proved to be a letter of acceptance to her‘as teacher _of the village school. " \Vell. Miss Lida, l have been to the village. and the burglars proved to he the same ones that rohbed me the oth- er night, and the money an-l notes I revognize as the same. I guess they thought they would get the second haul before they left these parts. Here is a present for you. Rather late in the day. but. a Christmas gift any way." He. handed Lida a large envelOp'e and started away. Lida hastily tore the letter Open. and what to her surprise and gratifi- cation should she see but three hun- drml dollars in hills accompanied by a note: “ This the three hundred dol- lars reward for the capture of said burglars; this the reward [give to you. Signed. Samuel Boylson." When Lida told them of her exyeri- ence they could scarcely believe it, es- pecially about her receiving the re- ward offered tor the capture of the burglars, and how she had entrapped them in the closet. Just then Bennie came running in- to the house with the news that papa and mamma were coming down the lane. so Lida hurries! around to get the supper on the table. as they would be cold and hungry comng so far. Lida could not but think what an eventful Christmas day it was for her. and how she wished it was time for her folks to come home. Time passed quickly, and it was almost night before she knew it. and as she sat at the ta.- ble she glanced out, of the window. and who should she see but Farmer Boylsoq coming up the well: “Good morning. Miss Lida; I just: thought, 1. would come over anrl see how you feel over last; night’s adven- ture. This is quite an eventful Christ- mas for you. [should think, and you all alone, too. Well. you’re a brave After he had explained everything to him he said, “ Well. I must go to thy yillage.” u. kno.-k uf the door. and. when she owned it there stoo;i.__l*‘ar_n‘_1er qulgon, hm! romp down stairs. and Lida hurried around and got the break ’ast. After the morning work was done. she heard “ \Vell, when we left here it was late then, and as we were about helf way to the village, we passed two big, bur- 1y fellows on the road; they wore hig slouch hats, and seemed very much in- terested; they didn’t look up, and were walking very fast in this direction. Fred and I made up our minds to watch the fellows. so after the girls were all taken to their homes, we went and got the constable, for we knew if they were coming here. we hadn’t a. moment to lose. We took the sleighâ€" bells off, as we didn't want to be heard about this time. and we didn’t arrive a moment too soon. The door was wide oven and the dog was making eter- rihle fuss. 1 was the first one on the scene. and [found you lying by the closet door in a dead faint. and we guessed at the situation in amoment, that you had captured the burglars and had entrapped 11199111 in the closet. "'l‘here prove-(l to be three of the rascals. They were commanded to throw up their hands. which they refused to do, but finally reluctantly submitted, and were soon handcuffed. Upon being searched, four hundred dollars in mom ey and some very Villllflllle notes and papers were got on‘ their persons. They _--I_ were well equip ing. as they ha tools and were \ were soon hurr {malt custody \ I will have to r that is. if you :4 alone.” said Hhr heavy overcoat. "Oh, no; 1 ha frightpnml " ex 1111111» I Lida, quickly, so he left for the xilluge. BY this time. Bonnie and little Tnt entrapped. and everything grew black to Lida in an instant. and she fainted away. \Vhen she Opened her eyes she started up with a terrified shriek, and Harry Fieldin was bending over her. \Vith a smile e assured her that 6v- erything was quite safe. “ And the burglars, where are they?" she exvlaimed in a terrified voice. “Oh they are in the village lock-up safe enough by thisotime.” â€"- â€"‘ LLA 1!?‘9‘- aulb 611qu 11 l)’ Id”... . vâ€"â€"â€" The sun wvs streammg in at the wm- dows, and Lida, soon recovered enough to collect her thoughts, and explamed everything to Hury. , .. NOW. tell me how you happened to , my rescue so fortunately." . ‘-- A n‘rV\Inln pped for house break? ad a set of burglars’ well masked, and they riecl to the village to You know the rest. and return to the village; are not ufra‘d to stay I‘I'V. as he drew on his of. all over being .I Lida, quickly, so “0, mother. do look did on ever see so many pretty things? don' t beâ€" lieve there is 9. ha 9‘ier little girl liv- ing than I am 1'. “Lo't her alone.