The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1916-12-30
a good account of hockey as
played in this section.
'The
Children's Christmas"
Written by Miss Rose Peterson
OF the L'Anse High School.

Ing thouBntluiiy into the IRE. lie
countenance was drawn as If from
some recent sorrow. He was Mr..
Kramer. the president of the CONNER
cial Bank Of Calistiga.
Presently he heard the patter of tiny
footsteps on the stairs, and soon his
eight year old son and six year old
daughter came into the room, dressed
for retiring.
They climbed into his lap while his
face took on clouded expression and
he said to them, Children, you must
go to bed"
"But father" tegan Bobbie, 1--WE
just want to ask you one thing. Won't
you please tell Santa Claus to bring us
some presents this Christmas, just like
he did when mother was living?"
mo" replied the father. Santa
Claus is not coming here this year. So
go to bed now, as l don't wish to be
bothered any more this evening""
The children climbed sorrowfully
down from their fathers lap and went
up to their beds in the nursery. Bob
bic did not go to bed right away. He
sat down by the window and looked
longingly at the house across the
street, in which Christmas decorations
were going on in full sway. Suddenly
an idea occurred to him. Why not pray
to mother and ask her to tell Santa
Claus to come to them, on Christmas
Eve. So he walked silently over to
Bettie's bed and told her his plan. To-
gether they knelt down by the bedside
and prayed very earnestly to their
mother.
| Meanwhile Mr.. Kramer sat in his
easy chair, still looking at the fire.
After the children left him be felt a
peculiar troubling of his conscience, for
which he could not account. At last he
decided to go to bed. He looked into
the nursery to see if the children were
asleep, and this is what he heard them
saying, "Oh mamma, please tell Santa
Claus to come and bring US some nice
cars, soldiers, dolies, dishes and other
pretty toys, just like Johnny and May
are going to get. We told papa to tell
him, but he said that Santa Claus
wasn't coming here. Oh, mamma,
please tell him to GOMEZ"
A picture of the former Christmas
came to him, as he stood watching the
children. He remembered what great
pleasure he and his wife had taken in
buying the various presents. trimming
the tree, and how happy they had felt
on Christmas morning when the chill
dren found their toys. Why could he
not enjoy that same happiness again.
He knew it would not be so happy for
him this time as last time, but it would
make the children happier, and that
would help to lift the burden off of his
heart.
With tears in his eyes, he tiptoed
softly down the stairs, put on his coat
and hat and went out into the moon il
night.
From store to store he went, order
ing toys Of every description, tree or
naments and many other things. too
numerous to mention. He returned
home with as many packages as he
could carry, and more were coming the
next day.
When he arrived home he called
Bridget, the housekeeper, and told her
to help him decorate the tree and
rooms, and to make preparations for a
big Christmas dinner, because he was
going to invite some Of Boobies and
Bcttie's friends over fer the day.
When the children awoke the next
morning, they hurried dressed them
selves and ran down to see il Santa
Claus had been there.
When they reached the parlor, they
exclaimed, 20, what beautiful tree,
and see, all the nice presents are there
that we wished for last night! o,
wasn't mamma good to tell Sanity to
come and bring all of those presents!
knew she would. Now we needn't be
JEALOUS of Johnnie or May, because we
nave just as many presents as they
have"
Then they ran to their father, who
was standing quietly in the doorway
enjoying the scene, and gave him many
kisses as they said, ooh papa, we love
you just the same even though you did
say that Santa Claus wasn't coming.
You must have helped him, because he
couldn't have had time to do all this.
o, how happy we are!'
Mr.. Kramer was very glad that he
had done this for the children. and he
went around the house that day feeling