The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-12-17
said It every night, would make him


 She always came in the evening to come and listen. But his "lady" never spoke to Dr. Knight and never seemed to know that he was near. Christmas eve came. Miss Merton : sDok Joe down to the hospital chapel 1 in his wheeled chair. At the door he 1 shut his eyes tight for a second and l then flashed them open. The room was full of light and the warm. sweet smell of fresh pine branches. Ropes of holly and ever ! green draped the ceiling and the walls, | and from the ropes hung little red bells-such cheery little bells that they seemed to send out with their rosy ! color Christmas greeting. Tn the center of the platform at the | end of the room stood the Christmas l tree. It was tall and wide and covered with twinlzling candles, glistening or | naments and packages tied with red l and green ribbons.
 On the floor were piled more pack ages, so many of them that the floor 1 was covered.
 The patients were all there. Old Miss Curtiss, palsied and helpless, was | in a chair near the platform. Her face was radiant, and occasionally she lifted 1 her one sound hand and pointed to the | tree.
 MT. Furr, who two weeks before had | lost both legs, was brought in on a | stretcher. The oldest inhabitant, a par alytic, was wheeled in on her bed. | The convalescents with canes and crutches sat in easy chairs or lay on | pillows on the chapel benches. l The surgeons in their evening clothes on their way to Christmas eve dinners had come in and were affecting the antics of joyful small boys. | fThe first package taken from the tree was for Joe. Another was laid in his lap and another. They came fast They filled his chair and lay on the floor around him.
 There were toys of all kinds, balls of all sizes and colors, tops of every style animals of every material, banks with l pennies rattling in them, games, pug. zles, paint boxes, picture books, a lovely, many coiored clown that waved a hoop.
 There were shoes, stockings. under wear, suit of clothes, neckties, hand kerchiefs and mittens
 After the happy child had been put to bed and his toys placed where he could see them pr. Knight came in.
 Where's your fady, Jpe?" he asked
 Downstairs
 "Did she hear you say your pray ersY'.
 Yes, and she said her prayers too They aren't like my prayers. And she cry-just little cry.''
 "What did she say when she pray. cd, Joe?"
 'She put her head down in my GOV. CTS, and she say, Dear father, I love him and I'm so lonely And she cry and say something about Harold. Who's Harold?"
 Harold Knight dropped the childTs hand and hurried out of the room and downstairs to the chapel Miss Merton was there alone. He walked quickly up to her and took her hands.
 ''Edith," he began-"Edith, I want love you-I''-
 She stepped back and tried to draw away her hands. The movement o1 her head brought her cap close to q candle on the tree. The thin null famed suddenly into a blaze. Dr Knights fingers closed over the burn ing cap, and the fire was extinguished in his hand.
 He drew out the pin that held the cap in place and lifted from her un harmed hair the charred badge of hel profession.
 She caught his hand and tried tC open it. He clinched it and the cap ir 1t.
 ''1s it your cap you want?" he asked.
 ''NO, your hand; it's burned.''
 eve been suffering for weeks and you haven't cared.''
 'tYou wanted a silly filtration, and ii you were hurt it served you right.''
 twill you marry me, Edith? I shaI not ask for any more clandestine meet ings. I'll try to be patient till you graduate. Can't you love me? Yor ! 1Otc JUG dlIU Olu CurClSS OnQ IQf babies. Can't you care for me instead of for all those people,"
 "rm tired of caring for people. ] think I'd like-rd like to have some body care for me-
 Before the next Christmas came round Edith had taken off her nurse. uniform to don a bridal dress. Haroli Knight was the happy man, and it wa. arranged that the wedding should take place at the hospital among those wht loved both the bride and the groom Joe, of course, was present and watch ed the proceedings with eyes wid, open.
 When the. ceremony was over ana congratulations had been over Dr. ana Mrs. Knight drove away to their ow1 home.
 And that is why in the happy aftel years Dr. and Mrs. Knight always re serred to Joe as Santa Claus Joe.