The gold leaf., 1902-12-25

end one il q row Of wooden houses.
each with grass plot around it. 1t
belonged to William Winter. private
secretary Colonel Payne: and in the
cottaGe livea Winter and his wife and
Winters wife's mother: also six little
Winters varying in age all the way
from four to twelve years.
Il never saw anything so lovely in
all my life, papa" the oldest Winter
gil was saying as | pressed my nose
against the glass and peered in through
the narrow strip between the window
Sash and the easement
There inside of the room stood q
little Christmas tree upon big box,
and upon the tree and all around the
foot OF it stood dozens of beautiful
Christmas gifts, Such Il Christmas
tree you never saw. There were little
things i'll siver-spoons. forks, after
dini:cr coE2cs and knives, and there
was Il rocking chair, also several little
lootstuols and little articles of brica-
Lrac. all ncwl, covered with cheap
chintz. And there were toys. Oh, SO
many toys. And upon the table at the
SitI VI tllc u tE StOOI Tie DtSl VI WlueS
and Christmas fruits.
How sweet Ct you, Will"' Winters
Pretty wife said us she threw her arms
around his neck and kissed him. How
G.d you ever guess that | wanted all
those silver things for the table?'
And did any one ever see such q
son-in-law:" cried the cid lady as her
eyes fell upon the table with the wine
and fruits.
Il have got the goodest papa in the
worid,' yelled the six year old, while
the others chimed in "Yeth" as they
made u dive for the toys.
Il could sit in this rocking chair for
a week." murmured Winters wife,
rocking herself back and forth with
her foot on the gayly covered footstool,
IF it wasn't that felt as if | wanted
to get up and kiss you again." she
said to Winter for the twentieth time
as she looked around.
"Now go to bed, all of you," cried
Winter, land something extra for tn
one who starts first. Don't let me
hear a word from you again until to-
morrow morning at breakfast, and
then we'll have Christmas all day"
He hustled them out Of the room, and
when | tapped on the door there was
no one left downstairs to open it but
he.
We'll, what are you going to do
about it:' | asked. stepping into the
room and pointing to all the Christmas
things.
Il don't know" said he, dropping
down by the table and hiding his face
in his hands. Il don't know | am sure.
1t will kill her if you tell her"
what made you take them?" l
asked.
Because he's got so much he doesn't
know what to do with it," said Winter.
$50 | took them all easy like and
thought it would blow over in a few
days. You see, we have SO many ba-
bies in our family" he added, that
there wasn't much left this year for
Christmas, and the children have been
talking about it every day for the last
three months. 1t broke my heart to
think I'd have to disappoint them, so
did the best could fer them"
''You watched the house all night for
the colonel. did you:"
Yes, except for about an hour; long
enough to slip over here with an arm
full
well, what are you going to 90
about it,"
"God knows; l don't" he repeated
"It will kill her if you tell her"
DO you want me to arrest you to-
night, or will you wait until morning."
'Christmas day.! he exclaimed,
breaking down and beginning to cry
like a baby. Il know I'm a wretch.
Only kill me-do anything; but don't
tell her."
1t might have been that the spirit Of
Christmas was in the air. Perhaps
the thought of those six little children
and that sweet faced wife had a
stronger influence than they should
have had over detectives heart. But
l said to him, We'll, bundle up the
things and come along with me, and
We'll see what we can do about it.
We locked like two Santa Clauses
ourselves as we slipped along the
streets. choosing bylanes and cross
paths to the Payne residence.
We got into the triangular lawn by
rear path and stole softly up to the
house. There was the dining room
brilliantly lighted and in the middle
gifts, just as told the colonel to ar
range it.
There was no one in the room, and
after | had pried up the sash we stole
in together. There was only just time
to drop our packages On the floor at the
foot of the tree and to rush away again
before the colonel's daughter came in.
"Oh, papa" she cried. here are
some presents for us"
But heard no more just then, for l
was busy helping poor Winter get
away. An hour later ! rang the
colonel's front door bell. He opened
the door himself.
Come right in," said he. Il guess
you are wizard tonight Just after
we got the Christmas tree set up and
while we were upstairs getting our
presents together to hang on the tree
the thief came back and left the Christ
mas presents"
"Everything there:" asked.
"Everything." said he. down to the
last teaspoon. We have counted them
all Poor fellow, he must have had
guilty conscience, and when it came
Christmas eve he squared it with him
self by sending back all he had stolen
Stranger said |.
Every strange" said the colonel. I'D
like, if l knew who the thief was, to