”
Brworsaii atc
Belletonte, Pa., December 20, 1918.
A MISGUIDED SANTA CLAUS.
By Ellen Hassel.
“But, my dear sister,—” demurred
Percival, looking hopelessly at his
sister through his monocle.
_“No ‘buts’ about it,” snapped his
sister. “The very idea of a man twen-
y years old refusing to play Santa
aus to his own little nephews and
nieces! You'll do as I say or my name
is not Jane Van Smythers!”
“If my set should find it out I would
eertainly be considered the laughing
stock,” he continued, savagely polish-
img the pearl handle of his spindly,
Ettle cane with a silk, perfumed hand-
kerchief.
Nevertheless he followed his sister
$0 the other side of the room and gin-
gerly accepted the red Santa Claus
suit she thrust into his arms.
“Fudge!” from Jane was the only
answer to his last remark. Then she
proceeded to relate just how she wish-
ed him to carry out her plans for sur-
prising the children.
“Remember!” she finished,
you to forget you are Percival Dan-
eliffe and don’t forget all the stories
I have read you about St. Nicholas,
for I want you to act a natural part.
“I want
We shall expect you at nine o’clock.” |
Percival looked at his sister again
in despair, daintily pulled up his coat
sleeve an inch or two, squinted at his
wrist watch, and hastily departed.
As soon as the door closed behind
him, Mrs. Van Smythers threw her-
self on the nearest chair and clasped
her hands desperately.
“That brother of mine!” she ex-
elaimed to herself. “He’s——he’s the
worst dandy I ever heard, saw, or
thought of!” But I'll put some life in
Rim!” And at that moment she cer-
tainly looked as if she could do it.
Suddenly Mr: Van Smythers enter- |
asked his |
ed, laughing.
“What is so amusing?”
wife looking at him in surprise.
«I almost made am awful blunder
this evening,” he answered. “If I had
it to do again Jane, I would not have
rented this house.”
“] don’t see anything so funny
about that,” said Mrs. Van Smythers,
“Why?”
“These double houses I never could
bear,” he replied. “I almost went in-
to the wrong side of the house, this
evening. Imagine the terror of those
two old maids if they saw a man en-
tering!”
This time Jane laughed with her
husband, for those two maiden ladies
furnished a lasting source of amuse-
ment to her. They had rented one
side of the house many years before
the Van Smythers family had rented
the other side. There they had lived
in comparative solitude for they were
pot sociable and never encouraged
callers.
“Dear me! You must be more care-
ful,” said Jane. Then as she and her
husband walked to the dining room to
their waiting supper, Jane confided to
him her plan for “killing two birds
with one stone’—supplying a Santa |
Claus for her children and forcing her
brother to be real boyishly lively for
one night in his life.
In the meantime, Percival saunter-
ed into a lunch room, and, while he
sipped hot chocolate and nibbled sweet
wafers, he thought of the role he had
to play that night.
“Was there ever such an unfortu-
pate mortal as myself to have such a
sister as Jane?” he meaned. “And,
if I remember Tightly from these sto-
ries of St. icholas,—Good—gra-
cious!” he exclaimed, forgetting his
luncheon, he started up in extreme ag-
itation—“according to those tales this
horrid fellow comes down the chim-
ne 137
Xhis though took away Percival’s
appetite and he hurried out of the
restaurant. After pacing the street
for some time he finally decided. His
sister had ordered him to act a nat-
ural part, and,—well,—Percival had
had experience with Jane’s temper.
He would do almost anything rather
than cause that to be aroused. After
making this decision, he turned his
steps to his apartments with a great
deal of reluctance.
