Judge — December 7, 1907 — page 23: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

“Tree dollar: * Give it to me. Jiggs dumbly produced the money and turned it over, Big Bill all the while descending the cteaky stairway, At the foot he turned to the others and demanded their money. “Didn't you leave de stuff?" Shorty asked, indicating the full pack. For answer Big Bill took the sack by the bottom and dumped its contents into the alley. “Naw,” he growled, “an’ I'm not goin’ to. Dose kids a-layin dere, believin’ dat de real Sandy is comin’, an’ us muts tryin’ top horse wid ‘em is too much fer me. How much coin you got, Shorty ? “Wot do you want wid it ?” parried Shorty. Big Bill took him by the neck and shook him terrierwise for a minute, and, when released from that clutch, Shorty produced a fist- full of small change, which was pocketed by Big Bill. ‘The others did iggs replied, wonderingly. not wait for an invitation ; they silently handed over what was in their pockets. + Come on,” Big Bill ordered, and led the way out of the alley and down stiect to where a light gleamed from the window of a little tey and notion shop. “I'm Sandy Claus, an [run out of stuff,” Big Bill announced, * Bill tore this eff and held it where the candle-tight would strike it.” entering the shop in his costume. ‘Gimme all you got for t'ree kids —two boys an’ one girl—an’ most fer de girl—for nine bones an’ sixty cents.” There was a doll that opened and shut its eyes. there was another doll that squeaked ‘*mamma"; there was a Noah's. atk, and a jumping-jack, and some woolly dogs and sheep, and a Teddy bear, and a railroad train, and a fire-engine—and a lot of other little things. And the heap came to ten dollars and exhausied the stock, so the shopkeeper made it the even nine dollars and sixty cents. Back to the’alley and back to the Spriggins house rushed Big Bill, his faithful train wondering what form of insanity had stricken him, Up the steps he went, two at a time, and when he slipped into the room he found little Roselle sitting up in bed, looking at the empty stockings. Big Bill put his finger on his lips, and whispered through his arti- ficial whiskers, “Hello, little girl! Keep quiet now, ‘cause I'm Sandy Claus, an’ if you cheep I'li—I'll fly de coop.” Roselle’s eves were big by this time, and she solemnly shook her head in a promise not to make a sound. Big Bill methodically took * Santa Claus,’ it said, ‘ | want to kiss you good-bye.’ the things out of his pack. He stuffed the toys into the stockings where they belonged. Roselle foliowed his movements in amazement. And when he shamb‘ed over to her and laid in her arms the marvel- ous doll that opened and shut its eves, she looked up at him with awe. Then her thin little lips quivered and a big tear stole down her cheek in a path already laid out for it by one of those that had been shed when she went to sleep. *Oh, Santa Claus ! Oh, Santa Claus !” she whispered, hugging the doll. « Dat’s all right, kid,” Big Bill said, slowly and softly. And you's + I'm damned if | don’ Then Big Bill shook his finger warningly at her, and said, “Git yer doll to go to sleep, an’ go to sleep wit’ it, Big Bill turned and started to the door, when a faint, frightened little voice stopped him. “Santa Claus,” it said, “I want to kiss you good-bye.” It was the first time such a thing ever happened to Big Bill, and it was lucky he had false whiskers and wig on, for his face otherwise would have been a combination of alarm and perspiration. He got to the door and out, with a memory of two thin arms that hugged him chokingly, and of a wee kiss that left a hot place on his cheek. In Janowski's saloon later, after Big Bill had discarded his Santa Ciaus garb, he said, . «It would ‘a’ been a cinch, only I found dis note—an' den—well, den, you see, we couldn't give de kid de t'rowdown.” He passed the note around, and the others read : * Dear Santy Claus i hav been a good girl all yeer an i kno you will come but benny an freddy they say you wont becos we are too poor but i kno you will come an i want a dolly i never had a dolly yet an i wish you woud giv benny an freddy somthing too becos they do beleev in you xcep they think we are too poor for you to come an i love you RoSELLe SPRiGGins.” “It's a better joke dan de odder way would ‘a’ been,” Shorty ob- coming every Christmas ?” served, dipping his face deep into his glass. Big Bill remarked, “if any 0° youse tell him if he hits de booze or gets pinched dis comin’ yes knock his block off." After the delight and am: the home of the Sprig- ginses Christmas morn- ing, Roselle having awak- ened with the doll that opened and shut its eyes in her arms, and thereby heing convinced that she had not dreamed it after all, Roselle told her mother, “Santa Spriggins, I'm due to cement had subsided to some extent in Claus is a mamma—but nice he swears" man, comicbooks.com