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jjg~By DELYSLE EERREECASS j|5
(Copyright. 1919. b> Western Newspsper Y’nl**n
HE old folks always
had wanted a baby
girl, even long after
Henry had been born.
But the years rolled
by, their boy grew up
b 1 g, handsome and
strong, always cheer
ful and helpful about
the farm, and they
tried to resign them
selves to the fact that
their humble hopes
never would be satisfied. Old John
Barker never referred to them, but
every once in a while his wife would
catch herself brooding, mlstyeyed, of
the sure day when young Henry would
marry and leave them alone on the
big farm for which there was no other
heir.
Her sole comfort Jn the thought
was that he would undoubtedly marry
one of the honest buxom daughters of
neighboring furmers, who would be
content with country life and not ex
pect to take him too far away from
them in their old age.
Then came the great war, and
Henry went overseas with his regi
ment as did most of the other true
/-- 1
Accustomed to the Wicked Frivolities
of Paris.
American boys. The okl folks parted
from him courageously—old John
with a stern grip of calloused, toil
worn hands, and Ma Barker with tears
steadfastly hidden behind her faded,
loving eyes. He was their all and
they gave him.
In tiie anxious months that followed
the old folks’ life held the same hard
routine as ever on the farm. Old
John drove to town oftener than usual
—sometimes even twice a week—to
see if any letters had come from mys
terious, sinister places in France, and
he and mother would pore over the
few that did arrive In the proud
knowledge that their Henry was a
“good” hoy and was doing his duty.
They prayed each night that the Lord
would keep him safe to come back
to them and to keep him from tempta
tion while away from their care.
Then one day, like a thunderbolt
out of a clear sky, came a terrible
letter from France, which said: "1
have found the sweetest little girl
in all the world, and I’m bringing her
home with me ns a Christmas pres
ent to you. The regiment is now at
Brest for embarkation and we'll sure
ly be home lor the holidays. . . .
ISlie is awfully pretty; black hair, big
ejes and always wanting to be kissed.
Her name is Angelique. ... Of
.course she can’t speak anything but
French, but, dear mother and dad,
I just know that you’ll soon learn tc
love her as much as I do.”
The old folks were stricken with
consternation. Their Henry bringing
home a French girl—a foreigner whe
wouldn’t understand their simple, old
fashioned ways, and to whom thej
never could reconcile themselves
j3UI.ii cl uiir--au uaiuiucu vkj uiv
wicked frivolities of Paris—nevei
would fit in on the farm, howevei
modest or “nice” she miglit be. Mor(
likely she would despise it, and them
and take their boy away to live it
Borne big city—leave them lonely ir
the old age that was now upon them
i The old folks bowed their graye<
heads beneath the blow, nearly hear
broken, although they tried bravely t<
conceal their most harrowing dread;
from each other.
“Maybe she won’t expect to wea
silk underwear all the time and wil
be willing to help you wipe the dlshe
evenings, mother,” old John clumsll;
tried to console his wife as they sa
alone in the farmhouse kitchen on
night after chores were done. “An
maybe, after all, she won’t want t
smoke cigarettes before people whe
she finds that American girls aroun
here don’t do that sort of thing.”
Ma Barker shook her head sadly.
“I’d do anything almost to mak
our boy happy, pa,” she said, whil
the tears gathered In her faded eye;
“We must do our best not to let hli
notice how disappointed we are. Oul
I’m afraid she’ll never be content her
on the farm with us.”
Ma Barker went about preparation
for the big Christmas dinner wit
tearful premonitions, heavy heartei
She was nervous; wanted to sit dow
and cry, but felt she had to keep u
before pa, for Henry’s sake, if not
lug else. She knew of old, exactly
all the good things that her boy lilted
for the Christmas dinner—juicy black
fruit cake, steaming plum pudding,
odoriferous brown roasted turkey, and
but oh! she didn't know what to pre
pare for her—couldn’t get any frog
legs if she had wanted to. And the
geography said that frog legs were a
favorite French dainty.
