Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1905-12-18

and joys or ch1ldnOOd, and an Item
which was designated by Sissy as
"cherwhacerk fer Tommy t. snap tn
boys wid,' but he said he feared he
had not a single one left in his pack
eve must not forget the baby" said
Mr.. Hamilton.
Evidently the baby had not entered
largely into the Christmas hopes and
discussions, and Sissy grew thought
full, but was equal to the occasion.
"a buggy! o, a buggy! SOS me an
clasping her grimy little hands and
almost jumping up and down in her
delight
Mr. Hamilton thought of the wicker
cradle and added other items to the
last; then he smiled down into the
eager, upturned face and asked:
Nov, is that ALP"
Was it ALL 1t was as if fairy
godmother had appeared, waved her
magic wand, and poured out untold
wealth at her feet and then asked,
rs that all?"
Nov, remember, when the hands
of the clock point straight up" said
Mr.. Hamilton, STOPPING down and
taking one of Sissys little, cold hanls
in his large warm one.
A half-hour later sweet-faced
lady, with dark, smiling eyes very like
his own, admitted him to a home of
evident refinement and plenty, saying
as she closed the door:
eve had almost given you up, San.
What made you so late?"
"That is a story I'll tell you when
I've emptied my pockets, replied Mr..
Hamilton, handing out packages and
stopping to kiss the proffered lips of
the children who were clamoring for
Uncle Sans attention.
The next morning Sanford Hamil-
ton and his sister went on a shopping
tour, and a few minutes before II
o'clock passers-by looked curiously at
a man with a long, white beard, in
shaggy, fur-trimmed overcoat and
whose face was beaming expression
of the peace on earth, good will to
men, echoing around the globe. He
was trundling baby carriage, in the
front of which was large basket con-
tanning turkey and other requisites
of a Christmas dinner. Piled around
the basket were bundles and parcels
of all shapes and sizes. He stopped at
a corner and two children, a little
girl and boy a trif1e smaller, who
had been standing on the opposite side
of the street, ran quickly across the
street, the girl saying as she dragged
the boy by the hand: 81 telled y'u,
Tommy, he would come! | tellei y'u
he would comet"
Along this street, through an atmos-
phere thick with smoke. past ill-smell-
ing Chinese restaurants, dark, dirty
secondhand clothing stores, where
filthy Jews besiege the passers-by,
cheap saloons with free hot soup signs
displayed, pawnshops, and all that is
patronized by the poor and unfortu-
nate, Mr.. Hamilton followed the ex-
cited children.
F1udlly Iu6V IuIuSQ duu oC CAO
saloon designated as "Dinnie's place"
by Sissy they turned into an alleyway
where the snow was like CONCEALED
ink and mixed with tin cans, beer bot
ties. cinders, and all manner of refuse
and rubbish. Passing the home OF
the Casey family, which was a dilapi-
dated frame building with red door
opening on the alley; stairway on the
outside leading to the second floor.
Here Mr.. Hamilton left the baby car
riage, saying as he piled packages in
to their arms:
There, now, my dears, think you
can manage"
"You an God never tergits children,
does y'u?" said Sissy, looking with
shining eyes over her armful of bum
dies.
AS he hastily retraced his steps
Sissy's shrill treble reached his ears,
saying: 81 telled y'u he would come,
Tommy! telled y'u he would comet"