The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-12-24
MESSENGER FROM
SANTA CLAUS

VI never did see Santa Claus, but
I've seen his messenger" said Billy
gravely.
His messenger" gasped his as
topished mother. "Why, Bill, who
put that idea into your head?"
Didn't you ever see him, NAM
mar"
"See who?"
Santa Claus messenger"
"Of course not, child"
well, / did," stoutly declared
Billy. II saw him down by the big
gate yesterday. And he's goin' to
bring me new sled"
A ripple of laughter went round
the family circle. Billy's mother
rose and took him by the hand.
"It Is time little boys were in
bed," she said, and led him from the
room.
When the child was snugly tucked
away between the sheets his moth
er bent down and kissed him.
Goodnight, darling" she whis-
pered. Tomorrow is Christmas,
and maybe If you are real good boy
Santa Claus will bring you some
thing. But good little boys don't
tell fibs, Billy-remember that"
Doris Lathrop sighed, even as she
crooned soft lullaby that sent Billy
drifting away into the land of
dreams. She was not happy, poor
thing, and the universal merry
making of the Christmas season
only intensified the deep desolation
of her heart. How she had lived
through the dragging years that had
elapsed since her young husband
had left to become wanderer on
the face of the earth, she scarcely
knew. 1t was just five years-fve
years this Christmas eve-since he
had gone away. Billy, she remem-
bered was but three years old at
that time-now he was eight.
1t was dark chapter in her young
life, and the memory of it still made
her blood run cold. A man had been
slain-a man named Duke, who had
been her fathers bitter enemy and
prosecutor for years. Circumstan-
tial evidence pointed to young Jack
AdIuAOp IhC pei POIiuIOi VI ehS
deed, and Jack had been foolish
enough to run away like an ordi-
nary fugitive from justice, thus con-
victing himself in the eyes of the
world. He had never been caught,
and had never communicated with
his wife, who at last had gone home
to her fathers house, not knowing
whether her husband was alive or
dead.
But there had been sequel to
the terrible tragedy. Less than
year ago her father had died. On
his deathbed he had confessed that
he was the real slayer of his arch
enemy, Duke; that in the madness
of evaporation he had struck the
blow that made him a homicide;
that his son-in-law, Jack Lathrop,
had been the only witness to his
rash act, and that Jack-noble,
Quixotic Jack-to save his wife's
father, had deliberately diverted
suspicion to himself by disappearing
from the community!
Christmas dawned on snow-cov-
cred earth, but it brought no peace
to Doris Lathrop's heart. She sat
at the breakfast table with the other
members of the family, silent and
distrait. She did not even notice
when Billy slipped down from the
table and softly stole out of the
room.
where is Billy?" some one sud-
denly asked.
His mother started up and threw
a startled glance around the room.
The boy had disappeared.
81 heard some one open the front
door a minute ago." said her broth
er. THE little rascal couldn't have
gone outdoors this cold morning?"
Doris stepped into the hall. The
front door was wide open. She
fastened forward to look out, and
who should she see but Billy coming
up the walk, leading by the hand
tall, rampish-looking stranger
with a bushy gray beard, and drag
ging behind him a magnificent new
sled!
Here he is, mammal" cried Bill
ly, in great glee. This is the
mess niger from Santa Claus. See
the sled he brought me. Now,
mamma, l didn't fib, did II"
Doris fell back. in dismay, Billy
and his new-found friend came up
the steps and into the house.
II couldn't help it, ma'am," said
the stranger, apologetically, as he
took off his disreputable hat. "The
child insisted on my coming to the
house, and Ill Just couldn't re-
sist-"
Doris gave a piercing scream.
Jack! Jack!" she cried out
wildly. 81 know that voice. know
that voice!"
She snatched the long gray beard
from the mans face and dashed 1t
to the floor.
"Jack!" she family articulated,
and fell swooning into the strong
arms of her husband.
And at that moment the bells in