' tn sat in the "owner ,3“?! 5.0: growdcd bus and her ' s blinked a little, blinking bask, gin her lower "l! W" l “m” gi-cmiilous. and her chilled hand! 1,. ma. shabby grey gloves vlfire rubbed together in the hope 01 inducing a little wargith-

"Merry Christmas! '

The words were on everyones lips sometimes spoken mechanical- ly ‘sometimes with obvious slal- cerity.

No one wished i\er a merry Christmas and it would have been absurd if they lied. 1m- it was se- mi go be a rotten Christmas. her job at Grantley‘: ended totnlsht- the fortnight’! work for t.he Christ- mas rush at the bi! we“ m‘! store.

The bus turned into Regent street which was ill" Wlkmg m’ the day's work, people on the WW‘ mm" had their umbrellas up a}: gvainst tiny flakes of sncwfltwiiige were already {Mmmg “_ w e ' d in the gutters, and swirled foul‘! the stream of big red buses goini up and down the street.

And Elsie stared out lei» "l; street with bis. esd my eWfil-‘fr Dulled the grey tweed W" ;°~°

91- her thin black dress. Sh» W85 gm ng millions. it Was her first in the greet city of Lon . but she felt l0 llflflbly lonely, so bcasiy miserable.

She aw Gr ntley's ahead and utchlng tightly t" h" with her chilled “use”, g stumbled past store‘: of feet. and s so; of stranse Filled- the conductor iflkf-‘d ‘he be“ ‘m the bus slithered a little as it pull- ed in towards the kerb." _

"Road-s ggtfln’ tricky! said‘ .hc conductor, steadying her, his .iand on her arm. "Sky looks i““_ °f

iti"

Elsie nodded as she lumped B" the bus and hurried across the Pavement. The P03"- wh° "m" entiy would look reF-Plendem h‘ green and gold uniform. now wore an old mackintosh and 8n flllmli and was rubbing up the handles of the big swing doors. He $017k l" notice of Elsie-temporary Christ- mas hands were beneath his d1!- niiiy.

With other hurrying égirisnaz; passed along a. I l! ° m which would presently b0 "WW"! with the dust covers which gave the big shop a rather ghostly ap- pearance in the grey Tlwmmis’ 113m’ and entered the cloak room it the back, There were melting flakes of snow on her coat as she took it off.

The other girls were cheerful enough; most of them had refill- isr jobs, and Christmas Eve mount the end of a hectic rukh and tho beginning of a three days‘ holiday. Elsie. hurrying to the toy deport- ment forced a smile to her lips, for although all Christmas wo-uld mean lo her would be lonely lid-Y! i" a dreary bed-sitting room to be fol- lowed by an anxious and tiring hunt for emplvynlmt- l1" ""1" appear bright and cheerful at Grantleyu.

The worst of the rush. especial- ly in the toy department, was over. and about half-past twelve Ellie was actually able i0 l" 5W" i" a few minutes and glance out of the window at the street below. ‘it was snowing much harder and lay thick in the gutters, though in the streets it had been churned

' into slush by the heavy traffic. mid had little chance to settle on the pavements.

There would have been fun In .licr old home in the country this sort of weather. and a yrlflil"! .light cams into her eyes. then I high-pitched voice broke in on h" thoughts.

“You'll be sure and see that it is delivered today, of course chars- ing any, expense to my account. I'm furious with my flfillhew for letting ma down. and l’ would not disappoint my little grandchild for any money."

"We will see that the luckv iii- ile girl‘ has her present. mv lady.” laild the“ head salesglrl. "I'll rte the manager about it ht once. Miss Nortorfpleaae pack this doth"

The head saiesgirl was bowing out the tall. dignified white haired

"Women with the high stitched voice.

