A Falls City
Lucy and Her Dream
'he name isn't Jones,and there
fore, we will call them the Jones
family. It wouldn’t be quite fair
to tell of anything so personal as
this and give the true name,
'hey live, well, not ill the north
part of town, therefore, we will
tell a little Christmas story about
the Jones family who do not live
in the north part of town.
The Jones family is not large,
jnet the father, mother and little
Lacy, who has reached the en
dearing age of three.
Lucy has curly hair and brown
eyes, such wistful brown eyes,and
red cheeks. Lucy's walk is un
steady, almost as unsteady as her
lather’s is at times, but that is
another story. Lucy has a cheery
laagb, I heard it when I told her
about Santa Claus and the rein
deers.
Somebody had told her about
Santa Claus before because she
said she knew him. All imagina
tive children know Santa Claus,
and Lucy is an imaginative little
girl.
iou see. it all came about in
this way. 1 had a little business
with Mr. Jones and had called at
his home one night to see him.
inere were no carpets on the
floors, the cracked kitchen stove
was making ineffectual efforts to
heat the cold rooms, Mrs. Jones
was doing up the supper dishes
with Huey’s tiny feet pattering
niter her. Mr. Jones with thick
voice and reeking breath was ex
plaining his part of the business
that called me there.
ft became necessary for Jones to
go to a neighbor’s bouse and, dur-j
icg the wait, I caught Lucy’s eye
and she smiled.
What is your name, little girl,’’
was my opening effort at conversa
tion.
She looked at me silently/oubt
fnlly.
Can’t you answer the man”?
asked the mother.
Again f asked “what is your!
name”? But Lucy was not satis j
fied and my effort was rewarded
by silence.
Is Santa Claus coming to see
yon”? 1 tried as another tack.
Then the brown eyes became
wistful and the little girl looked
up at her mother and smiled.
‘ If you will come here I will
tell you a story of Santa Claus,” I
said to her boldiug out my hand.
She came at last, hesitatingly,
and permitted me to lift her to my
knee.
I had the feeling that I was on
dangerous ground. It may have
been the smoke from the cracked
stove that made the mother’s eyes
shine suspiciously. I did not want
to say the wrong thing, to make
the little eyes shine with hope in
the end to grow dim with disap
pointment.
“How about Santa Claus down I
i
here”? 1 asked the mother. She
smiled sadly and shook her head.
The little girl was seated com
fortably by fins time and her tiny
hand was playing with the buttons
ou my coat.
1 knew i was in tor it, so I told
her of a tar away land skirted by
ice bound seas. I told her of a
mansion built of ice blocks inhab-l
ited by a fat, jolly little man with
a long beard and red cheeks, 1
spoke of the reindeers and what
handsome fellows they were. I
told of the workshop where won
derous things were made by the
cunning hands of old Santa. I
spoke of drums, and guns, and
swords, for my stories of Santa
Claus had always been told to
little boys.
She was interested, I could see,
but the tale of the workshop was
not satisfying. The mother,whose
knowledge was greater than mine,
and who had been watching the
interested face of her little girl,
came to my rescue.
•‘Yes," she said, ‘‘and dolls.”
That was it. No one could look
into that little face with eyes shin
ing, no one could hear the tiny
Xmas Story
That Will Come True
gasp as the hands clasped in
ecstacy and doubt fora moment
tlmt in the workshop of the Santa
Claus that Lucy knew there were
dolls.
It was my cue, and 1 followed it.
“()h, lots of dolls,” I said. “ Colls
with long golden hair, and pink
cheeks and blue eyes that close
when they go to sleep. ”
‘‘Big dollies”? asked the little
one.
“Yes, indeed,so big that a little
girl could scarcely carry them.”
This was too good to keep, so
climbing down she ran to her
mother crying the news. “Big dol
lies, mama, big dollies.”
“Yes, honey,” said the lady
whose name is not Airs. Jones,
“Y es, honey, but Hanta Claus may
not know where we live now,
and”—
Do you know that there are trag
edies enacted about us every day.
1 have never heard greater sadness
in a human voice than I heard in
that mother's that night. I have
never seen greater grief than there
wasin little Lucy’s face when it was
explained to her that Santa Claus
and big dollies were dreams that
were not coming true.
As T sat waiting for the return
of Mr. Jones I heard the sobs of a
disappointed baby girl a s her
mother hushed her to sleep. The
house was very quiet and cold.
The ghostly fingers of the sleet
and rain were tapping on the win
dows. The tire in the stove burn
ed to ashes.
“Mr. Jones has probably gone
up town,” the wife finally said,and
her lip trembled a little as she
spoke.
“I will see him some other
time,” 1 replied reaching for my
hat.
