Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1920-12-17

something most important to be done.
And 1t was only several days before
Christmas.
She went down town, made her pur-
chase after quite delay and left the
shop.
Outside were three small children,
their faces close against the window
pane, their eyes cleaning. their small
ul-clad bodies tense and quivering
with emotion.
Jaw, 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 sign.
"They 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, little girl, WIG
was clutching what once had been u
doll was looking at one in the shop 8
window.
If could jes' touch her hair" she
sighed.
"Would you like to 60 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
It was revelation to her to realize
the Joy that was derived by these
children from the intimate c0nte It
with toys they knew they could never
own.
They had gone inside one of the big
shops and had been treated as well as
anybody; they had not been afraid.
They had looked to their hearts con-
tent.
"It's true-what tf1ey's said" the
children agreed afterward, ''in 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.
II, Gertrude Harding told herself
afterward, these children had SO goved
a trip into the gayety Of chndren'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 certain
number and asked for the matron.
"You're the matron of the Children's
hospital, aren't you? Well, I won
dered If any Of your children would
care to go with me tomorrow and take
trip through the childrenS toy shops?
They're most attractively fixed up this
year and some Of them have special
attractions. a Santa Claus and many
other wOndr0us features !"
So Gertrude Harding called for the
children. There were Is who were
able to go and of that Is the majority
were m0t1erless
Such an afternoon as Gertrude
Harding had. And such an afternoon
as the children had.
Those in the shops seemed especial
~ anxious to do what they could for
the children who were so obviously
from home or hospital. The mechan-
ical toys even seemed to put more
spirit into their performances Ger
trude Harding thought.
As they were coming home several
little hands found their way into both
Of Gertrude Hardfng's hands. One
clutched a little finger, another had
hold Of her thumb; so it went.
':Mrs.," one of them ventured, 'qet's
pretend we're all children from a kin
dergarten and that you're our teach
er. Don't let's pretend we're from q
hospital, eh?'
yes, let's pretend that" she an
swered them. "Or how would 1t do to
pretend that was your mother and
that you were all my childrenT
"Would you-honest-would yor
pretend that?" one asked and the 9th
ers looked at her eagerly, hoping, hop
ing, hoping she would not refuse.
'That would be the best pretend
Of ALL" she smiled at them.
So they "pretended" and so The!
went back very happily from thei1
Christmas shopping trip.
Once again she took them, on thu
day before Christmas. It was hare
getting through the crowds, but it wa
worth every effort.
In one of the shops gayly dressed
clown led the children in a process
sion. Once In a while he turned an
winked at them as though to say:
1--WE know what FIN all this l.
don't we? We're in the secret Of tn
fun that children can hove st Christ
mas time that the gr0wn-ups kne'
! nothing of. They must just let us g
! along and share our secret together
i chr"
And then the clown beat upon hi
drum and the children all marched
stiffly behind.
4 When magnificent Santa Ciau
asked the children to slng with hin
and the syoicee Of the hospital childre1
sang ont with the rest Gesuudo Hard
ing felt herself swelling with pride.
IL Later when Santa Claus psreolve
I that one. re the hospital childfen -
: |ans 1i1t lovely voics 10 asks
AtA p sing alone. $1s=.s, s b: