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

| wait for Santa Claus. The mother
| went on with her reading as they chat
tered.
Sleep hushed them presently. But
for the cracking of the fire and the
push and whistle of the wind that
room had become as a peaceful, silent
| cave under the storm.
The widow rose stealthily and open
/ ed bureau drawer. The row of limp
] stockings began to look cheerful and
/ animated. Little packages fell to their
toes, and the shortest began to reach
| for the floor, but while they were fat
| in the foot they We're still very lean in
/ the leg.
Her apron empty, Mrs. Vaughn took
| her knitting to the fire and before she
| began to ply the needles looked
| thoughtfully at her hands. They had
| been soft and shapely before the days
| Of toll. A frail but comely woman she
was, with pale face and dark eyes and
| hair prematurely gray.
She had come west, a girl of nine
teen, with her young husband, full of
high hopes. That was twentv-one
years ago, and the new land had poor
ly kept its promise.
And the echildren-"How many have
you?" caller had once inquired. lis
ten," said she. "hear 'em, an you'd say
there We're fifteen. but count 'em, an
they're only four"
The low, weathered house and sixty
acres were mortgaged. Even the will
derness had not wholly signed off it's
claim Every year it cxacted tribute,
the foxes taking a share of her poul-
try and the wild deer feeding on her
grain.
Presently there came heavy step
and quick pull at the latchstring.
An odd figure entered in a swirl of
snow-a real Santa Claus, the mystery
and blessing of Cedar hill For five
years every Christmas eve in good or
bad weather he had come to four little
houses on the HILL where, indeed, his
coming had been as a godsend.
Whence he came and who he might be
none had been able to guess. He never
spoke in his official capacity, and no
citizen of PARKWAY had such beard
or figure as this man. Now his fur
coat, his beard and eyebrows were
hoary with snow and frost. Icicles
hung from his mustache around the
short clay pipe of tradition. He lower
ed great sack and brushed the snow
off it. He had borne 1t high on his
back, with strap at each shoulder.
The sack was now about half full Of
things. He took out three big bundles
and laid them on the table. They were
evidently for the widow herself, who
quickly stepped to the bedside.
.'Come children" she whispered, rous-
ing them, there is Santa Claus
They scrambled down, rubbing their
eyes. Polly took the hands of the two
small boys and led them near him.
Paul drew his hand away and stood
spellbound, eyes and mouth open. He
watched every motion of the good
saint. who had come to that chair that
held the little stockings. Santa Claus
put a pair of boots on it. They were
copper toed. with gorgeous front pieces
OF red morocco at the top OF the leg.
Then, as if he had some relish of a
joke. he took them up. looked them
over thoughtfully and put them back
in the sack again, whereupon the boy
Paul burst into tears. Old Santa Claus,
shaking with silent laughter, replaced
them in the chair quickly.
AS if to tighten the boys heart he
opened box and took out mouth
organ. He held it so the light sparkled
ON it's shiny side. Then he put his pipe
in his pocket and began to dance and
play lively music. Step and tune quick
ened. The bulky figure was flying up
and down above a great clatter of big
boots, his head wagging to keep time.
The Oldest children were laughing, and
the boy Paul began to smile in the
midst of a great sob that shook him to
the toes. The player stopped suddenly,
stuffed the instrument in stocking
and went on with his work. Presently
he uncovered a stick of candy long as
mans arm. There We're spiral stripes
of red from end to end of it. He used
it for fiddle bow, whistling with ter
rife energy and saving the air. Then
he put shawls and tippets and boots /
and various little packages on the other
chairs.
At last he drew out of the sack a
sheet of pasteboard. with string at
tached, and hung it on the wall. 1t
bore the simple message. rudely let /
tered in black. as follows:
Merry Crismus.7 And Children have the /
honnor to rename. Yours Respec fully
SANDY CLAUS.
His work done, he swung his pack /
to his shoulders and made off as they |
broke the silence with a hearty THANK |
you, Santa Claus"'
They listened moment as he went /
away with n loud and merry laugh +
sounding above the roar of the wind. /
1t was the voice of a big and gentle
heart, but gave no other clew. In a
cries of delight and a rustic of
wrappings filled the room. As on
wings of the bitter wind. joy and good
fortune had come to them and in that
little house had drifted deep as the
snow without.
The children went to their beds with
slow feet and quick pulses Paul beg
ged for the sacred privilege of wearing
his new boots to bed. but compromised
on having them beside his pillow. The
boys went to sleep at last, with all
their treasures heaped about them.
Tom shortly rolled upon the little jump
ing jack, that broke away and butted
him in the face with n loud squawk.