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|'\l LIC7 ll-I`l\al\} U\l L\J\lO OGID\I DU vsuaaungvu I could give you cases, Bunby went on; but, however, I ll say no more. It's understood that you stop, and it seems to me that it s a very nice little Windfall for you. 1111;-.. ~___ Ll... LL- LL-9.`-an LA COVIIII` ` One night at the end or the holidays } he came across a poem on" handmade g per. entitled Christmas Reviewed. ?Some of it was very clever and very bit- % "oer. Elton was ashamedof it and burn- d_'.**; ` Eicei: league that he had enjoyed the latter part of that day more than he had enjoyed anything for some time. His nature had not changed, but his point of view had. He saw himself less as a master and more as a man. And during the rest of the holidays he did his best `-4 on-ou=o\4\ Aug` `u-.\-.. L}. _....... A..- 1-..; Cook, said Elton, "we must have a turkey for dinner tomorrow. Cook was sure that they ought to have it, too, only Mr. Bunby wouldn't hear of it, and if he saw turkey in the -dinner book-wel1, there! Let alone Or- ley, the poulterer, being shut on bank holiday. She was sony, too, she was. But Mr. Elton knew what Mr. Bnnby was-oh, most careful, and-well.therel nt! -_l_ I. __._ -l-I- n _-_-,1 Ia1;'-__ an.n,,-A .-_- -v-- '- up --v--\.-yo in humid www- _to wipe 01; from 1:1-s_t'x1;r.nory (and Tommy _s) his recollection of himself as a. bfute. A 5' II When Tommy had gone to bed, Elton so far disregarded Mr. Bunby s direc- tions as to ring the bell and ask for the cook. She came, astonished. somewhat ustered. It had not taken very much to make him happy. .....u.:,-nun, \Ia.noJ .- -ac-vv-n up D |avvIn\Aa I have, said Tommy. V:`hal1 I get $91` UH uu_v . \ - ........ Yes. that was true and . . v Elton knew it And it was of some (1 . et ' porrmwe to 111111 that he soulfzlstable 1m. to keep himself for seven W knot have terufs salary, but. on thge cs 0 his should nd that 3.1 ontraryv 5` v 3 '3' augmented by _. an. _` . ` C` " Very well, " he said rather despond~ ent.1_v--he generally seemed rather de- spnndefnt--1 accept. Rough on the boy, rather, isn't; it? 4 " Well. what else is to happen to him He ouu`t go to his people in India He mm`: go to his uucle s house. because mey`ve got the whooping cough there. The Boy andtheI essim1s}??%- By BARRY PAIN. ELTON HAD BROUGHT A. BOOK. 11 tuqpcuu ululuuuvun `.`I ve tol d"the` srvanta. Maynham, .that we w_on _t_ bzjeakfast before 9. _I `never do inthe holidays myself, and ! dare say you Wonft object to in extra hour in bed. ` j V H>e_ra,wa.a a..f;trthr.. he1axat_ion_ and" another good vhywomnyy should ve tgalt_,_;pklea ed'withv thogway thing:-: `~u__- `_..-3...... -"Bin nn't\Id'.'-..I |g qrpittgn ta 1 train. 3'1 -hen, _ an hour later. themajority followed," with their coat collarsturned ' up and` joy intheirghearts and calcula- % tions of_` the amounts that they would j station in a 2 shilling save out _of4 their traveling money in their heads `Later still Gibbing. also went,`having' himself conveyed to the y. because the ; boys walked. and "he thought it well tr mark distinctions Last of all, after a many and minute instructions as to El- ` ton, Mr. Archibald Bunby drove o` to 1 hisfavorite holiday occupation of" be- ing a bore in a boarding house.` There were half a dozen of` these establish-to ments in as many seaside resorts that shared in and dreaded his patronage He liked to collate them. His favorite 3 study was comparative price lists. Elton not run 1'. LL. -....:-L---A ~ III/U1? VV llJ\lI.IILJ LU. Elton gave him Jtheuthanks he want- ed, feeling that he wouldn t be happy until he got them. He had got into the habit of doing anything he could to please Bunby. He was paid to please Bunby. rm- __ 131;-.. ._....A. 1.--]- 5.` kn angina-_ ? `Befdre it `was lighhe heavy "litggage carts were crmmhina n... .......-- _-..-._, ....u uumpaxauyu price IISIS. Elton sat up in the assistant masters` sitting room, He_ was smoking the first pipe? of theholidays, which was some- thing. Gibbing was gone, which was also something. Bnnby was gone. which was even more. But. on the other hand, he hinmnlf mg`: .-n.....:..... ----1 ALA ' U.ULl Iv IJILI5 Lu; nu} yuu.-3 u J`... V... ..