A Son of the City

k and counted "Five hundred by five" as rapidly as he could. But as the cry of "Coming" echoed between the closely built houses, John's conscience suddenly robbed hi

the delicatessen store and wonder that the work upon whic

ong the petrified lawns on the paper route until the last news sheet was delivered, then blew lustily on his black mittens to warm his numbed fingers as he started for home. There, under t

tmas

turned to the first page, where an account of a ghastly train wreck held him spellbound. Searching on an inner page for the rest of the nar

he animated bunnies and the blacksmith shop in the Brownie Village, and the wonderful display of toys of every description which Santa has gathered

oded myth, these years, but the stereotyped cut of the jovial, fat-cheeked saint at the top of th

ng desk to begin his series of Christmas letters to certain responsive relatives. These favored ones heard from him regularly four times a year-before his birthday, before Christmas, and as soon afte

ather is fine but getting cold. Christmas is

empt to harness the bit of machinery to the powerful lighting current in Sid's house, but it had been delight indescribable to swing the litt

ision with a park water hydrant, used for flooding the field, and the remains of the sleds had

bility of getting a high, useless girl's sled,

ates. My old ones are rusted. A knife. Mine's lost

the innumerable boyish desires which had arisen since his birthday in June had fled, and, try as he would, he could recall none

hued clouds which drove over the city from the lake. The temperature, too, rose above the freezing point and gave the only boy in the Fletcher household a chanc

ple from son's head"-mechanical engines which sped around three-foot circles of track until any human engineer would become dizzy; sleds of every description from humble ones at

uds from the east had borne out the newspaper forecast o

mentary touch of white to the brown, frost-bitten lawns as a prophecy of that which was yet to come. In front of the Alfords', Silvey, Perry, and Sid, danced back and forth with shouts of laughter as they tried to catch th

and Bill ran home at noon one day, a quartette of men with bulging, gray denim bags on their shoulders, left big yellow envelopes on each and every house porch of t

udy pamphlet from the manila cas

ver, a red-coated, rosy-cheeked Saint Nick, with a toy-filled pack, was descending a snow-capped chimney while his reindeer cavorted in the background. On the back were rows of dainty

e said suddenly. "

ness. As the bundles under the two boyish arms were becoming heavy, Mrs. Fletcher darted out by the lamppost in front of the house and beck

ed on a muddy object in the street gutter, and John stooped to pick it up. Torn, disfigured with innumerab

Louise in

you ge

ther boys at her end of the str

lunteered. "I'll bring you on

ruin regretfully. Those dolls on

coming?" John asked. "Gee, I w

se n

nt for Christma

't know.

What did she want with dolls? They wo

. "And doll clothes," she went on, "and new hair ribbons and things f

n the apartment steps. "I'm trying to think of the others all the time. Jimi

n had started the parlor grate for his mother, he fell under the spell of one of the wonder

ver your papers, son? It'

o do something else. He rose to his feet and stretched both arms to take the cramps out of them,

books and went into the parlor. His father, following a few moments later,

is it,

dream with visions of automobiles, ste

t this," h

well, and lifted him into his lap. A moment later, the two h

seated cab for a youthful engineer. "I saw one, once. All red

nk that's too much

such lots of fun to just wish for things,

enderly for a moment. As they relaxed

thing but dolls and dolls and more dolls," as a procession of things dear to the feminine hea

r cross beside the illustration. "And here come the sleds. Lots of them aren't so v

porker safe on his son's bureau, he had no idea that so large a

sor O'Reilley's performance. "They're such fun, and they don't cost very

. "You'd better make out your Christmas list for us

Fletcher had overheard the finish of the conversation and smiled in on him

led Mr. Fletcher. "It's n

s the only

'll need around the flat whe

her newspaper disapprovingly

r son appeared in the d

t," he said. "I'm

nchoring pin to the floor. She picked it up. True to his peculiar custom, John had presented his Christmas needs in a manner which s

Chrismas: Pictures, pretty ones, Picture frames, Chairs, Plates for dinner, Knives, Spoons, Anything for a flat." A little space followed

e Fletchers, to leave odd-shaped bundles in the hallway, bundles at which John would gaze longingly as if to

t time she went to town? "Then it'll be a surprise for dad." Likewise he approached Mr. Fletcher. "Then mother won't know I'm