“ Polly.” said Mary's aunt. “Imagine how we would have acted had Santa Claus remembered as m the least." Mary turned the box upside down and put her bed on it and undressed her dolly and put her on it. covering "I am glad you are happy. Mary," replied her mother. “but don't let it tug: yopr hagd." Mer all the while was untying the box, and when it was opened, she sat down on the floor perfectly overcome, for the first thing she saw was a dolly. --O, the loveliest blue-eyed, yellow- haired doll! It had a net over its hair, which was china. and painted yel- low, and a high roll finished its head- gear. After admiring it a while, she gave another look into the box and found a nice feather bed, two little pillows, with slips trimmed in lace, four sheets. two nice quilts, two hats. and several changes of underwear and dresses. In the bottom was another box, and when she opened it, the love- liest butterfly sprang up. and taking it out she handed it to her auntie to see how pretty it was. [t was attached to a small piece of painted wood by a coil of wire and when the butterfly was touched it quivered as if hovering over a flower. ‘-_â€"v __._ J v “0, did he, Auntie? I wonder how he came to make such a mistake. for he was here last night. you know, " and then an anxious look crept over her face as she added, “Maybep that is the reason that I never got any presents before; he took them to the wrong place." and she imawined the numerous things she had been cheated out of by some one who never told her they got her presents by mistake. but her auntie said, ”.Oh 11o, I think he knew that l was coming here toâ€"day and left them [or me to bring.” About half past ten her uncle and aunt; came to take dinner with them. Her aunt had no children and took great delight in Mary. and after din- ner she called her to her and said, “Mary, here is a box which Santa. Claus 1eft_at_my hqusedfor you." _ Mary ate her duughuuts and candy \xith a better relish than ever before, for while she “anted a doll too. she felt that nnw Santa Claus had once found where she lived, he would re- member her ‘again. another and another. them she 1am aside while tears of (li~-a;apointment rolled down her cheeks and slipped in- to herlap, next a. paper of candy how well she knew what it was without looking at it. then the apple, and While that was all she expevted she vould not resist trying her lnvk again. and my, surely she was not mistaken, there wzus a flat, paper parcel in the toe of her stm king. and with trembling hands she took it out and when she got it un- wrapped. she folded her hands and grazed at it in mute and amazed ad- miration, for it was the loveliest pink ribbon for her hair, and then her joy suddenly hroke forth and she i-apered and danced around and forgot that she was not dreSsed until her mother called her to hurry to breakfast, and dressing she romhed out her curls. and tied them Inu-k with the ribbon, \Vhil'h she fasten- ed on top of her head in a double bow- knot. and to her admiring eyes she looked like a queen. With cheeks nearly as bright as the ribbon. she de- scended to the kitchen. and with shin- ing eyes showed her parents what Santa Claus had brought her and they smiled as she said: "I wonder if he heard me wish for a ribbon the other day." and her mother replied: “As like as not." for fil Thirty years ago Mary Allen was a little eight-year-old girl, and since she could remember, the day before Christ- mas her mother baked pumpkin pies, jumbles, and ginger bread, and fried doughnuts, nice twisted ones, and if she had time she would make Mary a boy or girl, and fry it for her, and Mary always ran to get‘ her the silver thimble to cut the holes in the upper crust of the tarts, and sometimes her mother would let her trim the edge of the pies with a small key that made the nicest trimming, but every Christ- mas eve Mary went to bed early, so as to be sure and be asleep before Santa Claus came, for although he always brought her the same things, two or three doughnuts, an apple and three or four sticks of white and red striped candy, she‘every Christmas eve hOped he would not forget to put in a doll or a bright ribbon for her hair, and this Christmas she said 'so to her moth- er, who did not' believe in giving presâ€" er, who did not believe in giving presâ€" ents. for she thought it made them dissatisfied in time With every thing. and so she said to Mary, “You should be contented with what yet} get.f’_ Christmas gift In this way the mortgage was laid, and Lida will never forget that; Christ- mas Eve, and how she captured the burglars, an_d_.got the reward as a handed it to him, she said: “I will not need it, for I will have thp village school this winter, and you can pay this on the mortgage.” II mm M . and there ,ne of Custmner-;\'uu guaizlutce didn't you! Tailor-I did. , Customerâ€"“'ell. t he an! y these. clothes was the. one my when she. saw '60: Trai n Boyâ€"W we Btu rted. Bimienger. on a southern tram \Vhat do you mean by milling but; we 1min! Thesis are cold? -_- v.