The herald., 1916-12-14

Goodnight, sweetheart, I have wait.
gu forty years; surely the end cannot
De Tar Distant" he murmured as no
softly closed the gate.
1here came jingling of sleigh bells
"a sleigh drove up, he entered ana
was whiried away over the snow.
In tiny little howell on the edge of
.iie CITY nve little curly-headed chill
uren, dressed in old and ragged but
cream clothes were grouped around a
small nre trying to keep warm. Their
hother was sewing for living, her
husband having died several years ago.
leaving the children to her to provide
lor' ana being a woman of good educo-
uOn, she was trying to rear her chill.
dren as best she might. She was bov.
ing desperate struggle and day hS
uay she saw with despair the fight
growing harder and harder.
Mother, when is Santa Claus COM
ingf" inquired little Billy.
For while mO,Ser didn't seem IN
want to say anything. A large tear
fell silently on her work. With q
nasty movement, almost angrily. she
brushed it aside.
ferhaps he won't come at ALP she
replied with little catch in her voice.
N-o-o-o-o!" came a chorus of I'M.
believing voices from the fire.
He is comingr'
suddenly there came a jingling of
bells and a sleigh drew I'D in front of
the home.
"Whoop" yelled Johnny. "Come on
kids-Santa Claus! My eyew
In an instant the fire was deserted
and five little heads were peerinp Gag.
erly out of the door.
Gee Wilkins! Look at the toys ~
We'll, WELL" said Sanity in a loud
voice, pretending not to see the little
ones. Il hope the children are all
In bed tonight, for if they are not,
will not come again."
Five curly heads vanished i'm q Sec
ond, and when the old gentleman en-
tered the room all were tucked snug
ly 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 and 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 Billys toe
rubbed up splinter, and there came
a subdued grunt from the bed which
changed to a fitful, sleepy kind of
cough as the "Old fellow" turned
around. The shores redoubled in vol
ume. Old Sanity handed mother a
sealed envelope and departed before
she could sufficiently recover from her
confusion and surprise to thank him.
1t 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 hun
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 he walked
down the dark, gloomy hall he almost
dropped with fatigue. Fatigue of the
body, WEAKNESS of the soul, the sore
ness of q 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 to welcome
him. No one to love or care for him.
She had 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 embers and cast |
down, bowling his head far over into
the CRATE. Closer he huddled. What |
was this dreadful chill that seemed to
be taking possession of his body? His
great sorrow preyed upon him.
ooh, God" he murmured; 81 can |
stand it no longer"
Something gentle and soft stroked |
his hairl his hair that was white as |
snow. Two arms encircled him low
ingly.
He looked up, at first uhbelievingly, |
and then a wonderful smile lit up his |
face.
"Nelly !" he exclaimed, joyously. AT |
last you have come for me. l knew you |
would 1 thank Thee o ="
His voice trailed away in the dis
lance.
The fire died out and the faces no |
longer grined, but seemed to smile |
In the darkness. Far off, just as the |
dawn was breaking, the chimes rang |