Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-12-15


empurpling the valley; it would soon
be dusk.
She dived behind the counter, took
out a suit of red flannel trimmed in
white cotton, a peaked cap and mask
with long, white beard attached. With
this costume wrapped in bundle she
was waylaid at the door by her father.
"Whar We goin'?" he demanded, sus-
piciously.
ITO find one of the neighbor boys to
play Santa Claus; then I'm coming
back to fix the tree" and snatching a
shawl from the forked limb of pine
which served as hat-rack, she slipped
out
The air was fresh and frosty; al
ready there was promise of the dark.
cat twilight" his note had said,
and she started off toward the bridge
at the Gap.
Face to the ladies and back to the wall:
Take chaw O. terbacker and balance all.
a The rafters of the cabin shook with
the shutting feet, tie laughter of the
the uncertain strains of "Old Dan
Tucker" The fireplace smoked just
enough to wrap the ceiling in
picturesque Christmas swaddling
clothes.
Coal oil lamps fitfully Illuminated
the tree at the far end of the big room.
There was a sudden commotion at
its base, as without warning Santa
Claus stood on a tar-barrel, holding
aloft his bundle.
81 Promenade all; seats" roared the
fiddler, and the dancers and the chill
dren gathered around the tree-but
not too close for Mamie, as mistress
of ceremonies, waved them away from
the magic circle. AS he, in a thin,
disguised. voice. called out the names,
the owner would step up and claim
the parcel.
WHO is he?" one man asked, but
MacGregor nudged the speaker.
Hush it's one of the Unison boys,
most like; don't matter; we want to
fool the youngsters and they think
it's Old Nick himself"
rs MdCGTSSOT.-F
Now, it was not often that NAMES
father had heard himself thus ceremo-
niously addressed, and the canny Scot
blood leaped in veins he thought long
dead to pride.
Somebody said: well, s Mac,
reckon that's you," and he shuff1ed up
to the tree and took the slip of paper
Santa Claus proffered 1t was sworn
promise to buy the 20-acre lot adjoin-
ing MacGregor's place, adding that the
mysterious donor had stopped by the
owners farm and taken an option on
it in favor of Malcolm 1MacGregor!
Below the business form were the
written words: ,..FThe. one and only
consideration therefor, to be the and
of his daughter, Mary, to be mine, to
have and to hold from this day forth"
MacGregor tottered to a chair,
where he sat gazing at the precious
paper In the ehubbub nobody noticed
him; the children fingered about
Santa Claus, shifting at his empty bag,
longing to- touch the hem of his robe.
He waved them away, signifying to
Malcolm to. follow him out of doors.
Here, at the edge of the clearing, he
awaited the man and his daughter.
2 When they came he said, still in the
disguised voice: May + hope, Mr.. Mac
Gregor, that you wilt accede to the
plaintiff sdI % ss'
d'fPut her thar, Bud" and Mac Gregor
graspedF his hand.
But he .reeled and leaned against a
blasted tree for support when Santa
Claus, throwing off the cap, revealed
the smooth-shaven, square-jawed face
Of the teacher at Rabun's Gap.
THANK you, Mr. MacGregor," and
the teacher moved to Mary's side.
. Her father rallied to swear and say:
"But 1 thought"
you thought you were swapping
your daughter for a 20-acre lot,-and
you were not mistaken; the only mis-
take is in the identity of the party,
and that will scarcely matter. Or,
perhaps, you prefer to let your friends
know that"
But nobody ever did know, and the
identity of Santa Claus was so we'll
kept that to this day the children be-
lieve that he hid in a cave, and the
spring freshet rushed in and drowned
him. Anyway, he has never come
back.