The Huttig news., 1907-12-21

to the window farthest from the sick mother and placed the lamp upon it. Then she got out her precious, dimin. ishing store of letter paper that had to be brought to her from 6 miles away, like the rest of the supplies, and the clumsy shears, and began to mako paper dolls.
 Clip, clip, went the big shears. That and the rustic of the paper were the only sounds to be heard Gra 1Gally she realized that the bowling or the wind had ceased and the blizzard had gone down
 Lilies words kept repeating then,- selves sleepily in her tired brain: "A light load" Surely this Christmas gift would be light enough for Santa Claus to take anywhere. Clip, clip, went the shears, and wonderful crea- tions fell from Hatties hands. There was a father with a miniature news paper spread out before him. There was mother with baby in her arms and another in a tiny paper cradle at her feet. There were brothers and sisters.
 Snip-snip-Her hands went slower and slower until the last of the paper family trailed off into aimless cut ting. Then Hatties weary head sank down on the table and Hattie was asleep. Asleep and dreaming of Mark.
 In the daytime she could keep the thought of him away from her with fierce determination. In the night it would come. She was dreaming and she knew it. She had dreamed of him too often not to know. And in her dream the door burst open and Mark stood before her. Of course it could not be real. Or, rather, it was dream of Marks ghost all deathly white. But even Marks ghost was welcome. There could not be any harm in embracing ghost in a dream She threw her arms around his neck
 But this was no dream. It was too solid and it was too cold. It was a real man who stood before her, be- numbed with cold, and covered with snow from head to foot.
 In a flash she came out of her dream. It was we'll for Mark that she was just what she was, and that she knew what to do. She brought the great tub of melting snow-water, cut off the frozen footwear and nit tens and plunged his feet and hands in it. She rubbed his face with snow. She made hot coffee-blessing the forethought that had kept the kettle filled with boiling water for the sick woman's use-and forced him to drink it. Little by little life and strength | came back to him and incoherent words.
 "Started-with Craver. He wanted ito see-his wife. I wanted-to see | you. Blizzard came up. Lost our way. Dug hole in the snow and stayed two night. Went long while and came to Smiths farm. Craver- too badly frozen-to go on Will be
 all right after awhile, but couldn't gc
 on then. Wanted to like fury. Smitt
 had to hold him back. Good thing
 He couldn't have come on his frozer
 feet. I-came on-alone. Got lost again. Been lost all day. Pretty near gave out Thought I'd have-to give up. So dark and cold. Saw ] your light when wind went down. 1 Came to-you."
 The words might be jerky and dis. | jointed, but Hattie understood it and | never words sounded sweeter. | Santa Claus did come in the night" :" 1 chirruped Lillie. q saw him. He was all white. And he brought me this.' She held up the precious paper doll | family.
 Aren't they hubby. I fought he could get froo with light load" Then another thought came to her.
 But he didn't bring anyfing to you, Hattie. That's too bad"
 No, no, it's as good as it could be- '
 Hattie laughed out in pure joy. "He brought me the one thing I wanted most in the world. And I shall be i thankful to him every day live; for if I had not kept my lamp burning in the window while I was working I mean waiting for him-Mark would l not have found the way"