The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1913-12-19


man in the bed groans. They are go
ing to starve him out
The man sticks his head out from the ]
cover for air His head is hardly out
when il is struck by great rubber
ball. and then. like July storm, when
a great cloud breaks there comes from
above downpour Of rubber balls.
footballs. baseballs. jackbals. tennis
balls ana balls of every description.
They beat on the bed ana pummel
the man like hail on 4 bed Of roses
He lies still ana groanS. The shower
ceases, and then. with the noise Of Il
I hurricane there comes rushing through
4 the air what seems an African ty-
/ phoon.
1T is the hoops. the hoopst' cry the
/ wooden soldiers.
And so it is. The air is filled with i
every kind OF hoop. and they roll back
ward and across the bed like storm
dashed sea. The man screams in pain.
Some OF the hoops have bells on them.
and they ring in his ears rs the sharp
edges of the bent hickory cut his face
He is weak and pale, but does not
give in
Then there is Il clang of bells and Il
blowing of whistles, and with Il rush
the entire toy fire department makes
for the bed. Following them come
the tin locomotives. wildly ringing
their bells, and back of them the toy
trollcys. The bed looks like side
street during Il -four alarm fire.
Now the hose connections are made
and scores of streams of water beat on
his face. From the foot of the bed
comes Il cloud of steam from the en-
| gineS. while hot and blazing above are
sparks from the trolicyS as they grind
| along the lass of the bed. He fights
j hard. but finally succumbS and falls
weak and exhausted. The tiremen ring
their bells and start back for the lire
houses. while the soldiers keep back
t the crowds OF brownies Indians. rub
I Der men, tenpins. jumping jacks and
= walking monkeys that were ciing!ng
: around the ropes
II The man watched all this carefully.
= Then he covered his eyes with his arm,
" Somehow it all faded away. He seem
k ed 20 be climbing over Il wall. He
d reached the top and. looking down a
pathway. saw summer house. About
it the lilacs fell in great clusters
Looking through the doors. he saw be
meath a vista Of the cedarS and waving
naples rows Of flower beds, aud she
was there among them. clipping. train
ing and guiding over trelliseS the ten
der blossoms she loved 50 dearly II
tbe summer house and on the floor ht
saw hoy.
lie was lying on the floor while Iii:
chubby hands placed about the fort o
sand the little soldiers he took from
box. The man sighed He opened IN
ewes and looked about him. 1t was tn
: inside room on the sixteenth floor
was very quiet. He looked III ia
glass and SAW tear in his eye. /
ran down his cheek. and another cam
y in its place and followed it. Then h
= threw open the window. Like ten
y pest in rushed the noise-the BLOWN
: of the horns. the chatter Of the rattle
and the laughter of merry people. II
dressed hu;riedly From his satch'
q he took Il portfolio and, taking out
A check book wrote check and. graz
VI bing his hat. rushed ont Of the room.
81 Cash this for me and in 4 hurry
Y said the man To the night clerk.
The clerk went 10 the safe NJ
Y brought out a roll Of bills. He count'
if. but there was Lot enough, and
opened the petty cash drawer and ga
the man all that WAS there,
Fine said the man. stutiing il in
his pockpt III be back III the NOR
ing"
h The man rushed into the stree
VA Just 4 half block up lot Of little b"
i were looking at Il cart full OF rubin
y balls. The man handed the aeddier
big bill and said, Give all OF these
the bows" The peddlcr looked ~
priscd. and the boys yelled with 81
nc Across the street We're lot Of liz
girls. tired and worn from the day u
nights work Of running ut the cry
nap Cash" but Just happy at looking
lai" the windows Almost like u madm
the man pushed them into the sto
''cH and soon each had = great doll ana
the shawl and candy and 50 many thin
ulls that are good before they knew
Lool- Across the street was Il man SELL
boxes of tin soldiers
ckeo All said the man. with rt
VerS' iniscent sigh lie jumped on
for o,d rollod for MI fine bows around
osed come near him. and as they did
handed each Il box of soldiers ;
oud- tban mid tho man twice the cost
bells .Wbar < it," said the man.
I'd it III is Santa Claus gone Wild $
mil &, noliceman who had children mt no
eath The man rushed on and into a II
e lit ,et II was very late and the =
were Duyin@ the eftovers for Chr
snor- mas dinner The dealers were p;
n up inc I'D the best to save for the J
He Years sale.
,cked "Open up,' cried the man rs he fl
n he lshed Il roll of bills. And ms the M
sud tude of pale and worn Went by Il
: his I'm the faded alpacas he reached