I met Jones on my way up
street. He did not recognize me.
His gait was unsteady and he was
mattering incoherently as he stag
gered on towards home.
And that, thought I, that is one
whom God trusts with the respon
sibility of a human soul.
That man ’s the Santa Glaus of
whom Lucy has drenmed.
* * * * *
Christmas is coming soon and
the homes are filled with secrets
and mystery.
In the closet of a Falls City
home wberejhere are hidden sleds
and skates and guns there sits a
big doll with long golden hair and
blue eyes that close when it goes
to sleep that would make the boys
of this borne wonder if they could
but see it.
But a certain lady whose name
is not Mrs..Jones is onto the secret
and she has told Lucy that it may
be that Santa Claus will find their
home, and
I just wish 1 could see her when
her dream comes true.
ACCEPTABLE GIFTS
A Few Suggestions By Our City
Librarian
The hooks in the following list are
merely suggestions for gifts. The
question of what book to give is fre
quently asked the Librarian and it is to
help answer that question that she lias
compiled this list. It is not supposed
to contain ull of the best,or most suita-1
able books, perhaps, but ail that are
recomrhended are worth while. More
complete lists will be found at the
library. An eft'ort has been made not
to duplicate library books.
HOOKS FOR LITTLE CHILDREN
Mother Goose, illustrated by Denslow
Burgess Goods and how to be them
Grover—Sunbonnet babies primer;
Overall boys; Night before Christmas,
Book of trains, Circus books, Book of
ships, Little people’s animal books,
Brownies and other stories, Brownie’s
famous books
Caldecott’s picture books, l,2,.'i,4
Potter Peter Rabbit, Squirrel Nut
kin, BeDjamin Bunny
Baum--Wizard of Oz: Life and ad
ventures of Santa Claus
Aspinwall Short stories for short
people
Bigham—Stories o f Mother Goose
village
Wiltse Folklore stories and pro
verbs
Bennerman Little black Sambo
Bridgman —Guess, Guess again,Farm
book, Book of the Zoo
Smith & Lucas Cat book
Richards Hurdv gurdy
Praeger Adventures of three bold
babies
Pyle Christinas angel
Jackson—Cat stories
Lang Cinderella and other fairy
tale; Little red rid Ing hoqd
Longmans Infant readers, Jack and
the beanstalk, Snowdrop, Fairy talc of
a fox
I'oit atiiKii (un.niiK.N
Baldwin Story of Seigfried
Brown In the days of the giants
LaBedolliere Story of a cat
Lillie—Nan
Weselhoeft Old Rough, th*j miser
Crompton Oentle heritage
Harris \aron in t li e wildwoods,
Nights with Uncle Remus
Flnnemore — Peeps at many lands
scries, Switzerland, Egypt, France,
Holland, Holylaud, Japan,Scotland
Aleott—Any of the litt le women series
Lang —Blue, green, violet and crim
son fairy books
Hoyt -Child’s life of Christ
Hodges—When the king came
Headland Chinese boy and girl
Burroughs—Squirrels and other fur
bearers
Seton Lobo, Rag and Vixen: Krag
and Johnny bear
Baldwin Old stories of the ea t
Modern readers’ Bible, books in
separate volumes f
Walls U, te and Polly stories: Man
without a country
Hale—For past little
Page -Captured Santa Claus
Lee— Lois Mallet's dangerous gilt
Wiggtn—Story of Patsy: Summer in
a canyon
Ward i.ost hero
SpolTord Hester Stanley at St.
Marks
Kastman -Indian boyhood
Cumin's Some strange corners of
country: King of the bronchos
Miller True hear stories
Parkin an — O regon tra i i
FOR t tc YS
VauDyke—Story of the Other Wise
Man
Pago In ole Vinginia
Barnes For King of Country
LummU Enchanted Burro; King of
the Broncos
Pyle—Men of trun; Jack Ballister’s
Fortune
Black—Four MacNIeols
Clemens—Prince and the Pauper
Crockeyt lied Cap Tales
Karl On the School Terms
Ewing Daddy Darwin's Dove Cote
Kipling Jungle book
Murtlneau Croton boys
Pier Harding Of St. Timothy
Mitchell Hugh Wynne
Stevenson Black Arrow
Turley Maitland, Mayor, Minor
IrHiliii’.d Long TraiI
Tomlinson Four Boys in Yellow
stone
FOR GIRLS
Brown Two College tiirls
Jewett Betty Leicester
Jackson Nelly’s Silver Mine
Shaw Castle Blair
Wtjrgin Rebecca of Sunny brook
Farm: New Chronicles of Kebeeca
Ray Teddy, her book
Catherwood Story ofTonti
Sidney Five little Pepper Series
Montgomery Anne of green Gables
Wetkel Betty Baird
Ward* Wales Books
Richmond Round the Corner in
Gay Street
Bailey Judy
Haskell—Cranford ,
Brown Meadow Grass
FOR GROWN FICOPbF.
