é. L’,

CHAPTER 1

I was awfully fed up when my

grandfather wrote to school that 1 .

was to spend Christmas at the High Iiall with his tenant. Lord Kilmin. sler. ,

You see, grandfather and grand. mother had gone to India, to see their son, Guy, and no one happen- ed to want me for Christmas. So \'.'hEXl the old boy wrote he and Lady Kilminister would be delighted m have me, nothing more was ti) p9 said. But to see the High Hall in their hands! And I didn't cotton to the old manf Not much! Nor m her-she bleated about bazaars and iiiid church services-and was not a bi'. like Granule, who is a real sport, 1nd drives her own car, at seventy!

You see, Lord Kilminister was what Southgate, the butler, called 'a iioovy rich." and made his pile in i~on rails, or something equally dull,- and was "quite common," southgate said-had been an ironmonger or something in a beastly place called slieflleld. v

I heard Southgate iell some yarn too, to the chauffeur about some “scar-idol" and “his lordshiph own brother doing time for robbery with violence." I didn't pay much heed then, but I remember the yarn the day before Christmas, when we were all at breakfast and the old man crime in with a letter. I-Ie .didn't see me (I was ,under the table gett- ing my dog "Algie"). and he said: "My dear, I forgot the date. ..and.. I meant to send and meet him at the prlSOIl gate!"

She gave a cough, and he stopped, and I came out with Algie, and Lord Kilniinster looked red and angry, iiiid went to the sideboard and ask- ed why the duce’ the cook eould't remember that he hated ham.

I really didn't think much about the remark, then." I was keen on a pony diandfather said I was to have foi- Ghristmas. and old Sammie my pal, from Great Forests, was coming ovoi- to play soldiers. We collected regiments, and I'd got the Black Watch and all the guns, with a pound Guy had ' sent early for Christmas. So Sammie and I Diay- eu in the billiard room. spreading the regiments all out, and Lady Kil- nlinisier just popped her head in to say to reme ‘- lunch was at one- thirty, and please to ‘wash our hands.

‘At lunch she had a. horrid old woman from the village-we called her the "Vinegar Cruet"-who had invited us all to a Christmas bazaar iii the church room, and l! you'll be- lieve me, they made Sammie. and me go (with ‘the battle half done)l end we had to crowd into the car

with those two; and go about the -

bazaar mffling a cushion (a cushion mark youl), and there was a Christ- tree. and kids yelling and equalling -"the darlings!" Lady Kiimlnatcl‘ called them-and then they made us buy something “to help the good cause."

Tea was at horrid little tables- the ices were rotten, and the Yine- sar Cruel: said: “Are those boys "Yer souls to rlnliilil"

The Christmas dinner was really

rather awful. Awfu!ly_ grand, of course, and no. end of courses, and ‘Bubbly. Just before ,we had gone down, I heard the old man come in. and go to Lady Kilminster, who was waiting for the guests to arrive, standing onithe old Aubusson car- pet. . "I can't hear! He seems ~tn have disappeared!" he said, ind then she saw me, ’ and whispcredfl "I-Iush And Bouthgate announced the cur- le, who came gliding up, and, after he shook hands, said: "Well, Billy boy!" as it 1 were three years old. "Getting into no more mischief. I hope’! Did you ever hear how Bi!!! tel! into the horse‘ pond, Lord Kil- minisfer?" I

There were no crackers! No fun! Ito mails, till the curate got no and proposed "Absent friends. All w! know, near and far!" It seemed to me I saw the old couple 81" l “"5 of look at each other, and then Lord Kilminstgr got up and hemmed and hawed and said “Er...er...' till I choked over the and the Vinegar Cruet

m“ Sunday school party): ffleasa. .

l" you practising for Heaven!"

