New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1879-01-01

er WlnOlng 1dr OelOW. Inc WOOQ was dark.
ened by many slender pines and stunted hem
! lock trees-a wintrv scene-and Holland
thrust his hands deep in his pockets and turn
ed to retrace his steps, when sound broke
the silence all about him-a sound that set his
heart a-throbbing, sound that drew his feet
from the beaten road and sent them striding
through the dead brown leaves until they
brought him to the very spot where little
Ruth sat sobbing.
"A strange place to find a child, yet there she
sat, fiat on the ground, her well-worn, copper
toed shoes stretched out before her, enc little
hand doubled under her arm, as bird draws
its foot under its wing, the other hand grasp
ing with all it's childish might branch of one
OF the many small hemlock trees growing
about her. So notified with cold were her face,
her hands, and her little bare knees, she might
have passed for figure carved in good old
astile soap.
John Hollands sudden appearance did not
startle her in the least She seemed to accept
him as one accepts things in drea ms, withou
surprise or fear. @
''What is the matter" he asked.
"I'm cold.'
How strange the childish voice sounded up
there in that chill, bleak place!
"What are you doing hcrc?''
am waiting"
''Poor baby!' thought John Holland, "you
are learning the great lesson early. should
like to know the brute who left you sitting
here while he or she drinks or gossips in the
town below"
"Who are you waiting for, child?"
The chill, tear-stained little face broke into
smiles as she whispered:
Pm waiting for Santa Claus"
The answer smote him with establishment
AS boy he had heard much of the genial old
man for whom little Ruth was waiting, but
he had never heard OF his paying visit
or transacting any business in the day time.
So he told her; but she, looking sorrowfully
wise, answered:
'Yes, knows he goes down the chimneys
at night, Aunty says SO, and Santa Claus
must come here to-day to get his trees"
ITO get his trees? ?" echoed Holland, sitting
down BY the side of that bit of childish gray
why, yes; his trees like this, you know"
something in the depths of her pocket, her
cold little hand drew out q leaf Of child's
story book, torn and soiled, but bearing on
one side highly-colored picture Of the good
Santa Claus.
''Thcre," she continued, eagerly, "see the
tree he has on his arm-they don't grow in
them"
II understood; but why wait here III the
cold for him when tonight he will come
down your chimney with all sorts of prett,
toys"
"But he won't come; he Goes not know b,
house is here; he thinks all the boys AID girls
live down there in the city; SO when lie comes
to get this tree Pm going to say, 'P2 Ease Santa
Claus, l live here on the hill. Aunty says Pm
pretty good. Can't have doll. baby and a
picture book?'
John Hollands voice was very tender when
he spoke again to ask her name, and then he
lifted her to her feet and said:
"pll tell you what we will do, Ruth. You
go home before Aunty misses you and thinks
you are lost, and III stay here and watch for
Santa Claus.''
She shook her head
You'll get tired and 90 away" ...
mo, won't; I'll wait until I see him.
"Truly?'
Truly aa .s.s...-. So
Little Ruth raised her face and Holland
kissed her baby mouth.
Where do you live, child?"
there is the path" And running across the
dead leaves she struck into faint, narrow
path, and following it disappeared behind the
trees. Holland watched her out of sight,
then tying his handkerchiefto the top branch
of that tree which Ruth had selected as the
very one Santa Claus most wanted, turned
his face cityward and strobe down the Hill.
Low down in the west he noticed long
golen rift in the dull gray sky, and it evinced
and broadened Until the golden glory burst its
bonds and flooded all the scenes with wintry
sunlight Even SO had the childish faith OF
little Ruth forced its way through clouds of
loneliness and grief to fill his heart with sun
hight. More than one woman smiled that
night at John Holland as he stood in a crowd
cd store, examining with supernatural gravity
dolls dressed and undressed. A light wagon
carried him and his books and toys out from
the city and up the woody hill to Ruth's poor
home. Alter .peering into the window like
an amiable burglar he summoned Ruth's
aunt. A few words outside the door. gentle
paper, and then the door was closed, and Hol-
land, wbistling softly to himself, made his
way to the tree from which waved a white
handkerchief ,and, after much hacking, pulling
and digging, succeeded in removing it. Driv-
3 s'Es5 'me y; under the starry sky great tears
Of ofea tb ms Eye EYES s as he h.h thought
gone before;" there was no curse on his lbs
only tremulous smile, as he thought of the
Joyous aw akcning for little Ruth tomorrow
Next day John Holland gave dinner; there
were four at the table.-Holland himself, Ruth,
Ruth's aunt, and Ruth's doll Rosey, who ate
nothing, but looked lovely and smiled indefati-
times Ruth laid her doll on Hollands knee.
where upon her waxy eyelids instantly would
close and she fell into most profound sleep.
'TWould be harder still to tell how eagerly she
questioned him as to the exact appearance OF
Santa Claus when he came for that tree-the
very tree she sat beside when she was wait
ing.
And John Holland telling stories to the lit
tie Ruth, hugging her precious Rosey, had in
deed Merry Christmas, for on making the
happiness of another he had found his own
Clara Norris, IN N. Y. Graphic
A little girl in Philadelphia, when asked