--r } it. It s only adfew steps from the dining T hall_to the -kitchen, and you can very `well go` yomjself if they \ie forgogten d anything ' A . ~ Elton `now passed] this information `din to Tommy. with `such; modications at deli respebtd demanded. 4 :1-s..`.. o... 1`.`I"4~|.n 5'? dv-waists Mnvnham_ ..-- vvvnun a.A:u|U- 1130' U11 IILIU Ubll8l' he himself was remaining, and the many orders that Bunby had given him rankled in his mind. He pulled out one of his own visiting cards. On itwas engraved "Mr. -Eustace Elton." He` added the _ letters B. A .in pencil, and underneath the name wrote, Caretaker and uursemaid in the service of Archi- bald Bunby, Esq; " He surveyed this with a sort of grim satisfaction in in- sulting himself, then dropped it on the fre and swore under his breath. The clock on the mantelpiece struck 5 and `uvLauwJ w. The servants have suggested it, and `if I don t make thingsas easy for them" as I can whi1e~I"m away they'll leave `or want `more wages or _ something. So `you'll breakfast at 9. And, I say, Elton, don : ring forganyt_hing if you can help :43- .-_.-1_ - 1.... .3...-un fuonnn ll-no ininn In an LCD Us unuuvs u. Jun Inqava Tommy thanked him. ~ Reading on these sacred occasions was strictly for-` hidden during term time. and-the re- moval of any prohibition was to be tak- en as a. treat. '1`his.idea was so firmly rooted in .Ten1my_`smind that he almost forgopnhac be much preferred talking` toereading. , T . 9:, _ I3 l'I___I._ -|....l LAJAuA Inn holidays. UV > l.UIlu Qua: Mr. Archibald B1;nby `had before he left told Elton that breakfast would have `to bov an hour later during the - ___--_ n.-_- _........;......1 as -.....a the big dining hall*there were three long tables; In term time they were lled. Now Elton and Tommy Mayn-. sham had the place. to `themselves. Their voices rang` strangely in the empty room. A small white. tablecloth; spread across one end of one table, was as an unusually unattractive oasis in a desert. Tommy was not a particularly beauti- ful boy His countenance was cheerful, healthy and freckled. He was popular, simple minded and knew more about birds eggs than 'he`did about books. Elton supposed that he ought to sayja word or two to the boy, although he did not want to encourage him to chatter all through meals u-rrr-n nt.-_...L...... H I... .-..-..'A IHL...-.1...-. auuuv lv u-J vvwJ- V - No, sir, " V said"I`ommy. I ve had rather it good time. I got three rides on the luggage carts, and as,Mr. Gibbing s cab was coming back from the station the man` gave me a lift too. ' That makes four rides and nothing to pay One` would sooner have ' gone. of course. Wouldn't you? ' rnI.:._ ...-.. .....Jn-`causal-A hnnnnon .-imus- alkll-I3 L \.LOUL\l \l Itviwil lton had dbro';1g.1u1t' I:3r;g"lish trans; lation of a volume of Schopenhauer down to tea with him. He opened it and began to read. Once or twice Tommy ventured on a..remai'k. and E1- ton answered in a slightly absentzmind-- ed kind of way. At the end of, tea he said to` Tommy: ' Al` _.I_ L--- nan-ululnrvl Hnudnn ORA I (LUV DUI-IUUIDS Elton hit his lip. It galled him rather to be made to feel like a. canary. A--U-.~ H l)....L-o Balk; UU I-\.l&IIJIlJ - "` Look here. Maynham. during tho holidays. youoan always bring a book in at net: or dinner if you like." ___-|_-.`I L4... I\CI V` \.I\II\`lJ U J\lUlo This was unfortunate, because `tm- minded Elton or his servitude. .-91 cu lI1,,'.__,_-_ __1_'I-_1 alA_I_-_.-9_ ``=r;:.; zgiaii-aagna; ';aa;a; "there lots of` things one can do when one : alone. I dare say it won t be so bad. r.11L-_. L-) |__-._._I.4. -.. 1B......`|:..\.. 5..-..-` ua \JI.l8l.l lOl\4|I VV?;ell, Maynl;;m, , he said, they've left us behi'nd,`have1_1 t they? Tommy beamed. You don't look much put out- about it anyway. ". A117- ...:.. .`4.:A`mAyOv\U\v\II "T un kn}! FIBDU vvuu-I Oil? vvv-J -__._u_ His uncle".-had written ta. W -I.`-l.... ..4_ ..-AI nnnnnln hi!!! I`: II D uvvvuu u $ Lconv;ol`e`__l;iu%`i' I-sax: \I\J.- v Ow v-w -- -v--.-.