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Speaker 1: A College Santa Claus by Ralph Henry Barbour. Sathawait ought

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to threw his overcoat across the broad mahogany table, regardless

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of the silver and cut glass furnishings, shook the melting

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snow flakes from his cap and tossed it atop the coat,

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half kicked, half shoved a big leathern arm chair up

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to the wide fireplace, dropped himself into it, and stared

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moodily at the flames. Sathuruwait was troubled. In fact, he

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assured himself, drawing his handsome features into a generous scowl,

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that he was, on this Christmas Eve, the most depressed

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and bored person in the length and breath of New England.

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Sathaway was not used to being depressed, and boredom was

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a state usually far remote from his experience. Consequently, he

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took it worse. With something between a groan and a growl.

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He drew a crumpled telegram from his pocket. The telegram

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was at the bottom of it all. He read it again.

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E Soathawaite, Randolph Hall, Cambridge, Advise you're not coming, Aunt Louise,

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very ill. Merry Christmas, phil Merry Christmas. Growled, Soauthawait, throwing

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the offending sheet of buff paper into the flames. Looks

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like it, doesn't it? Confound fills Aunt Louise anyway, What

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business has she getting sick at Christmas time? Not of

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course that I wished the old lady any harm, but

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it it, well, it's wretched luck. When at college, Phil

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was the occupant of the bedroom that lay in the

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darkness beyond the half open door to the right. He

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lived when at home, in a big rambling house in

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the Berkshires, a house from the windows of which one

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could see into three states and overlook a wonderful expanse

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of wooded hill and sloping meadow. A house which held

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besides Phil and Phil's father and mother, and Aunt Louise

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and a younger brother. Fills his sathwait growled again more

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savagely at the thought of Phil's sister, not be it understood,

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at that extremely attractive young lady, but at the fate

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which was keeping her from his sight. Sathwaite had promised

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his roommate to spend Christmas with him, thereby bringing upon

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himself pained remonstrances from his own family, remonstrances which Sathwaite

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acknowledged were quite justifiable. His bags stood beside the door.

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He had spent the early afternoon very pleasurably in packing them,

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carefully weighing the respective merits of a primrose waistcoat and

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a blue flannel one as weapons wherewith to impress the

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heart of Phil's sister. And now he kicked forth his

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feet and brought brass tongs and shovel clattering on the hearth.

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It relieved his exasperation. The fatal telegram reached him at

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five o'clock, as he was on the point of donning

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his coat. From five to six, he'd be made in

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a torpor of disappointment, continually wondering whether Phil's sister would care.

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At six, his own boarding house being closed for the recess,

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he had trudged through the snow to a restaurant in

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the square and had dined miserably on lukewarm turkey and

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lumpy mashed potatoes. And now it was nearly eight, and

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he did not even care to smoke. His one chance

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of reaching his own home that night had passed, and

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there was nothing for it but to get through the

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interminable evenings somehow and catch an early train in the morning.

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The theaters in town offered no attraction. As for his club.

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He had stopped in on his way from dinner, and

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had fussed with an evening paper until the untenanted expanse

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of darkly furnished apartments and the unaccustomed stillness had driven

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him forth again. He drew his long legs under him

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and arose, crossing the room and drawing aside the deep

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toned hangings before the window. It was still snowing. Across

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the avenue. A flood of million light from a butcher's

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shop was thrown out over the snowy sidewalk. Its windows

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were garlanded with Christmas greens and hung with pathetic looking

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turkeys and geese. Belated shoppers passed out, their arms piled

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high with bundles, a car swept by its drone muffled

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by the snow. The spirit of Christmas was in the

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very air. Sathwaite's depression increased, and of a sudden in

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action became intolerable. He would go and see somebody, anybody,

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and make them talk to him. But when he had

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his coat in his hands, he realized that even this

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comfort was denied him. He had friends in town, nice

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folk who would be glad to see him any other time,

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but into whose family gatherings he could no more force

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himself to night than he could steal. As for the

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men he knew in college, they had all gone to

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their homes or to those of somebody else. Staring disconsolately

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about the study, it suddenly struck him that the room

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looked as disgustingly, slovenly and unkept. Phil was such an

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untidy beggar. He would fix things up a bit if

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he did it carefully and methodically. No doubt he could

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consume a good hour and a half that way. It

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would then be half past nine. Possibly, if he tried hard,

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he could use up another hour bathing and getting ready

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for bed. As a first step, he removed his coat

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from the table and laid it carefully across the foot

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of the leather couch. Then he placed his damp cap

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on one end of the mantel. The next object to

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meet his gaze was a well worn note book. It

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was not his own, and it did not look like Phil's.

