Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1911-12-02
.TheChiir1nney
Stopped
And Santa Claus Came In
at th7 Door
Rv r. A. Mitchell
Copyright by American Press Assoc
citation. 1871.

mas day, O'clock In the afternoon and
30 near Christmas eve as to be, appall-
ing to Joe Tooker. before whom was
the prospect OF spending Christmas
alone. Joe occupied rooms in a tene-
ment building. and next door on the
same door lived a widow with three
children. the oldest being q. very pretty
girl Of nineteen. Joe had caught sew
eral gllmpses OF the girl and many an
evening when In his room alone had
wished that he might go In next door
and sit with the family, but he had no
one to introduce him. The partition
that separated him from their apart
ments was thin, and now and again
when the family were In the room ad-
Joining his he could catch bits Of their
dialogue.
He judged from these that they were
people who had seen better days. Their
speech was modulated after the man
ner Of well bred people. The mother
was at times fretful, as was to be ex-
pected of one growing old and battling
with adversely at the. same time. Joe
would hear some complaint from the
mothery always to be followed by a
comforting word from the daughter
and In n very sweet voice. Then one
Of the children would be disgruntled
to be soothed by the sister.
That girl Is an angel" said Joe to
himself. =
As was saying. 1t was about an
hour before Christmas eve when Joe
entered his lonely room and sat down
to read an evening paper before going
out to get his dinner at q restaurant
His folks lived too far away for him
to go to them for Christmas or for them
to come to him. He knew few people
In the place and none so intimately as
to secure an invitation for even a
Christmas dinner. The consequence
was that he dreaded Christmas eve and
Christmas day and Christmas night
He wished he could go to sleep and re-
main asleep until the morning after
Christmas While he was thinking Of
his lonely lot he heard voice on the
other side OF the partition. the voice Of
a complaining child.
why can't we have n turkey tomor-
row, mamma?'
turkeys are very expensive this
season. dearie We can't afford one
We're going to have a nice hamburger
STEAK instead. You know how fond
you are of that
IL don't want hamburger steak on
Christmas. ! want turkey. We're not
going to have any Christmas at all this
year. Jennie says we mustn't expect
Ns~rr t. n
Santa Claus has sent note that he is
going to pass us over. I'm going to
hang up my stocking anyway. and If
he doesn't put anything in 1t I'll write
him letter telling him how mean
think he is.''
so will l." came another little voice
Then the speakers went into another
room.
\ An idea popped into Joe lockers
head 1t was the biggest most origi-
nal, most daring idea that the modest
fellow had ever conceived He sat.
stunned by 1t, for some time. revolving
in his mind various features concern.
ing It; then, suddenly getting up from
his chair, he hustled on his overcoat
and hat, rushed out, slammed the door
behind him and ran downstairs two
steps at time.
The first place Joe stopped Mt was a
meat market. where he bought a tur
! key and celery and cranberries and
oysters for the dressing and other
things good to eat. Then he went to
toy shop and gathered In such trifies
as children prize. He dare nc' trust
TO having them sent home. the hour
being late. and took everything he
bought with him. But he was big and
strong and could have carried three
times as much. Lastly. he looked In a
directory for the address of costumer
and finally found one. Going to the
place. he told the proprietor to fit him
out at once as Santa Claus.
Returning to his room. he deposited
his purchases and went put again to
get his dinner. About 8 o'clock he
went back. taking more toys and two
bouquets of flowers with him and
spent the evening arranging for put
ding this wonderful idea Of his into
practice. He had heard ut various
times enough through the partition to
know the names of those on the other
side, 30 he marked the toys. some.
BILLY and some Lucy" On one OF
the bouquets he tied card on which
he wrote, H'ro Mamma From Santa
Claus and on the other. ITO Jennie
From Santa Claus"
That wasn't lonely Christmas eve
for Joe Tooker at all. though he was
alone. He was fixing up the gifts and
trying on his Santa Claus suit all the
while. But It must be admitted that
every now and again he caught his
breath mt what he considered the dar
ing deed he was about TO perform
Then he would brace up and say. "Non
sense! Bosh! Pooh. POOH I'm not
nfraidw and In another half hour
would have to brace up all over again
Is That night Joe didn't sleep more
than four hours at most. He awoke
long before daylight and waited till
be heard tiny voice say in disap-
pointed tone, -0h. mamma. Santa