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Speaker 1: Looking for Santa Claus. One. On Christmas Eve, towards nightfall,

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Johnnie Graham and his sister Minnie were curled upon the

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floor near the kitchen stove, looking over the pictures in

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an old magazine. Little Minnie was explaining the pictures to

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her brother. The Kansas wind was howling about the house

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and driving the snow high against the window panes. Without

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all was darkness, save for the few lights to the west,

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where lay the village of Saint Mars. At a table

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beside the children, Missus Griham was washing the dishes. Halloa,

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cried Johnny, jumping to his feet. I hear some one

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a coming, and he rushed eagerly to the door. The

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sound of feet shuffling through the snow was followed by

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an impatient knock. Johnny threw open the door and found

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himself facing a man with a telegram in his hand.

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It's for your father and immediate, and with these words,

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the messenger disappeared into the darkness. I hope it is

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not bad news, said Missus Graham. May I run to

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the stable and bring it to Papa, cries Johnny, Yes, dear,

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and may I go too. Mamma asked Minnie forthwith. At

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the mother's nod, the two good tripping through the snow,

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and soon reached the stable, a stout structure distant a

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stone throws from the house. There are four horses in it,

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one of them which Winnie, is the finest horse in

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the West. Mister Graham is a lover of horses. Papa.

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Here's telegram, cries Johnny, and it's marked immediate, adds Minnie.

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Mister Graham, who had been fondly stroking his favorite racer,

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hurried from the stall and tore open the enclosure. His

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face changed as he read these words. Topeka, Kansas. Your

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sister is dying and calls for you. Not an hour, despair,

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John Talbot, Is it something bad? Papa asked Bennie, catching

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her father's right hand, while Johnny is saying nothing, but

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looking no less sympathetic, takes the other. Yes, your auntie

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is very sick, and I've just about three quarters of

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an hour to get ready and take the train. Come,

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little ones, we must tell mother at once. Surely it

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never rains, but it pours, exclaimed missus Graham on hearing

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the news. Yesterday, poor John was called away to the

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side of his dying mother in Kansas City. John was

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their man of all work, a steady, faithful young fellow who,

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after his love for each and every one of the Grahams,

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was devoted heart and soul to the horses. I don't

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like to leave you alone on any night, my dear,

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said mister Graham, but especially on Christmas night. But you

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must go to Annie's side. And besides, I'm not afraid.

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Everything is secure. We've lived here now for over two

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years and nothing has gone wrong. And Papa, if you go,

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do you think Santa Claus will come? Asked Johnny anxiously. Why,

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of course, I've sent him word that I've put the

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Christmas tree in the hayloft so that he won't make

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the mistake of coming to our house. Tomorrow, when you

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and Minnie wake up, you may run over to the

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stable and you'll find out that Santa Claus can get

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through the stoutest store in Kansas even though it has

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the strongest kind of a lock. Ant. Papa said Minnie.

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What time does Santa Claus come? Oh? About twelve o'clock.

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Half an hour later, mister Graham was kissing them all. Farewell, Papa,

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May I keep the key of the stable, asked Johnny.

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Here it is, don't lose it, my little man, and

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may we go over and see which winnie jest one

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more time to night? Papa chimed in Minnie, of course,

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Well good bye, dear and God bless you two. Johnny

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had been sleeping for some hours in his little cot

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when Minnie tiptoed into the room. Johnny, she whispered at

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his ear. The child turned uneasily. Johnny, she whispered again.

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What's the matter? Is it Christmas? Oh Johnny, she continued

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as the boy sat up in bed. It's just eleven o'clock.

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I want to go to sleep. Go away, said the brother,

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lying down again. But wouldn't you like to see Santa Claus? What?

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Cried the lad, leaping out of his bed. You know,

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Papa said he would come about midnight. I haven't been

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able to sleep for thinking of it. Let us go

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over to the stable and keep perfectly quiet, and maybe

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we shall see him. We doesn't go, said Johnny, Yes

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we may go, answered Minnie. Don't you remember that I

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asked Papa to go over and see which whinny to night?

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That's so. A few minutes later, two little forms glided

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over the snow, unlocked the door and slipped into the stable.

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Shall we leave the door up in for Santa Claus,

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asked Johnny. I think not, Minnie answered, it might hurt

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his feelings. Johnny locked the door. Ooh, it's dark in here.

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I'm afraid, sh cried Minnie. I have matches, dear, and

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we can light the candles if we wish. But then

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Santa Claus might see that you and I were watching

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for him, and then maybe he would be displeased. Come

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let us get in, which Winny stall and climbing to

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the manger. She'll be company for us, which Winnie gave

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a little nigh of joy when she felt the hands

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of her two dearest little friends caressing her. Then there

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was an unbroken silence. One minute passed, though Johnny thought

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it in an hour, when a stealthy step was her

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without He's coming, cried Minnie, breathing quickly. The steps ceased

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at the door. Then there came a low whistle at

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the sound, which Wennie gave another nigh of joy. Why

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even our horse is glad that Santa Claus is coming,

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whispered Johnny. Sh hissed Missy. For a minute or two

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there was a fumbling at the lock. I think I'll

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go and help Sannie, whispered Johnny. Maybe he's not used

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to that kind of a lock. He was about to

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leap from the manger to carry out his purpose when

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the lock turned, the door opened, and in the light

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afforded by a lantern in his hand, they saw a

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man standing in the doorway. He was wrapped in a

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heavy coat, encrusted by snow, and so far resembled the

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pictures of Santa Claus. He wore a beard, too, but

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it was black. There was no pack upon his shoulders,

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no smile on his face, and one hand was a

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lantern and the other a pistol. He was frowning too,

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and did not look at all jolly. Johnny's heart sank.

