Durant weekly news. (Durant, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 190?-1944, 1920-12-17

WI need Of them. It seemed
~ as though every time she
VIZ turned around she should
see a daughter or a son
or a small chubby child Of
49, her Own-One Of those she
nd drea,led Of and who had never
1suped ,tside Of her dreams.
Yes! she. Gertrude Harding, was q
Aorn un.her" to whom no children
nd beeu born.
But this year she had forgotten
,uethlng most important to be done.
cd ii was only several days before
hrstrlas.
She sent down town. made her pur-
sse after quite q delay and left the
op.
outside were three small children,
er faces close against the window
me, their eyes cleaning, their small
elad bodies tense and quivering
hh emotion.
.Aw. gee. look at It stop at the sta
ns. There. she's of the track now
she amt. She's back on again."
The second child was reading a sign.
They says that In this here shop
h It's the land where the dreams of
)ildren come true. Dye suppose
ey's kiddin'?"
The third child. a little girl. who
is clutching what once had been a
N was looking at one in the shops
hdow.
If could jes' touch her hair" she
khed.
-Would you like to 60 inside the
Op:" Gertrude Harding asked the
)ldrcn.
They looked at her abruptly. "D'ya
nD it?"
And through the shop. straight to
chlldren's department she took
enl.
Il was a revelation to her to realize
joy that was derived by these
ildrrn from the intimate contact
hh toys they knew they could never
70.
They had gone inside one Of the big
pps and had been treated as well a.
body: they had not been AFRAID.
ky had looked to their hearts con.
It's true-what they's said" the
Ndren agreed afterwnrd, "in there It
h. land all right. where children's
eanS come true" For the reality Of
liryland had been expressed by the
Irclous and magical toys and games
b gay decorations Of the Christmas
bp.
II Gertrude Harding told herself
terward. these children had so loved
trip into the gayety Of a children's
Op. we're there not others who would
e To journey forth into the world Of
gs too?
She thought It over. And did not
bp there. She rang up certain
mhcr and asked for the matron.
you're the matron Of the Children's
splal. aren't you? Well. I won
red II any Of your children would
re to 20 with me tomorrow and take
tlr through tie children's toy shopsi
ley're most attractIvely fixed up this
Ar and some Of them have special
tactlons. a Santa Claus and many
Der wOndrous featuresi"
30 Gertrude Harding called for the
ndren. There were IS who were
e to 20 and Of that Is the majority
ne motherless.
Such an afternoon as Gertrude
hiding had. And such an afternoon
the children had.
those In the shops seemed especial.
anxious to do what they could for
children who were so obviously
sm home or hospital. The meci,an.
toys even seemed to put more
hi into their performances Ger
sde Harding thought.
as they were coming home several
ae hands found their way into both
Gertrude Harding's hands. One
etchea little finger. another had
No Of her thumb: so II went.
Mrs." one Of them ventured. "ler'a
efens we're all children from q kin
Hgar'en and that you're our teach
Don't let's pretend we're from
splldl. eh?"
Yes. let's preiend that" she an
'efed them. "Or how would It do Il
stend that ! was your mother and
=" were all my children7"
Would you-honest-would yot
etend thati" one asked and the 9th
looked at her eagerly. hoping. hop
hoping she would not refuse.
ihaf would be the best pretend
s0'" she smiled At them.
20 they pretended" and 20 the!
n' back very happily from theil
srs'mas shopping trip.
Once again she took them. on tn
hefore Christmas. II was har,
Uune through the crowds. but II va
'v'h every effort.
% one Of the shops q gayly dresse'
"n led the children In Q process
Once in a while he turned AM
ssed NJ them as though to say:
I'VE Know what fun all this h
~ NcY Wosro In Sha snoea& ~ IN