Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1914-12-12
Evening Star S
Daily Story
BIG BROTHERS MISTAKE
BY JOHN DARLING.

1ng his foot vigorously.
II know there is-daddy said so,
supplemented his brother, Jimmy,
five years old. An mother tool"
"Muvver knows.a added Tiny
demonstratively. His curls which
resembled nothing so much as pea
nuts glued to his head. fairly bristled.
,The big brother John turned on
his heel. LAW, come off You're
nothin' but kids, or you wouldn't be-
lieye such fairly talesi" John was
eight.
The two younger brothers looked
after him in silence. They had al
ways believed in John, and this was
a blow to their faith-in John.
Johns nut" Jimmy concluded,
inelegantly, and dismissed the mat
aer from his mind.
He's a mupfh," repeated Tiny,
nodding vociferously. and returning
10 his digging.
But as the day wore on and the
children's hour rolled around the two
little minds returned to the subject
of Santa Claus. They had been
thinking of him and talking of him
and waiting for him for days-ever
since the shops began to show rosy,
round images of him in the windows.
And their big brother had said there
was no Santa Claus. It wasn't true,
but why had John said it.
"Aunty Doris' Jimmy asked, when
their mothers pretty sister had cud-
died them down in her lap on the
rug before the smoldering hickory
logs just before bedtime, where does
Santa Claus hve?"
"Oh, away up in the sky near the
north pole, romanced Doris Wheaton.
In e touds by e little 'tar?' asked
Tiny, who was all but asleep. His
fat, rosy cheeks were as warm as
toast against Doris's hand.
Yes, Tiny, by the little star, re-
piled Doris. And it won't be long
now till he comes sliding down the
skyline, coasting from one cloud to
another till he gets to daddy's and
mothers housetop," Doris went on.
81 knew'd it," Jimmy muttered.
you what, Jimmy"
ST knew'd he was up there. John
said there wasn't any Santa Claus"
HE did say it; he did, repeated
Tiny sleepily.
Doris bit her lip and tears rushed
10 her eyes. "These babiesl" her
heart cried. "These babies! Not so
soon: not so soon!"
DOTlS IONeu tDiAN AebAi -
adored her two baby nephews, and
she wanted them to miss not single
one of life's pretty childhood days.
She loved to make Christmas golden
spot in their little horizons. Later
there would be some way to explain
about the myth. But not now-they
were such babies!
Feeling that the idea had not taken
root in their minds, she did not men
II - - I-..t al inp
of how Santa Claus would come down
the chimney and fill their stockings,
and Of how happy every one would
be together.
After they were in bed Doris began
TO think of the suspicion that had
entered into their minds. She knew
John would speak of it again, and
she determined to make this Christ
mas one of absolute belief in Santa
Claus for those little fellows.
Doris had one persistent admirer
who was always trying to get the
boys to call him "Uncle Dave" much
to the amusement of the family.
"If you want to be a real Uncle
Dave to Tiny and Jimmy" she told
him one night soon after Jirnmy's re
mark about Santa Claus, Just help
me to confirm the boys bel1ef IN
Santa Claus this year
Anything to gain that relationship
to them," cried Dave Annis jubilant-
ly. what shall / do?'
go up in an airship dressed as
Stnta Claus and come down just at
dusk and land on the housetop," re
piled Doris. half in earnest.
Dave whistled. ut could be done,
he said. slowly
mo. I'm joking, Dave. / wouldn't
have you risk your life that way.
But do think of something feasible
do"
Dave was silent for a few moments
Then he sat up straight and deter
mination bristled from his gestures.
Leave it to me, Doris, leave it to
me! For further instructions as TO
what you are to do with the kiddies
ask me on the oath of December at
o'clock in the afternoon. That's
ALL"
And he would say no more in spite
OF pleadings from Doris. But under
standing that he meant to make the
children's vision of Santa Claus come
true Doris kept on telling them of
his coming until the very day before
Christmas.
"An' tonight Santa Claus comes.
Aunty Doris?" asked Jimmy toward
evening.
Doris nodded and hugged the two
DONS CiDStly III neI OWH JOY. ef,
tonight, and maybe he'll come scout
ing around the sky early in the eve
ming to see if you are all good boys
and ready for bed early" she told
them.
I'm sleepy now" Tiny said, II
won't ope' my eyes to look-no, /
won't. Aunty Dos said Tiny.
tAn' SO won't !, Aunty Doris ac
quiesced Jimmy.
Doris Rugged them again. Less
take one good look at the sky before
we go to bed, boys, and see if we get
a sight of old Santa anywhere. He
might be around early
They went, according to instruc-
tions Doris had received from her
determined admirer, to the big front
windows of the nursery. The Won
derful red glow of the setting sun
warmed the room and Doris took the
two babies on her lap and cuddled
them on the window seat. Lets watch
for him and then go to bed" she
whispered. Her own heart was beat
ing quickly.
Jimmy strained his neck and Tiny
Glued his little nose to the window
pane. Their eyes searched the stretch
of sky that was plainly visible across
the heath opposite their nursery
windows.
II don't tee 'im,' said Tiny.
''Oh-oh--oh! What's that?' cried
Jimmy pointing to a spot in the sky
that was growing larger and coming
closer.
Where? oh, where?" asked Doris.
II tee! ] tee!'' Tiny cried.
The three watched the airship sail
ing slowly through the crisp winter
air. 1t was a monoplane. Now IL
r.srw 1ao1 S.tr. .Ir,I