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Aqg,_glgct9q_‘gresiden§ of the United Farmers of Ontario, to Sucbeed R. W. E. Burnaby. , “Yes. We’re always busy around the holidays.” ' Martha sighed. She hated to think ‘ofé this boyof hers tied: to a derk’s $sk for life, adding up interminable ' onusâ€"father people’s doLl‘ars. ' “I suppose I do. To-morrow is a fine word, Steve. My mother taught me that long ago and it’s helped meâ€" otten.” . “Tell me about it,” urged the boy. Ee seemed to want to get away from is own thoughts, whatever they were. “It was the day she died,” said Eartha, pleased by Steve’s attention. was only nine and I was crying: She called me to the bed and strokedl my hair. ‘You’m young, Martha,’ she said. ‘My going will be a great sor- i'ow to you butâ€"I’m ‘ going happy. You’ll struggle and suffer like the rest of us but you’ll have your Day. Reâ€"- member this, Martha,’ she said, ‘reâ€" “It was a man’s debt and it ought to Ibe paid ‘by a man," Stephen scowl- ed. “I hate to have you work." “It's mostly the women that payâ€" one wayror another,” said Martha. “I Iuppose five years does seem a long time to you; it doesn’t to me.” “That’s where we’re different,” said the boy. “I don‘t see anything- but the days of workâ€"and you look be- yong them.” “As we are doing now it will take five years. But you may get promoted and perhaps I can find another family to wash for." Martha rocked as she sewed. “Yes,” he said. Something in his tone made the woman 10ka up 'but; she made no comment. Stephen barely touched the warmed- over stew. He drank two cups of strong black tea, then leaned back and stared morosely at the pattern of the red cotton tablecloth. Mafiha chleared gway the supper gndfw‘jashegi the dighe53w‘g1ancing at tephén Yt‘ow andf'a'g‘fl'infis she-worked. How broad his Shoulders were as he sat there, hunched- in his chair; she noticed that his coat was growing thiuy ’ ‘ FOI'Tse\'efail'daYS'fMdr§ha {had been Worried about Stephen. Something had been troubling him, something she d1d not understand. She longed for 's confidence; a hundred times she and been on the point, of asking him to open his heart to her but each time 3.119. hesitated, tapultsed .by his, sullen eyes: ' Martha sewed for some minutes in silence then‘made an effort at con- versation. “Dicl you work very hard to-day?” she asked. “Five years!" groaned Stephen and clenched his hands. S'hé‘jbus‘iéd herseif‘ about the pre- paratlpn" of the evening meal and presently her son ‘ca‘m‘e in, 'qu-ictly, as usual. He hung his hat on the nail back of the door t'hen crossed the room to his mot‘henzabd’ki‘ued her. Stephen was a silent (boy; amid. undemonstrative; ‘his caresses Were2 very 'precious. Martha smiled. “Tired?” she asked. Now she tapped him gently on the shoulder. “Come over by .the stove. son, the room is getting cold but I n’t want to make any more fire. I'm at mendl your old gray trousers then m going to bed." Stephen moved; his chair and sat with his chin in his hands, a‘bsently Watching his mother thread her needle. “Another Keir almost gone by! It's goqd to thin that. at this rate, in five more years we'll be clear of the debt and than we can start all over again." The boy pulled out his chair and sat down at the table. The air was heavy with the odor of staleysuds and wet vlinen.‘ Martha slammed her iron down on the Stand {and straightened he'r tired‘ back. She was a ‘big, rugged woman with the beauty of strength about her. The _ ear that was drawing to a close had rought cares and sorrows but she had‘ Inquai-ed her s‘houldepsvtflg‘ the burden,: 'as she had squaredgthegm‘f‘throuvg'hout all the years past. In.xemo$e,her fake Was cold, her mouth‘ sfiem..nnd; but the coldness vanished-gin themadi- ance of her smile, a rare, difficult smile that melted the armor of aloof- ness and showed that Martha had a beautiful heart. Martha’s Day of Days A 1m}er Prophecy, Made to Her in Childhood, Came on New Year’s Day. BY ELIZABETH ANDERSON New Chief of U.F.O -"‘Steve! ( Are you sick ‘2” she de- ,‘manded. r He snatched his hand away. “I’m i all right,” he muttered. 