Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-05

lis this?"
1t was nothing but printed program Of
| Christmas entertainment to be held that
evening in the Brick Church. Scrubbed
across 1t in a woman's hand were these
words: Mr. Biddle, we rely upon you to
be our Santa Claus, as usual. Don't fail
u.s. will your"
| Mr.. Smiths investigation had been too
protracted- AS he finished it he heard a
noise, and, looking up, saw two plain
clothes men bearing down upon him. They
| had recognized him, and it was their pur-
| pose to arrest him on general principles.
| He took to his heels. They followed him.
| Smith was a slick article, but so were they.
| But Smith knew that the longer the chase
kept up the worse for him; for there are
| such things as telephones, and they could
head him off by sending word out to the
whole force. He was well-ngh spent, when
| his eye caught sight of black and gilt
sign. On it were the words, Brick Pres
byterian Church" His brain moved rap
idly. by George" he muttered, breath
lessly the very thing" He crept to the
back of the church, and, finding a window
that could be forced, he looked in. He saw
a small and unoccupied room. Thrown
across the back of chair was q mystic
rious conglomeration of red and white, Of
cloth and hair and cotton. 1t was nothing
less and nothing more than the Santa
Claus costume to be worn by Mr.. Biddle.-
The two police officers followed closely
on his heels They were quite sure from
had been up to a trick or two. The trail,
however, stopped short at Brick Church
The officer at one end OF the DOCK haO
seen him pass (without knowing him, of
course)-the officer at the other end had
not seen him; nor had anybody else. the
two men ransacked the neighborhood
Then they entered the church. The enter
tainment was in full blast. A Santa Claus
was on hand who was making things hum
He kept the children in a roar OF laughter
George Biddle is outdoing himself to-
night remarked the adults In the room.
He was, more than they knew. For TINS
was Mr.. Smiths first attendance at such
an entertainment. He enjoyed it. He was
Santa Claus incarnate, for wherever ne saw
a small youngster whose shoes were OLD,
or whose jacket and trousers did not quite
meet in the waist line, he surreptitiously
doled out to him 81 Of the $50 which he
had tucked away. Poor little chaps. ne
said to himself. When he finished his sou
was all gone. Suddenly he became aware
of the presence of the two plain clothes
men. So he raised his hand to command
silence Now. little ki-children" he ex-
claimed you'll have the greatest treat or
all. Wait till Santa Claus comes back.
He crossed to his dressing room, closed the
door and disrobed.
He never came back. The plain clothes
men spent some little time in the church
trying to spot Strong-Arm Smith Finally
they gave 1t up. When they had done SO.
Strong-Arm Smith was far away. But there
was something the matter with him; some
thing he didn't understand. His recent ex-
perience among the youngsters had made
him sentimental; the Christmas spirit was
upon him.
Hang IT." said Strong-Arm Smith to
himself, as he sped toward New York by
rail, II hadn't oughter took the stuff often
that duck, Maybe it was all he had. l
hadn't oughter done it,"
Again he reviewed the contents of the
purse. Forty minutes later Strong-Arm
Smith was standing at the counter of
New York department store. II got
whole lot of bang-up things" he said to
the girl. that l got to get. Just pick me
out the very best you've got m that line
will your" He mentioned the first thing on
the list which Mr.. Biddle had made out.
He bought 1t and paid for it.
III tell you, young woman he went on,
II wish you'd just write a card to go
with that" The girl nodded. What shall
put on it?" she inquired. Smith consult
ed his list.
Just write on that" he answered, with
ont culver of an eyelid, Mamma, from
George"
The girl dissolved in exuberant laughter.
But Strong-Arm Smith kept on. Steadily
hes worked his way down the list. lie or
dered everything sent out to Biddle's house,
threatening dire punishment If 1t did not
reach there just on time. He even Sc