‘An hour later found Percival before
a long mirror fully arrayed in the
Santa Claus outfit. He was looking
at himself very mournfully and was
trying to adjust his wig and beard in
a more becoming way. No one would
have taken him for Santa Claus, be-
cause the mirror did not reflect a nice,
fat, jolly old man with a red nose and
twinkling eyes, but a slim dandy near-
y lost in a baggy, red suit, a face
that was anything but jolly and a
nose that bore signs of a coat of pow-
der. His monocle was still in his
right eye and his wrist watch was
somewhere on the arm hidden by the
baggy coat sleeve. In ome hand he
carried a towel, and with the other,
dragged a large sack full of toys after
him. From his pocket protruded a
small chest containing a full assort-
ment of splints, bandages and court
plaster in case he shoul slip while on
his journey down the chimney and the
medical supplies might be needed.
After he had surveyed himself all
he cared to, Percival took a chair op-
site the fireplace and kept his eyes
astened on the clock. He waited and
watched in trepidation which increas-
ed considerably as it drew nearer nine
o'clock. Fif.een minutes before the
appointed time he stole out of his
apartments and, by various dark
streets and alleys, finally reached his
sister's home. He shuddered as he
stealthily approached the trellis at the
side of the house over which his sis-
ter had trained roses. After fasten-
ing the bag securely to his shoulders
and putting on a pair of rubber
gloves, Percival began climbing the
trellis. He made slow progress as-
cending for the thorns of the rose-
bush did all they could to hinder him.
They scratched his face and caught
in his false beard. After several fran-
tic pulls and lurches between Perci-
val, the beard, and the thorns, Perci-
val was the first to give up and decid-
ed to continue his journey as a shav-
ed St. Nicholas.
At last he reached the top of the
trellis and sat down to rest. How he
wished himself safe in his den smok-
ing a cigarette and reading his favor-
ite volume ‘of poems! But he seemed
to see the scornful face of his sister
Jane impelling him onward, so, on his
hands and knees he crawled along the
roof tow the place where he
thought the chimney ought to be.
Where was that chimney, Zyhow ?
It seemed to him that he been
over every inch of that big roof, but
he had felt no chimney. nally he
gathered up courage enough to stand
up and look around. In the darkness
ne could just distinguish two black
objects in” the shape of chimneys.
Now which chimney was the right
one? Jane had neglected to mention
the plan of the roof. Well, he decid-
ed the one nearest him was the right
one, for he was beginning to feel diz-
zy. He stagge towards it and
grasped it in desperation. In his im-
agitation he could picture his man-
gled remains lying in his sister's fire-
place far below him. Then he felt of
the opening. It was not very big—
not big enough to admit the prover-
bial Santa Claus—but just big enough,
at a squeeze,that this exceptional San-
ta Claus might edge himself down.
But the sack—no—the sack simply
could not be forced down. Then Per-
! cival had a bright idea— (which was
i a very rare occurrence to him)—why
not throw the toys, one at a time,
down the chimney and then go down
himself and distribute them among
| his nieces and nephews? He quick-
ly untied the sack and pulled out the
first toy, a stuffed mouse, very life-
like, that would sqqueak when press-
ed on the sides. This he dropped
down the chimney.
_ Here we will leave Percival for the
| time being and enter the side of the
| house inhabited by the two maiden
| ladies, the Misses Sally and Anne
| Hicks. Both were tall and spare,
| both wore checked gingham dresses,
stiffly starched and carefully mended,
| both liked mush and milk for break-
| fast, and both were lonely, poor, and
| both were too proud to say so.
! This Christmas eve they were sit-
| ting before the fireplace, knitting, but
{ the thoughts of both were far away.
| The fire was out and no heat went
out from the black cinders to warm
the two silent figures sitting there.
Suddenly there was a rustle, and
something fell on the hearthstone in
front of them, emitting a tiny squeak.
The thoughts of the Misses Hicks
were shattered in a trifling; both
took one look and both had the
same impulse. The next second
found Miss Sally on top of the table,
her skirts tucked tightly around her
while Miss Anne jumped up on her
chair and shrieked wildly for help.