0n the thresh- i old he hesitated. “Don’t worry about :me,” he said with an effort, and closed jthe door. Then she knew, as mothers know, that there was cause for worry. Martha went about her duties me- rchanica-lly and with a heavy heart. As {she moved the table to make room for the ironing board, she found a sheet of paper under Stephen’s chair. Hasti- ly she averted her eyes and folded the paper; he had not wanted her to know. She would trust him. As she grew older, the dreims had !become more practical. At one time, .she remembered, a silk dress had been Ihcr idea of happiness, then a;garnet 'ring. This phasta passed andi‘rbmantic dreams began; her Day woufl surely come, she thought, when sfvé found her manâ€"â€"â€"â€" Martha waited in vain to be told what news the letter contained and triedhto stifle the fear that crept into her heart. When Stephen passed his cup for more cofi'ee, the cup clattered against the saucer. Martha frowned; something was very wrong. If she might only understand! Martha looked back along the years. ‘;Her,moth_er’;s words had made a vivid impression on her and ‘at first she had thought, constantly about her Day. She had imagined alfl the vianderful ithing‘s; that might happen: the fairy prince, the coach and four, the rich géntléy'mn who would adopt. her and take’he‘i- to his palace. Every morn- ing she-had awakened wondering if it would be toâ€"day; every night»,th last thoughthhad been: “Will ii‘ph'be toâ€" Marbhgfhafi nave; finite understood Sta henkbflven a} baby he hadzbeen dif Qultfihg had'_'xiever come to he: R) be pé‘ttefihneven held up a hurt finger to be kissed. .Peflnaps it had been her faultkzgggflggav $13 of emotion and hard far She adorec! her fl in secret and had often stood 'by his bed in the night, “Iéa‘tfug‘fiver ‘tha'beau‘ty of him. As e new older. he became the centre of She unfolded the paper. It. was the last page of the letter, evidently, for it held only a few typewritten words: “â€"it’s only a. little thin I ask. All yowhave to do is-rto say ‘ 0’ instead of ‘Yes’â€"hardly a lie. It will mean big: mgneyrr for you-If yep w_on’§_ agree -' The Womanz‘siamd at 1:115} Words 'for a"lon time. Thehfgradual y, a vague certafilty ,or their meaning dawned upon her. Hat boy! Her son! His father! ' 810th "She refolded the pa er and tucked , t away behind the 01:00 ; then went back t4"; h work.. Now shq understood. Why as, boy was worried. She yearfihdiover hing. Marbhwhaflv never quite understood For several [hours she worked andl the thought of the letter tortured her.‘ The fear in her heart was all the more terrible because she knew not What she feared. Twice she started toward the shelf where the paper lay, then drew back. Finally she sti‘lled her conscienceâ€"maybe she could help Stephenâ€"â€"maybe it was her duty to] know. . to back us up, you'll be fired. I’m not afraid 01’ you; everyone knows your father’s record. J obs are hard to find th§_s_ time, of the yoag. Think it over." The boy took ‘his hat from the nail, then stooped and kissed her. His lips were hot and dry. Martha caught him by ghe Wm _-I'.lers was a sad little ' romance. There was no hing of the fairy prince ithbut Jim; ‘5,- e was.‘dtimk.Â¥0n their Wedding'de and reeled through their married life, shattering he‘r‘illusions and dragging her to misery‘and mis- fortune. When at last he died, he left a heavy debt»sz his only legacy. “Martha faced the world with a ‘irm lip and 's-téady eye. “To-moirbxw" was her'slogan. She no longer difeamcd of what her Day would bring but the Idea grew to be her philosophy. V She had struggled and suffered as ler mother predicted but her faith was unwaveringâ€"the Day when it came would make up for. it .all. As she watched her Son prowl rest- lessly up and down the room, Martha youned toward him, hinged to share with him her hope and faith. “Come, Steve," she