- Then Elton sauntered` down into the town, smoking openly the cigarette that in term time wasdprohibited. He exam- ` ined the shopsywith their Christmas 1 cards, Christmas toys. Christmas tur- keys. and as he did soavery great idea came` to him. He would occupy his lei-- surge during the holidays by the ` _oompo- sition of a long. satirical poem. to be called Christmas Reviewed. " By the audacity of its manner of, dealing with la-sacred subject. by its tieroeand oon-2 oentrated bitterness.,,by its marvelous 1 - xnelancholyfaiid hy};i_tp~ exquisite nish" it should attract. attention and.app`r_ecia-r Jtion. Such thingswouldi be worthless '. 'to a_man` without butjhe Twas . vr nard.s:te:Wr* --.5 ..-V- ---a. My' old etampbook s~ come to bits, replied-Tommy. "and I ve gotta better one that was. a present So I'm going to oat off all the stamps out 01 the old one and put them `Wes. yes. Lpee." - The chaps being away. I can gettall the` lavatory basins at once for"-oating thepagee in, and that keeps the stamps from getting mixed. 1 can he.ve;a\ll. the basins. can : I?"_ l'\-..u. _..-I_- -__ r_..._. A`. ___ __I Usnuyngaup vuuoa v -- Yes. Don t make any mesa. thongh. -and don `ts go out until _I return. "` nu. _.. 1:11.-.. ..-_..s......A' 4...... x._;.` .|._ U Maynham caught It, that would mean losing a term 8 work, and it s most important that he should not lose even a day s work just now. As I said, I don't ask you to teach him anything duriiig the holidays, but still a little grounding in Latin grammar-Latin graminar especia1ly--wouldu t do the boy any harm and might help to pass the time for you. Very well, Elton repeated. Bunby was not quite satised. He wanted gratitude. He would always do anything to get gratitude except deserve it. He paced up and down his study. stroking his red beard. 5`You ll be very Coinfortable, you know, he reminded Elton. You ll have the assistant mas- to-rs sitting room all to yourself, and Maynham, of course. will play about in the dayroom. Every now and then you ll just see that he s going on all right, of course. As .for meals, you ll have them together. and, though there ll only just be you two, they ll be on ex- actly the same scale as during term time Ah, I wonder if you knowhow the undermasters are fed at some pri- vate schools? on 1'; ,,_I1_jI._'_-, _.._Ll_-... fmarkA`_th`at -"=`when; things seem bad `vtherels all the more I for making the best/of them, which was perhaps "rim-;i"ne:e rm "'lftr *n`.a caue.mea- . so; _ gensible. -' Itfalao contained postal orders [for 2, which "was -certainly` lavish ; Tommy had natnrallya. contented dis- position.` He had also an inventive - "mind. and for days past he had been de- I vising occupations for his solitude in ; the holidays`. ` -ftex',,,tea Tommy went on to the day-' . room. ` It was up large room. furnished `with two long tables, four long benches. a set of lockers andone chair-al1.in pine wood_ It also contained a piano. in walnut, but out of tune, for the hen et of those boyswho took music. The room was warmed `by hot water pipes It looked out on the back wall of Mr ` Bunby s stable. and it was not particu- larly cheerful. IL.___ `.'L ;_ -_, - - --- - '- - It was lit by gas jets without gdobes, I two as a general rule The servants had rby Mr. Bun byfs directions--.only lit one of them that night It had been clear to Mr. Bunby s economical mind that where there was only one boy lux- ury itself could not demand more than one gas jet - Tommy, not havingan eco- nomical mind, strucka match. got on a `chair and increased the quarterly gas " bill Then he took from his lodrera copy of Hymns Ancient and Modern," _ with tunes, and three sticks of plain chocolate. _He opened the piano. drew the chair up `to it and putthe three `sticks of chocolate on the lowest octave; because it would be handy there and that `octave would not `be required for the purposes for which its bad German maker had originally intended it. Then he , sat down, found the .tune that he was anxious to learn before Christmas ` day arrived and set to work. It was on- I 1y recently that Tommy had taken music, but he had already found out ; some important facts in connection V with it He knew, for instance, that it p was really the right hand which -did 3 most of the work; the right hand did the `actual tune, and if thatewent wrong ; it was of very little use for the lefti hand to be perfectly