The age-herald., 1901-12-15
Why the Manager Gave a HoHday,,~

The Dolls Dressmaker leaned back wearily in her chair. "A second Fannie Squizz," she murmured. My back is so
 bad, and my legs are so queer" She got up resolutely reached her hat and shawl from the nail and went out. She passed through the managers of | flee. He was writing busily at his big | desk in the corner 'I am going" she said simply. The man glanced up care lessly.
 "Going?" he asked astonished. There's yet two hours of work. Sorry but you' ve | made a mistake" and he turned his
 head indifferently.
 The girl paused resolutely on the 1 threshold. "Its Christmas eve, I must" she answered, and passed out quickly The Dolls Dressmaker at times could be positively bold. even towards the l boss"
 The manager stared and his mouth opened wide; then he thought it all over. At last he came to the conclusion. "Yes | it was Tuesday, Christmas eve" It Hadn't occurred to him before. Perhaps it would be well to allow the operators two hours off, and he jerked the night bell sharply.
 The operatives streamed in, looking in- quiringly at the manager. He made no sign, only paid the well earned wages and said: Tomorrow at nine" The last man was gone; the manager closed the office, slid the keys in his pocket and went out to his big lonely home on the Highlands, in which there had never been a Christmas festival for thin ty years.
 The years had gone on, he hardly knew how, except that the work had been kept up monotonously.
 Many could testify to that; for in that struggle for bread many lives had passed out People worked for him because he was sure. but he was a hard master and they knew it. but dared not to oppose him.
 That night feeling came over him. the feeling he had had as boy He remembered his mother, how she used to hang the little patched stockings up at the fire place, and of the curious delight of the children when morning came. That Santa Claus was poor mattered little, and although the presents were small and few was of no consequence, they had that wonderful mystery connected with them which old and young delight in Santa brought them. that was enough. In the following years he had struggled for riches for that wealth which had come so slowly, every thought was driven from his except that one intense desire for money. He had 1t now, but what good was 1t doing him?
 He decided he would go out after din- ner and watch the crowded streets; he remembered now the glare and brillianca of those glorious windows used to please him.
 ''Yes. he would watch them once more after an interval of thirty years"
 He pulled on his heavy storm coat and pulled his felt hat over his eyes to keep out the little whirls of snow and left his house.
 The memory of those past years came back wildly. He repempered where as boy he had bought the prettiest mar bles the most candy for a nickel, and the gaudy kites which he thought flew the highest He wondered if the old store still remained; he decided to look for it. The gay, careless crowd together with the blinding drifts of snow swept him on down the streets. He passed a show win dow where Santa Claus was exhibiting the newest toys.
 The man half paused as he heard the ecstatic little bursts of joyous excitement from the children around him; the beard ed little figure from behind the glass seemed to single him out from the crowd. and lowing happily, held up another toy, and in spite of himself the manager in- clined his head slightly and the faint re- semblance of a smile crossed his stern face.
 Another whirlwind of snow swept him on. He was blinded by the glare and groped his way slowly. At last he aroused himself and gazed around ab- sently. He was in a store; he wondered vaguely how he got there; in a secluded part at that.
 He gazed up abstractedly at the sign. "Gills Christmas Toys" it read.
 He started, rubbed his eyes and slid further back into the corner Yes there it was, the same old sign he had seen thirty years ago; and he was actually in the same old place which long since he had thought paradise.
 He gazed at the crowd. looking but not