Oh, whatever would the minister
say? . . . yes, and Sally Ilowarth,
too, when they heard about—about
“Angelique I” Sally had been "sweet"
on Henry, and poor old Ma Barker had
hoped—
But, ah well! She mustn’t let her
dear boy know! He and his Angelique
would be there tomorrow.
Christmas eve the old folks deco
rated the house with flr boughs, holly
and strings of colored popcorn. They
even trimmed a tree as they had done
for Henry ever since he had been a
little boy. Ma Barker thought, with
n rising lump in her throat, that may
be the French girl would look on It
all as silly; would curl her lip at their
homely endeavors, hut . . .
Christmas morning Jed, the hired
man, drove off in the sleigh to meet
their boy and his bride at the station
In town. The odor of savory good
things on the kitchen stove permeated
the whole farmhouse, and the big open
tire in the dining room crackled In
comfortnble contrast to the sparkling
cold of the snow outside. Ma Barker
bustled about, sadly setting the table
with her best dishes. She caught old
John stealthily coming up the base
ment stairs with a dusty demijohn.
“Why, Pa Barker I” she exclaimed.
“What’s that you’ve got there? I do
believe It’s that cider that fermented
so as we couldn’t use It I”
les, us, admitted old John pretty
shamefacedly and shuffling his feet
to hide his embarrassment. “But you
see, I ... I thought that maybe
as Henry’s girl Is a French woman,
she’d rather like hard cider, seeing
as we haven’t any light wines nor
champagne for her to drink.”
A few minutes later they heard the
slelglibells jingling, the snort of the
horses and the crunch of runners on
the snow in front of the house. In
stantly the old folks forgot the dread
that had been overshadowing them
since the letter came. Ma Barker,
with trembling fingers undid her
apron, smoothed her hnir “so that
Henry’s girl would see her looking
right,” and rushed out of doors. Old
John followed more decorously and
stiffly, for his rheumatism had been
troubling him more than ever lately,
making work harder for him about the
farm. Yes. he certainly w|s going to
miss Henry’s help when—
“My boy! my boy!” cried ma as
she threw herself into the extended
arms of the sturdy young soldier in
khaki as he leaped out of the sleigh
behind the broadly-grinning Jed.
They clung ecstatically together for a
few minutes until old John forced
them apart to pump his son’s hand
U]) and down and mumble something
about t He bright sun on the snow mak
ing his eyes water.
And then, after the first exuberant
gieetings were over with, Henry
laughingly disengaged himself and
cried at them:
“And now let me introduce Ange
lique to you, people. And I want you
Angelique Was a Four-Year-Old Baby
Girl.
I to feel that she's yours as much as
mine. She'll love you, ma, as she
, does me." '
. From the depths of the hooded
sleigh he bundled a diminutive figure,
- swaddled in furs and laprobes, with
i two big, sparkling round eyes beaming
, on them and red lips curved up into
, an adorable smile,
t Angelique was a four-year-old baby
j girl whom he had adopted from a war
1 devasfated village near the front!
> “Her people were all killed by the
i Germans," Henry explained apologet
i lcally, “so 1 thought I’d bring her along
instead of letting her be sent to some
orphanage.”
p Ma Barker gave a choking sort of
e cry and caught the baby girl for which
i. she had prayed so long to her relieved
a breast. As for old John, he swallowed
y hard, winked broadly at the grinning
e .1 .m| beside the horse, and said:
•We’ve got some hard cider in the
s house, .led. Better come in with me
h and have a nip before you put the
I horses up. Gosh, but come to think of
n it. Santa Claus’ presents always are
p supposed to be surprises anyway,
i, I .ren t they, Jed?”
— --- _____________________________ 1
* I
Something “She”
Wants
will prove the most acceptable present you can
give. This store is cram full of dainty
Christmas suggestions, all of which were cho
sen to make man’s gift-buying easily accom
plished. Come and see how inexpensively
you can buy the gift she most admires, one
that shows you understand “her” unspoken
desires.
NORTHERN DRUG CO.
