The Hope pioneer., 1920-12-23


had dreamed of and who had never
stepped outside Of her dreams.
Yes! She, Gertrude Harding. was
born mother to whom no children
had been born.
But this year she had forgotten
something most important to he done.
And it was only several days before
Christmas.
She went down town. made her pur-
chase after quite a 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.
"Aw. gee, look at 1t stop at the sta
tions. There, she's off the track now
No, she amt. She's back on again."
The second child was reading a 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, who
doll was looking at one in the shops
window.
''If could jes' 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, "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.
If, Gertrude Harding told herself
afterward, these children had so loved
trip into the gayety Of 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 certain
number and asked for the matron.
you're the matron of the Childrsn's
hospital, aren't you? Well, 1 won
dered if any of your children wsuld
care to go with me tomorrow and take
trip 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
ly anxious to do what they could for
the children who were so obviously
from home or hospital. The mechan-
tcal 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 Harling's hands. One
clutched little finger. another had
hold of her thumb; so it went.
Mrs." one of them ventured, "let's
pretend we're all children from kin
dergarten and that you're our teach
er. Don't let's pretend we're from a
hospital, eh?"
"Yes. let's pretend that" she an
swered them. "Or how would it do to
pretend that I was your mothec and
that you were all my childrcn!'
would you-honest-would YOU
pretend that?" one asked and the 9TH
ers looked at he, eagerly. hoping. hop
ing. hoping sne would not refuse.
"1'hat would be the hest pretend
of ALL she smiled at them.
So they pretended" and so they
went back very happily from their
Christmas shopping trip.
Once again she took them. on the
day before christmas. 1t was hard
getting through the crowds, but it was
worth evsry effort.
In one OF the shops gnyly dressed
clown led the children in a process
sion. Once in Il while he turned and
winked at them as though to say:
eve know what fun all this is,
don't we? We're In the secret of the
fur that children can have at Christ
mas time that the grown-ups know