The Independent

"I guess you're right, Pa." Mrs. Clark answered, solemnly shaking her head with its beautiful wavy white hair. "And our dinner's well on the way. I'll have to tell Annie not to cook so many potatoes and perhaps we can manage to keep most of the turkey a day or so until the children can come. I suppose there's no chance for the snow plows to get through today, either, William?"

"No. They'll clear the main highways first. But it's beautiful, isn't it, Mother? with the ice and sleet on the trees and now the snow for trimming. It's as beautiful a Christmas morning as I have ever seen. And we're both well and strong and able to enjoy it together. It's great, isn't it?" Grandfather Clark slipped his arm about his wife's waist and drew her close beside him. Grandmother had a very happy, satisfied smile as she patted his hand, then departed to the kitchen to issue her instructions to Annie. Meanwhile Sam and his family seated about their breakfast table, were much more concerned about missing Christmas at Grandmother's and the good dinner than they were at the beauty of the world about them.

"Oh, grandfather and grandmother will understand," Marion the daughter, was speaking. "we're the goats in this case. Ham and eggs for Christmas!"

"Gee! Can't we do anything 'cept sit here and talk about it?" Sam, Jr., aged fourteen, puckered his brows in evident great concentration. Suddenly he threw down his napkin and dashed for his sweater and cap.

"Where're you going?" Marion shouted. The banging of the front door was the only reply. In less than a half hour Sam, Jr., came bursting back again, all excited:

"Get ready! We're going! We're going!"

"Going—tiddle sticks!" Marion scoffed.

"Please explain, young man," Sam, Sr., quizzically demanded, a gleam of understanding coming into his eyes as he caught sight of tall, handsome Dick Roberts who had entered quietly after Sam, Jr., and stood just inside the door. Now he stepped forward.

"Merry Christmas, everybody!" Marion's face was as rosy as Dick's as she grasped his extended hand. "I thought you were going to your sister's in the East," she stammered.

"I was." Dick laughed. "but business wouldn't let me. I don't mind now that I can be of service to you. Young Sam knew I hadn't gone, and he swooped down upon me and explained your predicament. And my plane is at your service."

"Your plane!" Marion gasped. "A plane in this snow?"

"Yes. My plane has skis, you know. I can take you one at a time and land you safely at your grandfather's." Grandfather and Grandmother Clark were more excited than the others, if that could be possible, when Mrs. Sam arrived first and explained what's happening. Sam, Jr., came next; then Father Sam, and last of all, Marion, all rosy and excited.

"Beautiful sight, wasn't it, gliding over the country?" Sam asked, as he helped Dick off with his togs.

"Marvelous!" Then Dick added quickly. "But everything is wonderful to me today because it took a ride up in the blue to convince Marion that I could be her pilot for life. Congratulations to me!"

"You're a welcome new member of the family!" Sam answered quietly, and dropped his hand on Marion's shining one.

"Mother and I thought this was the most beautiful Christmas we had ever seen when we looked out of the window this morning," Grandfather mused "and Grandmother's only way: airplane. When one feels right with the world it's easier to see the beauty of things we sometimes miss." Sam, Jr., grinned at them all: "Some Christmas!" (©. 1930 Western Newspaper Union.)