The Marshall republican., 1909-12-24

| Dunno; Names fixed up a rig ant
says she'll find some III to wear It.
some un to play Old Nick and give
the things off the tree"
All this while Mamie was slyly re
reading the letter.
Your father will not permit me
to go to you, sweetheart; but will you
come to me? BY the pollard willow, at
twilight ~to.night?"
Mamie glanced out OF doors: TIE
shadow OF Mason's bluff was already
e%mpurpling the valley; It would soon
be dusk.
She dived behind the counter, took
out a sui. of red flannel trimmed In
white cotton, a peaked cap and mask
with long, white beard attached. With
this costume wrapped in a bundle she
was waylaid at the door by her father.
"Whar ye goin'?" he demanded, sus-
~p:ciously.
ITO find one OF the neighbor boys to
play Santa Claus; then I'm coming
back to fix the tree" and %snatchinG a
shawl from the forked limb Of a pine
which served as hat-rack, she slipped
out.
The air was fresh and frosty; al
ready there was promise Of the dark.
"At twilight" his note had said,
and she started of toward the bridge
at the Gap.
Face to the ladies and back to the wall:
Take a chaw o. terbacker and balance all,
The rafters of the cabin shook with
the shutting feet, the laughter of the
dancers, the calls of the fiddler and
the uncertain strains Of "Old Dan
Tucker" The fireplace smoked just
enough to wrap the ceiling In
picturesque Christmas swaddling
clothes.
Coal oil lamps 1tfully illuminated
the tree at the far end OF the big room.
There was a sudden commotion at
its base, as without warning Santa
Claus stood on a tar-barrel, holding
aloft his bundle.
Promenade all; seats" roared the
fiddler, and the dancers and the chill
dren gathered around the tree-but
not too close, for Mamie, as mistress
OF ceremonies. waved them away from
the magic circle. AS he, in a thin,
disguised voice, called out the names.
the owner would step up and claim
the parcel.
who is he?" one man asked. but
MacGregor nudged the speaker.
Hush; it's one of the Jimson boys,
most like; don't matter; we "a to
fool the youngsters and they think
it's Old Nick himself"
Malcolm MacGregor."
Now, 1t was not often that Mamie's
father had heard himself thus ceremo-
niously addressed, and the canny Scot
blood leaped in veins he thought long
dead to pride.
Somebody said: We'll. Mac, l
reckon that's you," and he snufied up
to the tree and took the slip of paper
Santa Claus proffered. It was a sworn
promise to buy the 20-acre lot adjoin-
ing MacGregor's place, adding that the
mysterious donor had stopped by the
owners farm and taken an option ON
it in favor of Malcolm MacGregor!
Below the business form were the
written words: "The one and only
consideration therefor, to be the hand
Of his daughter, Mary, to be mine, to
have and to hold from this day forth"
MacGregor tottered to a chair,
where he sat gazing at the precious
paper. In the hubbub nobody noticed
him; the children fingered about
Santa Claus, shifting at his empty bag
longing to touch the hem Of his robe
He waved them away, signifying to
Malcolm to follow him out of doors
Here, at the edge of the clearing, he
awaited the man and his daughter.
When they came he said, still in the
disguised voice:"May | hope, Mr.. Mac
Gregor, that you will accede to the
PLAN"
Put her thar, Bud" and Mac Oregon
grasped his hand.
But he reeled and leaned against a
blasted tree for support when Santa
Claus, throwing off the cap, revealed
the smooth-shaven, square-jawed face
OF the teacher at Rabun's Gap.
Thank you, Mr.. MacGregor," and
the teacher moved to Mary's side.
Her father rallied to swear and say:
"But / thought"
You thought you were swapping
your daughter for a 20-acre lot,-and
you were not mistaken; the only mis-
take is in the identity of the party
and that will scarcely matter. Or
perhaps, you prefer to let your friends
know that"
But nobody ever did know, and the
identity Of Santa Claus was so well
kept that to this day the children be
lieve that he hid in a cave, and the
spring freshet rushed in and drowned
him. Anyway, he has ns--sr come
back.