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THB LAGRANGE REPORTER
■
FRIDAY MORNING
I #ai
#anta GUaua
anii
Slittl? Hill??
By John Kendrick Bangs
Author of
“A Howe-Boat on the Sty*."
"The Idiot." etc.
n »E was only a Uttlo bit of
I of a chap, and bo. when
I for the first time in his
_ I life he came Into close
contact with the endless
current of human things,
It was as hard for him
to "stay put" as for some
wayward little atom of
flotsam and Jetsam to keep from toss
ing about in the surging tides of the
■M.
His mother had left him there in
the big toy shop, with instructions
not to move until she came back,
while she went off to do some mys
terious errand. She thought, no
doubt, that with so many beautiful
things on every side to delight his
eye and hold his attention, strict
obedience to her commands would not
■be hard. But, alas, the good lady
ireckoned not upon the magnetic
(power of attraction of all those lovely
objects in detail.
When a phonograph at the other
l «od of the shop began to rattle off
melodious tunes and funny Jokes, in
spite of the Instruction Little Blllee
(had received, off he pattered as fast
■a his little legs would carry him to
Investigate. After that, forgetful of
everything else, finding himself
«aught in the constantly moving
stream of Christmas shoppers, he was
(borne along in the resistless current
ivntll he found himself at last out up
on the street—alone, free, and Inde-
ipendent
It was great fun, at first. By and
(by, however, the afternoon waned, and
(little Blllee began to grow tired. He
Ithought of bis mamma, and tried to
|find the shop where he had promised
I to remain quiet until her return. Up
I and down the street he wandered until
I his little legs grew weary; but there
'was no sign of the shop, nor of the
(beloved face ho was seeking.
Once again, and yet once again
lafter that, did the little fellow tra
verse that crowded highway, his
(tears getting harder and harder to
(keep back, and then—Joy of Joys—
(whom should he see walking slowly
'along the sidewalk but Santa Claus
ihlmself! The saint was strangely
decorated with two queer-looking
boards, with big red letters on them,
(hung over his back and chest.
With a glad cry of happiness. Little
tBillie ran to meet the old fellow, and
put his hand gently into that of the
saint He thought it very strange
that Santa Claus’s hand should be so
red and cold and rough, and so
chapped; but he was not in any mood
to be critical.
I Santa Claus, of course, would rec
ognise him at once, and would know
Just how to take him back to his
His Mother Had Left Him There In
the Toy-8hop.
mamma at home—wherever that might
be. Little Blllee had never thought to
Inquire Just where home was. All
he knew was that it was a big gray
stone house on a long street some
where, with a tall iron railing in front
of it not far from the park.
“Howdldoo, Mr. Santa Claus T" said
Little Blllee, as the other’s hand un
consciously tightened over his own.
“Why, howdldoo, kiddie?” replied
the old fellow, glancing down at his
new-found friend, with surprise gleam
ing from his deep-set eyes. “Where
idid you drop from?”
i “Oh, I’m out,” said Little Blllee
(bravely. “My mama left me a little
(while ago while she went off about
something, and I guess I got losted.
■But it’s all right now. I'm found again,
ain't I?”
“Oh, yes, lndeedy, you’re found all
r ght, kiddle,” Santa Claus agreed.
“And pretty soon you'll take me
home again, won’t you?” said the
child.
"Surest thing you know!” an
swered Santa Claus, looking down up
on the bright but tired little face with
a comforting smile. "Where do you
live?”
“As If you didn’t know that!” cried
Little Blllee, giggling.
“Ha, ha!” laughed Santa Claus.
“Can’t fool you, can I? It would be
funny if, after keeping an eye on
you all these years since you was a
baby, I didn’t know where you lived,
eh?”
"Awful funny,” agreed Little Blllee.
Just then Little Billee noticed for
the first time the square boards that
Santa Claus was wearing.
"What are you wearing those
boards for, Mr. Santa Claus?" he
asked.
If the lad had looked closely enough,
he would have seen a very unhappy
look come into the old man's face;
but there was nothing of it in his
answer.
