Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-22

| asleep.
Every one on the stage was too busy
10 notice the mlto rs she rested there,
one foot curled under. her pretty face
! snugly ~. sari Into The corner OF the
| softly plduei chair. Her red tam had
slipped OF. and her hair was loosely
masscd IL rlnslcis about her face and
neck. IN q few minutes the stage
nauagcr abruptly stopped the cvolu-
tons and singing to announce that an
hour would DC given for something 10
eat So there followed hurrying TO
| nearby cafes and lunch places. md tho
big theatcr was left dark and silent,
| where only few moments previous
/ had resounded the voices Of chorus the
Shutting anu pnttcr OF feet and the
! shouts OF the excited director. After
awhile. one by one and in pairs and
! more, the company began TO assem-.
bic again. There was still good
half hour. and the boys and girls
of the chorus accepted the opportunity
to chat and gossip ms thoy sat on
boxes. bundles OF carpet or even squat.
| ted OH the floor OF the stage. their talk
| causing hum 10 rcsound throughout
the big auditorium.
| AMI still the child slept on.
Suddenly there was nm oininous hush
as Manager Hurdcraft strobe upon the
stage. shaking snow from his fur lined
cont and shining silk hat. His keen
eyes pierced the darkness toward the
boxes. probably in an effort 20 detect
| my of the company who might be
| stealing some comfort In the box seats,
privilege strictly forbidden. He
roughly demanded to know who the
kid was asleep In one OF his forty
| dollar chairs. Calling old Pete from
| his post Mt the bnck. he wanted to
know who let her In. anyway. Going
10 the little sleeper, Pete deity took
the envelope from the little hand which
great man impatiently tore open the
note, gave II Il swift glance. crunched
1t and. throwing 1t among the foot
lights, gave pull Mt his cigar and
strobe hurriedly into the street. The
company crowded forward to view the
little intruder. Tony Thompson, the
comedian of the organization. picked
up the note. Strengthened out its creases
and read nlouds
| John Hnrdcraft. Esq. Manager tho Rialto
Opera Company:
Dear Sir-I beg indulgence for thus in
| truding upon your time and patience. II
| Ia with reluctance ! write to ask If you
cannot send mo few dollars to DO paid
back soon as my husband Is able to
work again. / have used all tho money
| he has saved for the Doctors bill and to
! purchase medicine and our necessities.
| We have not had cent in the house for
two days now. and not only are we-my
little daughter and myseif-in need OF
| food. but fear that II cannot renew tho
| prescriptions for the medicine the doc
| tor has ordered Mr.. Granger will hhvc
] n relapse. ! dislike very much to aElS
| this favor OF you, but our condition In be-
| coming desperate. You will be doing IN
act OF Kindness we Bhn! never forget ~
| you will send something to did us In our
predicament. and may God bless you for
It. Respectfully. HELEN GRANGER
Some one. put his hand deep into his
pocket and brought up piece OF
money, and then without word there
J was tlnkling OF dimes, quarters and
halves rs they dropped into the hat of
the fat and rosy little comedian. The
collection was tied up in handker
| chief and noiselessly placed Into the
lap OF the sleeping child.
But that was not all. A happy
thought came to the comedian. now ns
serious as n Hamlet. From n roll OF
money he whipped twenty dollar bill.
In very few minutes the property
man and his assistant had placed on
the stage in front Of the sleeping girl
n nice green Christmas tree. purchased
without much ado from the vender on
| the corner Others had hurriedly
brought littlo red. white and blue can.
dies, strings of popcorn. tlnsel and
candy hearts. which were quickly at
tnchcd TO the boughs of the cedar.
While this was going on Tony was CIV
ing orders in rapid succession, as FOL.
lows:
"Quick, there, Jennie; bring that big
Cossack coat with the fur all around
the edges. Bill. run for those boots
Hurry. now. Somebody get me an old
mans wig. long white hair. mind you,
! and beard. There, that's just the
thing. Here, you NIL stand back in the
shadow. Now. girls, sing softly the
music that goes with the entrance Of
the queens barge in the starlight.
That's it-just little softcr!"
The sound OF celestial music filed
the place. 1t was dark save where the
twinkllng lights of the Christmas tree
! Illuminated the figure OF the merry
Santa Claus standing alongside. with
his kindly face turned toward the
slowly awakening child. She opened
I her eyes bIinkcd them again from the
light, sat straight. rubbed her eyes
with her tiny fists. stirred herself and
then, settling back In the big chair.
robbed aloud. Jumping down from the
stage, the Santa Claus took her Oh his
lap and tightly held her in hls arms.
| whats the matter. little 'onef Don't