The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1894-12-21

tie while and then at me. and l
dreamed l shut my eyes real quick, TO
make believe was asleep. He leaned
away over you and kissed me just as
easy as could be, and whispered God
bless you. DEAR and then when 1
opened my eyes again he was gone.
Wasn't it funny dream?"
The mother smiled at the queer re-
cital, little dreaming that what Mid
get believed to be a vision of the night
had been a reality.
"Tf he was really here, darling" she
said, ''he was no doubt hunting you4
and may have left you something.
Jump up and look at your stockings"
The little one needed no second bid
ding. She was on the cold floor in a
moment, and through the gray light
of the early dawn the mother watched
her.
so, mamma! Mammal
A smile of pleasure came over the
mothers face at the cry of delight.
Every pang it had cost her to give up
the ring she so priced was softened by
the happiness which clung to her dar-
liDg's tones.
20, mamma
"Well, what did you get, baby?"
"a watch, real gold watch, little
teenie watch. and it's running"
"a what, Midget? Why. child. is
your brain turned? Santa Claus never
brings gold watches to poor children" "
'Oh. he did, mamma, he did, he did,
and there's something in your stock
ings, too"
"In my stockings? Why, my darling,
are you crazy?"
mo, mamma. it's real watch, and
it is ticking. Just look"
She ran to the bed with the treasure
in her hand. The mother took the
tiny time-piece, ard her eyes opened
wide with wonder when she found that
Midget's words were true.
Here are your stockings. mamma.
and they are SO heavy l eau hardly
carry them. 1 just belieye L did see
Santa Claus, and wasn't dreaming at
ALL
The mother reached for the stock
ings, and when she felt the weight
and it flashed across her mind that
they were freighted with money, she
held her breath in astonishment. Sho
poured the treasure out on the bed.
Gold, silver and greenbacSs. wealth
she had never dreamed she would pos
sess. and in the shining heap lay her
wedding-ring, with n note attached.
Opening the paper, she -ead:
Madam. When you Think sandy
Claws forgits peepel that's in trouble,
You ar off yure base, fur He nose his
biz, and so dus Big John, even ii he
doant want you to no lie done This,
and rite it an Slip it in uubenone to
Him, for he Herd You and yure babby
talk an node your trubble, an the boys
node Thare biz, too. Big John is the
oanly sandy Claws in this Here camp.
vures, The proprietor"
Scarcely knowing whether she was
waking or dreaming, the woman has
tily arose and dressed herself, and
taking the little girl by the hand went
to the hotel Office. The moment they
entered Midget cried out:
"Oh, mamma, there the Santa Claus
saw in my dream. That large gentle
man with the whisSers. Wasn't it
you. sir?'
The big fellow attempted to run
into the street, but the landlord
caught him and pulled him back. He
blushed like Il schoolgirl as he faced
the wondering woman, and blurted
out:
"Ma'am, don't mention it. if you
please. Ne an the boys found out YOU
was in trouble, an we just got together
an pulled you out as Christians had
ought to do
Its Jest like this. ma am" the land
lord said. John, var, is hig, BASH
full feller when thars n woman in
sight. an he made us all swar we
wouldn't never let you know whar' the
lift came from. It's all right, ma aam.
and you kin pack up an go to yer
friends Jest as soon as you want to, an
in a year you'll forgit you ever had a
bit o trouble in yer life. We're all
only too happy to make you merry
Christmas. ma'am, and we all hope
you may have many more of EN-
80, sir, how can l ever thank you
for this" she said, addressing John.
Il was indeed in great trouble,
and
But he had escaped from the door
and ran blushing down the street.
Later in the day he met Mrs. Maynard
and conquered his modesty enough to
hold quite a long conversation with
her. 1t was observed, too, that he as
sisted her on the stage when she sm;l-
ingly bade adieu to the camp, and waved
his hat enthusiastically as the drivers
whip cracked and the vehicle bowled
away.
A few mon his later at their old home
in the east, Midget said To little
playfellow:
I'm going to have 2 new papa pret~
ty soon"
"Who?" her companion asked.
big John Santa Claus. | don't
know his other name yet"
CAPT. JACK CRAWFORD.