"Oh, those are my new-fangled
back and chest protectors, my lad,”
he replied. "Sometimes we have bit
ter winds blowing at Christmas, and
I have to be ready for them. It would
n't do for Santa Claus to come down
with the sneezes at Christmas time,
you know—no, siree! This board In
front keeps the wind off my chest and
“What Are You Wearing Those Boards
for, Mr. Santa Claus{”
the one behind keeps me from get
ting rheumatism In my back. They
are a great protection against the
weather" *
"You’ve got letters printed there,”
said the boy, peering around In front
of his companion. “What do they
spell? You know I haven't learned
to read yet”
‘“Merry Christmas to Everybody!’"
said Santa Claus. “I have the words
printed there so that everybody can
see them; and if I miss wishing any
body a merry Christmas, he’ll know
I meant it just the same.”
They walked on now In silence, for
Little Blllee was beginning to feel al
most too tired to talk, and Santa Claus
seemed to be thinking of something
else. Finally, however, the little fel
low spoke.
”1 guess Fd like to go home now,
Mr. Santa Claus,” he said. "I’m tired,
and I’m afraid my mamma will be
wondering where I’ve gone to.”
“That’s so, my lltfe man,” said
Santa Claus, stopping short in his
walk up and down the block. "Your
mother will be worried, for a fact;
and your father, too—I know how
I’d feel if my little buy got losted and
hadn’t come home at dinner time. I
don’t believe you know where you
live, though—now, honest! Come!
’Fess up, Blllee, you don’t know
where you live, do you?"
"Why, yes, I do," said Little Blllee.
"It’s in the big gray Btono house with
the Iron fence in front of it, near the
park."
"Oh, that’s easy enough!" laughed
Santa Claus nervously. "Anybody
could say he lived in a gray stone
house with a fence around it near
the park; but you don’t know what
street it’s on, nor the number, either
I’ll bet fourteen wooden giraffes
against a monkey on a stick!”
"No. I don’t.” said Little Blllee
frankly; "but I know the number of
our ortymoblle. It’s—’N. Y.’ ’’
“Fine!” laughed Santa Claus. Then
he reflected for a moment, eyeing the
child anxiously.
“I don’t believe you even know
your papa's name," he said.
"Yes, I do," Bald Little Blllee indig
nantly. "His name is Mr. Harrison,
and he owns a bank."
"Splendid! Made of tin, I suppose,
with a nice little hole at the top to
drop pennies Into?” said Santa Claus.
“No, It ain’t, either!” retorted Lit
tle Blllee. “It's made of stone, and
has more than a million windows in
It. I went down there with my mamma
to papa's office the other day, so I
guess I ought to know.”
“Well, I should say so,” said Santa
Claus. "Nobody better. By the way,
Blllee, what does your mamma call
your papa? ‘Blllee,’ like yov?” be
added.
"Oh, no, Indeed,” returned Little
Blllee. "She calls him papa, except
once in a while when he’s going away,
and then she says, ‘Good-by, Tom.’ ”
"Fine again!" said Santa Claus,
blowing upon his fingers, for, now
that the sun had completely disap
peared over in the weBt, it was get
ting very cold. “Thomas Harrison,
banker,” he muttered to himself.
“What, with the telephone book and
the city directory, I guess we can find
our way home with Little Blllee.”
He led the little fellow into a pub
lic telephone station, where he eager
ly scanned the names in the book. At
last last it was found—"Thomas Har
rison, seven-six-flve-four Plaza.” And
then, in the seclusion of the tele
phone booth. Santa Claus sent tho
gladdest of all Christmas messages
over the wire to two distracted par-
onts:
“I have found your boy wandering
In the street. He Is safe, and I will
bring him home right away.”
Fifteen minutes later, there might
have been seen the strange spectacle
of a footsore Santa Claus leading a
sleepy little boy up Fifth avenue to a
cross street, which shall be nameless.
The boy vainly endeavored to per
suade his companion to “come in and
meet mamma.”
