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Show bad CHrLKrars P CHRISTMAS flilS is a story of last Christmas day; and I will tell you right away that it ended happily. But It begins be-gins sadly. It was Christmas Christ-mas day up at the North pole, and as usual oa the day before Christmas, St.' Nicholas had been hurried and rather grumpy. Only this time, Mother Nicholas thought to herself that he was Just a bit grumpier than she had ever known him. And at suppertlme she found that she was right. He came Into the kitchen, closing his workshop door with a bang, and Bat down with all the little Nicholases to his porridge. "Well, I've said It before," he driving chem back t tha stablea rati! ra-ti! this night's work U done." she said. "If you're awake when we get back, you may do It as always." How the children stared l "Was little old mother going all alone on that long, wild drive over towns and for ests and oceans and up and down chimneys, and goodness knows where, without asking St Nicholas If she might? Yes, that was Just what she was going to do I "For, when a good thing needs doing," she said brightly, "no permission Is needed." "Keep the fire going, be sure that the baby has the fur rug well up around his chin, and give your father a good breakfast when he wakes," she called over her shoulder and was away out of the door almost before they had realized that she was going. They heard the scampering of the reindeer hoofs, faster the dimmer they got, and then Just the stillness of the North pole. That was last Christmas Eve, And If you ask any child who lay awake to see St Nicholas, and peeped out with one eye, all the time pretending to be fast asleep, he will tell you that It wasn't St. Nicholas he saw et all. It was Just a tiny, sprightly old lady with frosty white curls and a red hood, who filled naughty Willie's stocking Just as full as good Marguerite's, and growled, "but this time I mean It The children down there in the world will get nothing from my pack this night. It's time they were taught a lesson." All the little Nicholases gasped, but Mother Nicholas only asked calmly: "Why, what is the matter now, fatherly fa-therly After you've been working for them the whole year, you wouldn't go and disappoint the poor dears would you?" "Yes, I would," declared St Nicholas, Nich-olas, swallowing his porridge In great gulps, and pretending that he was not a saint at all. "Half of them go around saying that there Isn't any St. Nicholas, Nicho-las, poking fun at me, and toughing In their sleeves. And the other half think It makes no difference whether they are good children or not, I'll fill their stockings Just the same. It's a thankless Job, I te'.l you. And I'm too old a man for It So I" "Come," said Mother Nicholas, soothingly, sooth-ingly, "here Is a plate of griddle cakes. When you have eaten you will see things differently." "No, when I have eaten I shall go to bed. That's where an old fellow like me belongs, an old fellow who children don't believe In." Mother saw that he was determined, and that there was nothing to do for It since griddle cakes wouldn't help. So she put her finger to her Hps to motion the children silent, and went on quietly about her work. And when St. Nicholas had finished his supper, he' did roll away to bed, only telling the little Nicholases to be sure to hang their stockings, for they had been good children all the year and still believed in him. The minute the door closed behind him the little Nicholases burst Into excited chatter. "Oh, what a pity! Those poor children I Surely there must be some good onest Oh dear, what fun will Christmas be to us If all the children in the world down there are unhappy I" "What Indeed I" Mother Nicholas shook her head and looked often at St Nicholas Welcomed Her Back Aft fectlonately. left many more bon-bons In both than was usual. That peeping child will also tell you that before she went back up the chimney, she gave baby a kiss on his pink cheek, a thing St. Nicholas (who is as afraid of babies as a burglar Is, and for the same reason) rea-son) has never been known to do. And . mother, will you believe . me. In spite of having stopped to kiss all the babies, was back at the North pole a whole hour earlier than St Nicholas had ever been able to make It, even In his younger days. Her work was well done, tool But In spite of the early hour, she found the children and her husband waiting for her. St. Nicholas welcomed her back more affectionately than the children. "I woke In the middle of the night," he said, "out of such a horrid dream-all dream-all about crying children and sad mothers. Bless you, good wife, for not letting that dream come true I" "Oh, don't mention it," said Mother Nicholas. . "It was no trouble at all. Indeed, 4t did me good. I think, father, fa-ther, since you are getting so old, I will take over this Job myself from now on." St Nicholaa looked thoughtful at that lie paced up and down the floor. Then be came and stood in front of Mother Nicholas, straightening straighten-ing up and looking almost as young as In his early days. "No, mother," he said firmly. "A "'WW woman's place Is In the home. Til attend at-tend to the business hereafter, thank you." And mother, who, after all, only ! wanted everybody to be happy, made him some griddle cakes for his breakfast break-fast But that was last year, the year you got a stocking full, even though you hadn't been so very good. This year you had better watch out, for It is old St. Nicholas himself you have to deal with. "Yea, I Would," Declared St Nicholas. the closed door, behind which St Nicholas Nich-olas could already be heard snoring. "And the reindeer I" cried the oldest old-est boy, "what will they do without their yearly exercise? It seems as though father might have gone, If only for their sakea." Mother Nicholas thought so, too. vnd at that minute they heard the -elndeer's little hoofs beating on tho iard snow crust at the door. Wise title tit-le beasts! St. Nicholas had never leluyed the Christmas Eve journey so ong before, and so here they were o save Mm the trouble of going for hem. The Nicholas children felt that hey never could face the poor little elndeer's disappointment. But what was Mother Nicholas do-ng do-ng so busily over there by the cup-onrd? cup-onrd? Tie children looked In amaze-uent amaze-uent It was seldom that mother ft the snowhouse at any time of day. -vnd hire she was, after dark, and lirlsttnas Eve, too, putting on her ood and cape, and pulling on her auntlctst "Are you going to drive the reln-eer reln-eer back to the stables?" asked the dest boy. "Oh, please, let me. Pa-ler Pa-ler always bts me, you know." Mother sboik her Lead, "I'll not be |