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The mystery was solved when he opened it and read H. G.

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Doyle College House on the fly leaf. He remembered then

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He had borrowed it from Doyle almost a week before

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at a lecture. He had copied some of the notes

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and had forgotten to return the book. It was very

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careless of him. He would return it as soon as then,

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he recollected, having seen Oil at noon that day coming

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from one of the cheaper boarding houses. It was probable

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that Doyle was spending recess at college, just the thing

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he would call on Doyle. It was not until he

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was half way downstairs that he remembered the book. He

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went back for it two steps at a time. Out

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in the street, with the fluffy flakes against his face,

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he felt better. After all, there was no use in

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getting grouchy over his disappointment. Phil would keep and so

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would Phil's sister, at least until Easter. Or better yet,

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he would get Phil to take him home with him

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over Sunday some time. He was passing the shops now

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and stopped before jeweler's window. His eye caught a rather

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jolly looking paper knife in gun metal. He had made

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his purchases for Christmas, and had already despatched them, but

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the paper knife looked attractive, and if there was no

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one to give it to, he could keep it himself.

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So he passed into the shop and purchased it. Put

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it into a box. Will you, he requested, I may

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want to send it away out on the avenue. Again,

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his thoughts reverted to his prospective host. The visit had

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elements of humor. He had known Doyle at preparatory school,

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and since then at college, had maintained the acquaintance in

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a casual way. He liked Doyle always had, just as

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any man must like an honest, earnest, gentlemanly fellow, whether

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their paths run parallel or cross only at rare intervals.

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He and Doyle were not at all in the same coterie.

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Soathwaits friends were the richest and sometimes the laziest men

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in college. Doyle's were well, presumably men who, like himself,

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had only enough money to scrape through from September to June,

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who studied hard for degrees, whose viewpoint of university life

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must of necessity be widely separated from Southwaits. As for

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visiting Doyle, Southwaite could not remember ever having been in

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his but once, and that was long ago. In their

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freshman year, Sathawait had to climb two flights of steep

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and very narrow stairs, And when he stood at Doyle's

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door he thought he must have made a mistake. From

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within came the sounds of very unstudious revelry, laughter, a

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snatch of song voices raised in good natured argument. Sathwait

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referred again to the fly leaf of the notebook. There

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was no error. He knocked, and in obedience to a cherry,

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come in entered. He found himself in a small study,

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shabbily furnished, but cheerful and homelike, by reason of the

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leaping flames in the grate and the blue haze of

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tobacco smoke that almost hid its farther wall. About the

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room sat six men, their pipes held questioningly away from

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their mouths, and their eyes fixed wonderingly, half resentfully upon

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the intruder. But what caught and held Sathaway's gaze was

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a tiny Christmas tree, scarcely three feet high, which which

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adorn the center of the desk. Its branches held toy candles,

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as yet unlighted, and were festooned with strings of crimson

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cranberries and colored popcorn, While here and there a small

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package dangled amidst a greenery. How are you Sathurwait. Doyle, tall,

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lank and ear sighted, arose and moved forward with outstretched hand.

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He was plainly embarrassed, as was every other occupant of

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the study. Sathurweight included the laughter and talk had subsided.

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Doyle's guests politely removed their gaze from the newcomer and

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returned their pipes to their lips. But the newcomer was

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intruding and knew it, and he was consequently embarrassed. Embarrassment,

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like boredom, was a novel sensation to him, and he

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speedily decided that he did not fancy it. He held

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out Doyle's book. I brought this back, old man. I

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don't know how I came to forget it. I'm awfully sorry.

