The sun., 1908-12-26
FHIBP PLAYS SANTA CLAUS
lsTEALs 10 BUY PRESENTS ron
BROTRERS AND SISTERS.


nobber Charity Oyercafue Reform.
Fsur little stockings hung from the
klscben mantelpieoe in the Sullivan home
~ tie top floor Of the Hell's Kitchen tene-
raerl. Early In the evening the kiddies
Md insisted that the fire be drawn 30
santa Claus would have easy going down
phe tnimney Well they remembered how
~ llassed them up last Christmas because
.be dte was IN. but this time the fire would
IS ssit. the chimney would he cool and
here wouldn't be any possible excuse
f1f hia failure to pay them visit. Ever
<Intss the old man died st. Nick had been
AMfSlly lax in his visits and generosity
Nhiih most OF the other kiddies in heh'e
Kitchen invariably received a call ana
rot sornethinE to remember him by.
TIE mother turned her head and wiped
Eer byes with her apron as the kiddies
ninrad their stockings over the cold stove
1nd deposited on the mantelpiece the
Istfdrs 10 SANITY telling him what they
ranta5. A doll that could open and close
"a evee, box Of candy and a tiny bed
fcT she dolly that's what Lizzie wished.
oeffie would have dolly with golden
hair. carriage and pair OF mittens.
"A rubber doll and blocks and candy and
4 cfaileaud whatever you want 10 give, y
kb Eizzle wrote for baby Margaret A
6alTIof skates, a sled and ii baseball and q
hat that W ould make Paddy happy
The kiddies tumbei into bed an hour
I,tfobe their usual time and shut their eyes
fiohk. There was no telling when Sanity
YOU'D come over the roof, and II he found
k,ds'ayake after pightfall il would go hard
wfthstheal. He might forget them as he
d;d last year But it wasn't his fault
lhother told them she forgot 10 put out
80 a.e ia the stove. and surely he would
have been burned had he attempted TO
come down the chimney. 1t was different
how4tha .kiddies saw TO it themselves
eafly 10 the evening that the fire was out
ihers could be no excuse.
Ii Mas after . O'Clock when Billy. the
t,fisst .of the brood, staggered home.
+ 1,,at a. rssek before ne came down from the
Elnira ,RefoFrnatoRy where, he had done
ii sixteen months stretch. and nobody
E<nld eay that he hadn't been IN the level
tInoe hid liberation. True he went back
q the old gang and rushed the growler,
hit that was the worst they could say OF
him Billy got drunk when the oppor-
lfinity Afforded. but there was nothing
doing in the grating line One bit OF
9smirat cured him, they would never get
him as burglar again
The. Widow Sullivan, hard as she tried
On Christmas eve, couldn't keepfback the
tears when she saw her first born, the
liberated jailbird, stagger into the tene-
mant house drunk. But she wouldn't
Dnbraid him. She told him of the hopes
nf the fatherless kiddies and pointed TO
ibe letters addressed to Sanity Claus.
Dad died while you were in prison,
she whispered. lest the kiddies would
had spent those sixteen months-"and
when they awake and meet with disap-
nointfnent again"
hIra. Sullivan buried her head in her
tnton Billy turned aside. He couldn't
Stand Y longer.
Ieitafs from the mantelpiece and started
for the door. \ The Widow Sullivan laid
OBTAINING hand on his shoulder.
skof Gods sake, for the sake Of the
+ Kids don't drink. she said, Brace up
Billy sullivan went out into the night.
Under the glare Of an electric light he
read ahs letters to Santy-the letters Of
the kids asleep. He wandered to the
West lwenty third street ferry and
waited 1t meant going back to Elmira
81 possibly 10 Sing Sing II he took
hirlhIe5 but the kids were going to have
fktir Christmas--if SANITY failed then he
Was Wiling to 60 back.
Biiay carefully sized up the prey that
marched toward the ferry house loaded
aomn with bundles. The traffic cop on
duty tzas called away and the coast was
clears A well dressed man who had been
Inibihing freely sauntered down the
street unconscious Of impending danger.
Billy was upon him in a moment, dragged
him epto the dock and threatened his ]
.|ie the made an outcry. II dldn take I
lake his bank roll, a goodly sized wad,
and dash up the street
The kids got TO have their Christmas
hb muttered, "and somebody's got to
Hsand for it,
HelIs Kitchen tenement He filled each |
of the four stockings to overfowing, |
sampled with each wish and left gifts |
the kiduics never dared dream Of. Then |
rs cTawIed into bed. He had gone wrong |
again, but bis conscience didn't smite |
s Ifrn -he did it for the kids.
When the victim Of the holdup staggered
into The Vest Twentieth street station |
BE- Was able to give good description
o. the thief.
eHe had scar on his forehead, deep
scar extending TO his nose he said.
NAY D6 Diity % oVNb iiOh
Elnlf9, you know said the lieutenant
10 fhA detectives, "and you might hunt
him I'D on a chance He's been with his !
mother since he came back .-over in the
Kitchen,
After midnight, there came violent
'rapftng at the Sullivan kitchen door. |
PADDY awoke and trundled into the room
occupied by his little sisters.
sBtAtyis'oome,s he whispered; smaybe |
he co1ltiast GIT down the chinnbley,T
Al vioient shove and -two o detectives and
the hoidup sviotim Game through the |
door. Billy was out Of bed in jiffy-
lcnRs had he been used to these uncere- |
rnoniHs3s visits-and confronted the mid |
night 3etFuders.
+ sIf6 he.s !, said the victim. There's the |
ccarxon hies sface-the scar ! told you
TheE slipped the shaokles on Billy's |
wrisis The Detectives knew him. They !
knew how he could fight and they were |
taking no chancee.
Mrs. Sullivan and the liddies piled out |,
intotthe kitchen The tots had no eyes |
for The strange yisitors--they saw their |
stockings bulging. Sanity hadn't for |
Eottenthem. He hadn t passed over their |
roof without stopping,
-lttold you it was for the kids Billy |
.snarled. wait till get my clothes on |
and III 90 with you
q The victim looked at the stockings |
ban sing from the rnantelpiece. He ga7ed |
long at the kids dancing in glee
Say, officers, | think ] made a mis- |
take he said This isn't the mani |