Elsie sarted to pack the "c"- iiful life-slam! model of a block

eloanlehpup; she knew it must Jllve baairterribly emellslvc, for lite had sold a much smaller one Aha other My for fairly-five shill- illss. and that‘ had seemed s fabu- "llll price to sive for a toy. But hvw l child would ‘love those doslv Pyes snil"t!ie long, fluffy ears.

Lucky girii

She was tying up the patcei when the head salesglrl, came back. she looked is iittieflwoi-ried and when she liboiefto Ilsife he _,volce had lost lifuFuaY-otirtries _'

"l've‘le't"“rii.'viielr.in to‘: li by nrmnislhg‘!ldv' Laindon we'd get "int wretched fioipdelivcred to- il"- tlioiishitceuidnh do onvtlflntz Pile: aiiflia ' “mutant-r to the "m- lfll it Id liCWr do io- lliiend Mr. ate manager will teal illstwsnoie-eeencewh, but m

Rb»!

c-MALEBLM HINCKS

all up in the air because there's snow ln the suburbs. and ‘our transport‘: all up the pole, and he told me that I must fix up this special deli-very. They've gent; the Only reliable boy out with some rush orders in a taxi, and I won- dered if you'd like to take this parcel out into the country instead of sticking here this afternoon?"

Elsie looked at her a little blank- ly: it was not a very attractive proposition on such a day.

"If you'll oblige me I'll put through a voucher for the day's pay we owe you. and your ex- penses to Brentham. You need no come back again, and if there's a chance of working you in here later on I'll do my best for you."

"Oh I'll go," said Elsie without any enthusiasm, "but isn't it thoughtless of Lady Laindoii to leave it to the lust minute?"

'_I‘he other girl laughed n little bitterly,

"My dear when you've had iny experience you'll know that the people with nothing to do are the last to do nnythingi But we can't blame the old girl this time. a nephew coming home from the south of France was to have bought some wonderful doll in Paris, but he met some friends and forgot all about the thing, and I'll bet he's had it rubbed in. It's sweet of you to help me out of the hole. and I'll not forget it."

Elsie looked at the address the girl handed her.

Miss Pamela Laindcn, Bishop's Court. ‘Brentharn. Harts.

"How do I get there?" asked El- sie, and the other girl explained that LadyLaindon had told her that Bishop's Court was a big old house about thirty miles from Lon- don, thut there was no station near. but that the coaches to Brentham passed the entrance gates. and ‘there was an hourly service from the coach station, which was only a short walk from Grantley‘;

Elsie drew the money duo to her and her return fare to Brenthzim had her usual simple lunch at a tea shop in Oxford Street. and about two o'clock got into s quite luxurious motor coach and thank- fully spread a warm rug over her scanty bliick skirt. After wli it was a change from the weary stand- lug, the close all‘. and incessant

get through. miss, but they reckon the service will be cancelled. You weren't thinking of coming buck today, were you?"

“Oh yes, I must! I'm only tak- ing g parcel to Bishop's Court."

"Wall, from all accounts Mr. Uilndcn at the big house is a nice sort of chap, and he may be able to arrange to get you into Brentham Station, but as I told you the place ls foflr miles this side of the town a.nd- Gosh! that was a near onei"

The bus had swerved across the roud in avoiding a snow splatter- ed red mail van coming south. but the ._driver rlghted it. Ahead was just grcyness and white. lights were on as dusk was closing in, they passed some men working to get a big car out cf a ditch, went through a village, strangely si-lent in its heavy mantle of white. its heavy tempting lights, the dancing reflections of a fire in an unlit room. the musical tinkle of a shop bell, a window with holly and crackers. deep brown chestnuts.

Then out ‘mic the whiteness a- gain, and the great snowflakes swirling round, splattering almost viciously against the windows. rap- idly filling the tracks of the big tyres left behind them. Then s sudden slithering and a lurch.

"Hold tight!" called the conduc-

01'.

The bus heeled over gently, there was a scratching sound along its side, and it came to a stop, tilted well over into the hedge.