correct, whereas, ? if the right hand -knew its work anc` 1 made enough noise V with` it. the left 1 hand might come in gently where it` would and as it could. So he began 1 now to learn ' the right hand part first i V He put the soft pedal down and struck } n the notes as gently as possible, because`; he did not want Mr. Elton in the mas- 1 ` tors` room overhead to hear the tune. It` was to be a surprise on Christmas eve--supposing that it could be got in- to good going order by that time. As a } matter of fact the precaution was need- less; the tune inits. embryo state might safely have been audiblegas it would -certainly not have been recognizable. A4. n -i.;I-_'I. LI-_._- ._.__ ____..-._ -_..1 At 9 os cAloc'k there was supper, and. 1as Mr Bunby frequently pointed out. n all the bet doctors are agreed that this i meal. if taken at all. should be as light : as possible. After supper `Elton read `prayers. omitting two somewhat ` lengthy petitions for a steady and conscientious application to our studies and for such pleasant and friendly in- 1 tercourse with our comrades .as may best tend to promote, " etc. These .were. he considered, only applicable in term time. Mr Bunby had composed these prayers himself, and it is greatly to be feared that Tommy regarded their abbreviationas one more 01 the relaxa- tions that the holidays had brought with them. V ' sunny nn\1' `/\an-\n\I\4\-D vI.n\n 1.:-nova oannnauunau It was going to be terribly lonely for him. In consideration of his- board and lodging and a fraction under I shilling and 3 pence per diem he had sentenced himself to absolute solitude. _There was Tommy. of course, but Tommy did not count. or rather Tommy made things worse. All through the term there were many Tommies. The chief point of the holidays was that they brought with them a complete absence of boys That point was lost, for he would certainly have to sutfer Tommy s presence at mealtimes, and he would also be ex- pected to exercise some sort of slight su- pervision his movements during the ` day That was what a man of "intelli-- genes and education and taste was com- pelled to endure in order to secure for himself the paltry privilege `of being al- lowed to live Was it worth while? Em- n phatically not.- He would have prefer- red to die. but being a victim to the primary instinct he went to sleep in- stead. He also read in bed, but his book was the English translation of Schopen- hauer, and it was on` the oor in ten minutes. _ _ . ` . --------u- . What are you going to do with your- self?" he asked Tommy on the follow ing morning. - ' l nun. -1; ...-..._|.-".1_n- '_-_..- -- L.--- . V Thenw':l`ommy went off. to his bed room, read Treasure Island" for half an hour by the light of one surreptitious candle. and nally dropped o to sleep. ._ Elton. in the masters room, sat before the re, pondered and pitied himself. IL -.-...- ...._-..... L- L- A......_."L'I_ I__;-I_ R-.. THE ~:gNOBTHIiRN =ADviANeE. -...-you v-VJ ~.-gnu. `av-.-v .v That night when Tommy went up to his bedroom he did not go to sleep; on the contrary, he adopted precautions to .keep himself awake. He drank cold cof- fee of exceptional strength, made to his order by a local confectioner and brought up from the shop in a medicine u.-v \AvUJ vua.unv~ < a bottle "This, in- conjunction with the excitement of ' the Jules Verne. kept him from- sleep until ll o clock.- It was at that hour, he remembered. that the waits generally began at home. He went down stairs to. the dayroom, lite (as though there were no such things as gas bills) both the gas jets. opened the piano. arranged the music, clapped down the loud pedal and commenced. He played hard and he sang hard. Tom- my rendering of Hark! the Herald Angels Sing" could be heard distinctly "-as he intended it to be heard--all over the building MKTA... .I_:.. H fI1-._....... L`. .____|.. L- & 7-i""9yf5r{t}5"" '-A-7.Ei;'m; fllaynham 'ThQ;;wn1p..\li|nnQ1 19 ` Ll LL11 LIJ . Then Elton went back to the assist- ant masters sitting room. Gibbing, the English master, was there, making cocoa over the gas To him Elton re- lated how Bunby had made the oer and he had accepted it. Poor devil! said Gibbing. _ Poor devil yourself!" retorted Elton irritably. When I want your pity. I'll ask for it. " ... ;. o 1 11.