Santa Claus leaves tomorrow for his home at the North Pole. As a farewell inducement to the children of thi

to thinking. Couldn't he-providing of course that maternal permission was given-go down town and do his shopping Saturday afterno

make the deliveries if he gave him a list of the custome

population just before Christmas, when the display of penny and five-cent novelt

ens, and tired office clerks took advantage of the half holiday to fill their shopping lists. Here, a well-dressed, clear-complexioned lady of leisure examined an expensive knickknack, there an Irish mother led her brood to the throng around the elevators that they might see Santa Claus.

employee looked down at him wearily.

o and three deep around the spaces where goods were on display. Clerks hurried back and forth in response to the calls of the wrapping girls, and change carriers popped unceasingly from the pneumatic tubes. John plied his elb

e heap. Poor stuff that, even at a quarter. His mother's frequent dissertations upon silk samples which she had brought ho

! Don't care if I have to pa

t co

t noticed his father's taste in ne

ored against the fiery background. The clerk twisted it deftly around

ke

om the pig bank that morning. A moment later, the wrapped holly box w

st a wooden counter edge, now jammed against two fat women in rusty black who were buying devotional books for the edification o

down at him in a manner which successive ten o'clock se

lessly over the bewild

p an inane, pretty-girl covered book. He eyed it dubiously and

s and heroines in every day life never have the easy sailing which a limited read

o the elevators. The family shopping was over and the real business of

vator man. "Toys, dolls, game

nical trains and the tooting of toy horns. Impatient salesmen called "Cash, cash, cash!" at the top of their lungs. Wails arose from hot, disgruntled

he other as they walked patiently along. Poorly clad street loafers sought to idle away their time with a visit to Santa Claus. Tall, slim young women yanked their little brothers into place or besought sma

to the little house and the f

al impediments to prevent like maneuvers. When the white, asbestos snow-covered house came in view, John halted d

. At the far end of a wooden counter, a fat, red-coated Santa Claus passed trinket after trinket into eag

ocky store employee interpo

ur folks?"

ion of the distribution had

e inquisitor, a sm

room was a buxom German woman in black, with

ed. "That's my mother. I

t least three other urchins had claimed

a wish that this, the last day of his sojourn in the city, were already over. John grabbed the cheap pencil box which was handed him. The guardian

y at the whimsicalities of gnome life, the juveniles halted and dragged and

diminutive hands before popping back to their shelters. One sun-bonneted fellow in patched overalls bent spasmodically over a little wooden wash tub on a hill. Further on, a perpetual clatter drew attention to

ced street gamin in patched knee trousers conf

nd again?"

ed. "What'd

cil box; the boy, a di

ed than accepted. What was the u

e sentry would not recognize them. But on the third trip as they nodd

whispered as the boys' h

miniature railroad was engaged, John's new found friend threw over a tiny switch and caused an unlooked for wreck on the line.

ssessed an uncanny trick of working his way th

doll carriage aisle, where a little girl tried to carry a vehicle away with her and made thi

s they stooped to examine a price

nvested a nickel in peanuts, and the pair devoured them ravenously. Then John wiped the last traces of salt from the corners of his mouth, said

nd stopped short in the brilliantly lighted street. He'd forgotten a

window was a tempting array of cheap jewelry, watches, and holiday goo

lped to swell the throng which gathered around the raucous-voiced auctioneer. As John entered, th

in its movement and a solid gold-filled twenty-year case-and fi

filched from the pig bank. Presents for his mother and father had depleted the sum by half, pea

" persisted the man behind the gla

imepiece to a man in the front row and

the watch in the air again. "

tely. "I thank you. This gentleman knows a good thing when he sees it. Eighty-five, eigh

e use of wishing that you might give such a trinket t

anese vases with wart-like protuberances on their sides, and cut-glass dishes-each

nglomeration of articles on the counter belo

re hand painted, and the top is solid gold-filled. Inside is a soft, dainty, powder puff. How much am I o

arter bid? Gentlemen, it's a shame. The time taken to decorate it was worth more than tha

vely. Came a bid of forty cen

ifty cents, I thank you-fifty cents, fifty cents, fifty-five, fifty-f

ive!" sho

our friend here at eighty-five cents. Will

d for the car line. Another hour had elapsed, and he dreaded

, and large, heedless grown-ups crushed him with each

nd-painted vanity box with a glistening solid gold-filled top greeting him from Louise's chiffonier when his tho