Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1920-12-23

= \4zSS need Of them. 1t seemed
iTE5f5GA as though every time she
~ turned around she should
d see daughter or a son
or q small chubby child Of
- her OWn-One Of those size
had dreamed Of ana who had never
stepped outside Of her dreams.
Yes. She, Gertrude Harding, was a
"born mother" to whom no children
had been born.
But this year she had forgotten
something most important to be done.
And it was only several days before
Christmas.
She went down town, made her pur-
chase after quite q delay and left the
shop.
Outside were three small children,
their faces close against the window
pane, their eyes cleaning, their small
ill-clad bodies tense and quivering
with emotion.
CAV, gee look at it stop at the sta
tons! There, she's off the track now
No, she amt She's back on again"
The second child was reading a sign.
"Thcy says that in this here shop
that it's the land where the dreams of
children come true. Dye suppose
they's kidding"
The third child, a little girl, who
was clutching what once had been a
doll was looking at one in the shops
window.
eff l could jess touch her hair" she
sighed.
"Would you like to go inside the
shop?" Gertrude Harding asked the
children.
They looked at her abruptly. "D'ya
mean it?"
And through the shop, straight to
the children's department she took
them.
1t was a revelation to her to realize
the JOY that was derived by these
children from the intimate contact
with toys they knew they could never
own.
They had gone inside one of the big
shops and had been treated as we'll as
anybody; they had not been afraid
They had looked to their hearts con-
tent.
ITS true-what they's said" the
children agreed afterWard, sin there it
is the land all right, where children's
dreams come true" For the reality of
Fairyland had been expressed by the
marvellous and magical toys and games
and gay decorations Of the Christmas
shop.
If, Gertrude Harding told herself
afterward, these children had so loved
n trip into the gayety of a children's
shop, were there not others who would
like to journey forth into the world of
toys, too?
She thought it over And did not
stop there She rang up a certain
number and asked for the matron.
you're the matrOn of the Children's
hospital, aren't you? Well, | won
dered if any of your children would
care to go with me tomorrow and take
rip through the children'S toy shops
They're most attractively fixed up this
year and some of them have special
attractions a Santa Claus and many
other wondrouS features"
So Gertrude Harding called for the
children. There were Is who were
able to go and of that Is the majority
were motherleSs.
Such an afternoon as Gertrude
Harding had. And such an afternoon
as the children had.
Those in the shops seemed especial
7y anxious to do what they could fO
the children who were so ObviOuSl.
from home or hospital. The mechan
Zeal toys even seemed to put more
spirit into their performances Ger
trude Harding thought.
AS they were coming home severa
little hands found their way into boil
of Gertrude Harding's hands. On
clutched a little finger, another haC
hold of her thumb; so it went
Mrs" one of them ventured, "1et'
pretend we're all children from a kin
dergarten and that you're our teach
er. Don't let's pretend we're from
hospital, eh?"
"Yes, let's pretend that" she an
swered them. "Or how would it do t
pretend that l was your mother an,
that you were all my children?
"Would you-honest-would yo1
pretend that?" one asked and the 9th
ers looked at her eagerly, hoping, hop
ing hoping she would not refuse.