Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1907-03-12

come. He has team of reindeers.
AN the deeper the snow the faster
they GO"
Soon the others barred their feet and
hung their stockings on four chairs in
a row beside the first.
Then they all got on the bed in the
corner and pulled a quilt over them to
wait for Santa Claus. The mother
went on with her reading rs 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 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 were 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. \ frail but comely woman she
was, with pale face and dark eyes and
hair prematurely gray.
She had come west, girl Of nine
teen, with her young husband, full of
high hopes. That was twenty-one
years ago, and the new land had poor
ly kept its promise.
And the children-"How many have
you?" caller had once inquired. Ills
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 We're mortgaged. Even the will
derness had not wholly signed off its
claim. Every year it exacted tribute,
the foxes taking share Of her poul-
try and the wild deer feeding on her
grain.
Presently there came heavy step
and a quick pull at the latchstring.
An odd figure entered In 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 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 We're
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 it 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.
l
spellbound, eyes and mouth open. lie
watched every motion of the good
saint, who had come to that chair that
held the little stockings. Santa Claus
put pair of boots on it. They We're
copper toed, with gorgeous front pieces
of red morocco at the top of the leg.
/ hn ieh of 81
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 a box and took out a 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 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 q great sob that shook him to
the toes. The player stopped suddenly,
stuffed the instrument in a stocking
and went on with his work. Presently
he uncovered 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. II
bore the simple message, rudely let
tered in black as follows:
Merry Crismus. And Children have the
honnor to rename, Yours Respectfully
SANDY CLAUS.
His work done, he swung his pacl
to his shoulders and made off as they
broke the silence with hearty "Thanl
you, Santa Claus"
They listened moment as he wen
away with loud and merry slaugl
sounding above the roar of the wind
1t was the voice of big and gentle
heart, but gave no other clew. In Q
moment cries of delight and rustic Of
wrappings filled the room. AS OIL
wings of the bitter wind, joy and goot
fortune had come to them and in tina
little house had drifted deep as the
snow without.
The children went to their beds will
slow feet and quick pulses Paul beg
eed for the sacred nriyilera of waa rim.