The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-26

excite Il Jealous fury. Now 10 Mag
gie' ; amazcmeu;. The stones were
! brought daily 10 Bob s cabin. for
! Terry had seen hat the nervous little
| hands of the invalid loved 20 play wit b
! the strange TOYS. Sometimes acorns
were crushed and bread made from The
meal. sometimes dust was washed and
the Tiny PARTICLES Of mica that glistened
in the sand were greeted with shricks
/ of g Gold, gold! goid.H And even
while other games were in progress the
mortar and pestle lay on Bob 8 chair
where he could reach them easily. Terry
| guarded his treasure no less carefully
/ than before, however. and always took
! IL home at night, never once forgetting
| it, never once allowing Maggie TO carry
| The summer aud autumn had worn
away Tho mills were closed, the
camp deserted save for o 'Byruc. the
watchman, aud half dozen woodmen.
Among the latter was Harris. Com:
muuication with the outside world had
ended with The first big snow storm,
and il was n white earth on which the
children lived. O'Bvrnc had moved
down from his hillside cabin to the
| boarding house, so Maggie and Terry
had only short distance TO traverse
/ to the Harris cabin. Through icy
winds and over snow drifts they made
their daily trips, aud the games and
stories progressed as gaily as they had
in summer.
Why. it must be almost Christmas, -
explained Bob one day, emerging from
contemplation Of the fire.
cit il be Christmas in week, -
agreed Terry. Il heard Murphy say so
this morning
And santa Claus will come.'
"Who's Santa Claus ~ demanded
both Inc O 'Byrncs,
f'Why, Santa Claus? Why, he s
lust Santa Claus. YOU know. He comes
at Christmas and brings You toys and
things
The little voice was very eager.
nHe comes down the chimney and
puts things in your stockings. Don [
you have Santa Claus helc?'
No, never saw him.
Ono, mover heard of him.
So many things had come up that
the little children had never heard OF
that Bob had grown quito used 10 his
position as instructor. Now. however,
he entered into his explanations with
unusual fcrvor. for the Jolly old saint
had been very dear to HIM in the by.
eono davs at home with mama.
N.The Night Before Christmas was
repeated again and again with coplous
notes and examples.
"And he always knows what you
want most Year before last he
brought me this chair, and you see
how [ needed that. Last year he
brought nc my books. And this year
he'll bring nc There was a long
pause "Oh, he'll know and think OF
something fine
"But howl he know that You are
here!n demanded Terry, % He never
came TO bring us things.
.Oh he I'll know and he II Just drive
over the SHOWS with eight tiny rem
deer. - The little hands were clapped
with Joyful expectation.
"But Bob, he eau {; lntcrPosed the
practical Maggie. 1.-The snow here is
smooth enough, and If he's got good
runners he might yet over that all right.
hat the mountain road is blocked. No
one can get up that before spring.
Rut he viii. ] know he will, as
serted Bob. You lust wait and see,
II S only week 10 wait
The eager voice. the eager light IN
the child 8 eyes, followed the Brynes
home that night and they lay awal l1c
long. wondering about this strange Wis
| itor who always came so Bob al Christ
mas.
"He won I lenow the WY, / n, sure. -
was Tcrry's last comment, and Maggie
went to sleep to dream that she was
cutting a wide trail down the noun
tainside. so that Santa Claus could bring
his precious pack M TO Bob.
The week had almost drawn 10 i close
| when, one morning, the little crippled
| lad greeted them with shouts of JOY.
give thought of ii. he cried.
GIVE written letter TO SANTA Claus
that 5 what my mamma always had nc