| Show the gift that came back ack ol 01 dy BY C R P SWAIN A 0 T WAS early morning and the tile toy department of the big storo store wa aas comparatively Compa quiet quit tal nl though christina christmas was only a week av away ay lo 10 lila his den surrounded rounded bur bj nil all that was brightest and dinst in toland Tov land sat banta claw claus benign nd coated white furred thoughtfully his halfyard half yarl of huoy u beard As yet no confiding infanta infants had bi ben en pushed up to his chair by parents to make artless picas pleas for a dolly as big as a real bab or a train 0 cara care with a wind up ingine so the good saint had lets ure to indulge in certain holiday ri c elections and longings longin 3 of bis his own in other word words santa was home bottle sick ick not for the north pole but for E nony mountains and a little toun ton nestled in lit their midst from which he had leen an art exile for many months suddenly bantit pulled hini together with a start ns ast ho he realized that a hi tall girl matli a wistful look was standing before him IN ell mv inv dear santa claus held 6 J 1 a out his liand hand and his kindly voice and confidential smile coined to reassure the little girl for she came nearer and nearer and stalled back timidly youve come to tell me what sou ou want wheres a 3 our mamma honey I 1 11 II 1 I 1 haven t any elio she replied id a atone tone of gintle resignation putting her little hand into his big one 1 I came caine by myself because it its aunt berthas I 1 wanted to ask you about and slie she austn t hear I 1 asked her to wait a minute for me around the corner of that big pile of dolls 1 I sec see santa a 8 rosy checks grew just a little redder for or bertha ains the name that had been la in iiii thoughts a moment before and indol arlly for that namee names bake sake his roan man ner tier held a special friendly Inter interest tor for lie the plainly dressed thin faced little girl well do you know what your auntie wants me to bring her tier I 1 santa smiled behind his fits beard at the incongruous situation but the child childs s look was gravely concerned just the trouble mr krisi but I 1 know theres something she w ant very much she w nag as cry crying ing s ael berday and nhen w hen I 1 asked her tier how eho she could feel bad so near abri christmas Chrit bains mas she said that waa nina just it and I 1 asked her tier some more questions ehe she that she bad a lovely christ rons present last yea and ehe elie lost tt it and it was her tier own onn fault and now shod neita i have hale it again but she tell me inc what nhat it was nag dont you remember what presents ehe elie had last year oh ehe she live with us then my pipas sister you know and he lie wrote rote and asked her tier to come and take care of me when when ulten mamma died the brown bravn eyes blinked bravely aunt bertha lived liay way up in the mountains with grandma and grandpa so ct of course I 1 dont know about her christmas presents I 1 1 thought maybe as youre tt a a sort of a fairy sou would know how to find out and where N here does she live he ahkee with his heart thumping under the tho starlet coit in a manner III befitting his fits oge age and dignity the tit e little girl gave nn an address which he recognized a as s a small breet in a section of tho the ci f r near his own on modest lodging now dont you worry any more about it he charged her as he wrote it down 1 infect I feel sure that wo ere ro going to find out what m tint that christmas ta I 1 and see that sho gets it too and w m a hope it will make her all happy again dont we run along deariel dea dearle 1 must talk to these other little folks now ita its our secret and I 1 wont mont forget he ile nodded to her once more as she disappeared in the crowd and hie his eyes followed her progress to t the e distant doll corner comer just one glimpse g he be caught of the tall girl w who 0 stepped from behind the showcase and smiled 11 do flown wn into the happy little upturned face fate but it as knouft u to ta aka ka the glittering cene reene look misty for a moment bertha here in the same store with him himl 1 the city to which he had drifted almost at random during the year following their foolish quarrel was now her home and be he wax was going to fee gee her again I 1 only nine ten houra bours at least before he could see her santa claus sighed in a manner inconsistent with the jolly red nose and rosy 1 I I 1 elt almost immediately be lie smile again as he be softly patted the left bide side ot of his broad chest hidden under the gay goy coat in an inner pocket lived the tho little tiny ting thus honored be cau cue it bad had beu worn on berthae berthall finger nger for a week one thing WM was tain this niece file elat bhend have the merriest merri eit in hie his to bw stow |