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You know, it was so very decent of you to

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lend it to me. Awfully sorry. Really, Doyle murmured that

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it didn't matter, not a particle, and wouldn't Sathawait sit down. No,

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Sathaway couldn't stop. He heard the youth in the faded

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cricket blazer tell the man next to him in a

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stage aside that this was Sathawait ought to an awful swell,

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you know, Sathawait again declared that he could not remain.

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Doyle said he was sorry. They were just having a

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little sort of a Christmas Eve party, you know. He

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blushed while he explained, and wondered whether Sathawait thought them

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a lot of idiots or simply a parcel of sentimental kids.

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Probably Sathawait knew some of the fellows he went on.

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Sathawait studied the assemblage and replied that he thought not,

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though he remembered having seen several of them at lectures

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and things. Doyle made no move toward introducing his friends

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to Sathawait, and to relieve the momentary silence that followed,

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observed that he supposed it was getting colder. Sathaway replied

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absently that he hadn't noticed, but that it was still snowing.

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The youth in the cricket Blazer fidgeted in his chair.

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Sathwack was thinking, of course, he was not wanted there.

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He realized that, yet he was of half a mind

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to stay. The thought of his empty room dismayed him.

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The cheer and comfort before him appealed to him forcibly,

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and more than all, he was possessed of a desire

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to vindicate himself to this circle of narrow minded critics

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Great Scott. Just because he had some money and went

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with some other fellows who also had money, he was

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to be promptly labeled snob and treated with polite tolerance.

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Only by Jove. He would stay, if only to punish

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them for their narrowness. You're sure I shan't be intruding, Doyle,

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he asked. Doyle gasped in amazement. Sathwait removed his coat.

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A shiver of consternation passed through the room. Then the

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hosts found his tongue glad to have you nothing much doing,

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few friends, quiet evening, Let me take your coat. Introductions followed.

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The man in the cricket blazer turned out to be

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Dope bought three, the man who had won the Jonas

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Grieves Scholarship, a small youth with eagle like countenance, with Somers,

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he who had debated so brilliantly against Princeton, a much

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bewhiskered man was Aylworth of the law school. Cranch and Smith,

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both members of Sathwaite's class, completed the party. Sathaway shook

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hands with those within reach and looked for a chair.

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Instantly everyone was on his feet. There was a confused

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course of take this, won't you. Sathawait accepted a straight

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backed chair with part of its cane seat missing. After

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a decent amount of protest, then a heavy, discouraging silence fell.

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Sathawait looked around the circle. Everyone save Aylworth and Doyle

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was staring blankly at the fire. Aylworth dropped his eyes grave.

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Doyle broke out explosively with do you smoke? Sathaway, Yes,

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but I'm afraid. He searched his pockets perfunctorily. I haven't

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my pipe with me. His cigarette case met his searching fingers.

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But somehow cigarettes did not seem appropriate. I'm sorry, said Doyle,

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but I'm afraid I haven't an extra one. Any of

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you fellow's got a pipe that's not working. Murmured regrets

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followed Doak, who sat next to Sathaway, put a hand

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in his coat pocket and viewed the intruder doubtingly from

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around the corners of his glasses. It doesn't matter a bit,

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remarked Sathawait heartily. I've got sort of a pipe hair,

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said Doak. If you're not over particular, what you smoke.

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Sathaway received the pipe gravely. It was a blackened briar,

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whose bowls burnt half way down on one side from

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being lighted over the gas, and whose mouthpiece gnawed away

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in long usage, had been reshaped with a knife. Sathaway

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examined it with interest, rubbing the bowl gently on his knee.

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He knew without seeing that Doake was eyeing him with

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mingled defiance and apology, and wondering in what manner a

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man who was used to mere chams and gold mounted

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briars would take the proffer of his worn out favorite.

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And he knew too that all the others were watching.

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He placed the stem between his lips and drew on

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it once or twice with satisfaction. Seems a jolly old pipe,

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he said, I fancy you must be rather fond of it.

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Has any one got any backy five pouches were tendered instantly.