“'44! take a drink of water-not Wine. ifor she didn't approve or "Lille boys" taking wine! -

1 Bot back to the billiard room, and our soldiers, and worked out d scheme for old Sammie, but though I could hear the wireless, and the others talking, it all felt dreary and as if it wasn't the High Brill u; 3111 It was always so jolly in the 01¢ days. with the General and his pals talking about old Malta days and D010- Bnd people dancing and enjoy- ing themselves, and laughing. Christmas time here was really 9, kind of make-believe. I really think lie and she would have been happier in their villa in Sheffield, where Soul-heats fold mo they were once "quitqpoor," and before [is made piles, gave to the Party funds," and got his title.

when the People left, went up to bed, still bothered about Algie, my 608. who was nus-sing. He's a Seai lyham (almost), and hasi-atliei- an uncertain temper with anyone ex‘. cept me. You know the kind of dog? Dislikes most people and shows it.

Where could he be?

I 110D“! Mrs. Truecott, the house- kWPor, hadn't given orders to have him shut up anywhere? she didn't like him. I was reading p, "wild and wolly" novel I'd found, and I didn't go to sleep for some time. An awfully jolly book! Four or five men plugged full of ' lead" in the first chapter, and a jolly good scrum before they "hit the hay." Well. I couldn't "hit the hay'-'-ln other words, ‘go to sleep. I tossed a:id_ tossed, and wished I was in Arizona, going round with that r ‘fthree-gun man," and frying bacon and flap- jacks in the desert! Jolly sight bet- for than Lady Kilminsilens Christ- mas dinner it would be...! And then I started up suddenly.

I heard something.

A bark-a howl! Algie's! 1 knew it at once! And more, I knew where it came from. That old sum- mer house on the garden wall? I-Ie had got locked in-shut in. It was at the endof the _lovers's walk! Per- haps he was with ,v that silly young ass. the third. _»gal'dener-he was carrying on with. the tweenie—I'd seen them. And perhaps 1116!! We" spooning and didn't see Algie, and got him shut in. Lovers are silly enough for anything!

I got up and pulled on my clothes. It was cold, but very bright, and I went downstairs. In the big entr- ance hall where we usually had tea there were fur rlws before the fire— tiger-skins grandfather had shot~ and horns on the wall, an .old bur- eau and ‘a grandfather clock and portraits of the old Belstons. I could see grandfather's Dutch bureau near the door. by my flashliflht- Lord Kllminister used it, tool

I didn't feel a bit afraid. The High Hall and the grounds were so familiar to me, and I got on a SW01 and slid down the bolts, doing iii quietly, of course, and I unlocked the door. It was awfully "i" W!‘ side, frhe stars were so bright, and 1 got thinking somehow of the story o1 the star and the Wise men. The vicar, who was a will?" “"5 c9“! talk cricket with any man» h"! given me quite a ripplinl; Eefmim about it. Well, 1 sot down W t!“ garden andthroillh ‘he m)“ 55m‘ 1 nipped down the paths to the old uuri-imer house on the wall. A1219 heard me and Whlmiltfed “Pd wh" ned. He knew my 5W?‘

"You shut up, old boy!" I said, and went up the mossy apps. In slimmer the place was covered with pink roses, and a big arbutus-the bare branches swayed about flow, and I could see the marble Diana in the Dutch garden like a little white ghost.

Then I opened the door, and Algie leaped out on me, and I told him he was a silly rotter, and then turned tn go back to the house. Then in mo churchyard, I put him__ln his kennel. -~

But as I neared the front door again, to my surprise. I saw some- thing queer. A man stoopiflfl 40W"- md jogging! And then he drew uP- and, with a slight whistle. he lust cooiy opened the door and walked in! '

Could it be Richard-Betting home after a spree’! Richard was rather a sport. and one day he told Lady Kflfninste!‘ his srmdmothef was very ill, and could he sot 05 1°!‘ the afternoon. and instead he went to the International Match l!- Twiekei-lham. lie told me all ab!!!" it. Andat lunch slie asked how h"

n..."

grandmother was,' and Richard said. .

"A shade better. thank vw- "l! lady," and r winked at mm and av!- uftered. and she will me i! couldn't

behave, at least, I could try.

Could it be ilichard‘! Returning flom somerowdy party?

I hesitated, thinking it out. Should I let. him see me? He'd be in a blue funk. On the other hand, ho might lockup and shut me out.