-1.1..-A_.. `__.. uv you---u vvovrv Jxll \l\I all DQ196- Tommy thanked him, said good night and went o` to hishroom. It was all`-a failure. and hewished that he had uev. or thought of in Christmas was not be- ginmng very well. "V lIYI...... l.`I..'_ ___A_ _1__`,_.. -- .9 I-A oocpulnnaa VIJOJ YVUAA When Elton` canze down to breakfast on the following morning. he found a white envelope on his plate Tommy, ' loolnng rather self oonsclons, watched that envelope out of a corner of hie eye as- Elton opened it: p It.coutained"aChrist- mas card On one side was a picture of 3` small church andpa hard frost, on the other was writfen "in an boyish end; "With love and" D993, wishes from 1` " Elton glandp'd.ll.at"'it`and;' put it down. He never sent _cin'ds_`hi.m- .and did not;: like reeei'VinB.p$hem;, . - ......`l' ui1.'__ 4....`.'a.a... `II 5. "'1 V: "~'- - |Ifl\t_.`. .`_I.:'V Eboug-,'_a' v` vw no-w nl\I\JvIl\rJ sou Uuso. Tommy's real excuse-that during the greater part of the day there was absolutely no one else to whpm he could talk at al1-l-`seemed to him too silly to `put forward. III J-_`,L -1-;__, ,1`, 3- .n n n | -u r-u vvvuovoa W-don't often do it," he plvaded ."We alway have the waits at Christ- mas. and that gave me the idea. I didn t. mean to do any -harm. V Very likely; but you must please re- 'member'that rules are rules. You've given me no trouble so far. and I. be- lieve that you didn t intend to give any now For that reason 1 shan t punish Inyou. Now shut the piano and run -back` to your__bedroom, and another time try | to think before you do anything. j` mntiunsn OIunnIo..pl I-3...... ....:J .._-.I -'.:..LA imade writing `paper, with "me `rqngh };edge. you know? Letter size? [t might i be scribbling or leter-,-but.;1ot.folded as.` i,let_t_:` j - A .1g._..J -..., no-Q` _ nvo J you-..- After this, as the days `went on to-: 5 Ward Christmas. Elton saw less and less of Tommy Maynham. The boy was E well behaved apparently and didnot. re- i quire supervision. Absorbed in his com- ` position, Elton hardly noticed him. 1 Sometimes at meals the `boy would ; speak to Elton, and E1ton`s answer ; would come aftera lapse of minutes or ; not at all It was not. as Tommy sup- ; posed, that, the. master, wished to snub 1 the boy, but only that Elton had in me` I carrying out of his very great idea he- } come somewhat absentminded V If he {had-noticed the boy at all, he would 1 have noticed that his cheerfulness and ; activity were fast vanishing The f stamps were all correctly arranged in ` the stampbook now, Treasure Island ; was nished, and Tommy s order for an- i other of I the same brand was still the a subject of apologies from the bookseller u'n..._..n tI..._.. _-.. ...... ..-_ L--|- _.... s ` w Iloco It was. Up stairs in his own rooni Mr Elton could hardly believe his ears Here was apparently an open deance of rules and discipline. V He put down thelmanuscript of Christmas Review ed, " now approaching its maturity, and dashed down stairs to the dayroom. I6\'l'TL..L 3.. LL- ...._ .... ...... -5 4.|.:..9)J L- " What is the meaning of this? he asked angrily ' Tommy -smiled, turned round on the music stool and explained. 00" .-..... .....-..... n.` I_...._ -...l-...I _.._._.:_ v-- .~...--- -vv\l\a- us.-u \.a<-`InvIAnn\r\-- "1 waazgoing to have asked permis- wsion.". he said. "onlyl couldn't, be- cause V it was _meant' to be a surprise for on, sir. and I thought `you wouldn't ....:..'..`I H uan LU1 lbs 7 A A ` Kettle s boiling, said Gibbmg. un- moved. Have a cup?" uxv _ .1 __:_`I 131--.. ;.--....:..n. Ina I-sunk nn -"`_`-ot mind a row like this past'l1 o clock at night! What are you talking nknuq $9 ' Well, air, the boy that does the boots to1d`me that the regular waits never came up here. because Mr Bunhy never gives anybody anything. uV....n.... ..v.. I.......----.__ 4.