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Saderwait filled his pipe carefully. He had won the first trick,

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he told himself, and the thought was pleasurable. The conversation

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had started up again, but it was yet perfunctory, and

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Saduwait realized that he was still an outsider. Doyle gave

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him the opportunity he wanted. Is it something new for

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you to stay here through recess, he asked than Sathaway

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told about Phil's aunt Louise, and the telegram, about his

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dismal dinner at the restaurant, and the subsequent flight from

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the tomblike silence of the club, how he had decided

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in desperation to clean up his study, and how he

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had come across Doyle's note book. He told it rather well.

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He had a reputation for that sort of thing, and

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to night he did his best. He pictured himself to

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his audience on the verge of suicide from melancholia, and

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assured them that this fate had been averted only through

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his dislike of being found lifeless amid such untidy surroundings.

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He decked the narrative with touches of drawlery, and was

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rewarded with the grins that overspread the faces of his hearers.

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Aylworth nodded appreciatingly now and then, and Doc even slapped

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his knee once and giggled aloud. Sathaway left out all

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mention of Phil's sister naturally, and ended with and so

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when I saw you, fellows, having such a Christian comfortable

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sort of a time. I simply couldn't break away again.

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I knew I was risking getting myself heartily disliked. And

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really I wouldn't blame you if you rose on moss

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and kick me out. But I am desperate. Give me

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some tobacco from time to time and just let me

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sit here and listen to you. It will be a

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kindly act to a homeless orphan. Shut up, said Doyle heartily.

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We're glad to have you. Of course, the others concurred.

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We were going to light up the tree after a bit.

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We do it every year, you know. It's kind of

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of Christmasy when you don't get home for the holidays.

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You see, we give one another little presents and and

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have rather a bit of fun out of it. Only,

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he hesitated, doubtfully. Only I'm afraid it may bore you,

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awfully bore me, cried Satherwaite. Why man alive, I should

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think it would be the jolliest sort of a thing.

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It's just like being kids again. He turned and observed

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the tiny tree with interest. And do you mean that

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you all give one another presents and keep it secret

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and and all that? Yes, just little things you know, answered, doake, deprecatingly.

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It's the nearest thing to a real Christmas that I've

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known for seven years, said Aylworth gravely. Sathawaight observed him wonderingly.

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By jove, he murmured, seven years. Do you know I'm

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glad now I am going home instead of to Sterner's

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for Christmas. A fellow ought to be with his own folks,

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don't you think? Everybody said yes heartily, and there was

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a moment of silence in the room. Presently, Cranch, whose

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home was in Michigan, began speaking reminiscently of the Christmases

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he had spent when a lad in the pine woods.

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He made the others feel the cold and the magnitude

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of the pictures he drew and for a space. Sathaway

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was transported to a little lumber town in a clearing

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and stood by excitedly while a small boy in jeans

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drew woolen mittens wonderful ones of red and gray from

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out a Christmas stocking, and Summers told over Christmas he

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had once spent in a Quebec village, and Aylworth followed

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him with an account of Christmas morning in a main

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coast fishing town. Sathwaite was silent. He had no Christmases

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of his own to tell about. They would have been sorry, indeed,

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after the others Christmases in a big Philadelphia house, rather

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staid and stupid days as he remembered them, now, days

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lacking in any delightful element of uncertainty, but filled with

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wonderful presents so numerous that the novelty had worn away

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from them. Ere bedtime, he felt that somehow he had

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been cheated out of a pleasure which should have been his.

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The tobacco pouches went from hand to hand. Christmas Giving

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had already begun, and Sathwaite, to avoid disappointing his new friends,

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had to smoke many more pipes than was good for him.

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Suddenly they found themselves in darkness save for the firelight.

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Doyle had arisen stealthily and turned out the gas. Then,

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one by one, the tiny candles flickered and flared bluely

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into flame. Someone pulled the shades from before the two windows,

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and the room was hushed. Outside they could see the

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flakes falling silently steadily between them and the electric lights

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that shone across the avenue. It was a beautiful cold

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still whirled of blue mists, a gong clang softly, and

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a car well nigh and tenanted, slid by beneath them,

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Its windows frosted half way up, flooding the snow with

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mellow light. Some one beside Sathaway murmured gently, good old Christmas.

