The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-25
THE EVENING STOR Y
St. Nick IS a Go-Between.
(By Jeannette Walden.l


Rhoda Thompson had never thought
much upon the ethics of Frightening
up children, but it seemed to her a
serious breach of maternal duty to go
across the continent and leave two
children behind-espe cially at Christ
mas time. Yet, Illness was an ex-
tenuation. 81 couldn't think of leav-
ing them with any one but you,
Rhoda," her sister-in-law's letter read.
t'Of course. that's what they always
say" thought Rhoda, with a satirical
curve of her firm lips and an amused
light N her keen dark eyes.
Rhoda lacked the proverbial "old
maids" fondness for canary birds,
flowers and children. This deficiency,
added to her quiet self-control, led the
netghbors to assert that she had been
soured by her disagreement with John
Brinton ana that for the last seven
years she had been whitening up lin
wardly." though she preserved out
wardly a youthfulness which excited
the envy of many OF her more normal
contemporaries in single blessedness.
But the children were coming and
Rhoda acquiesced with her usual COM
posture. So one morning the daily ex-
press brought them; a fat youngster
of six and a comical dignity of bear
ing, and a restless-eyed, energetic girl
of about eight.
Rhoda regarded them with a kindly
impersonal attitude, not untinged
can take care of themselves" she
laughed. when they had been with her
a day or two. I'm not going to worry
myself sick over them. They know
more than I do
The second night at supper small
Frank finished his oatmeal porridge
with a grunt of satisfaction and pro-
ceeded to open fire upon his aunt's
fertilization of reserve. Aunt Rhoda,
where's your husband?"
Law! don't know" RhOda grew
facetious. And I'm so poorly of
without one
Edith's blue eyes were wide with
commiseration. Haven't you even got
a beau. Aunt Rhoda?"
The slight contempt of Rhoda's
smile was lost upon her naive inter-
rogators. mo. not even q beau. I'm
afraid I wasn't properly brought up''
This dismissed the delicate subject
from conversation for the time, but not
from contemplation. Rhoda was abb
sent-minded when she undressed the
children that evening. Her thoughts
would go back to the time when she
had a beau" when she had known
love and tenderness and had foolishly
existed for one who-it gave her a queer
sensation to kiss the children good
night ana feel their warm arms cling: ng
around her neck "Auntie," whispered
sleepy Edith, IF you'll come to our
house, Mamma'H find beau for you"
This offer, though kindly meant, came
like a travesty of RhOda's own weak
thoughts. Her disciplined heart slip
ped back shame facedly to its sane
tuary, and by the time she hadl reach
ed the sitting-room her obdurate self
cornplacency was fully restored. How
well she had kept her word, and how
well she would continue to keep it,
When she told John Brinton that their
first quarrel should be their last, she
meant it.
Rhoda needlessly steeled herself for
a recurrence of the husband topic The
obi min TE
to other subjects, or at least it APP
peared so TO her. In truth, they had
shifted the matter to Santa Claus
shoulders. For, the very next morning
Edith had said to Frank: Don't you
suppose we could get her one for
Christmas?" And Frank ansWete ed with
his perennial interest in anything that
savored OF Christmas mystery, Nab
be-
Then the children found a remark
able man who lived q few streets away
from their house in a big workshop,
where he cut all sorts of pretty things
out of wood and made flowers in tables
and chairs. He told the children with
a good-natured chuckle that he was
making them for Santa Claus, and he
did not deny Franks allegation that
he was a near kinsman of that popular
saint.
Though he doesn't look much like
him." Frank demurred with his love of
literalness; "he hasn't any long white
WIFI. kers.''
But he has yellow mouth-whisk-
ers' maintained Edith, "and I'm sure
he has Santa Claus eyes"
yep" Frank admitted, kind O.
twinkly.''
Santa Claus's cousin allowed them
to come to the shop every day, when
the buzzing machine wasn't running,
and play with the shavings. Some
bench where he was working. He
liked to have them talk to him, and
just once in great while he asked a
question about their Aunt Rhoda. He
never looked right at them when he
did it, and often forgot what he was
doing and spoiled a block. Then he
would throw it over to Frank with a
queer laugh, pick up another and go
to work again in earnest.
Every day the children thought of
something that must be added to Their
list of gifts. and commissioned the
cousin to deliver their message to San
ia Claus When they told him that
Aunt Rhoda wanted a beau for Christ
mas, he turned so red that they were
afraid he was angry. or at
least that he was doubtful about the
feasibility OF the request. True to their
policy, they pressed the point. "She
wants it very much" asserted Edith,
her blue eyes upturned wistfully.
''She does un-un-poorly thouI
any husband" added her accomplish.
Did she say that?" Santa's cousin
looked straight at them, and the twin |
kle in his eyes blazed like sparks.
The children nodded a weak affirm
ative, almost sorry that they had spok-
en-
well, that's all right" the cousin
assured them quickly, and in a much
softer tone. Wen see what can be
done"
That is how it came about that the !
children sometimes felt as though |
they would burst with secrets they
must keep from Aunt Rhoda. Santa's |
cousin convinced them that If they told |
a thing all would be UP with them, |
even to the extent of dropping Christ
mas from their calendar. But some |