- L- -|__---.._---_ -v v Va 6- v v_u you-J uv\nJ III-IJ umlnula. " You ve no business to be chattering to the bootboy at all. " ' vvw-v-. Thelstationer reeeted, ltourhed his forehead, beamed with sudden` r`(=ollc. * _ti_on and was o" up a ladder like an adventurous monkey in a black coat Down he came with his dusty prize. blowing it, smacking it, active and businesslike. A touch` and a jerk, and the knot that only business could tie was loosened as only business `could loos- y en it The soiled covers fell apart There in creamy whiteness, with. rough edge. was any article that I`ve had no in- quiry for, sir._for years." Ads)... `Li- .... LI... 4...... '._.....L -.. 4.- V.--V yvw vq uwxav-v-v~ - --~ -v.._...v-- "'Here! Have you -g:)?my book yetv," asked Tommy. and if you haven t why the dickens haven t you?" FIVL- |........I-..-I'I.._ ....\.......~,J 5... 05ml... .1- .. Vanni nnvuvvna iJ\J\aI ...._, - . \QQ\JQ The bookseller referred to "the de- lays in transmission inevitable during the pressure of business prevalent at this season of the year. V Jf\-__..._- ..-...-..I_-_'I IlV1-:A.LI-..I7` -._J It-.-aw uusnuvaa Va vaau Juan-- 'Tommy remarked "Skit;I31es!" and walked out of the shop. II- .....-...I.l ...-.5 ..A ...;x..4.I. Ln..- ....:....l...`l oovun vs-- V- u-gv -...vx,- "I.Ie would not so much have minded having next to nothing to do if he had only had somebody with whom to do it` Not beinganalytical, he grew dull and dejected without being conscious of the reason for it The day` before Christmas day he cheered himnpza little A ham- per arrived for him containing much that was edible and a Jules Verne that was readable. There were letters from India with Christmas cards and postal orders in them. There were letters from his cousins There were sundry small packages containing presents. He him- self was busy with the sending of let- ters and cards, and with a nal rehears- al of that tune he had been so anxious to learn. The treble of it had by this time been brought to a satisfactory con- dition. and a great deal of the bass was only a very little wrong on the whole, the prospects of making it a proper Christmas seemed to him much better than theyhad done the day before. VTVLAL ...:...l.4. ...L.... f`l\-.._..__ -__--A. _.'.. 4.- _v -we-.-s.-..a _` 'v`-Nvow this, Tommy thought to himself. will be a surprise for Mr. El- g`-nu . and,--Schopenhauer. when . <.he'iw g`ot-up.fr9m..brjeakfast, -heforgot to ~ take the card; Tommy brough_t it to him just hs.5he.was leaving` the dininghall. e Ah. *than ks!_7said Elton. Pm al- ways forgetting my letters, you know. But this did-not.rea_ssure Tommy. He j knew that the card was, like the hymn 1 tune, a failure. Elton sauntered up stairs to his own room and dropped the . card into the waste paper basket. Tom- ~ my went to church alone that morning. Elton explained` that he.had an incipi- ent cold and thought it would be better for him to keep to the house that mom- ing. As a matter of fact, he'wished to nish copying out that bitter. satire, Christmas Reviewed. It would be an additional point if it were nished on Christmas day- As he began work an uneasy idea ashed across himthat he might just as well look. after Tommy a little bit more and make things pleas- anterl for him. Tommy apparently took `Christmas very seriously and would like a little more sociability. He made up his mind to encourage Tommy to talk` at dinner, and perhaps spend a few minutes in the dayroom with him aft- erward. Elton was not an unkind man, only? rather vain, rather selsh and fre- quently forgetful. `By the time that the dinner `bell rang` he had `forgotten all about Tommy and had worked up his dejection and detestation of life (by close application to ` `Christmas Review- ed) to such a _ pitch that he neither wanted to talk to anybody nor see any- hnil up ALIUYKXL IICLVU a Uulli ~ No, 4 said Elton, turning his back on him. He was not paid to please Gibbing. I`ZLL.'-_._ -_.._I-..,..1 .1... knfnim n-P` tho - `13}1}a`2-f` i;co:;e;e;t1y, in reply to Elton s questions. he told what was the jxnatter. He spoke of what he had been j used to do at Christmas ` It was loneli- ness that was the matter--1oneliness and neglect and nnfriendliness, amount- ing to contempt and even cruelty. `Tommy. did ._not accuse Elton of any of these things. He did not seem to think ;Elton. had _ behayed, badly to him, but >EIt;on Jwoi-_. sninciemly intelligent to In&k51d11.tiDI-.* I` N T I .- ehaaaaaon `to, yang" Then he relapsed * :..s.. .:'I........: ...'