"That's torn it!" said the con- ductor. "we're ditchedi"

Elsie gazed at him in dismay and clung to her big parcel. Her c e thought was to get it delivered, e accident had not frightened her, hut the position in which she now found herself most decidedly did.

The door was blocked by the hedge, and for'a moment she thought she was going to be im- prisoned in the stranded bus on the lonely stretch of rc-ad. but the condiictcr unfastened the emergen- cy exit at the back and stepped out into the snow. Elsie turned up the collar cf her coat and followed im.

"However arn I to get on?" she asked despairingly as the driver

he would walk on to the nearest telephone. tell the depot at Brent-

hustle of the toy department at Grantleys and by undertaking the

H .1

ti

lle stood by tho sliding panel, hol white beard

journey she was DIN-ling B Eli‘! who might be able to help her to get another 10b-

It was still snowing, and us the bus gained the northern suburb! there was snow n; the streets. and traffic moved slowly and strangely silently.

"I'm glad I'm not Inilll much further," said a fat woman who. with her parcels filled three seats. "it wouldn't surprise ms if "it didn't get through to Brenthami "Oh. it mustl" said Elsie. Bile must deliver that expensive loy- But she was a little anxious; they were travelling slowly and cau- tiously cvcr dirty white roads be- tween" glistening white hedges. and great fllkes of snow swirling round them. It was a relief to come from the wild. wintry aqlect into Hat- field with lighted shopwi-ndows. and glimpses of cheery fires bum- ing in cosy homes. all the psuen- gers but herself icft the bill T" driver and conductor were in con- suilatitrn with another than in uni- form. then the driver. beating his hands, climbed into his seat, and

they started-off again.“ The con- ductcr came iii. '

"wwlh" 9'5"‘ l‘ "7 ‘M ‘(Conuauatfba Psae levea)

ham what had happened. and they

ding his sack in one hand and his in the other.

would get a breakdown lorry out.

“But it means bei-ng stuck here for on hour or two," said the conductor gloomily, "you'd better

get back into the bus, miss. there's

nothing to be done."

Nothing to be done! Shivering in her thin shop frock and none too warm coat, stranded away out in the wilds with darkness rapidly descending, her parcel still to de- liver and the journey back to 1mi- don to be made, Elsie was on the verge of tears when shc saw lights coming up behind them.

"Perhaps this chap would lake a message to the next village," said the driver, stepping out into the road. a black figure against the whiteness round. A wild hope came to Ellie's heart; perhaps if there were room the driver would take her.

The cai- was tmvelling slowly. and presently, with the chains over the tyrcrcianking noisily on the snow, it camtrtc a stop In tlic light from the bus. It was a sports two- seatci‘, the windscreen was thzck with snow. and the face of

(ranges and a pile of Dock

joined them, and the driver said‘ 5°

Winter Warmth

(By Thomas ll. Clayton) (Coniimud from Page Bevan) , a man

was Abe Sports Master. The teacher ' d gt mm 1n lBMyI-nce, and then ignoring him, called across the meet to an. Other man. I'll-Mlle went cold. ‘ He felt as though t“, “u; we closing in on him, for gcmgg m; street walked Mr. spnrshott, the Science Master. picking his way "llrill" through the pisddles. “The ports Master eyed aughic Passionately after greeting his 0011918“. and lssin ignoring the bvy. announced- a High

I "Odd Occupation School boy."

ML Slllrshntvs glared blue eyes rested on Husbie. and took the Q;- "nded newspaper.

"Why d0 you have to do this 50y?" he barked.

Hllxhie stutiered his story for the second time. his heaving chest threatening to burst.

The Science Master looked long at him. as if seeking a. formula for the solution of the unexpected pm. biem.

"Take this" he“ l-ald and thrust a shining half-crown into the asto... ished boy's hand.

Hi5 eollelaueb eyes left his news- llflper. and his hand went into his et. From some silver, he sel- ected a half-crown and looking swiftly at Science Master. he added a further sixpence and pregn- ed both coins into Hughlels hand.