“No, Blllee,” the old man replied
sadly, “I must hurry back. You see,
kiddle, this is my busy day.”
But it was not to be as Santa Claus
willed, for little Blllee’s papa, and
his mamma; and his brothers and sis
ters, and the butler and the house
maids were waiting at tho front door
when they arrived.
Led by Little Blllee’s persistent far
ther, Santa Claus went Into the house.
Now that the boy could see him in the
full glare of many electric lights, his
furs did not seem the most gorgeous
things in the world. When the flap
ping front of bis red Jacket flew open,
the child was surprised to see how
ragged was the thin gray coat it cov
ered; and as for the good old saint’s
comfortable stomach—strange to say,
it was notl
”1—1 wish you all a merry Christ
mas,” faltered Santa Claus; “but I
really must be going, sir—”
“Nonsense!” cried Mr. Harrison.
“Not until you have got rid of this
chill, and—'’
“I can't stay, sir,” said Santa. 'I’ll
lose my lob 111 do.”
“Well, what If yon do? I’ll give
you & better one,” said the banker.
“I can’t—I can’t!” faltered the man.
"I—I—I’ve got a Little Blllee of my
own at home waitin’ tor me, sir. If I
hadn’t” he added fiercely, "do you
suppose I’d bo doin’ this?" He point
ed at the painted boards, and shud
dered.
"I guess Santa Claus 1b tired, papa,”
said Little Blllee, snuggling up close-
ly to the old fellow and taking hold
of his hand sympathetically. “He's
been walkin’ a lot today.”
"Yes, my son," said Mr. Harrison
gravely. “These are very busy times
tor Santa Claus, and I guess that, as
he sttll has a hard night ahead of
him, James had better ring up Henry
and tell him to bring the car around
right away, bo that we may take him
back—to his little boy. We'll have to
lend him a fur coat, to keep the wind
off, too, for it is a bitter night.”
“Oh," said Little Blllee, "I haven't
told you about these boards he wears.
He has ’em to keep the wind off, and
they're fine, papal” Little Blllee
pointed to the two sign-boards which
Santa Claus had leaned against the
wall. "He says he usob 'em on cold
nights,” the lad went on. “They have
writing on ’em, too. Do you know
what it says?”
“Yes," said Mr. Harrison, glancing
at the boardB. “It says 'If You Want
a Good Christmas Dinner for a Quar
ter, Go to Smithson's Cate.’ ”
Little Blllee roared with laughter.
“Papa’s trying to fool me. Just as
you did when you pretended not to
know where I lived, Santa Claus," he
said, looking up into the old fellow’s
face, his own countenance brimming
over with mirth. "You mustn’t think
he can’t read, though,” the lad added
hastily. "He’s only Joking."
“Oh, no, indeed, I shouldn’t have
thought that” replied Santa Claus,
smiling through his tearB.
•'I’ve been joking, have I?” said Lit
tie Blllee’s papa. “Well, then, Mr.
Bllllam, suppose you inform me what
it says.**
“ ‘Merry Christinas to Everybody
said Little Blllee proudly- T couldn’t
read it myself, but he told me what it
said. He has it printed there so that
If he misses saying it to anybody,
they'll know he means it Just the
same.”
"By Jove, Mr. Santa Clans,” cried
Little Blllee’s papa, grasping the old
man warmly by the hand, “I owe you
ten million apologies 1 I haven’t be
lieved in you for many a long year;
but now, sir, I take It all back. You
do extBt and, by the great horn spoon,
you are the real thing!”
tomouae, and, bidding everybody goon
night, Santa Claus and Little Blllee’s
papa wont out of tho hoijse together.
ChrlstmaB morning dnwned, and Lit
tle Blllee awoke from wonderful
dreams of rich gifts, and of extraordi
nary adventures with his new-round
friend, to find the reality quite as
splendid as the dream things.