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The spell was broken. Sathaway sighed why he hardly knew,

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and turned away from the window. The tree was brilliantly

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lighted now, and strings of cranberries caught the beams ruddily

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dope stirred the fire, and Doyle, turning from a whispered

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consultation with some of the others, approached Sathawaite, would you

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mind playing Santa Claus give out the presents? You know

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we always do it that way, Sathwaight would be delighted,

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and better to impersonate that famous old gentleman. He turned

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up the collar of his jacket and put each hand

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up the opposite sleeve, looking as benignant as possible. The

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while that's fine, cried Smith, But hold on, you need

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a cap. He seized one from the window seat, a

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worn thing of yellowish brown otter, and drew it down

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over Sathaway's ears. The crowd applauded merrily. Dear little boys

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and girls, began Sathaway in a quavering voice. No girls,

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cried Doake. I want the cranberries, cried Smith. I love cranberries.

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I'll get the popcorn. Then that was the sedate ale.

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You'll be beastly sick, said Doke, grinning jovially through his classes.

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Sathawait untied the first package from its twig. It bore

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the inscription for little Willie Cranch. Everyone gathered around while

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the recipient undid the wrappings and laid bare a pen

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wiper adorned with a tiny crimson football. Doake explained to

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Sathaway that Cranch had played football just once on a

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scrub team, and had heroically carried the ball down a

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long field and placed it triumphantly under his own goal posts.

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This accounted for the laughter that ensued. Sammy Doak received

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a notebook marked Mathematics three A. The point of this

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illusion was lost to Sathawait, for Doke was too busy

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laughing to explain it. And so it went, and the

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room was in a constant roar of mirth. Doyle conferred

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excitedly with Ailworth across the room. By and by. He

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stole forward, and, detaching one of the packages from the tree,

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erased and wrote on it with great secrecy. Then he

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tied it back again and retired to the hearth, grinning

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expectantly until his own name was called and he was

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shoved forward to receive a rubber pen holder. Presently, Sathawait,

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working around the Christmas tree, detached a package and frowned

349
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over the address. Fellows, this looks like like Sathawait, but

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he viewed the assemblage and embarrassment. But I fancy it's

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a mistake, not a bit, cried Doyle. That's just my writing.

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Open it, cried the others, thronging up to him. Sathawait obeyed,

353
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wondering within the wrappers was a pocket memorandum book, a

354
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simple thing of cheap red leather. Someone laughed uncertainly. Sathawait,

355
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very red, ran his finger over the edges of the leaves,

356
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examined it long as though he had never seen anything

357
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like it before, and placed it in his waistcoat pocket. Aye. Aye,

358
00:23:01,440 --> 00:23:07,160
he began chop it off, pried someone joyously. I'm awfully

359
00:23:07,240 --> 00:23:12,319
much obliged to whoever it's from, the gang, said Doyle

360
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with a Merry Christmas, said Aylworth. Thank you, gang, said Sathawait.

361
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The distribution went on, but presently, when all the rest

362
00:23:23,240 --> 00:23:26,599
were crowding about Summers, Sathawait whipped a package from his

363
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pocket and writing on it hurriedly, was apparently in the

364
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act of taking it from the tree. When the others

365
00:23:32,200 --> 00:23:38,039
turned again Little Harry Doyle, he read gravely. Doyle viewed

366
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the package in amazement. He addressed the tree himself. Open

367
00:23:42,759 --> 00:23:45,960
it up, oh man. When he saw the gun metal

368
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paper knife, he glanced quickly at Sathawait. He was very

369
00:23:49,759 --> 00:23:54,480
red in the face. Sathawait smiled back imperturbably. The knife

370
00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:59,799
went from hand to hand, awakening enthusiastic admiration. But I say,

371
00:24:00,160 --> 00:24:05,519
man who gave began Smith, I'm awfully much obliged Sathwaight,

372
00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:10,279
said Doyle. But really I couldn't think of taking chop

373
00:24:10,359 --> 00:24:14,160
it off, echoed Sathawait. Look here, Doyle, it isn't the

374
00:24:14,200 --> 00:24:17,039
sort of thing i'd give you from choice. It's a

375
00:24:17,119 --> 00:24:19,480
useless sort of toy. But I just happened to have

376
00:24:19,599 --> 00:24:21,920
it with me, bought it in the square on the

377
00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:24,799
way to give to someone. I didn't know who, And

378
00:24:24,920 --> 00:24:27,920
so if you don't mind, I wish you'd accept it.