lbegged, “sit down for a while amt rust.” The 70037 turned, tossing back, his head vnth a characteristic gesture. “I can't. I’m going out to walk," he said, and so left her. “And. it never has come?” asked fiiéfifiémij-‘T i Martha’snfiled. “Not yet," she said. r,iT1‘1€ boy left his chair and began fidiflg the floor. Silence fell’lbetween them, both were busy wig} their- thoughts. ‘ Martha 3'} t little that night. She listened unti Stephen came in and then lay thinking until dawn came and she rose to another day. Breakfast was begun in silence. A letter came for Stephen; an occur- rence so unusual that it disturbed the routine of the meal. The boy read it at the wind-ow, with his back to the room. For a long time he stood there and when he turned his face was white. marrow a Day of yet-feet haypiness and it makes‘fip .for all the Wows. Always keep hoping that be-m'orrow will be the Dayâ€"no matter what happens, don‘t give up hopeâ€"’ She lfiade me repeat it after her: ‘Whatevet hap- pens, I shall have my Day.’ "- ’ member that to everyone there comes 9N she worked and .ter tortured her. was all the more knew not what rue much the same as any < Stephen had gon as usual gee. 6.W88,8 a a 'bus r2? 0 the month t n at time and the first day 0: month of the year brought onfy on: _thing: th tholgfbhand path New Year’s daf; oomfort him. One‘smile, One tender look from him would ha‘Ve"orpened the floodgates of her'heart, and have broken down her reserve for always‘ But he made no sign and his mother sat, with muscles rigid, her eyes on her workâ€"waiting. ' How long, she wondered,~ would she have to wait? 'Clufls‘tmas'came and went uneventfillly, carcaly marking a change in the dai routine. The on 5 passed and V 11- theit passing, a 1111 fear grew in her heart. Perhaps there was 'nothing' to wait for! Per- haps Stephen's manner could mean onlv on: thing: that he had chosenâ€" The dreary days dragged by, woe- fully alike. Every evening Steve came homka tired, sullen Steve, who made even an,at‘tempt at consecutive con- versation impoSsi-hle. ‘ The holiday spirit seemed to have passed him by. Martha would watch him with tragic eyes, looking for some sign to give her hope. Had he decided? She longed to put her arms about him, to pet and comfort him. One smile, one tender look from him would ha’m'omened the Could not she understand now? She had never asked or accepted sympathy and now she wondered if it was hers to give. Had hereourag‘e, her hope, calloused her? Yet without that hope and courage, without her \belief in the Day, how could she have lived? Long ago she must have fallen 'by the way- side, given up the useless fight. 0f disappointments and sorrows she had borne more than her share but with each lblow she‘had held her head high- erâ€"the Day would have to 'be very wonderful, a veritable Day of Days lbut it would comesâ€"it in ;st! In her soul of souls she believed her own philosophyâ€"~till now, for the first time, a douht crept into her mind. Suddenly she knew that she cared more for Stephen’s honor than for anything in the world. If he fell a victim to temptation, what could ever happen that would have the power even to dull her grief? A dozen times she took the letter from the shelf. The words glared at her: “hardly a lieâ€"«big money.” Money! Steve had always longed! for money to clear them of their debt. What had he said last night? “It’s a man’s debt and should he paid by a man.” His pride had spoken there; the idea of his mother being forced to work had always hurt him. Martha was proud of Stephen’s pride butâ€" might it not be7his undoing? Would it ca'u-se'him to say No instead of Yes? To take his first step on the downward path Yâ€"the path, every turn and trap of which, she had observed so well? Just so had his father chosen the easy way. Oh, she could understand, Steve! she, could understand Because of their mutual troubles, a comradeship had sprung up between them. They were lboth shy and uncle- monstrative; theirs was