Show dannys visit to the big toy shop drums Drum sl 1 was his christmas slogan and he won the argument i rnell by MARTHA BANNING THOMAS ANT ANNY cling tight to mothers mother 8 hand you might got get lost stay close dear this Is a frightful crowd mrs crawford Craw tord looked down on her small son eon and smiled this was his first trip to see the christmas toys and he was all flushed with bright enthusiasm his blue eyes lifted to hers solemnly this was a tremendous occasion for danny now 1 said mrs crawford and she half pushed the little lad through a revolving door in a moment they were inside the store 0 o o hl whispered danny the brilliant lights the gay garlands swung from pillar to pillar the music placing from the balcony dazzled him where shall we got go asked tills crawford she knew well enough what lie he would say he bad been saying it for weeks but she wanted to hear it again drums drumal 1 insisted danny drums drum sl 1 they took an elevator and dannys small land hand gripped his mothers with tight tearfulness fearfulness he had never before been in ifil a e aiom riom room that went wand up and down as he be later described it i at the toy department they stepped out and from that mo ment danny walked in a kind of glittering dream do you like it dear smiled urs crawford danny could coul d find no words he nodded several beveral times and hla his blue eyes grew blu bluer erand and wider and wider when one Is three years old did the christmastide holds an amazing wonder there iwas was a santa claus cla there were rocking horses there were wera toys that wound up and went oft off by themselves there was in tact fact everything to make mak e a childs heart leap with dolight delight but danny world donld have none nona ol of it drums he ded demanded drums 1 they atre juist turning into int another a aisle I 1 ii c when sirs crawford saw a friend nt fit the other side of the room danny theres urs mrs morason Mor lson I 1 must speak to tier her a moment through the crowd she threaded her way hurrying lest she miss the chance of seeing her neighbor after a few minutes nil of pushing and squeezing mrs crawford succeeded in reaching mrs dorlson Mor lson there passed a greeting ePting irr between them and then mrs dorlson said you vou left danny at home oh no not I 1 lie ile was determined to conic come so I 1 brought him have you left him in charge of an attendant no lies hes mrs crawford looked doii down n at her side danny N was its gone why he must have some blodys jostled jilin away from me ile he was close beside me a moment g figo ago 1 the afie frightened turned and hurried Rs as fast f as possible hack back to the aisle from which she lad had first spied mrs dorlson Mor lson perhaps danny was still there pressed against the counter and waiting uniting how could she how bow could she have forgotten for an instant ills his small clinging hands bands but danny was inas not pressed against the counter people surged back and forth hundreds and hundreds of peo pie A cold sick feeling of helplessness swept over her she felt lost in this merry tide of christmas shop pers anything the matter maam mrs crawford craford met filet the kind inquiring glance of a floor floorwalker alker olt oli teg slie she breath breathed e d my little boy danny iles hes just three and somehow so ebow he has been separated from me i I 1 cant understand she wits bewildered and frantic the ulker proved to be b a man of action in no tinie time at all he found a policeman ilan a store detective and three oliree clerks they began a thorough and si systematic search of the toy department part ment dinny danny was care carefully rully described to them ills fair hair blue eyes and an d sturdy body hell be so frightened and confused mourned the distressed mother my little little ind news of the lost boy spread quickly other mothers joined tile the search clerks deliberately left their cou counters liters to help but there was one man in part particular kular who seemed to work the hardest ire he was a big fellow with a shock of light hair there was something comforting in the very set of his shoulders who Is that man asked mrs crawford of f the lie floorwalker he reminds me somehow some liow of danny as if danny wore ere grown up hell look that lint UDY im ill sure when hes a man that idour is our new store detects detec tl the replied the floorwalker by george ceorge I 1 believe hes round found the child 1 see lies bending donn dow n and smiling 11 in a moment M r B s craw crawford ford was also bending r down donn and smiling through her li e r tears in a cortier corner far from tile the aisle and back b abic of it 11 small mountain or of drums was I 1 danny her own little lad tired from the unwonted exertion ot of shopping lie he had fall fallen en fast asleep both arms were hugged a drum and held tightly in each list was alas a drumstick ile he h had ad found lils his hearts desire and lie he was neither frightened nor lonely I 1 the store detective lifted him drum and all and gave him to his mother here ts Is danny bertha he be said gently daniel henderson ne where in the world just ewt hit town a day or two tivo ago sister landed tills this job and was go ing to surprise your tit at christmas but the minute I 1 caught tight sight of your tace face iv I 1 decided der 1444 the surprise would alf have to come now and I 1 found the little rascal for you bless him ilet hell never give up that drum so ill make a christmas present of it for my namesake do fou you think he looks like me the big detective looked about happily and the floora floorwalker alker assured ald he had never seen so close a resemblance lit in his life drums Dr unis murmured danny in his mothers arms arius drums M 8 1328 western newspaper unton union |