Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-25

and-and red berries. think. and my
mamma used To have some retty red rib
bons that she tied on the branches.
Branches Of these trees out here, do
YOU mean
Yes. long pieces. Sometimes he brings
a Christmas tree all covered with gold
balls and candy. He did once TO me, but
| don't think he'll bring one here be-
Cause, you see. we've got many trees
ourselves, and i suppose there are not
enough children here for party. either
and you must have a party when You
have a tree.
Long branches of fir and pine We're
gathered by the O'Byrnes> and under
Bobs eager directions. were placed
around the room. a few gorgeous scarlet
snow blossoms were discovered by Terry
and greeted by the cripple with shouts OF
glee. Then Maggie found among he-
treasures scarlet flannel waist that had
been discarded by Mrs. OeByrne. and this
she cut into strips and tied to the fragrant
branches. always according to Bob's ideas
of the fitness of things because. to pocr
Maggie. the waist, dirty and faded, haJ
been an almost sacred possession, but,
cut into strips. it had no value. artistic or
otherwise.
While the active children worked trans
chanted palace for Santa Claus. Bob
dreamed and talked.
Hes big and strong. you know. ana
can walk anywhere. He just has his high
sleigh to carry as peck and he has such
a kind face
You never saw him, did your gasped
4 cry.
No admitted Bob. mot exactly. But
you see, | know how he looks, kind and
pleasant and happy. not like the people
here. but always smiling"
Little Terry's wide, short face expanded
into a grin. and he puckered his eyes into
a fancied imitation of Bob's imagined
saint.
oh, not like that screamed Bon
But, then. Terry, you couldn't look ii lt
him. you know, because he is old. He
used to take things TO my mamma wher
she was little girl-beautiful dolls and
Things. Did you ever have a doll, Mag
gie?''
And Maggie, blushing at the remem
brance of a little ragged bundle that hae
dice lived under her pillow. answered:
No; that is. not a real doll. You see
Bob, Santa Claus doesn't know about us.
Well he will now: at least. / think III
will Bobs voice was encouraging. =
told him about you in my letter. ] wisi
l had told him you'd never had a doll,
real one
Huh, What'd l want of doll?' sniffe:
Maggie. Haven't l always had Terry
Haven't / got your
Maggie's words and tone may have beer
brusque, but her eyes were motherly, an,
Bob's little hand was stretched out t.
touch her gown as she passed him.
But by this time the Santa Claus wh'
filed Bob's dreams by day and night witt
such unalloyed joy had become a horro
to Maggie and Terry; each night the,
discussed their tears.
Hell never come, sobbed Maggie
and poor Bobll be SO disappointed
But what can We do. Maggie?' ques
toned Terry. IF the snow wasn't -
deep. Meters might come and bring som
Claus had brought that. but he can't, an
if Meters can't get up, you know, nothing
can. And there isn't another bowl, any
, way. Even if Santa Claus could get hei
he couldn't find the BOWL
lie cHiluTcH COuIu CoIilhl edtl
other, and they knew only too well tina
they could get no help from the men VIII
had stayed at Hogans. IL Mrs. Monaghan
! had only been there, Maggie thought. sh
might have helped. but as ii was Their
was nothing. absolutely nothing.
To make things even worse, on Christ
mas eve heavy snowstorm set in. grei
white flakes falling softly down, hug
, white masses piling higher and highe
, around tree stumps and deserted novels
IF Harris don't move out today, he'i
be showed under tonight.
This was the comforting speech tina
, Maggie heard fall from her fathers lip
in the morning. Showed under. Thel
Santa Claus never could find Bob at all
And, of course, Harris wouldn't move
All day long he shoveled the snow ava.
from his cabin else sat, gloomy an,
morose. paying no heed to his own child
or to the other little boy and girl.
Just before nightfall the children strug
gled home, and, after their supper. crep