Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1901-12-24
clover he heard the drowsily hlu,maning

clover he heard the droWsily hrunmingg
bee. S sS3@ $
Poor Tod! The summer was to him
all that was beautiful, and the months
he had spent in the country were the
one bright spot In his dark, narrow
life. While winter, well, winter
brought only cold and suffering. Even
when the glad sounds ceased it was
some time before he became accus-
toned to his strange surroundings.
The last hymn had been sung and
the people were leaving the church;
only one or two who passed near not
iced the shrunken figure OF q lame boy
in the shadow of a high backed pew:
The lights went out and only two or
three remained; still he did not stir;
why should he? He had wan
dered away from his home to escape
the beseeching look on his mothers
face, andsthe pleading voice OF his little
sister who with childish persistence
asked for Santa Claus, and if he would
bring her anything. VI #
He had wandered aimlessly, until
hungry. tired and stiff with cold the
open church doors seemed to bid him
enter. Why did they have to suffer
when others seemed so happy? If he
We're strong like other boys he felt he
might help his mother, but what could
a helpless cripple do?
While his shoulders were yet heav~
ing with his long drawn sobs, a light
hand was laid on his shoulder, and
someone said, What is the matter, my
boy?" Before Tod fully realized what
he was doing he was telling his sad
story to the lady by his side. "And
has Mollie never had a doll or any
other playthings?" she asked. mo
ma'am, never, but she always looked
for Santa CLAUSE and it is SO hard to see
her disappointed AS May Howard
listened to this sad story she seemed
to see herself in a different light and
determined to play Santa Claus to at
least one little girl. =. Come Tod, let
us go and see II we cannot find Mollie
something she would like. l: am sure
the stores are not all closed" Tod
hobbled slowly down the steps, while
May hailed a passing car. and In a few
minutes they were in a large depart
ment store. #.4y# 1 -.
81 =" ~ II -L2--% .--tr -. ~ -r.T 70 LN~". ~
"Do you think Mollie would like this
doll" said Miss Howard, holding a
beautiful doll all dressed In blue, with.
golden curls hanging over her shout
ders. Tod was almost speeches..
Like 1t! Why ma'am she would be
made SO happy she wouldn't know what
to do" They passed on from one de-
partment to another, and May bought
everything she could think would help
in making a merry Christmas for Tod
and his mother. & g.:
1t all seemed dim and dream-like to
Tod, but when the cab stopped, he gave
a start and looking out, saw he was
once more in front OF the tall tenement
house and in an upper the light
was shining and mother was waiting
for him. May told Tod she could not
come to 8 his mother now but would
come in the morning, and almost be-
fore he could thank her the cabman
shut the door. How he reached the
top OF the stairs he never knew. With
a push he flung the door open and stood
before his mother with such q glad
light on his face that she was almost
frightened. = sS% ST I5$.%
"Oh mother! | have the most won
derful news fors$you. And in an alb
sent, hurried way Tod told his mother
everything. Then began a hasty In
spectionso of the baskets, where surprises
greeted them at every turn. III was
late that night before Tod and his
mother thought OF sleep. but when Tod
finally laid his tired head to rest ii
was with a prayer on his lips for his
unknown friend.
In her room May Howard again stood
looking up at the starlit heavens, but
what changed egirl, and how much
happier none can tell:
Never more would she rebel against
her LOT, for tonight she had learned the
precious lessor, that the only way To
be truly happy is by first making some
one else happy.
YOU'LL HAVE TO HURRY.
Only Dec 31st this year in which to
make application for New York Life
Goth century policies. All those inter