"THE DRUG STORE OF ALASKA"
“SERVICE” Is our motto
I^iiMiittiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiM
Take Good Care of |
What You Spend |
Your Life to Earn 1
If
The man who labors six clays in the week for a living should gjf>'
make an effort to save a part of his earnings for that time in gj
the future when age shall reduce his earning capacity. r
The man with a bank account is in a position to do this, for g
■
g] this plan of setting aside a regular amount each month or week |j
■ from the salary is the ideal method of saving money. jf
Your deposit will be welcomed at this bank—we will help H
H you save. S|
I Bank of Alaska f
I ; CAPITAL $170,000.00 f-‘i
' I Branches at Skagway, Wrangell and Anchorage
ALASKA TRANSFER COMPANY
TRANSFER AND STORAGE
COAL AND WOOD
AUTO SERVICE
DAY OR NIGHT
Office, Northern Hotel Bldg. Phone 85
ARE YOU GOING OUT THIS FALL?
Visit San Francisco and Stop with
Mark C. Thompson
at his new hotel in the heart of the city between
Powell and Mason Streets.
The Dale-Tallac Hotel
140 ELLI8 8TREET
| Special Rates and Headquarters for Alaskans.
[ CITY BAKERY LUNCH ROOM
Special Carefully-Prepared Lunch served from 11:30 a. m. Our Fine
French Rolls with every meal
Big Variety of Pastries and Cakes, Always Fresh
Sanitary Machinery of Latest Model. Patent Brick Oven^ Best itta
terlals used by Expert WrrbniS, producing our Famous Cream Loaf
Best Coffee in Town
French Bread Rye Bread
Alaska
Steamship Company
Regular Sailings Between Seattle,
Ketchikan, Juneau, Cordova, Valdez,
Ellamar, Liscum, Latouche, Seward
_
FROM SEATTLE— 8AIL3 SOUTH
DEC. 20. ALASKA .„.DEC. 28
DEC. 30. NORTHWESTERN JAN. 8
JAN. 10. ALASKA JAN. 18
JAN. 20. ALAMEDA JAN. 23
JAN. 30..-.. ALASKA . FEB. 8
Fraquent sailings of freighters carrying explosives.
This schedule subject to change without notice.
F. B. TRACY, Agent
l
■ - .
L-^PACIFIC STEAMSHIP COMPANY^ - J
Alaska—Washington—California ALASKA ROUTE 1
Safety Courtesy 8ervlca 8peed 1
OFFICE EMPRESS BUILDING |
WE8T BOUND SOUTH BOUND
LEAVE CORDOVA LEAVE CORDOVA
DEC. 29. WATSON .- JAN. 5
Three Sailings per Week from Seattle for San Francisco, Los An
geles and 8an Diego. For further Information call
L. A. COUNTS, AGENT Res. Lathrop Apts.
Phones: Office 223, Residence 2 23—2 rings. ..
". 1 1' ■■■■■■ i|..i ■ ■■ ■■■ .■■■■ ■■ ■■■!■! —J
—-- I ^
Copper River and
Northwestern Ry.
Trains leave Cordova for Chitina Monday and Thursday.
Trains leave Chitina for Kennecott Tuesday and Friday.
I Trains leave Kennecott for Chitina Sunday and Thursday.
Trains leave Chitina for Cordova Tuesday and Friday.
/•
Dining Car in Connection with all Regular
Passenger Trains between Cordova and Chitina.
Freight received and delivered at Cordova
Wharf from 9 a. m. to 5 p m., except Sundays.
Tickets on sale at Second Street Depot office
mu' hour before departure of trains.
CALEB CORSER Superintendent
D. L. LEATON, Ticket Agent
THE NORTHERN CLUB
FRED HAEF, PROP.
POOL, CARDS, TOBACCO
Soft Drinks of All Kinds
The Popular Corner
PHONE 47 CORDOVA. ALASKA
i I i
JUST RECEIVED, A LINE OF
MASTER-MADE
DRESS SHOES
FOR MEN. CALL AND GET THE PRICES AT
THE BARGAIN STORE
JOHN RAW80N
Sixty Steam-Heated Rooms, Electric-Lighted
Hot and Cold Water in Every Room
With or Without Bath
Cordova House
DOOLEY & GREENIG
Headquarters for Railroad and Mining Men
Satisfaction Guaranteed :: Rates Reasonable