The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1916-12-16

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returned his face showed traces Of
deep emotion.
Goodnight, sweetheart, have watt
ed forty years: surely the end cannot
b far distantr' he murmured a. he
softly closed the gate.
There came jingling Of sleigh bells
"a sleigh drove up. he entered and
was whiried away over the snow.
In tiny little howell on the edge Of
the city five little curly-headed chill
dren, dressed IN old and ragged but
clean clothes were grouped around a
small IRE trying to keep warm. Their
mother was sewing for q living. her
husband having died several years ago.
leaving the children to her to provide
for, and being q woman Of good educa-
ton, she was trying to rear~her chill
dren as be1tShe might. Sheea hav-
Ing a desperate struggle and day by
day she saw with despair the fight
growing harder AMI harder.
'Mother. when Is Santa Claus COM
ing?" inquired little Billy.
For . while mother didn't seem to
want to say anything. A large tear
fell silently on her work. With q
hasty movement, almost apgrily, she
brushed It aside.
perhaps he won't come at all I" she
replied with q little catch In her voice.
"N-o-o-o-o!" came a chorus of I'M
believing voices from the fire.
He Is coming!"
Suddenly there came a jingling Of
bells and q sleigh drew up in front Of
the home.
"Whoopi" yelled Johnny. "Come on
kids-Santa Claus! My eye!"
In an instant the fire was deserted
and five little heads were peering Gag
erly out Of the door.
Gee Wilkins! Look at the toys !"
well. WELL" said Sanity in q loud
voice, pretending not to see the little
ones. Il hope the children are all
in bed tonight, for il they are not,
will not cone again."
Five curly heads vanished in q Sec
0nd, and when the old gentleman en-
tered the room all were tucked snug
II in bed-that Is all but Billy, who
in his excitement and hurry pulled all
the cover up over his head and left
his feet ard body uncovered.
! Santa Claus laughed and dumped the
contents OF his pack near the hearth.
There were drums, dolls, tin soldiers,
books. candy, nuts and fireworks.
Just at this moment Billy's toe
rubbed up splinter, and there came
a subdued grunt from the bed which
changed to q fitful, sleepy kind of
cough as the 'told fellow turned
around. The snores redoubled in vol
ume. Old Sanity handed mother q
sealed envelope and departed before
she could sufficiently recover from her
confusion and surprise to thank him.
It was addressed to her, SO she broke
the seal. The sum and substance Of it
was, that the house and property Of
Fanchion and something like five hum
dred dollars were to be hers upon the
death Of Perry Fanchion.
So at last the identity of the mys-
ferrous Santa Claus and the friend Of
the poor and unfortunate was dis
closed.
Her home was only one of the many
to which he had been that night. To-
morrow they would honor him. They
would come one and all to thank him,
to praise him, to bless him-perhaps
to beg for more as the case might be.
The sleigh stopped at the Fanchion
homestead and old Santa Claus paid
the driver and entered the house.
Perry was weary and as lie walked
down the dark, gloomy hall he almost
dropped with fatigue. Fatigue of the
body, WEAKNESS of the soul, the sore
ness of broken heart, all conspired
against him! YEARLY he slid out of
the disguise. His eyes wandered with
pitiful expression over the empty,
dark room. None came tc welcome
him. No one to love or care for him.
She lad gone on before. Perhaps she
was waiting for him up there now. He
didn't know. The blood-chilling faces
grinned and the cruel claws gripped.
He drew one of the heavy old chairs
up before the dying erabers and cast
down, bowling his head far over into
the CRATE. Closer he huc1led. What
was this dreadful chill that seemed to
De taking possession of his body? His
great sorrow preyed upon ki,a.
"Oh. GOd!' he murmure1 Il can
stand it no longer
Something gentle and soft stroked
his hair! his hair that was white as
saow. Two arms encircled Ai,a low
ingly.
He looked Up, at first vi. belieyinyly.
and thea a wonderful smile lit UP his
face.
Nelly he exclaimed, joyously. "At
last you Lave come fer re. kew YOU
woul.. l Thank Thee o -
His voice trailed away in the dis
lance.