The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1913-12-26

Here any one could purchase any
thing a reasonable heart might desire
in the way of food, raiment, adorn-
ment or pleasure. In the rear of the
store a monograph was blaring forth
popular song.
All at once Jim Harcourt, hiS peck
cts bullying with honestly earned dol
lars, felt new sensation around his
big, lonesome heart. This was differ
ent from his generous cash remem-
ORANGES to the boys when Christmas
came around.
There was something very intimate
and sweetly personal in buying for the
Widow Darling and her children. He
pictured her faded, worn little crea-
ture, plain of countenance and stunted
and bent by overwork.
He laid his big hand on a largd
shawl, knitted from soft, pale blue
WOOL
GLOW would the widow like this?
Warm, eh?" he asked awkwardly.
Nick grew red around the ears.
"Sure thing, boss" he said in a
strangled tone, staring very hard at a
string of wild turkeys in the window.
"Pll take that" said Harcourt to the
blond saleswoman. And 1t was char
acteristic of his mental attitude that
night that he did not ask the price of
any article. He bought what he fan
cied, and he found new, delightful
pleasure in it.
Perhaps his greatest enjoyment was
in buying toys for the little girl and
boy. Nick had to restrain him from
buying duplicates of every toy-'in
case they should be broken" argued
Harcourt.
"Come along. Jim. It's getting late.
If we don't hurry the widow will be in
bed, and they will be too scared to let
US in"
SCOT everything?" asked Harcourt.
tearing himself reluctantly away from
big wax doll He already had bought
two dolls.
"Yes: turkey, butter, cranberries, po
tatoes, -four, plum pudding, oranges,
apples. nuts, candy--all the eats! re-
turned Nick cheerfully.
Their saddlebags were overfiowing
and their pockets and arms were full
AS they rode away a dolls head
poked inquisitively from Harcourt's
pocket. Sharp eyes spied it and a
friendly hooking voice called out:
Regards to the family, JIM" and
Jim, who never had had family, felt
a strange thrill as he sent back a
laughing reply. Suppose he really was
married and there were wife and
children waiting for his homecoming
tonight But no; he sighed and then
shrugged his shoulders.
What if the Widow Darling was
plain and unprepossessing? 1t was
certainly sweet of her to be there with
her children to receive his gifts and to
need his care and sympathy. Why, If
it had not been for Mrs. Darling and
her kids he would have spent another
dreary Christmas.
The two men were silent as they
rode over the trail to the canyon
Here where there was little travel the
snow was level two inches. and only
the sagacious horses picked the trail
out of the blanket of whiteness. The
snow had ceased falling, and the stars
were blazing out in the deep blue sky.
Suddenly in the distance there shone
two blurred red lights.
whats that?" asked Harcourt Gu
riously.
Mrs. Darling's house." was Nick's
reply.
The horses hoofs made no sound on
the packed snow, so that they rode up
to the doorstep and dismounted before
Nick knocked loudly.
There was moments silence, and
then woman's voice spoke timidly:
."Who is there?"
Santa Claus" rumbled Nick in
deep bass voice.
There followed a musical laugh, and
light feet tripped to the door and flung
it wide open.
"Come in. Oh. Mr.. Bolton, how kind
of you to remember usv'
It was not until they were within
the cheerful warmth Of the room that
uorcourt drnyv braath after that Nrat