..a a..1.......;.1.-_-.. n-n_-.. I starving family nor a religious order, but merely a. wretched boy, for the first time in his life refused 9. second help. And then came a rice pudding and more silence. It is an authenticated fact that some whole nations live almost entirely on rice. It is singularly nutritious. H11 .-- f'I"-........_ ...._.. .....`l .._.'J _:A.L -:.. "--'vs'73f1T '3EJnE3{xIIw"hE' Ei1'E...s- ,ter?II , V nooaoc vo-v u-v \uo\.n\I- n '.`V"i'1y, Maynham," he said, `this doesn't look as if everything was al right. "' . ' u. an av. an on it`wasn t Christmas, said Tommy `and continued crying. But I'm_a1l he added. ' OI-..;.I..; -4) ~:._--n._._-._;.1_ :_ ._-_.1__ L- -It is to be feared that that dinner must place Tommy in no heroic light. Christmas dinner was in all of Tom- my s previous experience a banquet. Tradition demanded that there should be turkey in it. The bootboy had told Tommy(though a supercial knowledge of Bunby should have taught him better) that he was pretty certain it would be turkey. Tommy had expected turkey.- He had pictured it carved lib- erally by a smiling master, now at last awake to the joviality of the season, and handed to a rejoicing boy. He had decided to ask Mr. Elton that excellent riddle about Turkey and China which Tommy s uncle never failed to propound on due occasidn. Why, the mere eating of the turkey would be a mystic bond of union between himself in exile and his people at home. Five minutes be- fore dinner his imagination plainly de- tected the very smell of turkey. A-`.3 {L ....._ .. `I... ...E _.___LL-__ 131;-.. --'-..- v-ua v\,.., .....v-- van. vu-n.un\;J- And it was a leg of mutton. Elton carved it Without seeming at all con- scious that it was wrong or even con- scious that Tommy was present It is an authenticated fact that thousands of starving families would have welcomed that leg of mutton and that some re- ligiousworders habitually take ' their meals in silence. Tommy, being neither "M31321; i3ziIx;v"?o'?a"s`;E`ci,'?I{i1 fair steadiness: May I go, sir? I m not well. V . Certainly, " said Elton. Of course Tommy s people had sent him a. ham- per. and the boy had eaten too much. Pig! Well, it was all a suggestion for "Christmas Reviewed. A uuu. 1.10 WGD HUI! pcuu UV tgauuanv \. nu-no-PD Gibbing explored the __bottom of` the cocoa tin with a spoon. It turned Vba,re-. 1) full. It's just as well you won t. " he remarked. `fl believe these beastly` servants sneak our cocoa when they do the room in the morning. " ` ` HfP\--_ _-,_____ .1- .4- `.1-... .........` Jlnnwnn Elton nished his dinner leisurely and then` supposed that he would have to-go and look after the disgusting little beast. He foundhim in the da_yroom. -The disgusting little beast was sitting. with a book in front of him, at the far- ther end of the table. His head rested on his hands, and when Elton entered` he turned away as much as possible. 01117-11 Il.._..L..... ._I...A.!.-. LL- _.-A. m'`I"n1 all right now. sir, " said [Tommy A 15f _A `I ICI `I 1 , O It did not sound like the boy s natu- ral voice. Elton came farther into the room and then saw that Tommy` was crying. `He went up to him and took him by the shoulder. 0l"I7L_ Il____L__.. DI L- _-.'J `MALI- "I WISH rr wax"! CHRISTMAS. '"?7v's'r xTt2a"{er" P - Yes, I ve had a lot of work on han I these last few days. But I shan t work on Christmas day, and, besides, I m -sick of being alone always. If you're not too keen on" your book, what I should really like would be a game of ` I draughts, only I haven't got a board. (IT 1.-.... 1) .._:.`l rn-_._.__ :aCL_`II I ..._L vuu nu- But he still keeps one document at which he is even more asha.med---a lat- -.ter from Tommy's mother in India. not really in, because I wanted you th%s.=;~.rterneon~ % ~v -vva-AA IL-A vhlv O-b4\l.JlAaQ They never do `do the room; as you I call it." replied Elton. There were 3110-. ment-s when he realized just as acutely. as if it had been perfectly new to him 1 the hopeless sordidness of the life. Her. had come upon one of those momell; now. He felt crushed and yet rebellious. ery and yet humiliated Forthe seke . f 5 he was going to surrender Wefks of his independence and become ` Ikmd of male nnrsemaid. , And..i`t,.W.t_!8.; for this that one took}; degree at f:!o..1ue;;;- bridge! He did not at the mnment feel" . well disposed toward Maynham: He jl',0'Wf_::`` ;- lieved_ his feelings bybeing 'distin$t,l7f{.:l' Oensxve to Gibbing. _.'