Thereafter. they took no xiii-mei- notice of him, and walped ‘wgy leaving him almost totally bereft of reason. .

He delivered the few remaining xiewspapers in dream, and walk. 9d ll°wly back o ‘(be Emporium.

He no longer bad the stamina to rim. and arriving at the shop. he added his ffvc shillings wages if» his recently acquired wealth. and owmlseo to call bet-c on Christ- mas Eve.

In the days that followed he had time to consider. and two thoughts were uppermost in his mind. He had not been reported and he now had more money than he had ever had in his life.

He entered The Emptrimn on the appointed evening like a. visiting Prince.

"Well now" said Mr. Woods ox- panslvely. "Half a guinea, chi There's lots of things you can buy for half s. guinea. But not a lot that don't need coupons".

He put a large. encompassing hand‘ round Hngthivs slender shoulders. and led him to the coun-

for

r. "Ere on display for everybodyh eye" he declared. "are scarves. Scarves for winter. They're sup- posed to be wool. I don't believe it. but they're warm. They're warm, and they're coupon-free.’

He stood back confidently and gestured towards tlie piled tray of knitted blue scarves.

Hughie ran the full length of one through his hands. It was warm as Mr. Woods said. and its blue was s gentle light blue, like his mother's eyes.

“Os-n we inai-ze ii info a parcel?" he asked eagerly.

"We can make it into a parcel” agreed Mr. Woods promptly. “And we can stick a label on with s picture of a bit o! holly."

Once home, the boy inscribed a message to his mother on the holly- wvereti label. and then concealed the parcel under his pillow.

He had planned to rise early the following morning to take his present to his mother's room but she was first up and woke him with a light kiss.

“Happy Christmas. Hughlc" she #81:. and sat on the edge of his

She smoothed his rufled hair. and patted his cheek gently with her long. worn hand.

"There are some good people in the world. 1m" she told him. "One oi’ your teachers sent inc a postal order, and I went round to The Imiporium and bought you a present with it."

Hughie sat boil. upright in bed.

"One of the teachers?" he asked astounded.

“Yes” his mother nodded. "A Miss Simpson. I supznose your school gave her the address."

"I Ipose so" agreed l-lughie limply but he brightened and dived s, hand under his pillow.

"X got you a present Mum" he said, and gave her the parcel.

He watched deiiglitedly while she opened it, but as the long biua sod-rf unfolded. he saw a startled expression crossbar features. He could only believe that she was puzzled by his sudden access to vieaith and he rapidly told his story.

She looked at him in wonder. and then laughed n-iei-rily as he had not heard her laugh for a very long time.

Embracing him with a. hug. she departed 1mm the room. Returning swiftly, an; stood at 2L5 beside with licr hands behind

er.

“Close your eyes" she ordered softly.

He did so, his lips forming a ‘nude, happy grin of anticipation as he felt her aims aimmd him. and opening iiis cyes, he saw his chest and ‘ouiders covered be- neath t-he folds cf a knitted blue scarf.

looting up. he saw his mother smiling. similarly clad; he: blue scarf contrasting gsily against her block dress.

ller smile broadened. and as he grinned in response, they suddenly‘ found themselves convulsed t happy laughter. ‘

‘ "ma: mo.

01119981113 firm his gate, and ea Moll. law to his honor that it ‘

Scarves Belts

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The Finest range we have ever shown -. Casl-irnere, Rayons and Wools.

A wide variety and a most Popular Gift.

All Elastic, Iovel plain shades. Christmas Boxe e

Open All Day Wednesday For Your Convenience

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“Better Men's Wear”

4 - = i -

ll! GREAT GEORGE ITRIIY

Be Carefui of Fire at Christmas Party

Every year, some Christmas festi- Vltlls are marred by lire accidents to the Christmas tree, or to lhc de- corations. or to the flimsy fancy dresses of little children. At iimcs, the results are tragic. Without cure the kintilicsi. DOOpIt- may only be settlrii‘ a danger trap for their children. Christmas decorations sencrally are made of inflammable materiel. and it i... cmlrtlng irmlbie to have a naked light anywhere

in their vicinity.