I went on, and very quietly open- ed the door. The man, whover he was, had turned on theeleotric light next to the bureau, andir you please there he was, sitting at Lorrd Kil- mtnistevs bureau. some fools beside him,_beginning to open it. ‘

A burglar! .

The cheek of it! I stood and looked at liiin. one thing, r wasn't a bit frightened. For really he hadn't a. bad face-white, and pin- clied, and fleroe-eyed-arid he wore not a bad suit. He wasn't like the

‘burglars you 'see on the stage-not

like Bill Sykes. I walked up on the

.cld rugs, and then he started and

turned and saw me-and pulled out a pistol. ' ..

r2 you think r llela uvlhy hands, as they do in the movics_1 didn't, Not much! What a story for my form! -To face a burglar oli Christ- nlae night all by yourself! But I was jolly gladyrd put Algie iii his kennel before I came in. Nice row there would have been, if he'd been

with me! So I just stood and 10011..

ed at him, and I said: “May I ask what you are supposed to be doing? You needn't yarn that you are men- 'dlng the bureau. you know! I'm not caught with that rot! Who are you?" .

He Just sat and gasped.

"C! all the cheeky, cool young devils!" he said. I-Ie ‘seemed uiterly taken aback. "Who am I '5' Like your cheek! Talk - low, oi- I'll brain you."

uEvcn that didn't really scare nlc.

I noticed, too. that one of lils hands was shaking badly. Wzlshe more seared than I was?

LAR

_A Christmas Story

By ETHEL F. HEDDLER

"I think we'll have this thing out!‘ (I'd heard the Head say that!) be- fore I hit llic hay! To begin with I'm General Bolton's grandson, staying here for Christmas. And who are you?"

CHAPTER II

LORD KILMINSTERIS BROTHER

He just sat back and stared at me, and then gave a. low kind of laugh. "Gaivc! blime me! Like to know? Would yer? Wot if I was a kind of son of the ’oll.se? Sime as you? Relative of the family, so to say? And not wishing to disturbs ‘is lord- ship, come ‘ere to get a. bit of my own! 2-‘ don't want none of 'is blooming cilarity and 'er preaching! I thought once of arrltiiig, out 'e'd never sent or done anythius-and in justice to lneself I wanted a good start. See. sonny? 'I‘l"iere's a girl- mid n good, nice girl, mark you! as HiiyS she'll ‘ave nie...and I thought of starting a puh, me and Sally, when I could save the cash. But

a very weal

k

One Christin

but disliked. ve ' much being‘ thanke as ve he "wished to‘

he Legend of the-

_ » _' _ Christmas Stocking

' 'MANY, many ears ago there lived in Europa: 1e

y man named St» Nicholas.

liked nothing better than to. he? Poor peop e.

or his gifts.

[give a purse of gold

5 to an old man’ and his little dau liter, and in ‘order to l escape being seen, he climbed to. eir roof and dro ped

his precious gift down the chirnn

ing on the h stocking which was hung up to

- ' morning it was discovered there!" - heard of the strange hap ening t

' their stockings, and soon a over

" the‘ custom on C

ey.‘ Instead of and.-

‘ , however, the purse fell right into a

.0 ,/

dry, and , When other people p he too hung up, ' - ' the and, it became hristmas Eve to ban up one’s stocking for St. Nicholas to .

' \ 0 ‘

the next

o

when I ‘eard ‘ow ‘e wos ‘my lord- hiy lord and my lvasrt any us: ti: Udlilfl

tllem. They'd tel! inc to blazes!" ..

"You knoll‘, I don't believe he would!" I said. “I can guess who YOU 8-H’. you know. I've ilcartl Southgate. the butler, talking about Wu- And I believe Lord Kilminstcr meant to send for you, or do some- thing! I hoard him say to hel", he'd forgotten the date...l3ut they had people at riiiiner_"

"Lords and ladies and (um-g, 1 Bilpfmc?" he sneerezi. "Too big unc! loo slvcli to remember Jim!"

"Oil, no, only the curate and the lilmilfli‘ Cmlet," I said. “Ancl look 1W1?» “Th? d0!“ Wu 59ml me for llilli. and tell bim—ab0llt Sully and the pub?"

