The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1901-12-24
AIDES
CHRISTMAS
FABLE
A Village Lover Who In
vested In CeIlulOid. ::::
How True Love AvalIed
Even Auainst a Bank Roll.

named Luella, but he had Frugal
mind. Itseemed to him that IL would
be more Sensible to save his Money and
make First Payment on Home. Be.
sides, the Poultry Business had been
little Slack and he couldn't see himself
giving up $3.50 for a dosh-burned Gin
crack that was no Account except to
look at. So be gave up GO Cents for an
Autograph Album and let it 20 at that.
He would have gone ahead and bought
something for a Dollar, only Amos
thought he had Cinch. His only Rival
for the Hand Of Luells was Tallmsdge N.
Crockett, proprietor Of the Livery and
Feed Stable. Amos was so much more
Comic and Conversational than Tall
madge and had such Taking Way that
he wasn't for Minute Afraid OF being
Cut Out by Talllnadge.
5eing the recognized Village wag.
Amos was called upon to impersonate
Santa Claus at the Christmas Tree En-
ter,ainment. Amos was born Romp,
and the Congregation was sure Of many
a Hearty Laugh when he came in As
Sanity and began to cut Didoes.
Am,s borrowed Buffalo Robe, a
Strand of Bells and Fur cap. He
rigged up Set Of Cotton Whiskers and
prepared to be even Funnier than usual.
On Christmas Eve the Church put
them in the Aisles, 60 great was the In
terest in the Tree. The Superintendent
Of the Sunday School, looking unusually
pale and scrubbed up, and smelling Of
Bay Rum, stood up in front Of the Tree
and made an Address that wasFacetious,
from his Point of View. The Choir
sang one Of It's hardest Anthems and
after two or three other Stunts, Amos,
the Merry Andrew, came in as Santa
Claus and did some Of his best Comedy
Acting. He galloped mp and down the
Aislea and scared several Children In
Arms into Commissions. Then he went
up TO the Tree 10 assist the droll Super
ntendeat in distributing Presents. As a
Team they we're expected to spring q
great many timely Quigi, right on the
Spur Of the Moment.
While standing by the Tree, waiting
for the Infant Glass to conclude Carol
Amos saw ON a Table the magnihceL
Toilet Set, with the 80 80 Mark still OF
II. He drew nearer to read the attach
Gard and almost tainted with Hor-
ror when he saw the name Of Luella
in the well-known Handwriting oI
Tallmadge n. Crockett. The Shock was
so great that everything Swan before
his Gaze, the came as In Natatorium
lie could not see anything except his
own Finish. When Luella came 20 COM
pare the superb Toilet Set and the 20
cent Autograph Album, he knew that h'
w,uld not be 0ne.Two-Seven. lie wal
Inspired to Desperate Action. lie hap
pened TO remember that ,Celuloid con
tains Gun Cotton and Oamphor and
other high Explosives, The lnian
Glass stood between him and the Con
gregation. stealthily he plucked
lighted Candle from the Tree an'
dropped il on the Toilet Set Then h
eaped over the Rail. There was tor
rifle Report, flash Of FIRE, an odor q
Camphor and the Air was full OF lnian
Glass. A Panic ensued, Throwing o
his Disguise Of White Cotton Whisker
Amos gathered Luella in his Arms an
carried her to Place OF Safety. 81
called him "Preserver" and refused
let go Of him. When Quiet was restored
there was nothing left Of the Toilet s.
except the Clasp and the letters spelliI
"Merry Xmas"
Morali True Love will prevail again
the Vulgar Bank Roll, even At Chris
mas-Time.