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Show One Christmas Eve Bu Harru T. Barker tCopyright by 'Western Newspaper Union.) He was grinning like a schoolboy at the gyrations of a mechanical clown. His bluff hearty laugh seemed to come straight from his heart. His long white whiskers, Dearskin coat, merry eyes and full-round figure suggested tho veritable Kris Kvinglo to a T. Men, women and children were all smiles as they looked him over, but too polite to linger and embarrass him. The proprietor of the store, observing ob-serving the slight halt in the passing procession, beckoned to the stranger. "My friend," ho spoke rapidly, "could I have a word with you?" "A dozen, if it suits you," responded respond-ed the other heartily, and followed his interviewer inside the store. "It's just this," explained the store man: "we've got a Santa Clans sea him yonder, in that booth, shaking hands with the children?" "I see him," nodded the Westerner. "He is on till midnight and I can't spare him. A family here tho Moodys best people in town want me to send them up a Santy. You're just made for it. Come ten dollars cash and it won't take you an hour. I'll furnish the robe and cap." The Westerner smiled queerly. I'll take the job," he replied. Directed by a lad from the store, he was piloted to the Moody munsion, admitted and shown into a room off the main parlor, where a Christmas tree stood, loaded and ablaze. All around it the hired Santy gazed keenly, almost eagerly. He appeared to be scanning the various framed portraits por-traits on the wall and seemed disappointed, disap-pointed, as if in that inspection he missed something he had expected to find. A Bervant came and helped him on with his costume, directing him in what he should do when the children entered the festal room. An admirable admir-able Santy he made. He went through his part in a merry heartsome way, then quietly slipped out through the side door and proceeded down the street. He seemed to have been over the ground before, for he reached his destination by pursuing lanes and byways by-ways where he would not be observed in the costume he still retained. It was in the snow-drifted garden gar-den of a neat but humble little cottage cot-tage that he finally final-ly halted. "I'll do it," he spoke to himself, "if I can work it. Maybe I'm not forgotten here!" He knocked on the door and a woman opened i mi- t. "Don't be scared, ma'am," spokn the Westerner. "You see, I've just been up to the Moodys relatives of yours, I believe acting Santa Clau3. Knew that you had- a little one here, saw the tree and thought maybe I could make her happier by going through my act." "Oh, would you?" cried the lady in quick delight. "Indeed, it would cap the climax, of all her Christmas eve joys." 'Smuggle me into the room with the Christmas tree," suggested the Westerner buoyantly. "I'll do the rest." It was passing strange, but, conducted conduct-ed into the apartment and half hiding hid-ing behind a screen, the Westerner studied the walls of the room circumspectly, circum-spectly, just as he had done at the Moody mansion. A great glow spread over his face as he noticed a portrait over the piano, in the special place of honor. It was wreathed with holly and evergreen. "No, not forgotten; that's certain," he uttered in an intense tone. "I guess I've landed in a real home spot." The little one of the household, came in, leading the children of some poor neighbors. They screamed and then fluttered with delight as Santy came into view. Then their eye3 danced as his jolly manner restored confidence. He handed out the presents pres-ents from the tree. The air quivered with the joyful shouts of the happy little one3. " 'For Uncle Reuben,' " he read the card pinned onto an old worn woolen stocking. "Where's he? Come on. Uncle Reuben!" he shouted into space, and his tone was a sob. "Oh. he isn't here," prattled little Esther, stepping forward. "He hasn't been for two Christmases. That's him," and she pointed to the holly-wreathed holly-wreathed portrait. "He'll come back some time, though. Mamma says so, don't you, mamma? And every Christmas Christ-mas I put a nice card in hia old stocking, and then I save them all up, to give to him when he comes back." A choking sound came from the throat of the Westerner. He turned aside and reached under his robe. It was to unclasp a great belt buckle, a belt bulging with gold. "Your Christmas gift, Mary!" he cried to the mother ot little Esther. "Only a trifle out of a whole mine it's full of the stuff,'' and he threw It into her lap. Then off went coBtume and cap. vDon't you know me, Mary?" "Uncle Reuben!" she gasped. "Uncle Reuben and Santa Claus. both in one!" shouted the Westerner hilariously. "Little Esthei come!" And Esther bounded Into his arms in a wild transport of recognition and delight. |