Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-19
.ENt
Ny5.

on the afternoon of the 23d OF De-
cember, Franklin arrived In lndepend-
ence, and as he walked briskly home
ward from the station he was feeling
in a very happy frame of mind, indeed.
He had won the most important case
In his legal career, and as he realized
that he would shortly see Helen and
the boy he caught himself whistling
snatches from the latest eastern song
hits.
AS he approached a corner a few
blocks from the little cottage he no
ticed a little figure standing on tiptoe
vainly trying to drop letter into the
mail box. As he approached the lawyer
recognized the child as little Harold,
who on seeing him ran to meet him
with a glad cry of joy.
He took the boy in his arms and
kissed him, and asked him how he
came to be so far from home without
his mother On swearing him to
secrecy, the child told him that while
his mother had gone to town to do
some shopping unbeknown to her ne
had written letter to Santa Claus.
Harold was in some doubt as TO
whether the letter would reach Santa
Claus in time or not, but Fenton assured
him that Santa would receive 1t In
plenty time, and taking the letter from
the child he stood directly in front OF
him, as IL to mail the letter, but instead
of dropping 1t into the box he slyly
slipped II into the inside pocket of his
coat.
Now Franklin, on his homeward
Journey had been thinking a good deal
of Helen and the boy. and strange to
say they monopolized his thoughts TO
the exclusion of much closer friends
and closer interest.
The approaching Christmas had oc-
casioned him anxious and profound re-
Election as to what would be the most
acceptable presents to make Helen and
the boy, but when Harold showed him
the letter he had written to Santa
Claus. which he was about to post.
the thought that a happy solution of
his dilemma was at hand made him
chuckle with inward glee.
He saw little Harold safely to the
house, and after telling him to be sure
and tell his mother of his return and
that he would call to see her on the
morrow he resumed his journey home
ward, congratulating himself on his
good fortune in intercepting the letter,
and through 1t ascertaining just what
the kiddie had set his heart on get
ting from Santa Slaus.
Dinner being over, Franklin repaired
to the library, and after seating him
self comfortably in front of blazing
fire he took the childs letter out of his
pocket and slowly read;
Dear Santa Claus-I take my other
letter back | don't want no drum
and no blocks and no box of candy
and no nuts. Please, Santa, bring us
a papa, cause muzzy is so lonely and
/ want one, too. From your Ittle
friend, HAROLD SOUTHERLY."
Fenton Franklin sat watching the
burning embers long into the night.
The flickering lights and shadows or
the dying freight framing fantastic
pictures, all of them novel and strange
to a confirmed and unmitigated bache-
lor, but each succeeding picture SEEM
ingly more delightful than the one
which had gone before, presented In
smiling aspects the eyes of lovely
woman and the appealing face OF a
fair-haired child.
Long after the last ember had died
he started from his reverie and went
musingly off to bed, but not to rest,
for the firelight's pictures pursued him
even in his dreams
on Christmas eve Harold had been
put to bed early, so that Helen might
have time to prepare the Christmas tree
which had been secreted In an outhouse.
After making sure that the child was
soundly sleeping, the tree was brought
in and Helen busted herself in that alb
sorbing and exciting task so dear to
mothers heart, the decorating of
Christmas tree.
She placed the candles, the cotton
snow, the gilded nuts, the bon-bons, the
cornucopias and the hundred and one
things that a fond mother devises and
provides for the proper dressing of a
tree, and as she arrayed Harold's pres
ents around the base of the tree she
thouoht with a sigh that she would like