Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-20
Copyright. 1902, by Bowen Merrill Company

Copyright, 1902, by Bowen Merrill Company
serves it? Will you not all vote to bestow
it upon him?''
They were silent still looking upon one
another questioningly.
"Of what use is the Mantle of Immorta TAI
ity unless it is worm" demanded AK
What will it profit any one of us to allow
it to remain in its lonely shrine for all
time to Gomez
Enough cried the Gnome King. alb
ruptly. I'VE will vote on the matter, yes or
no. For my part. say yes!"
And r. said the Fairy Queen, promptly,
and AK rewarded her with smile.
MY people in Burzee tell me they have
learned to love him; therefore l vote to
give Claus the Mantle" said the King OF
the Ryls.
He is already comrade of the Knocks. y
announced the ancient king of that band.
Let him have Immortality
Let him have it-let him have it!''
sighed the King of the Wind Demons.
why not?" asked the King of the Sleep
Fays. He never diSturbs the slumberS my
people allow humanity. Let the good
Claus be immortal!'
II do not object" said the King of the
Sound Imps.
Nor t. murmured the Queen Of the Wa
ter Sprites.
IF Claus does not receive the Mantle II
Is clear none other can ever claim it,, re-
marked the King of the Light Elves, sc
let us have done with the thing for all
time
."rhe Wood-Nymphs were first to adopt
him." said Queen Zurline. "Of course.
shall vote to make him immortal.
Ak now turned to the Master Husband
man of the World, who held up his right
arm and said ''Yes!'
And the Master Mariner of the World did
likewise, after which AK, with sparkling
eyes and smiling face, cried out:
II thank you, fellow immortals! For all
have voted yes and so to our dear Claus
90 Iy,nvr FOL
that it is in our power to bestowH'
Let us fetch it at once" said the Fay
King; I'm in hurry
They bowed assent, and instantly the
Forest glade was deserted. But In place
midway between the earth and the sky was
suspended a cleaning crypt of gold and
platinum, aglow with soft lights shed from
the facets Of countless gems. Within 4
high dome hung the precious Mantle of I'M
mortality, and each immortal placed hand
on the hem of the splendid Robe and said,
as with one voice:
1--WE bestow this Mantle upon Claus, who
is called the Patron Saint of Childreni"
At this the Mantle came away from its
lofty crypt and they carried it to the house
in the Laughing Valley.
The Spirit of Death was crouching very
near to the bedside of Claus, and as the i'm
mortals approached she sprang UP and mo-
toned them back with an angry gesture.
But when her eyes fell upon the Mantle
they bore she shrank away with a low
moan of disappointment and quilted that
house forever.
Softly and silently the immortal Band
dropped upon Claus the precious Mantle,
and it closed about him and sank into the
outlines of his body and disappeared from
view. 1t became a part of his being and
neither mortal nor immortal might ever
take it from him.
Then the Kings and Queens who had
wrought this great deed dispersed to their
various homes and all We're well contented
that they had added another immortal to
their Band
And Claus slept on, the red blood of ever
lasting life coursing swiftly through his
veins; and on his brow was a tiny drop of
water that had fallen from the ever-melt-
ing gown of the Queen of the Water Sprites
and over his lips lowered a tender kiss that
had been left by the sweet Nymph Necile.
For she had stolen in when the others were
gone to gaze with rapture upon the i'm
mortal form of her foster son.