Santa Claus's Partner

within and taking off his hat began to shake the snow from it

of intelligence; but he recognized him as a gentleman, and apprecia

eyes were averted to conceal inconvenient thoughts and the expressionless face was a mask to hide views which the caller might not have ca

t when the butler took in that he

to be excused this e

kage on a chair and proceed

cannot see any one,"

" He caught the lapels of the c

ll this evening," insisted James, co

me and bring his books

s not very wel

hands droppe

eft the office only

y tired when he arrived. He did not eat any

e expressed the

king his head. "He ought to have let me go o

t's it," said

d see him?" asked the old clerk, solicitou

ody." James looked the clerk full in the face. "I was

ce lit up with

James. We never had so good a year. Y

the doctor drop in to see him, and I hope he'l

let me know if I am wanted-if I can do anything. I will come around first thing in the m

same to you, sir. I'm going to wait

y accounted for by the information as to the successful year. Mr. Clark, somehow, alway

the snow need not be fully detailed. But at least,

od servant as James to look after him. Another was pity that Livingstone had never known the joy that was awaiting himself when at the end of that mile of snow he should peep into the little cosy back room (for the front room was mysteriously closed this evening), where a sweet-faced, frail-looking woman would be lying on a lounge wi

. Women did not always exactly understand some men, and when he left home, Mrs. Clark had expressed some very strong views as to Livingstone which had

of himself, and this made hi

sly opened the front door and then stole along the little passage to the back room, from which the so

e as a half-dozen pair of eyes stretched wide and a half-dozen mouths opened with a gasp, and then, with a shout which would have put to the blush a tribe of wild Indians, a h

e had managed to get off and come back. No one but Clark could have understood them or answered them, but somehow, as his arms seemed able to gather in the whole

ith eight children who will sit up and keep Santa Claus out of the house unless their father comes home

the house until midnight Christmas Eve so that Santa Claus can't come down the only chimney big enough to hold his presents? He would say, 'John Clark, I have no children of my own, but you h

night, why,-you'd never believe me. There's a sleigh so big coming in a little whil

odness, gracious! If it isn't almost ten o'clock, and if that sleigh should get here w

around them, still talking, still cajoling, still entertaining and still caressing, he managed to bear the whole curly, chattering flock to the door whe

cupant of the room, a lady whose pale face would have told her story even

k that she and her husband exchanged told that even invalidism and narrow mea

rn. Mr. Livingstone was feeling unwell, he said. He had not remembered it was Christmas Eve, he added; and, turning quickly and opening th

t good at deception. Mrs. Clark was better at it; but then, to-night was a night of peace an