Flor example, lighted rail-dies lri

paper lanterns suspended from the

ceiling o: hung on s Christmas tree or an improperly insulated string

h of electric lights may prove beacons

of danger. With children romping about in their flimsy finery. the Ifeateat care must be rxc-rcised that under no circumstances would it

The characters in this story are

be possible for the children or ihe

the tmtirely imaginary. No reference is decorations to come lnio contact

driver. peering round it wcs red- intended to in: llvlns person orillitil s held llehl- whether it be

dened by the biting wind.

flfi II-Io.)

(Copyright publishing arrangement

"H17

snow to any public or prvlate company. from Ill. elndle or a fllckerlntl

flame from a stove. Also a 311st of

ntloiis across a. naked light. and the damage is done.

Gfeflt danger lurks in using strings qt electric lights that have done service the year before unless they have been thoroughly examined and tested before being put up. Each inch of every set of lights should be carefully inspected forr worn places in the insulation or outer cover, a strip of friction tape wrap- cd round it will help to prevent accidents. If the inside insulation is ucm, the job i; one for o ppag. ticai electrician. The rough edges of insulation will have to be trim- mcd of! and the wire wrapped spirally with friction iapc a-bcve the break, overlapping each turn by about a quarter of an inch and ensuring that the damaged are; is completely covered.

Often cords become woixu where they enter the plug. The wire must be removed. wrapped separately with tape and rv ’. Broken or damaged plugs should be discard- ed. Bulbs also should be tested be- fore helm fixed.

CHRISTMAS Sweden celebrates her Glrist-

IN SWEDEN

biowourtalnssrdecmriee

mas December 24 with fish and porsifie.

Christmas Memories

‘_*__ I

And numerous indeed arc the hearts to which Cilrisimas brings a brief season of happiness and enjoyment. How many iamilics Whose inclilbcrs llllVf‘ bot-n (lis- pcrscd iiud scniioi-vd far and wide in iiic i-csticss SifllgglUfi of lifc lift: ihcii ri-uiiiicii, niui int-wt uiicu ngnin in that linppy siulc uf coin- pnnionsilip and mutual good-trill voiiicii is a SullrCr of ouch pure and llilililil)_\'l‘(i (ii-light; llll(l ont: so illC0illllfliibil‘ with lilt‘ ours-s nlid sorrows uf iii!‘ world iiizii lllc rc- iigious bcliri of iht- lllllhi civliizcti naiinns iind 1iic l_‘ll(lf? ffutliiions of the roughest ssvrigcs nidtu num- her it among the first Joys cl‘ a future condition of cxistence pro- vided for the blessed and happy! How many old recollections, and how many dormant sympathies, docs Christmastlme awaken!

We write these words now. many miles distant from the spot at whim we met on that day a merry and joyous circle. Many of the hearts that ihrobbed so gaiiy then

have ceased to seat; lass! of the

looks that shone so brightly tlteie ‘have ceased lo glow; the hands that we grasped liuvc grown cold‘ tiv- i-ycs we sought have hid their lustre in the grave; and yet the old house, the room, tho merry voiccb and snliilng faces, the jest. lilo laugh. ihe most minute and trivial circumstances connected u'iiii those happy meetings. crowd upon our mind iii each recur- rence of the season. as it the last usscmbiugc had bccn hut yester- day! Happy. happy Christmas, lhai can win us buck to the de- lusions oi our childish days; that can rcctili iu llic old man the picusurcs oi his youth; that can lrunsptiri ilic sailor and tho trav- ciicr. ihuusnnds oi miles away, hack in his own fireside and hi8