Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1914-12-23

seemed to be thinking OF something
else. Finally, however, the little fel
low spoke.
Il guess I'd like to go home now,
Mr.. Santa Claus" he said. I'm tired,
and I'm afraid my mamma will be
wondering where I've gone to-" r, :.
r. That's so, my little man." 4 said
Santa Claus. stopping short in his
walk up and down the block your
mother will be worried. for fact;
and your father. tool know how
I'd feel II my little boy got losted and
hadn't come home at dinner time. .
don't believe you know where you
live. though-now, honest! Come!
'Fess up, Billee, you don't know
where you live, do you?" n
why, yes, I do said Little Billee.
TITS In the big gray stone house with
the iron fence in front Of 1t, near the
park %;f. ~
& "Oh, that's easy enough" laughed
Santa Claus nervously. Anybody
could say he lived in a gray stone
house with a fence around it, near
the park; but you don't know what
street it's on. nor the number, either
I'll bet fourteen wooden giraffes
against a monkey on a stick!" -
mo. I don't" said Little Billee
frankly: "but know the number OF
our ortymobile. It's-'N. y" 49,
"Fine!" laughed, Santa Claus. Then
he reflected for moment, cycling the
child anxiously. .'....-,.
II don't believe you even know
your papa's name," he said.
YES, l. do" said Little Billee indig-
nantly. Ellis name is Mr.. Harrison.
and he owns bank, = "
"Splendid! Made of tin, suppose,
with a nice little hole at the top to
drop pennies into 2" said Santa Claus.
mo, 1t amt, either!" retorted Lit
tie Billee. "It's made of stone, and
has more than million windows in
It. I went down there with my mamma
to papa's Office the other day. so l
guess ought to know" H.
We'll, should say so,"' said Santa
Claus. Nobody better. BY the way,
Billee, what does your mamma call
your papa: 'Billee.' like you!" he
added. 5Ss35 u. ss{g.Sss Et 100, - -
"Oh, no, indeed" returned Little
Billee. "she calls him papa, except
once in a while when he's going away,
and then she says, 'Good.by, Tom "
Fine again!" said Santa Claus,
blowing upon his fingers. for, now
that the sun had completely disap-
peared over in the west, 1t was get
ting very cold. Thomas Harrison.
banker" he muttered to himself.
What, with the telephone book and
the city directory, I guess we can find
our way home with Little Billee."
He led the little fellow into pub
lie telephone station. where he eager
~ scanned the names in the book. At
last last it was found-..Thomas Hair
rison. seven-six-fve-four Plaza" And
then, in the seclusion Of the tele-
phone BOOTH Santa. Claus sent the
gladdest 5of all Christmas messages
over the wire to two distracted par
ents: a.!5 Il 4 Y ~
II have found your boy wandering
in the street He is safe, and will
bring him home right away
Fifteen minutes later, there might
have been seen the strange spectacle
Of a footsore Santa Claus leading q
sleepy little boy UP Fifth avenue to a
cross street, which shall be nameless.
The> boy vainly endeavored to per
suade his companion to come in and
meet mamma" re- H., y .
n NO, Billee," the old man replied
sadly, II must hurry back. You see,
kiddie, this is my busy day" :s,l p,
+ But it was not to be as Santa Claus
willed. for Little Billee's papa, and
his mamma, and his brothers and sis
tiers, and the butler and the house,
maids were waiting at the front door
when they arrived. ~
Led by Little Billee's persistent IA
Their, Santa Claus went into the house.
Now that the boy could see him in the
full glare of many electric lights, his
furs did not seem the most gorgeous
things in the world. When the flap.
ping front OF his red jacket flew open,
the child was surprised to see how
ragged was the thin gray coat 1t COW
cred; and as for the good old saints
comfortable stomach-strange to say,
1t was not! ,.= e.,
I'll wish you all merry Christ
mas" faltered Santa Claus; "but I
really must: be going, sir. ~
"Nonsense!" cried Mr.. Harrison.
mot until you have got rid Of this
chill, and - :, -
IT can't stay, SIR" said Santa. I'M
lose my job If l. do" n. 4,
well. what If you do? I'll give
you a better one" said the banker.
II can't can't" faltered the man.
got a Little Billee of my
own at home waitin' for me, sir. III
he added fiercely, do you
suppose I'd be dom this?" He point
ed at the painted boards, and shud-
dered. @S
II guess Santa Claus is tired. papa"
said Little Billee, smuggling up close
" to the old fellow and taking hold
Of his hand alphabetically. He's
been waikiki lot today"