Show ALICE B PALM LR WAS christmas ave and asa everything in tho the small town of robbinsdale Robbin sdale was bubbling over with the true holiday spirit brilliantly lighted christmas trees holly wreaths and bells shone through the windows of 0 most every home in town while each cacti church joined in ID with its usual yuletide Yule tlde celebration brnt lon A snow storm the day before hal had clothed the town in white ns jig if 1 in preparation for the great holiday the children just knew that it was sent on burp purpose ose so that santa claus could come in ills his loaded sleigh and fill their stockings stocking g but ut amidst nil 1 ai this joy and beauty there was one sad family who aled at the tar for end of 0 main street they had just received word that their eld est eat son ray had been lost on the field of battle father mother and the four remaining children were seated within the icing hi ing room in silence while the happy celebrations were in full swing on all sides of them each one was tilled filled with thou thoughts of other years and how happy they had been kach saw visions of the heally loaded christmas tree gleaming in all its beauty while their son and brother presided over it in tits ills santas thus they sat speechless with lumps in their throats until bedtime one by one they retired brokenhearted broken hearted to finish their visions in tile far c off if dreamland when quietness covered its cloak over the little town and the childrens stockings were all waiting for santa claus the midnight flyer pulled in dropping oft off a tone lone pa passenger a soldier boy lie ile hall had come to surprise his family on uie the glorious christmas holiday not baan having heard of the false report of his fits death Ic th he had come to be their santa claus as of old As lie was hurrying home lie he met an old schoolmate who told him film the sad story of how his family had mourned thinking him dead and that they had not joined in the usual holiday festivities suddenly a beautiful surprise filled his consciousness and with the ald aid of ills fits friend lie he scoured the town from end to end frantically awakening all the storekeepers loaded with ii min here hare he trimmed the tree hanging all the smaller gifts gifts and with his friend carrying ane christmas tree they proceeded homeward while the full winter moon looked down upon them knowingly bidding his companion a merry berry christmas and him heartily he crawled in through the basement window and carefully ascended to the living room here lie he trimmed the tree banging all tile hie smaller gifts upon its branches and placing the larger ones upon tile the floor boor beneath when it was completed lie he lay down upon open the old couch of his childhood anil and dreamed happy thoughts lie ile too felt a lump in its his throats throat but hla his was a lump of gladness as theirs had been one of sadness here lie he remained in silence his heart filled with joy until christmas morn As be behold beheld tue the sun glimmering upon the snow covered scene making diamonds eiery everywhere where he realized that it was to be one of tile the most gorgeous christmas days he had bad ever witnessed ile he hurriedly dressed himself in a bright new santa outfit his bis heart wildly thumping as he be did so and he had just seated himself beneath the glowing tree when he heard beard his fits dear old mothers soft familiar footsteps upon the stairway lie he listened breathlessly while she descended and passed through the halfway allway Ii into the kitchen then soon the old familiar fa mallar odors of coffee and griddle cakes came floating in ue he could hardly contain himself as ho he wanted to rush out and smother her with caresses with sheer will power he remained silent until the family was called to break breakfast fasL then little ruth stole into the living room to see if by chance santa had left tier anything she gave a sen in of delight as she beheld tile hie marvelous tree loaded with gifts and santa ht himself actually sitting beneath it the next moment tile hie whole hole bamily stood wide eyed gazing upon the scene before them too surprised to utter titter a single word thoughts of a practical joke by their friends came to them and they hardly knew what to do or s say ay tears came to mothers eyes with the memories of her lost son sn jut JU t as fattier father was vas going to speak aloy v their own son pulled the he mask from tits ills nee and smiled a merry ati rl t mn s II 11 1 I 17 1 western newspaper Nowa paper union |