The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-12-12

fell on row of stockings dangling
from mantel.
This is Christmas eve," said the
lady. Tonight, so the tradition is.
Santa Claus will come down the chin
ney and fill these stockings with gifts.
This is your stocking. Tomorrow
morning you will find it full of nice
things"
This was all Greek to Billy, except
that something would be given him. 1t
was a new sensation, for nothing had
ever yet been bestowed upon him.
Then he suffered himself to be led up
to a bathroom, and after he had been
soaked and the softened dirt rinsed off
him he was taken to little room with
white iron bedstead and snowy linen
on it and told to get between the
sheets. He obeyed, but when half an
hour later the lady looked into the
room Billy was not to be seen. She
sought for him and found him curied
up Ike dog under the bed instead of
in 1t. She thought best to leave him
where he was.
The next morning Billy was dressed
In some borrowed clothes and stood be-
FORE mirror to note the change in his
appearance. 1t would be impossible to
say whether he was more astonishad at
his clothes or his reflection. Both were
a wonder to him. Then he was taken
downstairs, where the children were
opening their stockings, and given his
own Santa Claus Offering. He had no
idea as to what most of the things
were, but demonstrated that possession
is human instinct by being much de-
lighted with everything he took out
After breakfast the lady took Billy
into the library and told him the story
of the birth Of the Christ Child in
manger; how the sins of the world
had been redeemed and how the event
had been celebrated once a year. Then
Billy was taken back to the children.
who taught him games and told him
stories about what they did, how they
went to school, and Billy absorbed
every word of it. All day 1t seemed to
him that he had been translated to
heaven. His lair in the forest began
to seem horrible to him, and he won
dered If he would ever become sufi-
GENTLY polished to live among these
lovely persons.
And the Christmas dinner. Billy
looked at the table, loaded with good
things, and seemed to be in a stupor
of wonder. He ate till he could cram
no more into him.
After dinner the gentleman who had
questioned him took Billy's pocketbook
and opening it drew forth the certif-
Gates of stock that Billy was going to
San Francisco to see about
"My boy" he said, christmas re-
minds us that we must do for others
beside ourselves. We have given you
a pleasant Christmas, but 1t behooves
me to. do something far more impor-
tant for you. / do not doubt that you
are heir to that which will buy every
thing you can wish for-far more than
you can enjoy. What was probably
worthless when your father made an
investment in it of few hundred dol
lars is now worth hundreds of thou
sands of dollars. Tomorrow | will take
the matter up for you and hope to es
tablish your claim to your property"
This was lost on Billy, but Christ
mas was not. AS it was his first Christ
mas, it was his happiest. And when il
was ended and they told him he must
wait whole year for another it seem
ed to him very far away.
1t took some time to establish the
fact that Billy was the son and sole
heir of the owner of the certificates in
the mining company, but it was finally
accomplished. Billy was permitted to
remain with the family with whom he
spent his first Christmas, and the court
appointed the bead,of that family his
guardian. Billy went to school with
the children and came to look upon
them as his brothers and sisters.
But at last Billy became of age, and
from wild boy he had become quite
gentleman-like and intelligent young
man. The fortune he received on the |
day Of his majority he handled with
skill and discretion, enjoying the In
come of 1t with the girl who had re-
ceived him when he knocked at the
door and asked what they We're deco
rating for.