Judge — December 2, 1916 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

SANTA CLAUS DOESN'T FILL ALL THE CHRISTMAS STOCKINGS slender body even when unencumbered Then a very scientific arrangement oc- curred to him. He tied the drawstring of the bag to his left ankle so that it hung out of his below him. This difficulty solved, he began the descent. He was proceeding at a speed of twelve knots a minute, when the bag string became in- volved with the rope. He halted, wrig- gled his left foot, and groped down with his left hand. Whereat the other foot (under which a lump of snow had con- gealed) slipped abruptly. He fell a yard or so. What checked him then was the bag. It was wedged against his right thigh so tightly that he could not budge. lhe string had drawn his left leg up and across. He was petrified in the posture of an athlete taking a high hurdle. While Mr. Marvin was filling this place so thoroughly that he bid fair to become a fixture in it, little Jack woke up, ran to look at his stocking, and, finding it empty, burst into tears. At this crisis Mrs. Marvin, who had been listening anxiously at the door, now entered and took t command of the situation. Leading her son back to bed. she talked to him in a low, earnest voice. His sorrow seemed suddenly to vanish. “Honest, Mamma?” he _ exclaimed, jumping up and down with delight. “Yes, darling, if you'll do that for me,” she answered uneasily. She could hear peculiar scraping noises and mufiled ejaculations. Something fell and smashed into bits. It was a china doll. For Mr. Marvin, cramped, in total rkness, and stifled by the heat from the con- tiguous flue, had given up fumbling with the snarl of cordage. He was now en- gaged in reducing the size of his pack. Reaching in through the placket, he grabbed one object after another and let it fall—a age of peanut brittle, not so brittle as it had been, and with a woolen monkey adhering to it; few squashed tangerines; a disheveled bunch of grapes; atoy locomotive, the impact of which upon one of the andirons elicit- ed a gong-like tremor; some oozing chocolate the crumbled ruins of cookies; a company of soldiers intrenched in taffy. As he hesi- tated between a doll dinner set and a set of harness studded with caramels, he ame upon something protruding from a banana. It was a pair of round-pointed scissors. Deliverance! He took them and cut the string. Then, free at last but too crestfallen to feel like blowing the trumpet, he slid down the rest of the sooty way—just after Mrs. Marvin had softly closed the door behind her. “Hello, Santa Claus!” ‘The tattered coalheaver looked up in sudden surprise and joy. “Hello, Santa Claus!” repeated Jack. ‘Taking her cue from him, litte Betty sa up in bed and pointed at the intruder. “Merry Christmas, children!” said Mr. Marvin, rubbing his sticky hands together, “I had some toys for you— but—er—my sleigh broke down—so they won't be here till to-morro “Thank y’ ever so much, Santa Claus! There being nothing more to be sa Santa bid an affectionate good-by climbed exultantly up the rope ag: Whereupon Mrs. Marvin rushed into the room and threw her arms about lit- tle Jack.“ My precious, precious boy!” she sighed, hugging him. “You did it perfectly!” “An’ will you really gimme the torpe- der boat?” “Yes, darling. You carned it like a man!” fey Grae makes me sore,; “Tis become a herfeck Bore! S Meny Chrishies! Bab you gues hy Tsend this cord [5 your ‘Tis~a hin I musk conféss, Theol! bi ink your gift is due! S7 cord. ws adele fc *Z one L gor ee No cévbL ye w Bitrl Las we for something uyev dort’wonk% 1 Ibn buns [jul “walt lo warn you ear Nof fo send me cated Boies all m change G never, be tn ending IF CHRISTMAS CARDS TOLD THE TRUTH A series for persistent pessimists. fe sit Lin fending, | hooks aia