Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1908-01-02

half huur aud the boys and girls
" the chorus acrep "a the opportunity
to chat and gossip rs they sat on
boxes. bundles If cu llet or even squat-
ted on the fipor of tie stage. their talk
causing hum to fe.ound throughout
the big auditorium
AMI stlll the chili slept on.
Suddenly there wus an amlnous hush
rs Manager liarderaft strobe upon the
stage shaking snov from his fur lined
coat and shining silk hat Ills keen
eyes pierced the darkness toward the
boxes, probably IN an effort to detect
amy 81 the company who might be
stealing some comfort IN the box seHts
a privilege strictly forbidden lie
roughly demanded to know who the
kid was asleep In one of his forty
dollar chairs calling old Pete from
his post Mt the back. he wanted to-
know who let her in. anyway. Going
to the little sleeper. Pete dcftly took
the envelope from the little hand which
still clasped 1t. however loosely. The
great man impatiently tore open the
note. gave It swift glance, crunched
1t and. throwing It among the foot
lights. gave a pull at 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 aloud.
John Hardcraft Esq. Manager the Rialtc
Opera Company:
Dear Sir-l beg indulgence for thus in
trudiug upon your time and patience. II
is with reluctance | write to ask If you
cannot send me few dollars to he paid
back as soon as my husband is able to
work again. / have used all the money
he has saved for the doctors bill and to
purchase medicine and our necessities.
We have not had n cent in the house for
two days now. and not only are we-my
little daughter and myself-in need of
food. but | fear that IL | cannot renew the
prescriptions for the medicine the doc
tor has ordered Mr.. Granger will have
a relapse. | dislike very much to ask
this favor of you, but our condition is be-
coming desperate. You will be doing an
act of kindness we shall never forget IL
you will send something to aid US in our
predicament. and may God bless you for
It. Respectfully. HELEN GRANGER.
pocket and brought up a piece of
money, and then without word there
was a tinkling of dimes. quarters and
halves as they dropped into the hat of
the fat and rosy little comedian. The
collection was tied up in a 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 as
serious as a Hamlet. From roll OF
money he whipped twenty dollar bill
In very few minutes the property
man and his assistant had placed or
the stage in front of the sleeping girl
a nice green Christmas tree, purchased
without much ado from the vender on
the corner. Others had hurriedly
brought little red white and blue can
dies. strings of popcorn. tinsel and
candy hearts, which We're quickly at
tached 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
C0Ssack 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 all 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-iust little softer!'
The sound of celestial music filled
the place Ii was darl, save where the
twinkling 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
her eyes. blinked them again from the
light. sat straight, rubbed her eyes
with her tiny fists, stirred herself and
then. settling back in the big chair
sobbed aloud. Jumping down from the
stage, the Santa Claus took her on his
lap and tightly held her in his arms.
What's the matter. little one? Don't
you see that Santa Claus has come to
take care of you?''
Yes. know, dear Santa. but l am
crying because am afraid I'll wake
up and find it isn't real" And the
trembling child huddled closer.
But it is real. and you are not asleep
See this handkerchief filled with mon
ey for your dear sick papa. Now take
ii home, and tonight he sure to hang UP
your stocking. both of them, for when
every little boy and girl is asleep am
going TO make my rounds, and | am
not going to- forget ou.'-Atlanta Con-
stitution.
II Trust You."
Il owe my salvation TO three words
you spoke" he wrote. when all the
world was against me you said, 4
trust you
If every boy or girl who has made
mistakes and gone astray could have
such a friend great many of them
would return to normal life. The
feeling that somebody believes in us,
trusts us. no matter what others be
lieve or say. touches the heart. Grim.
inals are sometimes totally reformed
through the consciousness that some