I PUT ON MY CAP AND RAN OUT TO MEET JAKE HE USED TO HELP MY FATHER CUT CHRISTMAS TREES FOR ME IN VIRGINIA AND HE HAD NOT FORGOTTEN HOW MUCH I LIKED THEM BY THE TIME WE HAD PLACED THE COLD FRESH SMELLING LITTLE TREE IN A CORNER OF THE SITTING ROOM IT WAS ALREADY CHRISTMAS EVE FROM UNDER THE LINING HE NOW PRODUCED A COLLECTION OF BRILLIANTLY COLORED PAPER FIGURES SEVERAL INCHES HIGH AND STIFF ENOUGH TO STAND ALONE I CAN SEE THEM NOW EXACTLY AS THEY LOOKED WORKING ABOUT THE TABLE IN THE LAMPLIGHT JAKE WITH HIS HEAVY FEATURES SO RUDELY MOULDED THAT HIS FACE SEEMED SOMEHOW UNFINISHED OTTO WITH HIS HALF EAR AND THE SAVAGE SCAR THAT MADE HIS UPPER LIP CURL SO FEROCIOUSLY UNDER HIS TWISTED MUSTACHE
