| Show The Christmas By W W. D. D Pennypacker La r I wind Ind swept the tM dry t i snow Into gnarled knots and eddying circles and ond cont continued Its moaning all through the night Drifts were light and aDd here and there the bare ground could bo be seen An almost similar condition prevailed prevailed pre pre- In the heavens hea Dark forebodIng forebodIng foreboding ing clouds from which the flakes fell lightly like goose feathers now and again parted to reveal brilliant con That was the mood In which Christ Christ- Christmas Christmas In mas eve found the out-of-doors out The had bad had a busy day They were not natives of Smith Smith- but arrived late that afternoon after a tedious run by train and motor bus They usually spent Christmas In where Mrs Smallwood's slater sIster lived They enjoyed the romps and frolics with the children and always always al aI- ways asserted that no day could be Christmas unless blessed with the rollicking rollicking rol roI- licking laughter of ot little ones IIa Having Hav v. v ing none nono of at their own they enjoyed the holidays with their rel- rel Embers In the big fireplace were still bright but losing their brilliance because of neglect The pungent odor of burning pine brought soothing drowsiness to tired eyes Books Dooks and papers lay loy untouched They relaxed They all all- allbut but Slept When the Ule great hall clock struck one two one two three four five six sev seven en en two eight nine ten eleven and when the chimes ceased to reverberate they rose upright with a start It was time to decorate the tree I The youngsters youngsters young young- stern were asleep and there thre was no danger that any ony of them would hear Santa If It he be came And so as ns gently as they could but full tull of the joy of doing it It It-ao an hour or more was spent In 10 arranging the tree and placing gifts before it as os some benighted ones onu might lay Jay trophies betor before before be be- tor fore an idol The thought occurred to them them and and It amused them When all was ready and the tho stockIngs stockings stock stock- Ings hung bung In the chimney place had been blen filled the two toed tip-toed to bed Rest st was not oot long Between mIdnIght mId raid night and the moment a small boy thinks he should hear Santa Claus Is but a span span It seemed even less Long before the first faint flush of or dawn dawn before before the wInd rose to sweep the tho snow Into new drifts and play on onAn 1 s y r I IAn An Hour or More Was Wat Spent ArrangIng Ing lag the tha Tree wires and slivered silvered boughs the Smallwood Small Small- woods wood were up They had bad to be earl earlor early or the children would be disappointed In ID finding that good old ruddy nosed pot bellied Santa Claus Glaus had not ar ar- rived rivet Smallwood who was to Impersonate Santa crept quietly across the floor of or hIs hU attic attl room Quiet as he waz war every ef board seemed to creak under unde his liIs tread It seemed discouraging lIe Hi feared the children would awake before before before be be- fore he could don his lots boots and amt scarlet scarlet scar scar- let costume This was trImmed rimmed liberally liber liber- ally ully with cotton fur and jingling bells fortunately the children ha land had found their beds Ils after otter a day of ot ex 11 excitement ex- ex anti and wonder at nt nil all the marvelous marvel marvel- ous OUi things they had seen In 10 the sho shop windows and they hud had slept on When Ie was fully tully attired aud and considered con con- himself after careful survey read ready to 1 perform his stunt MM Urs Small Smallwood betook herself to a room adjoining lint Hint of ot her sister bister A few minutes later In the rooms down downstairs stairs the clatter latter of ot f feet x t and t the jingling of ot bells was heard Sleepy eyes ejes opened und and a drowsy but eager childs child's treble piped up Ma JIa MaT Ia T r hear Mm him Its It's Santa In a twinkling there were well smothered I sounds attesting all were looking for tor forthe forthe torI I the Jolly old of ot ChrIstmas As AsI footsteps approached and the Jingle I of ot bells became distinct little eyes ejes round as ns saucers told the thrill the children were experiencing A few tW moments later Inter the futility family wore were assembled assent assem I bled in the tho II big bis comfortable bed bed- parents carried away In the wonder In their childrens children's eyes ejes and children I thrilled with the knowledge tint that Clans leas was v actually before I them hem I The Jolly old man hU tie nose and cheeks ruddy from long tong contact with ArcU winds strode deliberately Into their room I 1 And heres here's the whole bunch of em he be muttered A bloomIn fine tIne lot tot I should say sal lie lowered the heavy pack from his shoulders as u ha he sat upon the edge of or the bedA bed dA d. d A 41 heavy load It has been but Ive I've loved to think of them he remarked under his breath Then turning to John lohn a towhead tow youngster of seven Beven he questioned Have nave you been good Yes Tes Santa Claus was the prompt reply Similar questions were put to all asSanta asSanta as asSanta Santa deliberated Then Their he turned to the youngest youngest- An And how about you ou he Inquired Her lIer eyes grew big and her expression expressIon sion slon startled For some seconds she abe could not speak Then as Santa hesitated bee hes whether to leave anything she inquired Mamma lamma has I been good r C e e e e e e All seemed satisfied when Santa left At the breakfast table some lome hours later the thrill of or the early hours having worn off to a a. degree iree the tho children were chattering away about the experiences of ot the morning They little tittle realized realised that the man who came Iame from the chimney place Into their room several hours before with witha a heavy pack upon his shoulders and bells Jingling from his costume costume costume cos cos- tume was sitting amongst themI them I saw him my very self seU exclaimed the youngster looking straight Into the eyes ejes of Santa An he came right up tip to the bed interrupted Jack D B E didn't Intend to leave anything at first piped In another an an- other other not not till Ull mother an dad told lm wed we'd been good Then he left teft and hurried these presents away After he shut the door we could p eft efty r y U r r I A J 1 And Here Heres the Whole Bunch of Em He Hs Muttered hear the jingling Ingling and growing fainter and fainter Wish you had not Dot slept so Ion long uncle You should have seen him But why did you not watch him as ns ashe ashe he went out was his comeback I think said dad they were they we were all afraid Santa Claus might not like us to watch him Anyhow we all poked our heads under the covers There were smothered chuckles mingling mingling min min- mingling gling with ejaculations of surprise I 1 really seen spen im I told you he he- he And they went on and on e s e e e But Dut It was Sir Mr Smallwood who had the Jolliest of ChrIstmases The children chile chil dren really saw Santa Claus Claus but but buthe he be Uncle John positively discovered what Christmas meant When he and Sirs Mrs Smallwood returned to their home after the holiday festivities ended they carried with them more of or Christmas Christmas Christ Christ- mas was than they had ever believed It possible they would possess Th They y had understood Christmas 2 ISIS 1121 Weal Western ern Newspaper Union U tt Jf |