-- BUM-law- 013(0er innit; but he managed t get home. “Uhuut ~‘hu01ing‘ himself A father was lecturing his son on the evil of staying out. late at. night and rising late in the morning. You will never sun-reed. he said. un- less you mend your ways. Remem- ber the early bird catches the warm And what about the “01111, father? said the young mun snoeringly. Wasn't be rather foolish in «getting up 54» early? n‘_- ‘____ o. .. - __ v.. (o.\ My sun, said the ul} hadn't 1139-!) U) bed at getting home. Did your husband have any Initk on has shouting exvurxinn yesterday? Ir‘or htilu, yes. [3 that. so! Why. [didn't see that he‘lgrought hume any game. Boy-Don't yer. then? Why. then old missus diedâ€"and I bolted! Boyâ€"Well. if yuu must. know. you must know. First the old cow died, and us had to eat she! Farmerâ€"We] l. \\ hat ne x13 Boy-Then the uld sow died. and us had to eat she! Farmerâ€"Still, I don't see why yam left. of whité aunt Ne skates {1 his eyes Farmerâ€"Why did you Leave your last place? Boy. with muvh feeling.-â€"-Ah! Farmerâ€"That’s no answer. Why did you leave? Smile: Boy calling on a farmer to ask for a new playe: Farmerâ€"1:0 you know anything about horses? . Boyâ€"X3113; done nothing else all my Life L U]. neuromn lurmture [01‘ her (IOU house from paper. a An; scarf {or her chifiunier in her uwn hedroom from aunt Nellie. a big nire doll from node Ed, and a set; of imely dishes “ith gold bands from mamma. who, after it was all over, could not, lmlp thinking of her first Christmas presents thirty years before. ware of in A set; rin set 0! bed“ ma her with the quilts and then after a few minutes she dressed her a in and this she did a. dozen times be ore bed- time. and when at last she was tired out and ready for bed the dolly had her little bed made by Mary's where she could put her hand out to see if she was there if she should wake up in the night, and the last thing Mary said as she fell asleep was,, “I wonder how Santa happened to go to the wrong house ?" Thirty years later. we find Mary the happy wife of a prominent citizen in a western city and the fond mother of two childrenâ€"Harry, a fine boy 0! fourteen, and Amy, 11 nire little girl of ten. The day before C111 Lstmas she is busy baking while Harry runs er- rands and Amy helns in a great 111 in) ways, besides making paper halls and flowers for the Christrn LS tree, 11111111 has been in the family since Harry was four yearsool1i.'lhen it had been (ut from the timber on their father’ s farm and its bare limbs “mapped in dark green tissue paper, string 8 of popcorn hung in loops from its h.ran1l1e.s and over this was looped narrow strips of different colored tissue paper, 3111th made from red, blue_._ gre12n11nd pink Every year since someti added to the decoration until this year it was splendor, and after the \1 mamma went in the [41: children to finish trimw like halls of exery hue we sparkling bangles of exe c11l.,or strings Of heads. r1 low and furple, lmnglt hunches o milkwoed l: their natural 1‘reamy ail mammu had 111lorel red, [rum oil paints thinned tine , fans, finy parawls. halls of 1* rem-h tissue mosquito bar were filled with caddy and nuts and hung promiscuously about. and with the drum, tin horn. red mittens, picture book and monkey in the box for Harry. the dolly. rattle. blocks and blue inlttem for little. one year old Amy, and all this lit up with colored wax candles it. “as, as Harry expressed it, “'J'llest bootiful." The _yuu'ng man coughwi THE \VORJ‘I “'AS UP LATE 111‘ U! \VH'Y HE LEFD LA BA D FIT. HIS EXUI 1 S E ‘3”v they were but whzn. he ’JR" { f ung'lt :9 one my wife had 1111mm boot il‘ul methim from man. that wurhl all ; he was only ing had been of the tree one blew-e of 11‘}: was done 101‘ with the H : it. SUSY I) made irry ll [l In n his RP. m LLBTB blue. rpen- arry nam- yei U nd of ll $5‘N‘ ”its. salad? Um in‘mwnw ; ,M’reathed in Mu» firilh~ ' 'oua other Christmas H?! P.‘ ‘Iports were indulged in emblv around the Yuk 3i ,' ghost stories and 11 M1. often passed around. “gotta n_t pa rt. 1m great (‘M +5" :1 nunfl s amid muv? all sat upon i longs For with yule rake: .od an imrmoof church service mptuous feds . hands. whirh (pose, the indi CODY)! 138“. lmua and The" even floors was torn mor kins! tide. the \ cam the I’li sac upon It. at :25. For t}.i.~ h yule cakes. u; an image of the rch service the .ptuous feasts 1 ads, which cc a, the indisnel The In to ed or y in 5! then [ask old late and Wonk whok Yule “late It 0th! r The 11' 000 There n lent of nry form ing ‘ If an toms 1y as flved Hf their fr Of all turesq m mar ked w it mam it Wu when the Tl of cum it. wbic It does if ing ( DH “'8‘ sti mks t an “'0 I]