Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1905-12-16
Department Store
Santa Claus.

entrances and clustered around the wiz
dows of the big uptown stores.
"Yes, Christmas is coming" muttered
Tim; "but 1t is going to be mighty
poor Christmas for me unless something
turns up"
Poor Tim Blake had good reason for
thinking as he did. He was verify a
stranger in strange land, without a
home, without work, without even cent
in his pocket. Somewhere in the city
were Tins wife and child, and though
he had sought them anxiously they still
remained unbound. Tim was carpenter
by trade, and back in the quiet Maine
town whence he had come he had owned
a humble shop, over which he lived with
his wife and little Joey.
A few months before Joey had taken
sick. "He won't live through the win
ter" said old DIR. Gordon, "unless you
can get him to warmer climate"
Tim did the only thing he could do un-
der the circumstances; sold his shop and
the coy little home, and put mother and
child aboard the train bound for Los
Angeles while he remained to settle af-
fairs. After the doctors bills had been
paid and tourist ticket purchased for
himself Tim found he had only few
dollars left. The business that required
his attention delayed him longer than he
had expected, and II was not until the
early part of December that he arrived
in Southern California. He Immediately
started out to seek his little family. but
on inquiring at the address where they
had been stopping he found they had
gone no one knew whittier. Tim had
spent his last few dollars in trying to
locate them, but without success.
Guess I'm at the end of my rope"
Tim spoke dolefully, as he remembered
that he had eaten nothing since the pre-
vious noon.
He walked aimlessly down the street
through the jostling crowd, until he
found himself before newspaper Office
on Broadway. Spread out on the bulle-
tin board was a copy of the morning edi-
ton, and Tim glanceA over its columns
to see if there could be any mention of
those he sought. Page after page he
perused, and was about to turn away
with saddened heart when his eye light
ed on this advertisement:
Wanted-A short, stout man. Must
be good-natured and love children. APP
ply at 10 O'Clock this morning, Man
ager's Office, Burgerham's Department
Store.
Tim walked on absorbed in thought.
"Queer sort of an adj" he soliloquized.
Then he beheld his own reflection in the
window of haberdasher' store, and he
took off his hat and scratched his head.
well, I'm short and stout" he said
aloud to his reflection, "but not very
good-natured at present"
Pulling his old silver timepiece from
his pocket he found it lacked few min
utes of 10 O'Clock. His empty stom-
ach helped him to arrive at quick de-
cision and he was soon at the big depart
ment store inquiring for the managers
Office.
Tim was directedi:to take the elevator
to the top floor, and there found he had
been preceded by dozen other men.
Some of them were evidently short
enough but lacked the required avoirdu-
pois, while others were stout but in
clineo to tallness. E One of the number
seemed about the right weight and
height, but his face was anything but
good-natured. The manager surveyed
the waiting men aud seemed pleased
with Tins appearance, for he picked
him out of the.s:crowd and dismissed the
others.
You'll do, "Ehedsaid, briskly. "Do
you think you'll will make a good Santa
CLAUSE" Tim'ss:face expressed amaze
ment. 81 don't believe understand"
"Oh, it's easy" explained the man
ager, in business-like tone. "You see,
every year during the Christmas season
we have Santa: Claus for the sake of the
youngsters. 1t amuses them and proves
quite an attraction. All you have to do
is to dress the part and have pleasant
word for the little ones"
Tins perplexity began to clear away.
and when the manager asked If he was
ready to accept the responsibility of be-
ing Santa Claus he.gladly agreed to the
proposal. An hour later there was quite
a stir in front OF .Burgerham's big store.
A short, stout man with rosy cheeks,
flowing white beard and bright costume
trimmed with furi.appeared among the
shoppers.
"Goody, goodyp' cried the children.
clapping their hands and crowding
around him. while fond mothers looked
on and smiledEindulgently. Tim Blake
as Santa Claus was a decided success
from the very start.
The mauagerI realized that he had not
made a mistake in his selection of a
Santa Claus. Hes the best one we
ever had" he exclaimed again and
again to the members of the firm. "He's
regular genius. inst watch him hug
ging and kissing those youngsters.
When Christmas Is over I intend to keep
him on the payroll. :. He tells me he's a
carpenter by trade, and we have plenty
of that kind of work for him to do, and
If he remains we will have him for other
Christmases, land the manager gleefully
rubbed his hands.
The days passed in quick succession
| aud Chrt ofsf1ao aya xuoa 40 banI The