"Oh, g0 on!" He gave a lizlv laugh "Ami you stand aside, sonny. I'll take what I nccd. and be off."

“Nu, you sllan‘t!’ I got between him and the bureau. “For it isn't playing the game fol‘ me to let yd!!! Not in liigh Hall! And he isn't a. bad bid boy."

He got hold of me then by the collar of the coat, ‘and shook rnc well. -

“You blinking little owl!’ lic cried. ‘You darned little bliglliei'—"_

But just then he stopped, and dropped me, and seemed to dwindle, as if he'd been a bubble, and was priekcd. For here was Lord Kli- llllll-ilOl‘ coming down the old velvet pile of lhe stair carpet in his quilted dressing gown. And as he got licar lie said: “Jim! Jim! God help

hie!" and seemed to hold on to the baliistradc, and then he pulled him- self together and came up in us.

I pulled nly coat straight, and then he looked at me.

“What on martin-boy? You have a most extraordinary way of turn- ing up." l-Ie stopped and swallowed and looked at Jim, and didn't seem to know what to say. He was white and shaking, and looked so old!

"1 meant to send-to write. Jim.“ he hogan. I '

"Oli._ did yer? But somehow didn't (i0 it? Ell? Well. W119i‘! I ‘card as ’o\v you wos a lOl'(l»-“0ll59 o Lords. and coroiiet and alh-I didn't foe! like asking you. and getting thrown out by the flunkeys, maybe! And the ladyship always did sniff at me, even ill the sileffield days. So I made up my mind 1115b i0 b0!‘- row the tools from a pal, and coiile in and ’elp meself! In justice do nleself.’ (He seenldd very fond o! the expression.) ‘on was me 0W1‘!

brother, only you'd ‘ad the luck, and I can't. After that I‘d tum over the person's new leaf, I thought, and marry Sally, She'll keep me sirite.

He stopped then. mo. '

and ask go to

and looked at

"And I'd 'ave got it and gone, but for this little blightcr! But I'll tell wu-"e '55 the guts? Sllan‘t rob ‘fill 'All!' He gave a ouvcv- "Wk- iing, almost amused laugh. mil! Lord Kilminstel‘ started atihe sound.

“Jill-i," he b88811 “Kain! “I didn't‘ mean-mot to see to you! I didn't. Jim! Only I didn't quiie ‘Rut!!!’ vvi-iat to do....And I was afraid..-

‘Ygs you allus ivos!" the bilrillii! said, and sneered uifiill- "A h“ M softy, allus‘. Yet. We“ W“ 5“! ‘m, 10rd,’ and rolling in cash... and mi! a crook’ convicpfiullgvy fnnilsllcd nigil—-for"I"gave all the cash ‘Elli: gimme at the 975°“ w ‘flidnfiucqérch I found dyihB l" a P“ a g‘

Pore old Jack i"

“Ymp-you always did tbiul-IS U! that kind, Jim" the other said. Somehow his face seemed to soften and m; eyes grew different, but he began to hem and haw in liLs silly way again so I hi5!- Wl‘!!! "P m“! touched his arm. 'l'lloy really nlust gel. a move on.

"I say," I said. "wily (lolit you give him money.__and let, him man-y Sally and start the pub? I165 9- b" of a sport, if he did that about the man in Peckham-anrl he'll promise not to fell he's your brother, I dare- say." .

“Ear the .klci!‘ tile man growled blit he looked over at Lord Kil- millsurr. "I won't give you nlvay, governor, i! you'll start mo fair! Mo and Sally? She's vraitcd nil the time and stuck to me true! Any of your fine ladies do that for a clock? And I've seen a pub going cheap! ‘Ring o‘ Bells,‘ Essex way, near Bol- tcii-out of your way- Strike "1" blind i! I don't play the gfilllfl~if you'll start inc fair-am! keep it

dark as 1 even knows you!"

lady!-I saw it _

flnio fl!‘!'l\'i'\l on day after

J

Am! so Lord Kilminster just, gut, up and \\'0ll‘i. to the bureau. He u". locked it and took out a bundle of notes. I could see the poor chaps 0X05 Just gleam as he saw them.