379
00:24:28,039 --> 00:24:31,240
You know it'll do to put on the table or

380
00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:34,640
open cans with. If you'd rather not take it, why

381
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chuck it out the window. It isn't that, cried Doyle.

382
00:24:39,279 --> 00:24:42,839
It's only that it's much too fine. Oh no, it isn't,

383
00:24:43,160 --> 00:24:49,400
said Sathawait. Now then where's little Alfie Ayleworth. Small candy

384
00:24:49,440 --> 00:24:52,240
canes followed the packages, and the men drew once more

385
00:24:52,279 --> 00:24:56,319
around the hearth, munching the pink and white confectionery enjoyingly.

386
00:24:57,079 --> 00:25:00,759
Smith insisted upon having the cranberries and bore them around

387
00:25:00,759 --> 00:25:04,680
his neck. The popcorn was distributed equally, and the next day,

388
00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,359
in the parlor car Sathaway drew his from a pocket

389
00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:12,839
together with his handkerchief. Someone struck up a song, and

390
00:25:12,920 --> 00:25:15,880
Doyle remembered that Sathawait had been in the glee club.

391
00:25:16,400 --> 00:25:20,480
There was an instant clamor for a song, and Sathawait, consenting,

392
00:25:20,839 --> 00:25:25,160
looked about the room. Haven't any thump box, said Smith?

393
00:25:25,640 --> 00:25:30,119
Can't you go it alone? Sadaway thought he could and did.

394
00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,279
He had a rich tenor voice, and he sang all

395
00:25:33,319 --> 00:25:36,200
the songs he knew when it could be done by

396
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hook or by crook. The others joined in the chorus,

397
00:25:39,720 --> 00:25:42,799
not too loudly, for it was getting late and proctors

398
00:25:42,799 --> 00:25:46,200
have sharp ears. When the last refrain had been repeated

399
00:25:46,240 --> 00:25:49,240
for the third time and silence reigned for the moment,

400
00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:52,839
they heard the bell in the nearby tower. They counted

401
00:25:52,880 --> 00:26:00,519
its strokes eight nine, ten, eleven, twelve. Merry Christmas, that's all,

402
00:26:00,799 --> 00:26:05,680
cried Smith, and the clamor that ensued. Sathawait secured his

403
00:26:05,759 --> 00:26:10,039
coat and hat. He shook hands all around. Smith insisted

404
00:26:10,119 --> 00:26:13,000
upon sharing the cranberries with him, and so looped a

405
00:26:13,039 --> 00:26:17,319
string gracefully about his neck. When Sathawait backed out the door,

406
00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:20,680
he still held Doke's pet pipe clenched between his teeth,

407
00:26:20,799 --> 00:26:24,880
and Doak, knowing it, said not a word. Hope you'll

408
00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:28,359
come back and see us, called Doyle. That's all right,

409
00:26:28,440 --> 00:26:33,880
old man, don't forget us, shouted Aylworth, and Sathwait, promising

410
00:26:33,920 --> 00:26:36,720
again and again not to stumbled his way down the

411
00:26:36,799 --> 00:26:42,160
dark stairs outside. He glanced gratefully up at the lighted panes.

412
00:26:42,799 --> 00:26:45,960
Then he grinned, and, scooping a handful of snow, sent

413
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it fairly against the glass. Instantly, the window banged up,

414
00:26:50,000 --> 00:26:54,880
and six heads thrust themselves out. Good Night, Merry Christmas,

415
00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:59,839
old man, Happy New Year. Something smashed softly against Sathaway's

416
00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:04,079
He looked back. They were gathering snow from the ledges

417
00:27:04,119 --> 00:27:08,319
and throwing snow balls after him. Good shot, he called,

418
00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:13,240
Merry Christmas. The sound of their cries and laughter followed

419
00:27:13,319 --> 00:27:17,720
him far down the avenue end of a college. Santa

420
00:27:17,720 --> 00:27:19,720
claus by Ralph Henry Barbar