Churchill Mrs. Crew’s Career
Cutting Wuyfareres
Belaud It. J.’s Mother and Some
Other people
Palmer The Big Fellow
Knapp—Well in the Desert
Fox—Trail of the Lonesome Pine
Bazin Redemption
Cotes—<’ousin Cinderella
Leone Next Street but one
Hewlett Spanish Jade
Johnston- Lewis Hand
Brown Rosa MacLeod
Beach The Burner
Nicholson Jlttlo Brown Jug at Kil
I dare
Chambers Firing line
white The K>verinan
Train The Stories of Crime
Kd wards Literary Humbles In
France
Casson—Romance of the Reaper
Fagan Confession of a Railroad Sig
nal rr.nn
Fitzpatrick Jock of the Bushveld
Mitton Bachelor Girl in Hurna
Johnston Stephen A. Douglas
Huriburt Sunday Half-hours With
Great i’rcachers
Burroughs Leaf and Tondril
Maeterlinck Life of a Bee
Grey Last of the Plainsmen
Greek Way of the Woods
Bennet Vegetable Garden
White The Pass
Abbott liehiud the Scenes with the
Mediums.
Strauss Ideas of a Plain Country
Woman
Dawson Forgotten Secret
Gulick Ktlieient Life
Strong—Challenge of the city.
Mrs. McRaney's Experience
Mrs. M. Mcllaney, Prentiss, Miss ,
writes "I was eon lined to my bed for
three months with kidney and bladder
trouble, and wits treated by two physi
cians but failed to get relief. No hu
man tongue can tell whul 1 suffered,
and l had given up hopes of ever get
ting well until I begun taking Foley's
Kidney remedy. After taking two
bottles l felt like a new person, and
feel it my duty to tell suffering women
what Foley's Kidney Remedy did for
me.” Kerr's Pharmacy.
Dr. Tefft. Dentist, Maddox block,
opposite court house.
I will sell at F^ublic Sale, at my farm, 1-2 mile north, 5 3-4 east of Falls
City, 1 3^east and 2 1=2 north of Preston, on
Tuesday, Dec. 22
sale to commence at 10 o’clock, the following described property:
14 Head of Horses 14
r'
consisting of two 9=year old mares, one 10-year old mare, one 6-year old
mare, one 5=year old mare, one 4=year old mare, one 3=year old horse,
two 2=year old horse colts, one l=yei?r old horse colt, one 2=year old mare
colt, one suckling horse colt, one suckling mule colt and one old horse.
31 Head of Cattle 31
consisting of 14 cows, two are fresh. One thoroughbred cow, fresh; one
2=year=old thoroughbred heifer, two 2=year=old heifers, nine calves, one
10=months=old thoroughbred bull calf, one thoroughbred bull.
35 Extra Good h ogs
consisting of fifteen head of sboats and twenty fall pigs.
,■■■4,1 ——— — m — —— —- '■ ' ■■ ", ■ ■ — ■■ rnmmmmmmm — '
m i|«i $ One spring wagon, i Farmer surrey, i Top
g (&*&. 1 I I C. 9 buggy, 2 farm wagons, 2 low-wheel wagons,
Eg 2*^ U | -y 8LJP Cyl ^ i 8-foot Deering binder, 1 manure spreader,
M H M m otam? Mr w ■ ^B™ 1 Deering mower, 1 side delivery rake, 1 hay
feeder, 1 double-row stock cutter, 1 12-hole wheat drill, 1 riding plow, i lister, 2 corn drills (1 single and
one double row), 1 walking cultivator, 1 Canton double-row go-devil, 1 3-section harrow , i disc, 2 hay
racks, 1 hog rack, 2 sets of work harness, 2 single harness, 2 sets of fly nets, 150 hedge posts, some oak
posts, about 35 or 4o tons of hay in barn, 600 bushels corn, 250 bushels oats, six dozen Plymouth Rock
hens, some stove wood, household goods, and other articles too numerous to mention.
_LUNCH ON THE GROUNDS_
TO I /> • All sums of $ 10 and under, cash.
I VI I I Id I wCllV • On sums over that amount, a
credit of twelve (12) months given, without interest if paid when due. If
not so paid note to draw 8 per ct. int. from date of sale. 3% off for cash.
AUG. DECKINGER
GEORGE HOLT, Clerk. COL. C. H. MARION, Auctioneer
