Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1898-12-08
father. Get upl Listen. dear father!

iather! Get up! Listen, dear father!
Do listen TO me!'
yes, yes" the man murmured. III
am there Already And he turned TO
the wall again.
There Is nothing left but for me to
go out" the boy said to himself. "for
somebody must be out there"
With quick decision he slipped into
his fathers heavy overcoat, drew the
cape over his head and seized the flag.
He arrived just in the nick OF time at
his post, for "a few moments later the
train Numbered by the grotesque little
form. The snow had covered him from
head to foot. With great seriousness
he presented the flag, and the rosy
child face beamed most sweetly from
under the snow-covered cap--a storm
waited Santa Claus on solitary night.
AS such he may have appeared to the
youthful lady who stood in the open
window OF IA compartment car, gazing
out into the silent Christ night, for sud-
denly she beckoned with her hand, and
the next instant heavy object came
flying from the passing train right be-
fore Jakob's feet.
He picked it up aud hurried into the
house with IT. There, after dropping
his fathers heavy overcoat, he FASTENED
TO the window to examine his present
in the bright moonlight. 1t was small,
fine purse. He opened it and found il
almost filled with bright new silver
coin. Jakob fairly screamed with de-
| light. He never thought of a giver,
! for wasn't it Christmas? No wonder
that presents fell from heaven.
He commenced to cover the twigs of
| his little Christmas tree with the coins,
which was no small trouble, for they
would continually drop off again, so
that finally Jakob, quite exhausted
placed his head on his arms ana fell
asleep under his silver spangled tree.
He did not hear when his mother re-
turned, covered with snow and painting
! from exertion as she entered the room.
! She first set down her basket and then
| hurried to her husbands bedside. He
was breathing evenly, and on the floor
was his overcoat. He had been able to
fulfill his duty. God be praised the
woman murmured and turned to the
little boy was sitting motionless. Soft
w, on tiptoes, with the basket full OF
apples and nuts, the herzlebkuchen in
her hand, she stepped behind the
child's chair. But what was that:
Was the moon shining with extraordi-
nary brightness tonight that silvery
simmer seemed To proceed from the
tree as well as from the curly hair oil
sleeping Jakob? The woman brushed
with her out-stretched hand over the
head of the child and with silvery
tinkle little objects fell right and left
to the floor. Great Heavensl" she
exclaimed causing Jakob suddenly to
start up First he looked around some
what scared, but then, hopping from
one leg to the other in exuberant JOY
he exclaimed; Eyes, yes; everything
belongs TO me. Look, just look,
mother"
The woman first Of all made light
Her husband now woke up, too, leaping
from his bed with both feet at once
"My Cod" he said, "the train has
passed OF course you have been out
there, wife,"
His wife turned deathly pale. 81
have just returned, she gasped.
"But | was out there" chimed il
Jakob. "When father didn't want tc
wake up at ALL just took the flag and
the overcoat and did everything al
right. Nobody knew me, but the
Santa Claus threw u heap of money
from heaven down To me-all new
money"
Feeling quite miserable yet from the
spell of fear he had just passed through
the flagman, with trembling kness, al
lowed himself to drop into the nearest
chair. 'Have you really been out
there?" he inquired.
'Of course. You can depend on it, >
Jakob assured him.
The hagman's wife examined tn,
purse and found in it card, with tn,
inscription, "a Merry Christmas. I
took a long time until they succeeded
in spelling out the words. Finally sh,
said: "Oh, / know 1t means Frau
AIN RVHRE EEA nHNk