Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-18


again the waiting began Tor the pair
whom chance had mated by common
fear
Gedd.ngs felt something tighten hor-
ribly about his heart when finally
blue uniformed nurse came with news.
He dared not look at Mary O'Toole
and brcathed hard as the young woman
made her announcement:
"Dr Homer says to tell Mr.. Geddlngs
that the patient is not seriously hurt
and. with good care, Will be back at
work in n week or two"
Did he hear Alright? Geddings asked
her to say It all over again. But even
then her explanation was less enlight-
ening than Mary OTooes thankful
sob-"HoIy saints. praise bel"
If the copper king felt suddenly faint.
il was hardly to be wondered at
cold. anxiety, hunger and fatigue had
warred with each other for hours, end
now all shared the victory over his
weakened forces. He collapsed into n
chair
1t was Mary o'Toolc who gave or
ders to the trained nurse. 'Tis mite
o. wine he's needn'. Hes been
traipsIn' about all evcnin. It's wore
out he IS"
The mite o. wine" did it's work and
Geddlngs found himself again.
The nurse showed them out, hiding
her amusement at the odd figure. who
bore nltnSclI Will Sutil liSIltlbphT us
nifty I'm spite OF a painted nose. false
beard and the costume of a harlequin.
Merry Christmas" she called after
the departing pair; but the absorbed,
happy couple did not hear her.
The tired clerks of the biggest toy
shop in Coppertown were Just prepar-
ing to swathe the counters in their
night wrappers, when they were halted
ont, nf the oldest DaIr
shoppers the place had held that day.
Santa Claus himself. red of nose, white
of beard. fat and ruddy. took the lead,
while his companion. tai, broad-beamed,
and wearing the marks of toll in form
and fist. followed in happy beWilder-
ment.
The weary proprietor was galvanized
into new life when Saint Nicholas be-
gan to give orders, and dispatched a
small army of cash boys to the base
ment to replenish the well-nigh eN-
hausted stock of the establishment.
Balls, marbles. tops. flying machines
sleds, stuffed rabbits and woolly dogs
that soueaked-to say nothing of sill
vered cherubs, golden balls and tinsel
angels for the tree-the portly saint
demanded, until the whole force OF
clerks was forced to pitch In and help
carry the bundles to the waiting auto
mobile.
tI6uulnES paused sll ldSA ~ Ss'''
clung to his turkey-red disguise. hav-
ing no desire to furnish material for
the ubiquitous newspaper reporter who
would undoubtedly have found a rich
"story" in this adventure of the Cop
per King" To himself he owned that
he was having the time OF his llte,
but he had come finally to the point
where his memory of his boyhoods
treasures was exhausted. He stopped
a moment to ponder; what did boys
play with nowadays, anyway turning
to question the mother of five of them,
he found her absorbed In watching the
gyrations of q wonderful electric en-
CINE that whirled about diminutiVe
track in the show windows
Mary O'Toole raised pair of visit
full yet apologetlc eyes. My Jamie Is
that fond o engines! Mickey let him
ride in the cab wan day--in the little
engine that hauls the slag-pots, ye
mnd-and the by did ask the most In
tilligent queStions,"
Wrap it up!" said Geddings with a
wave Of his hand.
what else, ma'am?" he asked, sur
veying the dlShevelled counters In an
effort to discover something still that
might appeal to masculine tastes
Seems to be nothing left but dolls
To his surprise the look Mary
O'Toole turned upon the bisque babies
with their round eyes and flaXen curls.
was simple as a child, and child's
passion for dolls showed in her hungry
eyes.
But you've no girls!" Geddings de-
INJURED, though she had said nothing.
Her lip trembled. Mono. 'Tis only
me foollShness."
Take your pick" was Geddings's
reply to this. and then as he saw a
protest forming on her lips he bent and
insinuated-''Don'ty you know some lit
tie girl to give 1t tor"
"Oi cud keep tho purity creetur till
next ChriStmaS-belike the Virgin Will
answer me prayerl" she cried with 81
rapturous ring in her voice that no
other occurance that evening had
brought into it. She would not permit
the doll to be wrapped, but gathered 1t
into her arms and held 1t close all
the way home. And the old bachelor.
sitting beside her had time to pondor
and marvel at the mother-love that
could cherish five boys and still have
yearings for Sirl-child
1t was almost midnight when Ged-
dlngs finally rested after an hours
absorbing work in the O'TooIe cabin.
Notwithstanding that this haG been the
hardest day he had ever spent In his
life, that he was scratched, bruised,
hungry and tired, somehow he was abb
suredly contented The springs OF old
emotions which he had thought long
bubbling, and arid spots long barren
began shyly to bloom. foretaste of
the delight the dawn would bring to
the unSuspecting little O'Tooles made
him pause beside the bed long enough
to smooth the towsled heads with a
paternal tenderness never before
awakened
In the light of cold reason his recent
actions would have been deemed by
himself as quixotic, a play to the gal
lery such as he detested Just so, he
knew, would his friends and business
associates view the course OF action no
had mapped out for the future. Already
a messenger had been despatched to
the smelter with his order to accede
TO the mems demands; they would
know In time for the next shift Lack
of resolution. cowardice even, he ex-
pected to be accused OF. but IL his
inner self would just keep on support
ing him in the delightful maner IT
had recently adopted, he had conf
dence that his outer man could stand
a few hard names.
A familiar sound brought him to tho
door of the shack He opened 1t and
looked out. while over his shoulder. e1-
pectant and gratified. peercd Mary
O'Toole.
Christmas bells, according to legend
and well-eStabliShed precedent. should
ring out their message OF good cheer
across tho snow. But in a world of
rampant commercialism, sweet bells
play small part. There were no bells
to chime forth the coming of the Yule-
tide, out there In Smetertown-only