The Jasper news., 1901-12-19
A CHRISTMAS STORY.
How Small Sum Of rloney Brought
Cheer TO Cheerisss Homes.

One Christmas time in neighborng
city, three young men, invested
$3.50 il such u way that ever since they
have been reaping diyinends IN the
memory Of the cheer that it brought to
many cheerless homes and the sparkle
of gladness that appeared in the little
faces on which already tn. liues Of pow
erty had left its mark.
1t is surprising how much joy tier
10 Ia that little thing wp call 80 dollar, -
when il is employed to make thtrs hai.
py. These young meu found this ont
before they had half completed ihrif
plansi
Let us SEQ, At ten cents each. aac
dollar viii p' rch,eo rnur.i- viii far
Aliug yes aud real hajr Infuj.you .c-
veal your llans to The STORE krcpcr BE-
viii throw in an extra ooN for A., "a
measure. Likewise at leu c'ats % ocr
and one ior good measure auophef ooiia
will get eleven little wagons With hugl
red box aud yellow waoois. Fits c,nts
more wi buy enough candy aud OF
corn for quite number of little mouths
1t was the night before Christmas,
and Ih's" young men, one Of whom bad
assumed the role of Santa Claus with
his Artic ovcrcoat and flowing hair and
beard, silently made their way TO a
quarter IT he city where Santa IN
his usual ronnd,had been wont to for
get. ) creted in his pack was eleven
/ Iittlo doils, eleven htt.e Wagons, and al
| abu adapt soppiy Of candy.
| By and by the houses beg'n to grow
smaller aud more delapidated, Aud
thea the bewhisliered gent began to
look about for a place to make his de
but as Old Santa laus.
whoa" called out Santa, as they
came to house where the light gloam-
ed through the cracks between the
boards. "Il thore is q little boy or girl
lives there, they ought to yxperiencp.
one happy Christmas in their child
! hood days"
( Il, "einleer" clm5 t5 standsti.l,
and the spokesman of the party alight-
I'd and m de lis way to'the door Of the
little hut in order to prepare the way
Tor Santa. An old man answered the
knock By slowly opening the crcaky
door.
"Are there any children in this place, "
| asked the spokesman.
"No sir eaid the aged Ean, where
upon Santa's forerumcr turned away
without another word, leaving tho cid
man gazing wondcringly into tho dark.
ness where his mysterious caller had dis
appeared, Dou6tedlessly he has often
wondered what Vas the mission Of the
stranger who appeared at his door in
tho darkness Of that Christmas eve.
The trio turned away with feeling
OF thankfulness that there was no little
one in that home where there were so
few of tho coAforts that make home
the brightest spot in the world.
The next place whore the "reindeers"
where halted was but little more inyit-
ing. The "f3reruhner" made his way
to the door, and his first knock was
answered only by a deeper sti1lucs3. lie
Knocked again, and Womans' voice
rang out, "Who's tncre!' "a gonLs
man, - was the reply
"What do you w1n!, camo ;ae now
I exited voice,
Santa Uiaus is out here with toys
/ for the children, don't you want 10 let
him oome int ~ slid the Young man.
This was evidently uome where S1u-
ta Claus s. ,s but httie Known, as the
/ next answer from within was the en-
phatic command to "Gwan away, an
We don't want you pronin' Ioaud
( here -
Not succeeding in paving the way at
/ thAt place. the Spokesman c;o sid into
/ the nsxt l,t where lac met moro cor
dial welcome. There he found two lit
tie colorcd children about two aud three
years MD They we're sound asleep, but
/ their mother awakened them and soon
had them ready for old Santa. They