THE MEDFOttD MAIL TRIBUNE, MEDFORD, . OREGON, SUNDAY, DECEMBER 12, 1909.
21
A BIT OF
CHRISTMAS
y C. E. WYMAN
ICopyrlulit, Iffl. Uy Anwrlcnii Press Amo
ulittlon, IT u'iim Christinas iiiornliiu n ml vary,
wry cold, livery few minutes a
irnliiiiiiin would come throiiuli tint
car, wiik'lilnii carefully a dial
iaced thermometer and stopping to
(urn screws of t ho heatlntf apparatus
In persistent it 1 1 (iiiiptH to keep the
JIOllllllIK ItllUIT lit 70 lll'ltlCCS.
Despite tliu discomfort of clout' ntr,
which was none tint warm at bout, tho
imssouijcrs In tho inn In wore Joyous
faces and didn't strain to consider thu
numerous packages nnd IjuiullrH an mi.
tioyniKi'.
I'ruiu a vny(ililo Million, which look
vd n h If It had never lii'i'ii neighbor to
nuy liutiMu where human uolnp lived,
u poor little Klrl entered and dropped
Into a sent whero an overcoat told that
ItH owner wan protmhly In tho hiiioUIii
car. Thu child did not notice this, and
In her Icuornuco of travel It would
have inndi) no difference If she had.
Hho iiiluht linvu Imeu cljjht or tun yearn
old, hut that air of no If reliance wiin
hern which poverty's child often at
tilrcs very young, yet there wiim noth.
Iiik forward or "hold" In her appear
ance. Her dress wan of the scantiest -a
thin cnilou pwu. Iiarely concealing
tho Itiulc of HUllahlii underwear; a llttlo
worn shoulder shawl and a battered
straw hut.
When the conductor nppcarcd the
hand which prexented her Imlf fare
ticket was red with cold, hut the Hinnll
person lifted to him a wonderfully
frank face and confidingly Informed
1 il lit that whe was Koine to Krnudmn'H
for Christmas and that the pack it go
rIio clinched In her other hand contain
ed cookies for grandma.
The conductor mulled down at her.
A pitying smile It wnH, as he thought
of hi own well fed, well clothed chil
dren, with whom ho expected to eat n
late Christmas dinner whou hU run
was over. The hiiiIIo lingered on his
face an he punned to the next seat and
saw that Itn occupautH hud heard.
Two women sat In tho seat, stroll
ers to each other and nit unlike an two
persons made on tho mime general
principle could be. Olio wnn tall, dig
nified, young, wrapped In conlly furs,
everything about her showing the per
no u who never lacked money or leisure;
the other. stout. Jolly, elderly, comfort-nble-n
kindly and well to do woman.
The two had traveled tulles nnd miles
hUIo by side with not a word passed
between them.
Now both ant with eye fixed on tho
forlorn bit of Immunity In front of
tlioin. Buddciily the younger woman
opened her traveling bag and toolt
from It a aoft gray shawl. It was at
least two yards long mid half nit wide,
"Nor would I if I could dissolve tho melancholy
That makes her so adorable my lady of the holly I"
Folding It together, ahe touched tho
little waif. Kiiylug In n low tone,
"Hlnnd up. my dear." Thu child oley
rd wonderlngly. nnd thin woman In
the costly furs placed the folded idiawl
around the small shoulders, crossed It
In front and. bringing the omltt to tho
bnck. pinned them securely.
"It In your to keep." alio whispered
"n ChrlMtniaH present." Then, turn
ing to the woman at her Hide, alio anld
apologetically, "I really did not need
It myself," There was n blink of tears
In her eyes.
"Well, now." the older woman ex
claimed In admiration, "you Just net
me to tlilnltln'! I'm really aithaiued
that 1 didn't think of doing something
myself. Here. I've got two pairs of
uiltteint for my grandson-Just about
her hIcv lit my hand bag, and be can't
wear out more than one pair this win
ter. Uesldcs. 1 con. Unit another. It's
nothing at all to knit mittens." Sho
was busily undrawing tho strings of an
enormous silk bag. but her glasses were
blurred, and her lingers were clumsy
Willi haste.
"What's your name, llttlo girl? Kn
tie? Well, hold out your bands, Kntle.
My! Aren't they a good lit: There's nu
ether Christmas present to keep. And
hero's a frosted cake. Just eat It right
now. Katie. Your grandma won't need
It. with nil those you've got In your
bundle,"
The child ngoln obeyed. She did not
sny. "Thank you." Possibly she did
not know how. but she seemed to glow
all over, and her eyes returned thanks
even If her timid llp did not.
"I'm proud to know you. my d"ar."
the roily poly. comfort iM.- w uinu -aid
now to the young lady, for she had
been saying to herself all the while:
"You're the right sort. I can see that."
"And I am proud to know you." tho
. other rescinded, nlrnost shyly offering
' her hand, which was quickly burled In
; a big. warm grnsp. "We nil long to Iw
I of service at Christmas time, you
know."
At that Instnnt the man of the over
coat on n n lent In to resume lilt sent.
Ilu gave a low whistle of surprise at I
the happy little traveler next the win
dow, glanced at the two women and I
comprehended tho situation. Ills right t
hand made a 'julck dive Into his trou
sers pocket as If to get some money.
