The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-01-25

1
I'm ready for anything you suggest
mn'am," said tho old man as he rubbed
Sarah Mary's hand between his own
rough palms.
"weli. then" said tho child briskly
''hnd you Just an soon have your din
ner at half past 'leven, 10 I can have
tho whole afternoon to get ready "a
pretend inT'
'iiavc II ut ten thutty II you say co.
said her grandfather gayly.
mo" returned Sarah Mary, with
much gravity; "half past 'leyen will b.
early enough. Now, there's two or
three things you can do 10 help.
don't see I we can have a real tree,
but n we could bring In that tallest
apple wood chunk that's ont In the
shed and cut some notches In II and
stick some OF the twigs from the brush
pile In the Hotches | think 'twould
make a rcal good pretcndin' tree.
"And then. OF course" she went on,
you must hc Santa Claus. and you'll
know just how. II long as you've seen
one. and II you could spare me some
OF your old papers I'd he obliged. And
Ill do all the rest"
"MusSy snkey alIvcr calculated
Grandfather Nichols. what a little
planncr you be. Well. well. guess
there's quits little job laid out for
me. I'll look over tho old papers fust
and see what cnn spare, s'pose It's
no use nskln' You what they're forT'
mot mite" replied the child mar.
rily .qs. sbe took down the hraem from
its peg on tie Wifi
Guess I'll step out II It's house.
cieanin' time" said Grandfather Mich.
OILS an he beat II retreat. In pretended
dismay, 10 tho living room.
Here's four numbers from the three
years ago file that haven't got any
thing Of no great interest to me IL
'em.r ssId tho old man. cautiously
opening the kitchen door at about Il
O'Clock with n little package OF old
newspapers In his hand "Will that
be enough for your purposcs7 Seems
TO be great doin's In here this mornin
Haven't smclled molas"-
"Grandfatherl" said Sarah Mary In
warning tone, and the old man drop
ped the papers and retreated.
Jest like her ma, that child is." he
said TO himself as he put on his coat,
preparatory to trip TO the cold gar.
ret, whore he expected 10 find some ar.
tlcies suitable for his afternoons mas
querade. "There amt no stumpin'
her, not for long, eau tell ye."
Dinner was what Sarah Mary called
"slim" that day and was eaten with
all possible expedition, Sarah Mary's
thin little cheeks were flushed, and her
eyes were unusually bright.
'Do you spose-do you reckon its
silly for me TO be pretendin'" she
asked "Iiad I ought to consider I'm
too old for play. grandfatherf'
LETS see-~how old be You 'xactlyY
inquired tne ulu man.
I'm jest about 'leven," responded
the child.
"Wcu. that's gettln' on, O. course
but, seem you're small for your age.
presume 1t might be allowed 70 Ia
play little spell longer II you get a
good chance like this one"
The child's last doubt vanished with
this assurance.
1t had been agreed between them
that when Grandfather Nichols had
placed the chunk. with Its twig
branches tightly notched in according
to Sarah Mary's directions, she was tc
take possession Of the living room and
beautify II as she saw at.
All her grandfather had to do with
II was TO give her few more particu,
lars about the decorations he had seen
that other Christmas so long ago. He
was not 20 be permitted to see the liv,
Ing room till Q O'clock.
Precisely at that hour Sarah Mary
In the character OF guest and Santa
Claus in the person Of her grandfather
were to enter the apartment, one from
the kitchen and the other from the
entry.
Time hung rather heavily on the old
man. AT 8 o'clock he muttered to him
self, II wisht could see how look, >
and vainly tried to get glimpse of his
figure In the little cracked looking
glass, six inches square, which hung
In his room.
There" exclaimed Sarah Mary. de-
scending from chair on which sne
had been standing and looking about
the room with pride; "I've done the
very best | could. hope GRANDPA
ther II be pleased It's half past 8 now,
and ! must hurry and get dressed"
A. few minutes before Q o'clock lit
tic figure stepped softly down the
steep back stairs, and at about the
same time a large, cumbersome form
descended the front stairs laboriously.
AS the old clock In the kitchen struck
Q with Its sharp, curt strokes these