The daily Alaskan., 1915-01-06
GeOrgie'S Christmas Gift It Was Sent by the Governor
 of the State.
By EILEEN BRENNAN

Mamma, isn't papa coming home for Christmas this year?'
 No. dear; papa can't come home for Christmas. We'll have to wait anoth- CT year"
 "Oh, mamma; that's what you said last year. the year before and every year! | don't believe he will ever come'
 The mother kissed her little girl and turned away to hide her tears. She had but faint hope that her husband would return to her for q number or years, and when he did he would be broken in spirit if not in health.
 Evan Walker had been a bookkeeper 1 in a bank. One day the cashier went to the president and informed him that shortage of over $4O,OOO had been discovered in the funds. Asked if he suspected any one of a defalca- tlon the cashier replied that he did not. but he was going over the DOCKS in which the shortage had been carried with view to discovering the cause Walker had done the bookkeeping which covered the ease, but Walker was above suspicion. A week later Vail. the cashier. in | formed the president that he hId had | an expert accountant at w"rN "u the books, had traced the dcGrj"@rS aacE several years and had learned just how if had been covered up. Since no one but Walker had had anything to do with the work in question 1t was i'm possible that any one else could have effected the cmbcz2lemcnt.
 Walker was accused. There was long drawn out trial, at the end of which half the jury believed him guilty and the other half were in doubt, A com promise was effected. They agreed to find a verdict of guilty and recommend mercy. The judge reduced the sen tence from the limit of twenty 10 ten years.
 Walker was innocent of the charge, and there was not sufficient evidence of his guilt to convict him. But there was a weak spot in his case that he had speculated in stocks and had lost some money. On this evidence, to- gcther with the fact that he had had exclusive care of the banks books, the compromise verdict was reached.
 When the husband and father was removed to the penitentiary his chil- | dren were told that he was going on tourney from which he would not re- turn for long while, This fabrica- ton their mother was obliged to keep up, dreading the time when they would grow to an age when it would be im- possible to keep their fathers disgrace from them longer.
 The Christmas season was the most trying period of all for her. The chiI- dren always reminded her that she had promised them their father should be with them, and she had wearicd of in- venting excuses for not fulfilling her promise. On this occasion when her child had reminded her of the promise made the year before she gave up try ing to frame an excuse. A few days later Mrs. Walker took up newspaper, and her eyes lit on an announcement. Rushing from the room, she ran to her children, folded them in her arms and covered them with kisses.
 What is it, mammaE
 "Papa is coming home"
 "When:"
 q don't know
 For Christmas?"
 Possibly He may come for Christ | mas. though he may not get here by that time But he will come, and he will not come broken in spirit, but holding his head high
 "Why. mamma, what can you mean"
 "I forgot myself. 1 am so happy that I don't know what am saying. Oh, my darlings. you don't know what good thing has happened"
 The mother tore herself away from her children. realizing that she had said too much and threading lest she should say more. When she had read again and again what she had seen in the newspapers and given herself time | to regain something of her cOmpOsure her sadness had disappeared-she re- turned to her children and. folding the three of them in her arms, said:
 I've know that papa is coming home. though we don't know that he will come for Christmas Nevertheless we must make our preparations. Each one of us must have a gift for papa, and We must have a nice dinnGr-and holly and evergreen wreathS and every thing that will give Us merry Christ mas"
 But. mamma" said GeOrgie, sup. pose papa doesn't come on time" ....- A slight shadow passed over the, mothers face, but she overcame the | feeling that produced it.
 Tn that case, Georgie. we will defer | our Christmas till papa comes" -..
 And not have any Christmas at all on Christmas" put in the youngest, mot hang up any stockings? What will Santa Claus think when he comes and finds no stockings ready for him." .rJEeU sweetheart. we'll have to do