The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-12-26

tsntion 30 the mask and forgery In which
he must array himself at once.
There he Isl That's the Mysteryw
went round the church WHOM Santa Claus,
In fantastic array, with snowy head and
the jolliest Of rubicund faces. came from
the anteroom, hourishing long wand with
ribbon streamers, and took his stand be-
tween the two Christmas trees. For O min
ute the commotion In the air made the
eyergreens tremble and the lights dance.
The chairman mounted a small table on
the platform, and after many shouts and
much waste Of breath brought the meeting
TO order. At a signal from Milicent, who
played a piano accompaniment, the or
phans dubbed and overfowed In joyous
Christmas carol, which brought everybody
into sympathetic unison and fairly seemed
TO make the trees join arms and whiri
each other round from sheer enthusiasm.
See, see" was echoed as half dozen
Christmas fairies in misty tulle and SPAN
gled wings came filing out of the anteroom.
Santa Claus marshaled them around
him by quaint and curious hourishes of
the wand he carried and began to despoil
the smaller tree. Its fruitage was soon
scattered right and left by the dainty little
messengers, and then Santa Claus, with
more fourishes, turned to the other, ready
for invasion by the miniature world, which,
after all, only remained for the larger one
to plumber.
won't he need long stepladder to
reach the top of itp" Queried Billy Bow
line.
"If had seat in the chandelier,
could play great game" Ben said
"You watch him charm the things
down." said Ned. "He's wizard. That
wand has magic in it."
1.-THE orphans Of the orphanage will
prepare for the lions share Of the plum
DER" Santa Claus called out In jovial
tones, and he broke up the Irritation I'M
der the bough abruptly by consigning the
youth in a sailor suit to one fairy and the
long dashed coquette to another, she utter
ing little squeak of protest as he did SO.
The orphans had indeed been remem-
bered royalty. Presents were just rained
upon them by the futtering fairies Back
and forth they glanced and doubled, on
the wing surely, for their slippered feet
never touched the carpet The folks on
the tree were robbed unceremoniously OF
picture books and heaped up baskets Of
candies, fruit and bonbons and all their
other treasures and themselves consigned
bodily to the tender mcrcies Of the boys
and girls reaching out hearts and hands
to them, to which they resigned them.
selves with many wink and sleep.
Clothing there was, too, piles of 1t, from
blue and pale Tam O'Shanters down to
patent tipped Shoes But why enumerated
Enough that Santa Claus was getting IL
no half way strokes.
He stood back from the tree with view
to dispensing the soft clouds clinging tt
the summit of tho tall tree all the even
ing, as il 1t had settled down there from
the summer sky of the tropics.
A touch OF the wand, and it materializet
into dainty India shawl. He flourishet
1t aloft airily, turned round on his heel
in apparent uncertainty as to its disposal
wound 1t into fluffy ball with the wan(
and tossed 1t up, caught 1t dexterously
roved with his eyes all over the church
faced round to Milicents quarter, wher
the orphans beamed, faced back upon tn
tree committee, again to Milicent, letting
his eyes rest upon her, and then everybody
watching his monkey capers, saw tn
shawl descend and settle in graceful fold
over her head and shoulders.
what is the meaning Of that tomfool
cry, wonderf" Captain Roundaway NUT
tered under his breath uneasily, and hi
shaggy eyebrows lowered perceptibly a
he noticed Milicent's smiling, blushinl
perplexity.
$50 the Mystery has let his mantl
fall upon Milicent," remarked DR.. Chali
foux.
1T seems to belong there, doesn't its'
remarked Mr.. Melladew as his clear eye
searched her blond face in the azure clou
with Just shade of anxiety.
"You know what 1t all MEANS" chal
lenged the DOCTORS wife with her fan.
1--WE shall see later, returned MIR. Mel
ladew.
The fairies, having got through with tn
orphans, were now futtering like silve
butterflies all over the church, with thei
hands full Gift books with cream maj
gins and handsome bindings, more basket
of candied fruits and bonbons, more doll
and more animals for other children, ur
til it did seem that the Mystery ha
to avoid sting outright. Billy Bowlin
had, IS books and sweetmeats, a CON
plete dtft from top to toe. Deborah Ter
ny, who had been carried to the church i
big armchair with pillows and who ha
not left her bed for year, was fairly ovel
come by the comforts and luxuries heape
upon her. Squire Halliday opened me
rocco case put in his hands to find fiy
minute repeater and massive gold chain {
exquisite workmanship. His wife had
box pushed into her lap which containe
fold ON fold of lustrous satin. By tn
time the boughs were barred everybody
town had some memento from the My!
terry.
At the last minute small oblong DO,
with spring clasps, was carried in bot
hands to Mr.. Melladew by the largest {
the fairies. There were some conjecture
over It's contents as he lifted the lid cat
tiously and closed 1t, shutting off til
curious from even peep.
You may guess that by this time {
much pent up curiosity over the My,
terry was likely to cause an explosion
Luckily an escape valve was at hand.
While the orphans Rugged their dol
and munched candy slyly, not to betra
greediness, and other folks compared pre-
ents and munched sweetmeats openly, an
Milicent's eyes shone like misty stars frol
ont the azure cloud of India, and Capital
Roundaway, her father, grew grave an
gay by turns, watching her, and the squil
looked at his watch and chain and then
his wife, and his wife looked at the lu