The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1907-12-20

ever SO slightly and peep through hel
! chubby fingers. There it stood or
the velvet cushion beside Sallie, trim
warm and lined with pearly gray
satin, exactly like Mrs. Carriers own
| beautiful big one, but smaller by half
"A great longing began to grow in
Vida's heart.
But from that day on till the 18th
of December Vida thought of nothing
but gray muff-how she would look
carrying it, how it would feel and
how every Sunday afternoon she
would let poor Dorothy Haines carry
it for whole block.
The 25th fell on Sunday that year,
and Saturday morning dawned bright
and clear. Vida and her mother
were standing together at the nur-
sery window, as with a jingle of
merry bells the Carriers sleigh drove
by. Vida sighed contentedly.
Tomorrow she said, 81 shall be
carrying q gray astrakhan muf."
Her mother laughed merrily. "Why,
Vida, dear" she said. you asked
Santa Claus for seven other things
you said so only this morning. You
couldn't expect him to remember
them all, and he's as likely to forget
the muff as the French doll, or the
tea set. It's foolish to count on any
one thing when you made so long a
list. | told you to be moderate"
And her busy mother hurried off in
answer to a call from Aunt Jane
Not count on it! Why, she had
done nothing but count on it ever
since Santa Claus had found her note,
says st. Nicholas. Not count on it.
Why, Christmas would be nothing
without it!
AT last twilight came, and the dark
ness fell. And in the corner of the !
great hall sofa, facing the clock on
the stairs, Vida. disconsolate little |
body, fell asleep.
Her mother wakened her when it
was time to hang up her stocking, and |
then, in spite of her warning, and in |
spite of her long hours of worry, hope
was born again, and when Vida kissed |
her mother good night visions of
gray astrakhan muffs danced in her
head
Merry Christmas Merry Christ
mas"
1t seemed to Vida she had but
closed her eyes, and there stood moth
er and Aunt Jane beside her bed, one
With her worsted shoes and the other
With her red eiderdown wrapper to
hurry her over to the nursery, where
1er father stood awaiting at the
loor
Merry Christmas! Merry Christ
mas. Oh, papa, | said it first!" she
ried, laughing'y, as her father caught
Ter in his arms. I
Vida drew quiet breath, aud gave ]
little happy exclamation. Then she 8
lew straight to the fireplace-the :,
huff should be there
Of the seven presents six were not
orgotten, and there were others she :,
ad not asked for.
But Vida's lips were quivering, and
great lump swelled in her throat.
he muff-the beautiful gray astra- 8
han muff was not there. Santa h
laus had forgotten it. a
But Vida was brave And she r
ould not let those who loved her see
err cry, or suspect her disappoint- c.
tent. She turned away from them d.
nd went to the north window, fight.
lg with her tears.
"Oh, para, papa" she cried ex-
tedly. Come here, come here right =
way. See, there is somethir out on n
lie roof"
Her father opened the window
lckly, and climbed out. Vidas
cart beat so wildly she could scarce N
speak, Her father was picking up
box-it was about the size of Aunt o.
mes cooky jar, and it was round. h
We'll" her father said, as he D,
lmbed back into the nursery. Here b,
something old st. Nick dropped, -
i'd from its size | guess it's meant
r you" ~
Vida's hands trembed so she could :,
arcely tug off the round top of the ~
X Just as it was about to yield, a o
dden fear fell upon her heart ny
Papa, perhaps-perhaps he didn't III
can it for me. Perhaps he dropped b
and it belongs to some other little Al
H." Sc
Her fathers eyes twinkled. re
Look al the bottom of the box. it,
one" he said.
Vida turned the box upside down. n,
ere was her name-Vida Sumner :,
ne. as plain as plain could be, and ~
lille she was staring at it open oe
'uthed. out dropped-not little pl'
~ astrakhan nun, but beautiful gu
Z chinchilla one and little collar in
match! And Sallie Carter peeped
'ough her fingers that Christmas
'rning at the happiest little girl in st'
Cbrtstendom. Tan