As for Santa Claus, Little Blllee has
not seen him again; but down at his I
father’s bank there is a new messenger,
named John, who has a voice so like
Santa Claus’ voice that whenever Lit
tle Blllee goes down there In the mo
tor to ride home at night with his
papa, he runs Into tho bank and has
a long talk with him. Just for the
pleasure of pretending that It Ih Santa
Claus he is talking to.
29,089 Bales of
Cotton Ginned
Little Blllee had the satisfaction of
acting as host to Santa Claus at a
good, luscious dinner, which Santa
Claus must have enjoyed very much.
After dinner Henry came with the au-
William J. Harris, director of the
census, has announced the preliminary
report of cotton grinned by counties in
Georgia for the crop of 1914 prior to
December 1st. For purposes of com
parison the figures for the samo
period of tho 1913 crop are given.
1 Quantities are in running bales,
counting round as half bales, and
linters are not included.
Tho report shows ginnings in
Troup county prior to December 1
as 29,089 bales, compared with 21,-
974 for the same period of 1913. This
is a gain of 7,115 bales, and shows
that prior to December 1 Troup coun
ty had already grinned 4,037 bales
more than the total crop of 1919,,
which was 25,052 bales. It is prob
able that the yield in Troup county
will be the largest on record, exceed
ing the bumper crop of 1911 when 33,-
864 bales were produced.
The total ginning for the state to
December 1 was 2,286,104 bales, com
pared with 2,006,109 in 1913.
A A YULETIDE THOUGHT.
Wouldest thou learn thy
Lord's meaning in this thing?
Learn It well. Love was his
meaning. Who showed it thee?
Love. Whut showed he thee?
Love. Wherefore showed it he7
For love. Hold thee therein and
thou shult learn and know more
in the same. But thou sbalt
never know nor learn therein
other thing without end.—Ju
liana of Norwich.
His Gift
Give him a box of
TAMPA - CUBA—
they are the kind
that he always asks
for. Call in and see
our line, put up in
handsome XMAS
BOXES. We have
others too, you are
sure to find what
you want. Boxes
from
$1 to $6
If you give him
Tampa-Cuba Cigars
he will have a pleas
ant thought for you
every time he takes
a puff.
PHARMACY
Phones 262-263
i ij
A Splendid Line of all
the Leading Makes of
Cigars in Xmas Boxes
Box Paper for Holiday
Trade. Elegant As
sortment Cut Glass,
Jacob’s Candies,
Made Last Night.
The City Drug Co.
'A thirst is a
great' blessing
if you can get
Chero-Cola. Drink
it from the bottle-
through a straw.
Always uniform.
Perfectly delicious. i
Ibn/Ntc _
hero-Cola
You are cordially invited to visit our store, not onee only, but time and
again throughout the Holiday Season. Our Stock “BEAUTIFULLY” com
plete with the choicest productions of the year, while our facilities for service
were never so good as now. Especial attention has been given our display
of diamonds and watches, and also to those lines that provide worthy and
useful gifts at moderate prices.
9 Pretty Jewelry Is the Qlft of the Ages. •
Nothing can bo More Fitting
GIFTS FOR LADIES
Diamond Rings, Diamond Brace
lets, Photograph Frames, Eyeglass
Chains, Chatelaine Pins Toilet
Sets, Boquet Holders, Handy Pins, Sets of Spoons, Card Cases,
Sterling Silver, Collar Pins, Birth-month Spoons, Change Purses,
Plain Rings, Flower Vases, Vanity Cases, Neck Chains, Gold Watch
es, Signet Rings, Hat Pins, Jewel Cases, Manicure Sets, Set Rings.
GIFTS FOR MEN
Signet Rings, Cuff Links, Scaaf
Pins, Fountain Pens, Cigar Cutters
Gold Watches, Full Dress Sets,
Umbrellas, Military Brushes, Tie Clasps, Cigar Lighters, Book
Racks, Card Cases, Emblem Rings, Desk Clocks, Sachel Tags, Key
Rings, Emblem Buttons, Toilet Sets, Hat Brushes, Tape Measures,
Ink Wells, Bottle Openers, Soap Boxes, Desk Calendars.
Only SIX More Shopping Days Before