The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-12-18

GtA1 VIVIAN law NOAG 1NCit nOA iVpACe ]
sion held her like a hand, but her face
worked pitifully and two tears made q
winding way down her round face.
Instantly all was amazement and con-
s~ternation. To all queries Sarah SHOOK
her head, while she wept silently against
her fathers shoulder. Never had 1t seemed
SO impossible to tell as now, when sym.
pathy EMBODIED her like a garment
Presently the very old aunt dominated
the situation. 1.-The truth is that we've
talked Christmas until the child 10 60 ex-
cited and nervous that she Is hysterical
if you take my advice you'll put her quiet
" to bed. Nonsense. Robert, che isn't at
all feverish and she isn't coming dowr
with anything. Leave her to me-"
Accordingly Sarah was tucked into bed.
her brow bathed with cologne and some
thing warm and comforting placed at her
feet. But on. ever more soothing than
these was the ~onsclousne that she waA
spared that awful ordeal of hanging the
white stocking that was never, never to
be filled. Presently. after a deep sob or
two, the tense little body relaxed. She
was so tired! Sleep came to her merciful-
lily, az 1t comes sometimes to souls in the
grip OF tragedy Itself.
And when she awoke 1t was Christmas
day. The first. gray light Of morning
hlled the room. Last year there had been
only a second between her awakening and
that ecstatic rush downstairs to the
library. Today she only covered down In
bed again. She was not wildly miserable,
as she had been yesterday. She seemed
only crushed and spiritless.
Presently she heard a sound In the next
room-her fathers voice and her mother'a
hushed laughter.
Well, in a little, little while now thew
would know, too!
She wondered how long 1t would take for
her mother to cry her eyes out. She trem-
bled a little as they came blithely into her
room, and down stairs in the library was
that gaping stocking and emptiness.
Merry Christmas, Sar.4h! Merry Christ
mas, little girl! What. awake and not
downstairs, Sarah! Why, Sarah!'
The moment had come. They must be
told, and from her own lips after all. She
faced them %valtantly. There Is nothing
there" she faltered. "There 10 nothing
downstairs at all. Please don't be sorry
but-there isn't anything there"
They stared at ner anxiously for a mo-
nent. Was 1t really more than simple ner-
vousness that allied her last night? SUD
renly her father smiled. Why, she's been
dreaming. Bless her. he said. Come
along, little girl, and we'll see IL Santa
Claus has forgotten the best child in seven
states"
He cnddled her on his shoulder and went
joyously downstairs. Her mother and the
TWO old aunts came behind in a very gallo
OF Christmas mirth and enjoyment. And
In q moment just a moment, they would
be at the library door. Her father put her
down upon the threshold. ."There!" he
cried.
She closed her eyes for a moment. The
picture OF the empty room had impressed
Itself 30 wildly on her brain that she
seemed to be actually beholdinE 1t nov.
How still every one was. OF course now
they knew. What was there to do but
to be still?
she opened her eyes, miserably, and IN
stantly her heart seemed to leap hotly,
like a fame. OH" cried Sarah: ''oh!''
The library was TRANSPORTED. 1t was
green and red with holly and hung with
eversreens. Everything was there-books.
packages, games. A blue eyed doll in q
blue bonnet smiled from her seat on the
top OF a tiny trunk. A knobby, distorted
white stocking hung from the m~antelpiece,
and in the center of all. beautiful, fruitful,
with q pasteboard angel balancing itself
on one leg on the very tiptop, was the
tree itself. Outside the window the world
was white with snow and gold Will sU5A
and somewhere bells were clashing slori-
onsiy. SArah's soul expanded and bios
somed like q flower. Her little body quiv-
cred with the pure. bleDed rapture of re-
lief. Obi she sobbsd, "He isn't dead!
He isn't dead!'
But when she had been questioned and
petted and her elders had exclaimed and
pitied and wondered over the untaken let
Ter, dlu when e0GN ana every ono h0Q
yearned in his secret heart to do instant
execution on the cheering Emerson. de-
spite the fact that Sarah dwelt only on
the fact that that oracle had been mis-
TAKEN" her mother put a last question to
the radiant Sarah. But, dearest. why
didn't YOU tell mother? Why did you keep
it all to your little self for one whole
day?"
you were so happy" said Sarah. Over
Sarah's head her father made a cryptic |
sign to the two aunts and Sarah's mother
that meant Hadn't we better tell herr"
He was slightly amazed at the fierce mega
ton that presented itself. Another year.
said his wife to him later. She'll be big
ger and harder in another year. This
Christmas sha'n't be spoiled for her at any
rate
Sarah sat at the foot of her tree, with
the blue eyed doll in her arms. She was SO
happy that her joy seemed to hold in it
something of the exaltation OF the inspired
and that mysterious thing thai IL the Sc
cret heart of a little. child sang in her
breast the rapturous song her life could
never say.