Show the in allwoo ds jl dy AV aj wind swept the dry r snow now into gnarled knots and e eddying circles clr cleg and continued I 1 its t moan moaning agull all through the night drifts were and here andt andi the bare ground could be seeni seen 1 almost similar condition pred in tile the heavens dark thouis from which the flakes finkes tell fell ly ay like goose feathers now and rk i parted to reveal eal brilliant con actions at was tile mood in which christeve found the out of doors in aville e had bad lind had a busy they were not natives of smith but arrived late that afternoon a tedious run by train and motor they usually spent christmas in 11 ville where mrs mra lived they enjoyed the romps frolics with the children and at al asserted that no day could be tinas unless tile blessed ased with the rol ig laughter of little ones iian lone gnp of their own they e enjoyed ioli holidays days with their relf bers in the big fireplace were bright but losing their brilliance se ise of neglect the pungent odor f pine brought soothing alness to tired eyes books and s lay iny untouched they relaxed all but slept ten len the great hull hall clock struck two three tour four five six sev ight nine ten eleven and the chimes ceased to reverberate r rose ose upright with a start it was to decorate the treel tree the young were asleep and there was no jr ir that any of them krould y hear i it if lie came d so as gently genay as they illey could but f tho the joy of doing it an hour or was spent in arranging the tree placing gifts before it a as s some eted ones might lay iny trophies be bd nn an idol the thought occurred to andal d amused them n n and the stock lung in the chimney place had lied tile the two tiptoed tip alp toed to bed t wits was not long between mid and the moment a small boy he be should hear santa claus Is span it seemed even less S g before the first faint flush of before the wind rose to swoop sweep inow low into new drifts drift sand and play on I 1 za d lour or more was spent arjang ing the tree 3 and silvered boughs the were up they had to be early to ie children would be disappointed ruling that good old ruddy nosed ellred santa claus had bad not ar 1 callwood lwood lal who was to impersonate a crept quietly across the floor is attic room quiet ns as lie be wag v board seemed to creak under road read it seemed discouraging ile he d tile children would awake belie could don tits ills boots and sear scar 1 costume this was trimmed ilber JV alth 1111 cotton fur and jingling L fortunately F at s tile the children had bad their th leir beds a after it lay day of exit t and wonder rider at all the marvel anga they had seen in tile the shop 11 ana th they had slept on I 1 T y attired Itt led and con to t 0 porter Ms survey stunt betook retook corsel lir t to tt a mrs ng ins that of her he r sister room A row few S later in the rooms down do tile clatter ot of feet and tile the B of bells was heard py eyes cyer opened and a drowsy eager ger childs treble piped up ma ar r clial its santa ll 11 t a twinkling there were smothered ds attesting all were looking for j jolly ily old man inan of christmas As steps approached and the jingle bells became distinct little eyes ald nd as saucers told the thrill the dren were experiencing A few bents later the family were essom i in tile tha big bl comfortable bed ants carried away in the wonder their childrens yes eyes 0 and calill ren aled pled with etli the knowledge that atu claus 17 actus ac tui before them I 1 pie jolly old man his nose nase and cheeks ruddy from long contact with arctic winds wind strode deliberately into their room I 1 and heres tho the whole bunch of lem cm lie muttered A bloom lii fine lot I 1 should say lie lowered the henvy heavy pack from tits ills shoulders as lie ho sat upon tile tho edge of the bed A heavy load it lias has boon been but ive loved to think of them lie remarked under tits ills breath then turning to john a towhead tow head youngster of seven lie he questioned have you been good yes santa claus was the prompt reply similar questions were put to all as santa oell deliberated berated then ho he turned to the youngest and liow how about you lie inquired iier her eyes grew big and lier her expression startled for some seconds sho she could not speak then ns as santa hesitated whether to leave anything she ehe inquired mamma amma ha has s I 1 been goodr good all seemed satisfied when santa left at tile the breakfast table soine some hours later tile tho thrill of 0 the early hours having worn ivorn oft off to a degree the children were wera chattering away about tho the experiences of the morning they little realized that the man who came from the chimney place pinco into their room several hours before with a heavy pack upon tits ills shoulders and bells jingling from tits his be cottoned costume was sitting bitting amongst them 1 I saw him my very self seir 1 exclaimed the youngster looking straight into the eyes of santa an lie ho camo came right up to tho the bed interrupted jack E intend to leave anything at first piped I 1 in a another n not till mother an dad told lim weld wed been good then lie ha left these thesa presents and hurried away after he shut the dodov we could Z I 1 and heres the whole bunch ofena of em ho he Ll muttered Uttered hear the jingling and growing fainter and fainter wish you had not slept so long uncle you should have seen him 11 but why did you not watch him as he went out was his comeback 1 I think said dad they wl we were all afraid santa claus might not like us to watch him anyhow wo we all poked our heads under the covers there were smothered smother cd chuckles mingling icing with ejaculations of surprise 1 I really seen lin I 1 told you ho he and they went on and on but it was sir mr smallwood who had the joll lest of Christ christmases mases the children really saw santa claus but he uncle john positively discovered what christmas meant when he and mrs smallwood returned to their home after the holiday festivities ended they carried with them more of christmas than they had ever believed it possible they would possess they had understood christmas 0 1128 1928 western newspaper union I 1 r 3 u r |