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In fact, he began to doubt whether it was Santa Claus.

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The man stood still for one moment and then whistled

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as before, which Winnie answered by a low, joyful neigh, Ah,

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there she is, mothered the man under his breath. Johnny

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could stand it no longer. Hullo Ah, Sandy Coss, he

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cried in nervous tones. The man gave a start, and

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then raising his pistol, at full cock threw the glare

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of the lantern full upon which Winnie and the two

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little ones. It was a pretty picture. The mayor, standing

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with her superb head, turned eagerly toward the newcomer, Minnie,

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clasping her on one side and Johnnie on the other.

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Both of them looked fearlessly at the man with a

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cock pistol. Aren't you Santa Claus, cried Minnie. The stranger

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lowered his pistol in advance. Yes, my little ones, he said,

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I am Santa Claus. I knew it, cried Johnny, even

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which Winnie knows it. See how glad she is to

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see you. Why she looks at you just the same

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as she looks at Papa. Oh, I'm awful glad to

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see you, Santi. But where is your pack? It's outside?

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Do you little ones expect any presents? Of course we do,

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answered Minnie. This little boy is Johnnie, and I am Minnie.

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Papa told us you were coming to night, so he

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still over to see you. Come in. Well, little ones,

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said Santa Claus in a rather stern voice. It's against

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my rolls to allow any one to see me at work. Now,

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if you want to get all the very nicest presents.

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You must make me a promise. All right, san any class,

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cried Johnny. You must go right back to the house

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and go to sleep, and not say another word till

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sunrise tomorrow. Now do you promise? Cross my heart? Cried

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the boy. And so shall I promise, added Minnie. But first,

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dear Santa Claus, I want you to do me a favor.

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Papa told us that you came in place of the

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Infant Jesus. Is that so, yes, said Santa Claus, coughing

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uneasily and putting away his pistol as though he were

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ashamed of it. Well, we know how much you must

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love the little infant, and I thought that you would

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like to take a look at the crib which Papa

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fixed up for us. There are twenty candles, and the

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little infant is jest lovely. Come on, Santa Claus, here's

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my hand. Santa Claus shivered as a child put her

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confiding hand in his. He was in a great hurry,

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but little child led him, led him to the other

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side of the stable into a vacant stall. Striking a match,

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Minnie lighted a lumber colored candles, revealing a beautiful wax

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figure of the child Jesus, lying with folded arms upon

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a small square platform, hardly more than an inch in thickness.

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Auntie Jane was over in Paris, explained Minnie, and she

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brought this for us. Isn't it sweet? It is? Said

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the man, upon whose brow a faint moisture had broken out. Now,

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Santa Claus, I know you want to kneel down and pray,

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Johnny and I always do. Santa Claus knelt. He bowed

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his head and did not see what Minnie was doing.

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Suddenly he gave a start, and looking up, saw Mannie

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sinking to her knees, while from the little platform which

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support of the figure came a sweet, tinkling Christmas melody.

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It was the atoms Noel. And he shivered again, and

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the moisture upon his forehead gathered into beads as he

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listened to the sweetly sad strains, look, whispered Minnie. Suddenly

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the wax and infant opened its sweet blue eyes. All

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the tiny, sweet waxen arms uncrossed themselves and were extended,

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as though they wouldn't fold the whole world in their warm,

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loving embrace. Isn't it beautiful? Whispered Johnny in a tone

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that was a prayer. Then the arm slowly folded again,

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and the sweet blue eyes were again curtained by the

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lovely lids. Jesus was asleep. After a moment's pause, the

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tinkle of the a dusty for dailies made the silence lovely.

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Let us sing for Santa Claus, whispered Johnny. At the word,

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both broke into the glad notes of the Christmas hymn

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and sang with the sweetness of fresh and touching voices,

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with the grand manner of a living faith. Before they

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had ended, Santa Claus threw his pistol before the shrine

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as an offering. He was done with it. Would you

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like to kiss the infant, asked Mannie, I dare not,

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he answered hoarsely. There was a faint sound in the distance,

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as of a horse galloping at full speed. God bless you, you,

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you darlings. God bless you, and forgive me. With the

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last words, he was rushing for the door, where he

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disappeared as though he had not been while nearer, louder,

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clearer came the tramping of the horse. The children hurried

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to the door and looked in vain for a sight

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of Santa Claus. Even as they were stinging their eyes

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into the darkness, there dashed up a horseman upon a

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foaming charger. Why it's Papa, cried Minnie. Merry Christmas, Papa,

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An we've seen Santa Claus. Ain't he ran away when

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he heard you coming? Is which? Winny? All right, cried

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mister Graham, jumping from his horse. Sure, answered Johnny, and

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supplemented by Minnie, he proceeded to tell their knight's adventures.

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Mister Graham listened with his features under a forced restraint.

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It's too bad, Papa, that you frightened Santy away. He

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didn't bring our Christmas presents yet, said Minnie, when Johnny

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had concluded his account. Yes, he did come up, my

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little ones in sea. And they went up and saw

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it was the finest Christmas tree in Chansas, and every

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gift that Minnie and Johnny could desire was there. Now,

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my little darlings, let us go down to the crib

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and thank the little infant. And they went down and,

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kneeling thanked the little infant, Minnie and Johnny for their

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beautiful Christmas gifts and their father for the safety of

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which Winnie from the clutches of her former groom, who

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had forged two telegrams, who had entered the stable as

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a horse thief, had remained in Santa Claus and left

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it touched and softened and repentant to the sweet visions

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of innocence and love which the infant Jesus had there

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vouchsafed him, and of looking for Santa Claus. By Francis J.

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Finn S Jay