The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-12-20
STEALS GIFTS FOR
HIS BABY SISTER
Nine-year-oId Boy Yields to
Temptation.
MONEY HAD ALL BEEN SPENT
RATHER THAN DISAPPOIET
LITTLE ONE HE PLIERS.

CAUGHT i'm the act OF stealing lit
tie doll and nursery book for his
baby sisters Christmas presents
from the Fair store. 30 Main street,
Willie Mason, . years of aSe. was TAX
en- TO the police station yesterday and
locked up
The lad had come from his home in
Sugar House ward yesterday morning
and spent most of tine day walking up
and down Main street gazing In the
windows al the beautiful toys. I'm his
pocket ne had but a 50-cent piece with
which 10 purchase things for his three
Httlc sisters The longer he gazed the
l more ne saw. and the more he wanted.
He clutched the silver coin In his
andS as ne asked the prices Of dolls.
story books. a little train. skates and
numerous other TOYS. He handled the
Toys over and over again i'm trying 10
Gecide what he would buy for his baby
/ sisters. His 80 cents could not buy dll
/ the things De wanted ard he left store
( after store In search for something
I cheaper SO NE could give all his sisters
( q present
AT last he made his way into the
crowded Fair store and the child saw
ST. many things he was bewildered He
/ saw toys ne had decided To buy months
I
/ cited he did not know what TO get first.
Fearing that somebody would buy the
! toys ne had thought of SO long. ne
RULED mis- silver coin out of his pocket
and. picking UP a tin horse and cart
81 hich ran about me counter, he pur-
chased IT, tie had 30 cents left
Sends Letter to Santa.
Next ne saw cap pistol and pur-
D - 4 In Of
= his was his Christmas and he sent
I letter 10 Santa Claus asking for "A drum
and cap. He chIckled with delight as
ne showed II down his pocket. thinking
Lat q merry time ne would have with
an his presents He counted his money
again and he had 20 cents left.
He spied a little iron stove which
the clerk said ne could make FIRE I'M
, and cook ON, but 1t cost % cents. He
only had 20 cents. The clerk, worried
With questions. asked him sharply, DO
you want 10 buy IT,
He counted his money again I've
cIly got two dimes he said, looking
up at TIE clerk.
If you want IL l will sell it to you
Cor % cents" the clerk re piled.
He took the stove ana marched out
I of the store with an air Of pride and
Cheerfuiness-
Starts to Walk Home.
It was getting late. and for the first
time during the whole day he discov-
/ cred he was hungry HIS first thoughts
we're To so nome. he had NO caI fare,
81 he started to walk nome. On his
way home ne was thinking of the merry
times ne would have on Christmas. For
the first time ne counted his presents
end his little baby sister had been for
gotten He stopped and wondered
What he would do.
shall ] go back and trade my pistol
for d doll for my baby sister" he asked
himself. Shall / give up my Christ
mas toy 50 that she can have some
thing TO play with, too"
As these thoughts passed through his
mind he tedrfullv explained afterward,
be turned around and cdme back He
left his toys outsIde-aH but his pis-
tcI-aud went INTO the store.
Once more ne Sazed on the many
pretty things and finally picked up a
coll. He was pushed aside by the
crowds and nobody saw him with the
doll
he put it i'm his pocket.
He pushed his way up 10 the counter
aeaiu, ana he grabbed a book.
Caught With the Book.
He hated to give up his toy pistol
and was seized with a desire 10 steal.
With guilty conscience. he started for
the door. One of the clerks had seen
Tim take the book. and as he hurried
toward the door he was caught. The
coll and book were taken from him.
He burst into tears. he begged them
20 let him go home but he was turned
over to the police and taken to the city
Jail.
He was locked up i'm a cell and given
nis toys. but he east them aside and
cried and cried. until he fell asleep.
About . o'clock his parents called for
him. and the lad was taken home with
his purchased toys, but the stolen doh
aud nursery book We're returned to the
store.