The Penn's Grove record., 1914-12-11

b 49, AA4 AN 0AQ44O 0Qd1A 10 tAdt
Santa Claus was wearing.
What are you wearing those
boards for, Mr.. Santa CLAUSE" he
asked.
! II the lad had looked closely enough
he would have seen a very unhappy
look come into the old mans face;
but there was nothing of it in his
} answer.
oh. those are my n~ew-fangled
back and chest protectors, my lad
he replied. Sometimes we have bit
ter winds blowing at Christmas, and
have to be ready for them. 1t would
mt do for Santa Claus to come down
with the sneezes at Christmas time,
you know-no, stree! This board in
front keeps the wind off my chest, and
the one behind keeps me from get
ting rheumatism in my back. They
are a great protection against the
weather"
You've got letters printed there"
said the boy, peering around in front
of his companion. What do they
spell? You know l haven't learned
to read yet"
Merry Christmas to Everybody"
said Santa Claus. Il have the words
printed there 81 that everybody can
see them; and if / miss wishing any
body a merry Christmas, he'll know
| meant it just the same"
They walked on now in silence. for
Little Billee was beginning to feel al
most too tired to talk, and Santa Claus
seemed to be thinking of something
else. Finally. however, the little fell
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-"
That's so, my little man. said
Santa Claus, stopping short in his
walk up and down the block. your
mother will be worried, for a fact;
and YOU father, tool know how
I'd feel if my little boy got losted and
hadn't come home at dinner time. l
don't believe you know where you
live. though-now, honestl Come!
'Fess up, Billee, you don't know
where 0 live, do you?"
'Why, yes, l do" said Little Billee.
ITS in the big gray stone house with
the iron fence in front of it, neal the
park"
"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, o the number, either
I'll bet. fourteen wooden giraffes
against a monkey on a stick!"
NO. I don't" said Little Billee
frankly; but know the number Of
our ortymobile. It's-'N. Y"
"Fine!" laughed Santa Claus. Then
he reflected for a moment, cycling the
child anxiously.
Il don't believe you ever know
your papa's name," he said.
Eyes. 1 do" said Little Billee indig-
nantly. His name is Mr.. Harrison.
and he owns a bank"
Splendid! Made of tin, 1 suppose,
with a nice little hole at the top to
drop pennies into?" said Santa Claus.
mo, it amt, either!" retorted Lit
tie Billee. Its made of stone, and
has more than a million windows in
it. l went down there with my mamma
to papa's Office the other day, so l
guess l ought to know"
well, l should say So" said Santa
Claus. Nobody better. BY the way,
Billee, what does your mamma call
your papa? Billee,' like your" he
added.
"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 rel in the west, it was get
ting very cold. Thomas Harrison,
banker" he muttered to himself.
What, with the telephone book and
the city directory, l guess we can find
our way home with Little Billee."
He led the little fellow into a pub
lie telephone station, where he eager
ly scanned the names in the book. At
last last it was found-"Thomas Har-
rison, seven-six-five-four Plaza" And
then, in the s~eclusion of the tele-
phone booth, Santa Claus sent the
gladdest of all Christmas messages
over the wire to two distracted par
ents:
Il have found your boy wandering
in the street. He is safe, and l will
bring him home right away"
Fifteen minutes later, there might
have been seen the strange spectacle
of a footsore Santa Claus leading a
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"
mo, Billee," the old man replied
sadly, Il must hurry back. You see,
kiddie, this is my busy day."
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