The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1889-12-19

uoaF BIT! as the MAJOR USED I'd say.
While the little old maid sat there
busted with her simple work and kindly
thoughts, sound suddenly smote upon
her lonely silence that made her heart
|sleapinto her throat. 1t was the noise
of a heavy body falling, and her first
thought was that the young clerk had at
last carried out his desperate threat
cut his throst,. perhaps, and fallen dead
upon. the floor: but before she had time
for further speculation there were more
sounds of confusi0:i, which seemed to
take place just oute;ds her door, and be-
fore she could cross the room and open
1t, it had burst ajar ssd h,sung wide, dis.
closing-but no! she MAS not child to
be hoodwinked with Christmas dream,
for surely she was asleep and dreaming!
surely, surely, pinch her arm as sharply
and rub her eyes as diligently as she
would, she must be asleep and dream
ing! Only to think Of an old maid in
her forties, standing there in her own
ten-by-twelve bedroom and thinking
she saw Santa Claus looming up in the
doorway!
But what would you have? Was not
the light from her lamp flooding full
upon him, and was it not an unmistak-
able old gentleman, rotund of figure,
in long fur coat dashed with snow and
round fur cap set OF locks quite as
white, and venerable beard sweeping
downward beneath two ruddy checks
and rubicund nose and-conclusiye ev-
housekeeping over his shoulder a
bullying bag, from which stuck odds and
ends of toys and irresistible packages
with the most fascinating knobs and
excrescences and bewitching protu-
berances, that would have made one
scream with excitement had one been
forty years younger?
'Sir," said the simple old maid, "you
have made mistake"
Eyes, madame, haue made a mis-
take!'' growled the furry old gentleman,
fairly bristling with anger, land some
body else has made mistake! And
next time they leave scuttle doors open
for trap for innocent people they'll
hear from me, or I've made another mis-
take! Bless my soul! Bless my soul!'
This pious ejaculation burst from the
old gentleman's lips with the fury and
explosiveness of piece of profanity as
he tried to take step, and, in doing so,
fell up against the door-post like child
learning to walk.
''I've fractured my knee-pan!' he
cried, querulously, "and I'll sue you for
Observation-Disclosures" he re-
peated, as though it did him good to fire
it off like 50 many peas from pop-gun.
"I'm sorry" said Miss Nellie, in her
soft, little voice. LET me help you in
to chair, sir. I'm so very sorry it hap
pened!'
+ She took him under the arm and i'm
agined she upbore his great frame as it
lunged across the floor and fell into her
rocking-chair, which creaked and
groaned with the unusual burden OF
flesh.
"Who left that trap-door open?" de-
manded the irascible old fellow, turning
an angry eye on her.
''Mercy on me, sir!'' cried his little
hostess, suddenly clasping her hands on
her heart and looking scared and aghast;
II just remember that 1 did it! l was
OO"oAAe5 Ouo NY lug oAU L "0S pcCO-
eddy called away and-I forgot it!''
She felt like a two-year-old culprit
standing there before his inquisitoria]
eye, and she would have been glad if a
trap-door had suddenly opened and lei
her down into the next story without q
seconds warning.
II suppose you'll say had no bust
<0 In
the venerable gentleman went on with
dignity, conscious Of being in rather 8
ridiculous position which might bt
taken advantage of. II hadn't, I'll ad
nit. You see, l rugged up as Santa
Claus and stole up on to the roof, and
Piggins-thats the nurse--was to bring
the children up into the play-room-
that's the attic-and l was to appear
through the trap-door; instead of which
| took turn on the roof while I waited
and appeared through trap-door tina
wasn't in tho programme at all"
There was twinkle in his eve as HI
said this that made his resemblance t.
the ideal st. Nick absolutely faultless
but at the same time that she noted
this, Miss Nellie was tracing through
the false hair and beard the likeness t.
her respectable and pompous neighbor
and then when it came over her sudden
ly that he was sitting there in her owl
little room, i'll her own little rocking
chair, talking to her face to face for thu
first time in a quarter of century-he
Guy HOlbrOok-with the same voice ant
the same eyes and the same lips tina
had once told her that-oh, dear me
dear me! she just sank right down in
little heap on the floor, and dropped he
face in her hands and burst out crying.
"Bless my soul! what's the matter?
cried the poor man, suddenly smitte,
with contrition. "What a brute Nv,
been, to be sure! You see, my knee al
most drove me frantic for a momen
there; but it's all right now, just a.
good as new, and it doesn't make
particle of difference anyway. So DIR!
your eyes, my good woman, and be 81
kind as to call servant, and I'll rid yol
OF my unwelcOme presence at once"
my good woman" did dry her eyes
and was on her feet again, the sam
shabby, unromantio figure of littl
| BCAUAC"OAoA Un0U 0uO OVcI UC0Ll
and had come walking straight over t.
Guy Holbrook's chair, and put fran]
hand on his shoulder, and looked hin
squarely in the face with her true blu
eyes, that were always the honestes
eyes in the world. For she was not
heroine in a novel; and it was very ludi
crous and unromantic-very, very unrc
mantle!
"There was once girl named Nelli
l." she began, with a catching laug
in her voice, quite like the girl-laugh G
that same youthful Nellie. ;,
"Nellie2 Nellie?" said the old mar
ponderingly, as though he were recall
ing an elusive memory,
"Who lived in this house, whic
wasn't clearinghouse then, but
home," went on the smiling woma,
"xnd was rich and happy. And thel
} n II L.