. 13.435, drank cocoa and paid very little;.:,``' l ' .e oensivenesn " .. _-v. It s in my room. I ll be down with it in a minute. ' `\r\In--It v\l QAAJ IUAIIUAIJS I\I\JlnLI The master s sitting room was not luxurious, but it was a paradise com- pared to the dayroom. It was a para- dise which no boy at Redhurst had ever yet been allowed to enter. Here was an invitation that was honor indeed. Tommy was eifusive in his thanks. It took Tommy two minutes to nd that draughtboard. During these two min- utes Elton had time to get to his room, sh Tommy s card out of the waste pa- per basket, discover that `it would just t the frame that now held a photo- graph of Gibbing s sister, remove the photograph and substitute the card and place it in the center of the mantel- piece. Tommy s eyes lighted on it as he came into the room. . Why, that s one! he exclaimed. Yes, we ve given you the place of honor. Wonderful, that frost eifect is!" llL_.`l 21.9- _'_._L .1--- "IT1Eo}}i3?e{dE td `l.e`t"l"cnimy win the first game. Tommy saved him the trou- : ble by taking it. Then Elton decided to % win the second game himself, played carefully and lost it. Why shouldn t We have tea up yhere? suggested Elton. Run down `stairs and fetch the things up. and we ll make a picnic." This was the sort of thing that Tommy ` liked. Any boy prefers an irregular to a regular meal. Tommy. rather shyly and apologetically, added a cake, ' `Which they sent me, and it isn t half had really, sir, if you`d try it. Elton tried it and was enthusiastic. it?! " 3-0.1.1,.-.v;*.e`a\; on't play here, said El- ton. This room isn't very comfortable. Come to my sitting room. mun ovsnnln-- n -:1-I-:--- ----- ---- -`-* "3X'na'ic73{{s%'a'o 6 W8 13; `Ala powdered glass, said Tommy. I could do it myself. . llC_L ...._. ..__9L 1.--; .__- _A. .1..__..LL_ -..-J av..- `:i3ut you -can. t beat me at draughta. Come along with you now. `l'II`I4..... .'.._A.-..:J._.1 L- 1-`. rn-.._...-_ _:_, LL- .._.. -_. ..-- .....-.~..u-V. Are We going to have any waits to- night? asked Elton, smiling, just be- fore supper. Come, Tommy, let s have the performance now, at a. reasonable Li...` D! So the tune came in seasonably after all, and if the left; hand did omit the more diicult chords and play the easier ones wrong, neither Tommy nor Mr. Elton seemed to consider that this at all detracted from the general effect. Tommy Went to bed radiantly happy. : Look here. cook." said Elton. "this i is a sovereign. Mr. Bunby need not pay for the turkey, and Orley will not risk losing yourcustom for 20 bank hol- idays. Get the turkey, keep the change for a. Christmas box, andthe compli- ments of the season to you. " Next day the turkey arrived all right. In the dinner book the cook made the simple entry Mnton ohopes, " and hoped that it was not acting of a lie--whioh. how- ` ever, it was. ` vv w... v.., ...v.... v...\....., .....-.. n gt ..w,.1], said Mr. Archubald Bunby M .A\.. ]n`in('ipa1 of that excellent pre-' pamml-_sv svhool, `R-edhurst; _t.hereA N1-.1:19 mam-r .-mnds. you can take '16 or you. can lp\'8 it-, and\_1f you leave it I`ve mv little doubt in my `own mind that. Gihhixlg will take it---snap at it, in fact` If you make it-you aren't obliging V me in any wuy-y0u remain at Redhurst` during the holidays, and in return you? receive your board and lodging free ma 3 5 none at the end of it. `Why, man. you aren't even asked to do any, teaclying All you have to do is to keep an eye on the boy generally. `And so long as you don`t smoke actually in the presence of the boy I will .relax\ the smoking rule. I d sooner you took it than (iibbing, because I consider you to be the more trustworthy man, but the-re`s no obligation about it =On the cont1'ar_v. I am offering you an uncom- monly good thing for yourself. '1`here si scores of men like you who'd be only we glad to get a holiday engagement. on any term 5. " _ l-..o --nun Cause. and 1315.-.. I__- ,,,