Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-12-24


n full quarter OF an lIuur FOR it, and madn
them understand TINT Mr.. Mclladew had
something To say 10 them.
MIR Melladuw stood. holding tho mys-
terious box conspicucusly, until complete
silence had fallon.
Friends, no began slowly, as IL he
wished every word to lie an apple of gold
In Ii picture of silver, you will, think.
be glad TO know that tho money taken
from the orphanagc funds ten years ago
has hcon restored To- Ii, trcblcd "
He he'd UP the huH as he spoke and drew
ont Of 1t Shining handful of coins, allow.
ing them 10 inll back with a Jingle,
There was profound sensation.
The older ones will remember the cir.
cunstancos, " lao went ON, with iuriye
glance at Squire Halliday, land that there
WIS moro Of sric! thln indignation among
us. Would we not DO glad TO know that
he who did the decd had lived down both
it and the disgrace hr,s!ly. had lnudo uu
honorable place for lil2sSf among men
and had now come forward % repair thu
wrong
There was ono suspended breath around
him.
If he wore here, would you, could you
not oven iud it in your hearts 20 give linn
franl. and hearty hand of fellowship"
"Gca, yea We wouldr' on all sidUs.
Those in favor Of Santa CLAUS unma6l,-
Ing at once will say Aye.
one tremendous and unanimous "Aycw
Fcsounded.
santa Claus stepped forward from the
shelter Of tho tail Christmas tite. Ho
threw on his fantastic garments. The
grotcsquu mask OF the evening fell to his
feet, carrying tho whitc wig and beard
along with 1t, and imam not over 30, with
asquaro jaw nnd pathetic, dnrl, eyes which
held the shadow OF Iast suffering in them,
stood barred to these questioning chances,
with minglng of shrinking sensitive
ness and manly self possession that won
the hearts Of the entire crowd at once and
forever.
Everybody swaycd toward him. Tho
older people were tracing the likcness of
the brown, manly face to the boyish one
they remembered before his life had suiIul.
cd eclipse
"Im'blowed If isn't Dick Halliday him
selfV' was Captain Boundaway's sup
pressed comment
Dick Halliday Why, it's Dick, sure
enough. Wouldn't you have known him
anywhere sounded over the church.
Squire Halliday and his wife had their
faces hidden.
81 Thought there was something all fired
familiar about him the day he rode on the
stage with ne, said Caleb Dashubcad In
deep disgust at his own stupidity
Hes II fine fellow If he has worn prison
garb, " was the comment OF DR.. Chaliioux
TO Captain ltoundHway. Comes OF good
stock, you see. Had the grit to live it
down"
Yes" assonted the captain absontly
81 wish ho had steercd clear Of the rocks
In the first place, he added, with his eyes
ON Milicen's face, now flooded with
mild radiance AS Of moonlight. 1t was
plain she still loved him II the broken
engagement was to he reversed, why, then
Dick stond there silent. 1t was u trying
ordeal, this bidding publicly for the IT,
spcct unu confidence Of his townsucoplc
with the faint Of dishonor not yet ouiliyed.
10 one OF Dicks nature sin brings its own
punishment. But, seconded by MIR Mel
ladcw, hc had dared all in this peculiar
fashion, because he longed, lot it be wills
pered, to bo reinstated fully for the sake
Of Milicent, whose life he had so shame
fully clouded.
The murmur in the church swclled to
round of heartfelt applause What but
large, generous sentiments could have
btel tllt buAtbIlo VI lllht evening"
My friends, thank yuu," Dick began
and broke down completely.
Squire Halliday and his wife were max
ing their way up the aisle There woro
tow dry eyes in tie church us the fnther,
whose proud heart had been bowed In
shame over his dishonorod name, grasped
Dicks outstretchcd hand with Il trcm-
bling God bless you, my sonn and the
mother, whose heart had yearnod over her
Maynard boy all these years drew his
head down upon her breast tenderly and
dropped tcars Of joy upon his face,
Makes me think Of the night she first
held HIM in her arms, 30 years ago, " said
DR. ChallfouX in "a broken voice.
Halliday ought to DO proud of him,
rejuinld Lawyer Winthrop, whose plead
ing had shortened Dick sentence. 1T
isn't every young fellow who can recover
from IA slip 50 thoroughly.
81 move we march round and give him
hnndshakc. said Lawyer Winthrop
Seconded and carried and Dick, as they
fled up tho aisle TO welcome him, wonder
ed II it was only last night lie had lain
awake shrinking from imagined misses
and opithets such as are apt to descend
upon sinners Of his stripe.
Up they came-Mr. Mclladew beaning
over the unanimous and hearty reception
when he had feared deep seated prejudice,
Rev Mr. Merrivale resting his hand ON
Dick s head with hearty Happy Christ.
mas" DR. ChalifouN with u hard grip that
spoke volumes On and ON they came
Billy Bowline and Ned, Deborah Tcnny,
in hor armchair, with tears ON her lashes
and smile about her mouth; Milicent,
with sweet flushed facu and trcmulous
lips, still in her cloud of drupcry, letting
her warm palm rest in his, frankly and
tenderly even; Captain Roundaway, with
all reservations vanishing from his big,
kindly nature, nurturcd ON old ocean,
when he looked keen and close into Dicks
half pleading, honest eyes; the orphans,
too bunbons in their cheeks and things"
Rugged under their arms; everybody in
fact Nlilicent's face had told tales.
At last scattering to the lower regions,
where u spread awaited those who wero
left with an appetite,
Dick was seated between his father and
mother, who were thanked by DIR. Chnli-
foux, Lawyer Winthrop and the rest Of tho
"old stock, " and MIR. Meladow took out
letters from Dicks friends in California
and passed them round, and Dick must
needs recount how he worked his way out
TO the Pacific coast as hand before tho
mast and struck 1t rich in the guldleld
after hand to hand tusslo and afterward
went into business in san Francisco,
where he now had many friends, which lie
did with hating speech, modestly, for this
whole hearted ignoring of grave misdccd
by all Of them quite oyercame him.
81 Dick rama into fbn npnHIortr.. r,f III