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Show n A Fourth of Julq I Santa Claus I By Eleanor E. King K (, 1924. Western Newspaper Union.) 1 T WAS the great day of lhe Fourth of July, and Tommy, like all the other seven cliil- I dren of the busy Agister tffV?TK fami,y ms out bright and xMr?r earIy- Tom'ny had a great tiioS friend in the lady next door. VVirJ So, Tommy had learned, and, by the way, kept It a safe secret from the rest of the troop, that when his stomach growled too loudly, if he were to go f next door he most always could get a piece of the best bread and jam, and perhaps run an errand or two for her to ease his conscience. Tommy, bright and early, had found his way over to Mrs. Askins', as he called her. She was busy getting get-ting ready to go to a picnic. "You see, Tommy," she explained in answer to his questions, "this man who Is coming with his car to take us out to his house where we are to have our picnic, is an old chum of Mr. Has-kins. Has-kins. As they loaded the things into the car Tommy trooped along and was In- ' - - - f troduced to Mr. Miller. While they stood there Tommy spied a balloon man coming down the street. As the noise of the horn grew nearer, Tommy's Tom-my's eyes enlarged. "Aren't those whoppers, though," Tommy sighed. "Gee!" "Wouldn't you like one, Tommy?" suggested Mr. Miller, digging into his pocket. "Now, I'll tell you, Tommy, if you know my name next year when I come after these folks on the Fourth, I'll buy you another balloon. It was almost Christmas now, and Tommy was once more in the Haskins kitchen, watching preparations for another an-other feast, but of a different sort. The most wonderful pies, cakes and puddings were being evolved. Suddenly, Sud-denly, Tommy burst forth : "Say, Mrs. 'Askins, do you remem- ber what that man said?" "No. Tommy ; what are you thinking think-ing about?" "Do you suppose he will come back? You know he bought me a balloon, and said If I remembered his name he would buy me another when he came back." "Of course he will," said Mrs. Haskins. Has-kins. "Oh, I am so glad. My mother she just says I am silly when I ask her and says, 'I am too busy to be bothered with that. Run along, now 1' And you know," Tommy hastened to add, "I haven't forgotten his name either. It's Mr. Miller." That night Mr. Miller dropped in for a minute at the Haskins'. Before his departure Mrs. Haskins had a moment of conversation with him alone. He said, "All right," leaving with the merriest kind of a twinkle in his eyes. Christmas Eve came. Daddy and Mother Allister were doing their best to keep from looking sorrowful. They lip knew only too well that they could never begin to give the children the number of tilings each wanted. The children had all gone to bed. Just Daddy and Mother Allister were in the parlor fixing up a little, scraggly tree when a knoctf, ever so gentle on the front door, attracted their attention. "I am sorry to bother you at this hour, but I wanted to wait until I was sure Tommy would be in bed. Perhaps Per-haps you would feel better to know my name Miller," he said, shaking hands with Mr. Allister after depositing deposit-ing his load on the table. "I've a tree outside here," and he hurried out to get it. The next morning was never equaiea in all the annals of the Allister family. fam-ily. Such excitement, such happiness. Tommy, after his recovery from surprise sur-prise and rapture over his toys, ran to his happy mother as she was trying try-ing to get breakfast. Tugging at her skirts, he said, "You see, mother, that man I met on Fourth of July was Santa Claus, and his name is Mr. Miller." |