The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1908-12-17

child would have done. Even then repreA.
sion held her like q hand, but her face
worked pitifuliy and two tears made q
winding way down her round face.
Instantly all was amusement and con
~sternation. 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. THE truth II that we've
talked Christmas until the child 10 so ex-
cited and nervous that she L. hysterical
II you a my advice you'll put her quiet
ly to bed. Nonsense, Robert, h isn't Al
all feyerish and she isn't coming %
with anything. Leave her to me-"
Accordingly Sarah was tucked into bed.
her brow bathed with cologne and some
thing warm and comforting placed ut her
feet. But, oh, even more soothing than
these was the consciousness that she WA
spared that awful ordeal of hanging thG
white stocking that was never, never to
be filled. Presently, after a deep sob or
two, the tense little body relaxed She
was 80 tired! Sleep came to her merciful-
ly, as It comes sometimes to souls in thu
grip OF tragedy itself. '..
And when she awoke It was Christmas
day. The first, gray light OF morning
filled the room. Last year there had been
only q 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 they
would know, too!
She wondered how long 1t would take for
her mother to cry her eyes out. h 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, Sarah! 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 valiantly. There Is nothing
there" she faltered. There IL nothing
downstairs at all. Please don't be SORRY
but-there isn't anything there"
They stared at her anxiously for a mo-
ment. Wa 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 II Santa
Claus has forgotten the best child In seven
states"
He cuddled her on his shoulder and went
joyously downstairs. Her mother and the
two old aunts came behind I'm a very gale
of Christmas mirth and enjoyment. And
I'm a 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 beholding II now.
How still every n 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 holly,
like a flame. "Oh!' cried Sarah; "oh!"
The library was transfigured. 1t was
green and red with holly and hung with
evergreens. Everything was there-books,
packages, games. A blue eyed doll In a
blue bonnet smiled from her seat on the
top of a tiny unk A knobby, distorted
white stocking hung from the mantelpiece,
and in the center OF all, beautiful, fruitful,
with a p~asteboard angel balancing itself
on one leg on the very tiptop, was the
tree itself. Outside the window tho world
was white with snow and gold with suia.
and somewhere bells were clashinE glori-
ously. Sarah's soul expanded bios
somed like a flower. Her little body qutv-
cred with the pure, blessed rapture OF re-
lief. r"Oh!" she sobbed, 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, and when each and every one had
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 hat 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 n whole
dayF' ~"''.
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 her?''
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 II
something of the exaltation OF the inspired
and hat mysterious thing that Is the Sc
cret heart Of a little child sang in he
breast tina rapturous son her life could
never say.
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