Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1915-12-23
By Clara HI. Stein

orded if you was him."
"Td order chicken but anything nd
do, Sam, I'm arful hungry, haint
you,"
Here's his supper"
"What 'ud you do, Sam if you had
the money that guy must have to or
der such Il supper"
"What'd | do? Why, I'd buy re-
volver, to scare the other fellers with,
SOS to make 'em keep off my beat"
Gee, but dat supper must taste
good. l wonder if I'll ever have
supper like that, with chicken-just
look, Sam
The boys conversation disturbed
Hollister and he had about decided to
order the waiter to send them away,
when he overheard the little ones
wistful voice.
"Say, do you s'pose III ever get any
thing from old Santa. This yere holly
stands for Christmas, they say, and
Pm wearin' it SOS he'll know that I'd
like to keep Christmas along with the
rest of 'em. Say, Sam, I likes that
guy there. l wish he 'ud be Santa
Claus"
He'd be Santa Claus" The re-
mark greatly astonished Hollister.
The thought Immediately suggested
itself, why couldn't he be Santa
Claus to these little street waits, so
they could both keep Christmas like
the rest of them"
The thought took firm hold and
glancing furtively at the little visit
full face pressed tightly against the
glass, he rose fro mthe table and his
unfinished meal, donned his hat and
hurridy left the restaurant.
Here comes dat guy" called out
Sam to his little companion, as he es
pied Hollister, "he's after you and me
for rubberin' at him, better make
lively, kid" and away went both the
lads with Hollister in close pursuit.
When Hollister had any purpose in
view, he never gave up until he sue
ceeded in it. He called to the boys,
but they did not heed him. Suddenly
the older lad darted down an alley.
Hollister paused in fear, lest the little
fellow should follow him. If he did,
there was not much hope of Hollis
ter's success, for the miracles of those
alleys were quite beyond him. Luck
lily, however, the little chap kept on
in straight course, ever and anon
casting a frightened look backward.
People hurrying to the theaters and
churches, looked at him in astonish-
ment as he hurried past. Once, he
even encountered some of his club
fellows in a party of theater-goers.
Pulling his hat down lower he still
pursued the little lad.
The pavement was beginning to be-
come very icy and it was with diff
Guilty that Hollister kept his footing
He was about to pronounce the pur-
suit all in vain, when suddenly he saw
the little form before him totter for
moment, and then fall on he glary
sidewalk. In moment Hollister had
reached the side of the little lad, who,
unconscious from the pain of brok-
en- limb was lying there in forlorn
little heap. He tenderly picked him
up in his strong arms and hurried
with his burden to the nearest corner
A moment more he had called cab
and he and the little waif were being
hurried to the children's hospital
The means of the little fellow made
HOLSTERS heart ache, as did also the
sight of the little spray of holly, when
in the flash of lights at the street
corners, he saw it still lovingly press
ed against the threadbare jacket.
Holister was well known at the
hospital. There was a time-several
years ago, when he had endowed the
institution very heavily.
The house-physician and the nurse
soon had the poor little injured lad in
a room all by himself, as Hollister
had wished it, and they bandaged the
broken limb and made him as COM
Portable as it was possible for them
to make him.
Hollister remained with the child.
He was sleeping now. Utter exhaus-
, tion the nurse had pronounced it.
: "Poor little fellow" thought Hollis
ter, che is scarcely more than baby"
; How pale he looked and how wan and
wasted the little features were. Here
! surely was someone for him to care
| for, he felt confident that the little
, chap would not resent it, for had he
) not wanted him, Hollister, of all peo-
: pie, to be his Santa Claus. Hollister
r had never quite so thoroughly enjoyed
: himself as sitting there in the dim
light, he surveyed his new treasure
i. The sprig of holly was pinned on the
: little chaps white nightdress. Hollis
/ ter had put it there himself-for was
y not that the sign of a Christmas
: child-as the youngster had said.
4 Hollister told the nurse he woult
e watch in the room-somehow hi
: wanted to be alone with the little
y one. The nurse had gone, saying
t that at 9 o'clock she would send W
:, some relief.
e Next door, in the church, they wert
= holding a Christmas carol service an(