The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-15

hurried meal, and Will rushed up stairs to get together the primitive Santa Claus paraphernalia which his mother had fix ed up for him. These he did into a bum dle. and his mother being ready, they set out for the schoolhouse.
 The building belonging to District No was the typical country schoolhouse. It was painted red and contained two rooms. one for the more advancel scholars and one for the primaries There was an entrance for each section. One of these little vistibules had been transformed for the occasion into a dressing room for Santa Claus. In the middle of the pri- mary department, which was the larger division of the building short but broad spreading Christmas tree had been placed. It bore a fairly generous yield of tinseled gifts. Will added the presents he had brought and then before the chill dren began to arrive retired to the ves- tibule to make up as Santa Claus.
 The room soon filled, and. to the accom- paniment of the music of tin and brass horns Santa Claus entered. The chill dren gagged upon the weirdly built up St. Nicholas with feelings of awe min gled with admiration. Santa stepped up to the tree, lowing to the little folks as l he went. Clumsily, he selected the first present within reach. knocking over a couple of candles as he did so, and then | in stentorian tones entirely out of keep ing with the supposed character of San ta Claus called out the name inscribed | thereon:
 Jimmie Brown"
 youngster about seven years of age. with his hair plastered down into cow l lick on his forehead. promptly stepped l forward frcm the front row. looked 1 around and. seeing that he was the only person out of line stuck his finger into his cheek. began to blubber and abruptly rushed back to the shelter of the crowd. He was quieted and made his way halt | ingly to the tree. where St. Nicholas handed him mauve colored sheep which emitted a plaintive "Ba-a-a." when 1t
 was presented As Jimmie moved jerk l fly backward toward his original position | the door opened. Every one looked around | and all were astonished to observe that | the two men who stood there were stran- gers. One of the newcomers asked if | Will Dawson was there.
 The school trustee went over to the man and explained that Will was Santa l Claus and that 1t would not do to let the children find out that their idol was but | man of clay. The fellow walked over
 toward the tree placed his hand upon | Will Lawson's shoulder and grufily re- | marked
 twill Lawson. you are my prisoner"
 Will was dumofunded. but his surprise
 was as nothing compared to that of thf
 children, who then learned what they hao
 never even suspected-that their Santa
 Claus was only a man. The festivities
 broke up in a hurry. but the man, whC
 was an officer from New York, never let
 wills side Will was pale, and folk:
 thought he acted as though he had beer | expecting to be arrested. However. h'
 nut brave face on the matter and asked
 friend to go for Lawyer Clapp. TheI
 everything came out.
 , Will had been arrested for murder. an' all because of that lottery ticket Law yer Clapp came in by and by all of hustle, and the four-Will and the laWye , and the two strangers-went down t , Mrs. Lawsons house. The poor woma , fainted away when she heard that Wi , had been arrested, and l ran in as 800 , as I heard of it. When I got there. tn , fence in front of the cottage was all line
 with prying faces. and tho house wa , full of men and boys who had never sf