"I will Si": You a chance, Jim." Kilmillstel" said. "And I'll write to "LY lllwyel", Simpson, and he will see about the pub! ‘Ring o‘ Bells," near Iiellon. I remember your Sally! 5116 ilfld rm! hail", and licr mother W?- fl flood ivoman. She comes of IIITII! stock. I lilzcc! Sally in the old dr- s...Sa\v lier.cryillg..ut the trial ...N0\‘-.'—pCX‘1l3DS you'd better 80-’ H9 Dlit his hand to his head, and his llflllfl’. sllcok lilore than ever. ‘l’ the sarvnlits~f

"All 11211:, and I thank ye, Tom," Jim s cl. lie spoke very low. "But I'm rich‘. lainislicdxalid on Chris!- liirié high’.

I '1'! an idea at that. I was miiiflczl. too! Ioftcn rim.

"Ltok here. Lord Kiinlinster," I. said. "Lot nle go forage! I shunt lot allyollc hear. I know the way mic! I've bi-ing up solilching to cat."

"And drink, sonnie," the man put in rlie wiped his lips).

"Jiiid we'll all three have some!’ I said. Lord Kilniinster stared, and kind of‘ smiled and nodded, and was oil“ like o. flash. You have to know high Hal! rind all the passages, but I do.

Well. I was hack in two jerks of a. lalnlfs tail lthafs Pwild and W001i’) with a troy. I'd taken cold turkey and hum, mid rolls and jelly, and plum pudding. and mince-pies and grapes! Not so bad!

'l"\vo plates-J couldn't find a third. and ’ Jiln took his fingers. My! to see that man eat! He wolf-

-e:i it!

And, then old Kilminster went lo the diningrooiii and came back with the syplioii and the whisky. and he poured out two glasses. l-Ie held one out then to Jim, who was just

- Lcking his fingers.

he said. "It's Christmas D'_ve remember once when

v

“Jim/ night! mother. . when mother . ..

He broke off. and kind of choked ..tlie old lnan. Queer, wasn't it? Jim said: "Yes, Tom. She was pretty near the end 0' the road, hasn't She? But she'd malmsed w cook the pudding. poor old mother?

“For her sake, Jiln—-nnd Sally's- ,vou‘il-_vou‘ll play the Efime? And being Christmas niEi\t-'

‘Cursed if I won't, Tom!’ Jim Said-

"I'll play the gimc!‘

The ilvo mcri drank. and then Jim looked at me. '

“And ‘ei-‘s to the little blighterl‘ he said. lie looked almost nice when llo laughed. "NOW TU E0! 5° long, Tom! I'll play strife, darned if I won't.

we went to the door, and he nod- (Qd and “TAVCCI his hand. and went of! clown the gravel and 0V0! “i9 grass.

Lord Kilmilister was standing luuklng; up at the house and the sky iilltll I conic back, in a flue". 86n- ilo voice. “I-I needn't. 85K U’ YQW“ say nothing? I know. when M’! English boy promises-

“Oh, yes. that's 0. K, sir. I said.

I lvclil offi- sleepy now-but I had u) got rid of the things, and put U19 illslios iii the scullcry-

Ilc stood still. staring out at the night and the stars. Queer old hlrcl! Somehow ha looked happier ifiaii I'd ever scoii him before‘. And ntvcr! -

But—hiy hat! Didn't I hear a row going on iii the kitchen next morning, when l‘, was clown 116W!!! my skates in tlic boot cupboard.

"it's been a burglar! Mrs, Eddy, the cook, was crying. "All the cold turkcy “on, and the ham! The servants" all’ lunch!

"Br-on the cat nia'ani the tweenle rnid "Or that ‘oi-nu dog of Master Bill's! ‘E's .1 fair ‘ovror. ‘e is!

I got, away then. and in the pas-s- age didn't I laugh!

But after all. you see. it wasn't silcll a bad Christmas! At any rate a bit unusual! Eh. what?