The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-21
CHAPTER XII.

DNG before daylight one could
g hear the slowing Of the wind.
~ It's caravan, now reaching east
ward to midocean, was nearly
passed. Scattered gusts hurried on, like
weary and belated followers Thea
suddenly came a silence in which one
might have heard the dust of their feet
falling, their shouts receding In the far
woodland. The sun rose in a clear sky
above the patched and ragged canopy
of the woods--a weary multitude now
resting in the still air.
The children. were up looking for
tracks of reindeer and breaking paths
In the snow. Sunlight glimmered in
far flung jewels of the frost king. They
lay deep, clinking as the foot sank in
them. At the Vaughn home it was an
eventful day. Santa Claus-well, he is
the great captain that leads US to the
ders the golden key. Many ways are
beyond the gate. some steep and
thorny, and some who pass it turn
back, with bleeding feet and wet eyes,
but the gate opens not again for any
that have passed. Tom had got the
key and begun to try it. Santa Claus
had winked at him, with a sharing
eye like that of his aunt when she had
sugar in her pocket, and Tom thought
it very foolish. The boy had even felt
of his greatcoat and got good look at
his boots and trousers. Moreover,
when he put his pipe away, Tom saw
him take a chew of tobacco-an alb
horrent thing if he were to believe his
mother.
Mother" said he, II never knew
Santa Claus chewed tobacco"
"Well, mebbe he was Santa Claus
hired man." said she.
Might "a had the toothache,v Paul
suggested, for Lew Allen, who worked
for them in the summer time, had a
habitual toothache, relieved many times
day by chewing tobacco.
Tom sat looking into the fire mo-
ment.
Then he spoke of a matter Paul and
he had discussed secretly.
Joe Bellus he toll me Santa Claus
was only somebody rugged up t. fool
folks an hadn't no RENDERS at ALL"
The mother turned away, her wits
cropping for an answer.
Hadn't ought to "a told mother,
reproach and pity faint so, anyway
we know faint so.'
He was looking into his mothers
face.
"'Tain't So" Paul repeated with I'M
shaken confidence.
Mustn't believe all ye hear" said |
the widow. who now turned to the |
doubling Thomas.
And that very moment Tom was
come to the last gate of childhood,
whereon are the black and necessary /
words. Mustn't believe all ye hear"
The boys in their new boots were on I
the track of a panther. They freed
him presently at the foot of the stairs.
How'll we kill him?'' one of them |
inquired.
Just walk around the tree once"
said the mother, AN you'll scare him
to death. Why don't We grease your
boos?'
'Fraid it'll take the screak out OF I
'em." said Paul. looking down thought
fully at his own pair.
'Well,'' said she, you'll have me
freed if you keep on. No hunter would
have boots like that A loud foot
makes a still gum
That was her unfailing method of
control. the appeal to intelligence. Pol
ly sat singing thoughtfully. the locket
in her hand. She had kissed the sacred
thing and hung it by ribbon TO her
neck and bathed her eyes in the golden
light of ii and begun to feel the subtle
pathos in its odd message. She was
thinking of the handsome boy who
came along that far May day with the
drove and who lately had returned to
be her teacher at Linley school. Now
he had SO much dignity and learning
she liked hi,a not half so well and felt
he had no longer any care for her. She
blushed to think how she had wept
over his letter and kissed it every day
for weeks. Her dream was interrupted