The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24

| me happy little now IL you knew tt!f
Hope asked, slipping her arm around Mar
| garet.
II don't want you to tell me anything
and spoil the surprise. Aunt Helen
wouldn't like it," sobbed Margaret.
"Oh, even if 1 tell you this, there will be
| lots left that's going to happen Does
| Aunt Helen know how bad you feel?'
Il haven't let her see me cry, because
| she'd think I was ungrateful, when she's
| so good TO me-
| "Wen, you can pretend you're surpris-
ed about this You might wei pre-
| tend you don't feel bad, when you do"
| Hope sat up in bed. Margaret, your
| morrow
"Oh, Hope are they? Are they?' cried
| Margaret sitting up and throwing ner
arms around her little friend. ''Oh, Hope,
| you're not just making it up. are your
| NO, of course I'm not just making 1t
up! I knew I'd million times rather
know. If were you than to cry mys If
| to sleep Christmas eve."
| ooh, yes I'm so glad you told me. How
| do you know they are coming?'
There's a telegram for you. Aunt
| Helen is going to put it in the top of your
| stocking, so you'll get IL the hrst thinS In
| the morning"
| II want TO see it tonight! 1 want to
see it right now!" said Margaret, spring
| ing out of bed.
She lit the candle, and on tip toe the two
| little girls stole out of the room and down
| the stairs to the library.
There were her stockings hanging at
| the side of the fireplace, stuffed to the
| toes.
"Pn find it," said Hope. running for
ward. you mustn't look at your pres
ents'
The next morning Margaret was hold
| ing the candle close to the telegram and
was reading:
win be home Christmas morning, Mar
garet darling Mother and Father"
They're in New York now. Aunt Helen
says. they sent the telegram the minute
| they landed" said Hope, capering about
| the room.
ION. this is the best of all my Christ
mas" said Margaret. hugging the tele-
gram mo matter how many surprises
Aunt Helen has for tomorrow, this is
| the best!"
Very early Christmas morning Aunt
| Helen's surprises began.
| At 7 O clock little silver bells woke Mar
| garet and Hope from happy dreams, and
the next moment there was a knock at
| the door, and then the door opened and
/ there stood Santa Claus with pack on
his back and a powdered wig and such
| funny mask on his face that both the lit
| tie girls broke out laughing.
| Il have found so much to do through
| the night, couldn't get here a moment
sooner" said Santa Claus, in high pitch
| ed unnatural voice.
/ a'Oh, who do you suppose it isF" said
Hope, clapping her hands. Il guess it's
| Aunt Helen"
"Why. no, it's a mans voice. Can't
| you tell it's a mans voice?" sair Marga-
| ret.
There amt very much left in my pack"
said Santa Claus, throwing them kiss
| and making them a splendid bow. land I
| all have here is for Miss Margaret, but
| she must share with her little friends
l didn't expect to find her here"
Santa Claus swung the pack from hts
| shoulder to the table and began carefully
to unite the string which bound it,
Margaret and Hope were sitting up in
| bed watching him.
"Who do you suppose 1t is?" said Hope.
| gggling. (She knew very well who it
| was.)
Now here is a locket and chain that a
| certain little girl has been wanting for
several years." said Santa Claus, speaking
| in the same funny high voice. He held
the locket and chain out before him.
ooh, oh, isn't it lovelyv said Margaret.
standing up in the bed and holding out
her hands for the locket
In the locket you will find a picture of
| your beautiful mother" said Santa Claus,
coming over to the bed
"Oh I know youl / know your said
Margaret, throwing her arms around
| santa GlduS HECK ne llllAlutC saw
your hands knew you. Oh, papa, papa,
papa!
Santa Claus sat down on the edge of the
bed and tore off his mask and kissed Mar
garet again and again.
II Come in Mrs. Santa Claus" he shout
ed, "the fun is over. She knew me right
away
And then the door opened, and with a
glad cry of delight Margaret was in her
mothers arms
Eyes, you've guessed part but that isn't
half" said Hope.
And so they ran downstairs and across
the yard and into the big stone house.
"Oh" cried Margaret, clapping her
hands, "Oh, 1t looks just like a fairy
house. doesn't it?"
There, 1 didn't tell you the best Of
ALL did II" said Hope.
ooh, no, isn't it lovely?"
1t was indeed a sight to remember The
large hall, and all the beautiful rooms on
the first floor were decorated with cedar
bows and holly and punches of little red
berries; and in the drawing room was
big Christmas tree loaded with presents.
How can we ever thank Aunt Helen
enough for this beautiful Christmas sur
prise?" said Margarets mother, coming
into the nall to meet them.
isn't she good? Are there presents for
all the party on the tree?" asked Mar
garet.
yes, presents for all. Now come out
to breakfast replied Mrs Graham, and
led the way to the long dining room at
the end of the hall.
And when they went into the dining
room there was the greatest surprise of
all
"Oh, oh, the party is here nowl The
party is here for breakfast" cried Mar
garet. oh how beautiful you all lookg'
There were twelve children dressed in
costume and six grown people dressed as
children; and, oh, they were the funniest
OF all. Every one laughed to see them
I'm so surprised end happyr' said Mar
garrett looking, from one dear face to the
other
Il iol1 her about the telegram because
she cried last night" said HOPE. "You
said we wouldn't tell" laughed Margar-
It, Hope can't keep secre's at all"
You just wait ard sse II / can't keep
a secret didn tel YOU that your papa
was 90 be Santa Slaus and thete are lois
.a.fH a a