a silent affec- tion. Yet Martha had been content; 1slhe had her son and he was fond of er. her existence; she lived in and for him; he was her world. She had striven for-his good opinions How she had treasured his little acts of kind- rPerhaps Stephen thought sl'he wouldn’t understand. She remembered one day, when he was a little boy, she had come upon him suddenly in the street below. Half-a-dozen boys were teasing him and he stood with his back to the wall, eyes blazing and fists doubled to defend himself. A new idea divert- ed his tormentors and as they ran hooting away, Steve hid his face in his arm. Martha knelt [by the child, her heart overflowing with tenderness. “Tell mother!” she whispered but he pulled away from her kisses and com- foi‘g. “You wouldn’t understand,” he sai . thoughtful son Now, when she realized what a small part of Stephen's life she was, she “blamed herself. She had been able to give him so few ideas and idealsâ€"- even her love was invarticullate. ties. ,houz May each one ’a'ct‘ kindly, forgetful of self; 'May hatred and malice be placed on the shelf; And may he Ering plen_ty_o_f pleasure and pelf To all we hold dear. ._ May each of his days, as they come to an end, Be filled with the will, help to others to lend; And may each new day prove to each a new friendâ€"â€" This gladsome New Year. The Old Year is gone, with his pleasure and pain, We hasten to welcome the New Year again ;/, We hail him our friend and we cannot rofi’ain From giving a cheer. For the gift of Old Time is a gift to us all. May his woes never kill, may his joys never pall, And may we ne'er spoil him, whatever befallâ€" Our gladaome New Year. ln every sphere. May goodwill o'er all the earth brood like a clove, May we speak words and do actions prompted by love Andlmay dvery blessing from Heaven above ' Come witli our New Year. May all of his paths lead to plenty and peace. . May. all from grief's bonds find a joyous release, And may all _the discordjs of enmity cease. Steve had always been a ia‘y’ came ‘to: M as any other 19 as usual to th ohtrastéd A NEW YEAR'S WISH edM or on rther that of others to whom January First ‘njeant a holiday, or even, perhaps, the Lopening of a new era of advancement and success. Footsteps on the stairs. Children’s footsteps that (flattered past the door and ec‘hoed down the hal-I; heavy foot- steps that stumbled at the turn; halt- ing footsteps that paused and than limped 0:1 again. The day wgs nequy n‘Av‘l\ â€"- ha», “I want to get away from it all, to get out into the open where I’ll have a chance. I meant to tell you several days ago but I didn’t want you to worry. Iâ€"I’ve lost my job. This was my last day." He choked and turn- Martha leaned forward; hernand went out across the table toward her son and the suffering of all the moth- ers in the world was in her eyes. Di<i Steve, her Steve, want to go away be- cause he’d made “big money"? “Steve!” she pleaded. The boy flung himself into a eha'ir, his elbows on the table. ‘ “IHI was just wonderingâ€"~â€"would you like to go awayâ€"start the year somewhere else?” “Take off your shoes and put them! back of the stove.” Martha said as she: placed the food on the table. And: then, “You're late," she ventured andI handed him his plate. “Were you kept at the office?” fihe searched. his face" with eyes filled with mother-Jove. “No,” said Steve. Martha stifled a sigh and looked away. She was not to know yet, it. seemed. Another meal was eaten in the; heavy silence of reserve. Once Stephen; raised his head as though about to: speak and his mother caught her lip} between her teeth but the moment.‘ passed and no word was spoken. Steve pushed 'back his chair. “I’mf going to wash the dishes,” he said} “You’re tired.” Martha gave way readily enoughi I and sat to watch him at the work. He was careful to do things as he knew. she liked to have them done. He hung: the dishcloth in its pro er place and; put the china on 'the she f; then, with} hands thrust in his pockets, he began} to pace the floor. Martha pretended; to be busy with her sewing but no movement escaped her. For a time the boy stood at the winâ€" dow, looking at the scattered snow- flakes that found their way into the narrow court. ‘ Suddenly he spoke. “Mother~!" he began, then stopped: as if it were difficult to go on. i C01 V v” "v... “w.