In another Instant he withdrew It and
reached up to the rark overhead and
lifted down a large paper bundle Tak
Ing Hie bundle across the aisle to an
empty seat, he opened It and took out
a smaller package from among many
others. Untying this package, ho
brought to light a flaxen haired doll
dressed In Ihe latest stylo nnd resplen
dent In n large plcturo lint. This he
placed In tho Utile girl's arms, s.iylng,
"From my little daughter, who would
rather you should have It." Then ho
lifted bis hat courteously to tho wom
en, tool; his overcoat on his nrtn and
strode off to find a sett elsewhere.
Itlcb llttlo JCntle!
SANTA CLAUS A STRANGER.
H Is Officially Unknown to Unci
Sam's Mall Agtnt.
Tho postofllco department does not
know Snnta Claus. Tho old saint has
no olllclal exlstenco so far as Undo
Sam's mall agents arc concerned. This
Is duo entirely to tho fact that Santa
Clous lives cverywbero at tho sarno
time Instead of having n single local
habitation llko other people. It Is Tory
sad, but It cannot Ikj helped. Letters
which children address to Santa Claus
or Kris ICrlugte must go straight to tho
dead letter ofllce.
Some time ngo an effort on behalf of
the children wus tundo to Induce tho
postolllco department to permit post
masters to open all letters addressed
to Hautn Claus and turn them over to
tho parents of the child correspondent
or to some local organization havlug a
Christmas fund to spend, but the at
torney general for tho department ren
dered an adverse decision, holding as
follows:
If postmasters vrcro granted authority
to open all inch letters and (elect thoso
which they thought proper to deliver to
persons applying for them, there would
be temptation and opportunity for poit
masters and other employer to open let
ters Indlicrimlnately, tome cf which con
tain Inclosuros of value, and the us on
excuse for such action the authority
crantcd by the department.
The department's legal adviser also was
of the opinion that. If permission were
granted to deliver such tetters to benevo
lent societies and Individuals, It would bo
difficult for tho department to draw tho
lino where benevolence ends and commer
cialism begins. Many persons desire such
letters for uso In newspapers and maga
zine stories, the namo of the child of
soma prominent public man attached to
such n letter making It especially valua
ble for that purposa and often corre
spondingly embarrassing to tho parent
of the child. Furthermore, tho opinion
states, such a practice would vlolito tho
principle of the sanctity of tho seal,
which Is one of the best features of our
postal system, and the department would
continually bo open to serious suspicion.
Gumdropt.
WIH-I see thru Cook pays Teary
stole his supplies.
rhIl-Sortcr tore tnkln' candy from t
bnby. eh7-.Ntw York Tribune
Holiday Suggestions
rani
OPEN DECEMBER 15
DAAIf C For Men and Women,
UUUIiJ For the Boys and Girls
and for the Babies
FINE STATIONERY
WHITMAN'S CANDIES
Pictures, Christmas Cards
Etc.
A general line of Books, Stationery, Magazines, Office and School Supplies,
Post Cards and Confectionery, will be carried.
WITH SHERMAN, CLAY & CO.
134 W. MAIN STREET
ran
blurred, and her llntrcrs were clumsy coat nauiuer.Mi in to resume his xont. -
I MkiBWSBHtHBMsMSSsn
mmK
JTia, BEST M
CHRISTMAS GIFT I
Santa Claus'
Best Gift
A
Victor
or an
EDISON
VICTOR
A
Magnificent Christmas
Giit
03
TALKING MACHINE will ninko both the rich and the poor happy on
Ohristnm.s and every day
in the year. Come in and
hear Caruso, Gadski, Som
hrich, Seotti, Planeon,
Farrar and othei sing on
tho VICTOtt, and Daddi,
'Avuz'n, Martin, Constan
tino, Arral Dubois, Leo
Slezak, Sousa's Band, Ada
.tones, Col ins & ITarlin,
Billy Hurry and others on
tho EDISON.
Whetsel Music House
134 W. MAIN ST. WITH SHEAMAN, CLAY & CO,
Sherman Clay & Co.
134 West Mam Street, Medford, Oregon
9 6
Our Pianos
9
STEINWAY
KURTZMAN
EMERSON
WELLINGTON
EVERETT
PACKARD
CONOVER
CABLE
ESTEY
A. B. CHASE
LUDWIG
KINGSBURY
jz? PLAYER PIANOS jZ?
A. B. CHASE
KINGSBURY
EUPHONA
PACKARD
CECILIAN
CAROLA
ORGANS
CONOVER
!2D
ESTEY PIPE ORGAN GO COTTAGE
VICTOR TALKING MACHINES
jsr OUR POLICY &
Reliability.
One price to all.
Superior quality of goods.
A squaro deal to everybody.
Easy terms. .
Our prices are tho same in Medford as m Port
land, San Francisco, Seattle, Spokane and all
our other stores.
The fundamental principlo upon which SHERMAN, CLAY & CO. is operating is honesty, be
lieving 'To thino own self bo true and it must follow as the night tho day thou cannot bo ialse to
any man " A number of second-hand Pianos and Organs, taken in exchange, on hand.
SHERMAN CLAY . CO.
To offer an oxpensive article today at one
price, tomorrow at another, and later at half
price, indicates an enormous profit.
SHERMAN, CLAY & CO.
shuns such methods. A child can buy a piano
as safely and as cheaply from us as. tho most ex
perienced business man.
134 WEST MAIN STREET.
MEDFORD, OREGON