The Lakeland evening telegram., 1920-12-20

her own-One Of those she
mad dreamed Of and 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 1t 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 tNnse and quivering
with emotion. !.
Jaw, gee, look at 1t stop at the sta.
tionsl 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 kiddin'?"
The third child, a little girl, who
was clutching what once had been a
doll was looking at one in the shops
window.
"If I 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 itf"
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 contact
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.
"Tt's 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
a 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 1t 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, I won
dered If any of your children would
care to 20 with me tomorrow and take
trip through the children's toy shopsl
They're most attractively fixed up this
wear 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 20 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
" anxious to do what they could fol
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 botf
of Gertrude Harding's hands. One
clutched a little finger, another haC
hold of her thumb; so it went.
.Mrs.," one of them ventured, "leti
pretend we're all children from kin
dergartea and that you're our teach
er. Don't let's pretend we're from
hospital, chi?
eyes, let's pretend that" she an
swered them. "0r how weuld 1t DO t
pretend that I was your mother ant
that you were all my childrenT
"Would you-honest-would yot
nretend thatT 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 theil
Christmas shopping trip.
Once again she took them, on tn
day before Christmas. 1t was hart
getting through the crowds, but 1t wa
worth every effort.
Tn one of the shops gayly dressed
clown led the children In proces
s,on Once In a while he turned ant
w,nked at them as though to say:
sWe know what fun all this Is
don't we? We're in the secret OF TN
finn that children can have at Christ
-, +,roa that the groWn-ups know