- gone and nierrymakers Vand toilera anke were returning; Stephen would soon ‘be home. Suppcr was ready and Martha sat by the stove waiting for her son. When he came in, her eygs sprang to «.A,L L:... L”; An: -. “It's snowing," her and his chei against her face. - -,.« meet; him but stili héixfigxi'e no 5 sun ne made no Sign. ng," he said as he kissed. cheek felt cool and wet mother’s quiet voice 6 king‘ his face from her hid it; ihis'arm. ' Martha was stunned. Lost “If “you ddn’t ra'greea nu’Ll be She dared not thin just y Stephen's words might mean they): “fags qnly o-ne_ maturing? ! “You’re glad?” {he questioned. “011‘ then I guess you understand. How, wonder? Well, I'Pl ‘beLl you. Then} was dirty work swing on down there. ’and whqp I found them out, they trie to force me to ‘go in with them. I' Eneve'r thought of it until that night! 1 we talkedfind .y-og ton m-e your! “Yes, then?” urged Martha, drink-1' ing- in the words. “Then I thought of what you’d saw} about hoping: ‘Never give up hoping,’, you said. That helped me to decide) And then I was afraid to tab! you thaq they’g fired meâ€"«lbecause it’ll] 'be longk er than five years now, before I can give you your Day.” -' Her" Day! Martha‘s eyes shone vaâ€" dfiant with unaccustomed tears. The years of struggle and sorrow were in- deed forgotten; their shadow only made the light ‘of happiness more‘d‘az: zling. With the dawning of the New; Year had come her Day of Day-s. It; was a bigger, brighter, more perfect Day than she had ever imagined: here! To 'grad'ugdae “,cum laud‘e” a girl well] might be i'e'q‘ui'red to have among her, credli¢s a record of service in the homd of some over-burdened young moths!“l To get as a “mother's haebper” is on of the most useful and wholean things that a highâ€"school girl can dJo. She smiled down into her boy's: troubled eyes‘. “Wewlll go away and you shall have your chance," usehe said with the confidence of pr-owplhetic vi- sion. “1 know, dear. because my Day is hereâ€"the mosft glorious Day that any mother ever had. And you have given it to me, Sonwit is your New The Halifax, N.S., Philharmonic So- ciety are this year conducting musical contests between choirs of boy scouts“ girl guides, public school pupils ancfi church choir members. The aim of thq contests is to stimulate choral and community singing in Halifax. didn’t seem much chanceâ€"those five years seemed so Long, and this schema} 'would have made me rich.” ' ‘f ‘ “Qh,_ Stage, _I‘t»ried S9 hard to help' Slowly she rose and went around the table to him. Her shy 'hand stole out and rested on Steve's head; his hand reached out and tMnblingly. closed over hers. “Help? You saved me! In the end; it was the thought of the Dayâ€"theg Day that’s bound to come to everyone;S ,t'hat kept me straight. And- vhen ymm‘ pluckâ€"you’d waited all these years-q} that kind of shameé me for wanting. to give i1}. And then " “I’m ‘smryflghe said; 'brokenly, try- ing to contrroll his sofbs. “I'm sorry, Mfiher, {91' you " we talked and you tom me of m-l Dafyi You’d waited- _so Long {and ' “011, Steve, I tried so be you!” szewthed {hi3 _moth_er._ Then Martha knew. “Pm glad!” she whispered. “Oh, Steve, Ifm gladh It meansâ€"” and then the stoppedâ€" Stgve muast not guess. But Steve was quick at guessing. He raised his head and his eyes met hers, squarely for the first time in magy daya. 7 ; - Appeals to ng Clhlef White Elk, head of trLb'es of British Columbia, ances of BC. tribes before 1n ift to me 9n xtunnod. Lost his job? igree; ou’L] be firedâ€"" thin just yet what 5 might meap. Surely urged Martha, drink-1' My Day is the Indian who is on the King. it against