The cause for all the excitement was
lying on the hearthstone just where
it had fallen. Just then there was a
rattle, a scraping, and a crash as a
tin horn in company with a miniature
train of cars flew down the chimney
and landed beside the mouse. Miss
Sally looked down from her perch at
the toys on the floor and Miss Anne
did the same. They continued to
stare as a jointed doll with head
wrapped in a towel took its place on
top of the train. Then Miss Sally,
| who was the boldest of the two cow-
ards, stepped from the table to a
chair and from the chair to the floor
and began to investigate. Presently
she was joined by Miss Anne.
Miss Anne, who was of a decidedly
religious turn of mind, knelt down
| just where she was and asked Provi-
| dence if the blessings had not been
sent to the wrong place. A box pack-
ed with paper dolls next fluttered
down, paused a moment on Miss
Anne’s bent head, and proceeded on
down. Miss Anne arose with a look
of supreme content on her face.
“«] am blessed,” she announced to
Miss Sally. “I felt it upon my head.”
Miss Sally gave her a look of un-
utterable scorn but merely said,
“Humph! I'm blessed too if I know
where all this foolery comes from!”
More toys fell down until there, was
a considerable pile at the feet of the
astounded ladies. :
“I shall see about this,” declared
i
tongs and advancing towards the
chimney.
“Do be careful, sister,” warned Miss
Anne fearfully. “It seems like a mir-
acle.”
“Miracle or not, I'm going to look
up the chimney,” answered Sally.
This she proceeded to do and was
sust in time to receive a large Teddy
ear on her head. She jumped back
screaming with the bear still retain-
ing its balance.
“A catymount!” shrieked Miss
Anne, jumping up on her chair again.
“Well, take it cff!” cried Sally, but
she didn’t wait for her timid sister to
act. She shook her head violently
and Teddy fell to the floor. “Just
wait until I catch—"
She didn’t finish the sentence for
just then there was a much greater
noise and a more prolonged scraping
and then to the maids’ extreme horror
first two feet appeared and then the
rest oF a certain Percival Dancliffe
landed on top of the toy pile. There
was a moment of tense silence. Miss
Anne had retreated behind the win-
dow curtains but Miss Sally stood at
bay her fire tongs in her hand. Slow-
ly Percival extricated himself from
the pile and rose to his feet. His look
of amazement can better be imagined
than described.
The first motion was made by Miss
Sally who advanced toward the cow-
ering visitor brandishing her fire
tongs in a threatening manner. Per-
cival showed immediate signs of re-
treating up the chimney again, but,
failing this, he cleared his throat and
began, Er-um-beg pardon, Madam—
but I fear a slight mistake—"
“Yesser!” interrupted Miss Sally
abruptly, “a very slight mista! .e, sir!
Who are you, a regular house-breaker
or just a common chimney sweep 7”
It would have been hard to tell just
then what Percival was for he could
have been taken for either. Torn and
scratched by the rose bushes, his
beard lost, and his monocle broken,
he looked “tough” enough to be any-
thing. Besides that, during his trip
down the chimney, all the soot that
had accumulated there during all the
pase years was deposited on Percival.
e certainly would never have been
taken for a misguided Santa Claus.
Percival didn’t know exactly how
that question should be answered but
he hastily assured her that he intend-
ed no harm but had made a mistake
in the chimneys.
“I'm supposed to act Santa Claus
to my sister’s children at nine o'clock
tonight,” he finished, desperately.
“And it’s after that time now.”
unwound the towel from the doll’s
| hungering for a real Christmas but
Miss Sally, picking up a pair of fire |’
Still it was not until after he had
head and used it vigorously on his
face that the two ladies were willing
to believe that he was indeed Percival
Dancliffe, brother of their nearest
peignber, Mrs. Van Smythers. Then
he an to pick up the toys hastily
and Miss Anne, forgetting her fear,
emerged from behind the curtains and
helped him.
When Percival was at last ready to
go he suddenly thought how lonely
iss Sarty and Mise Anne looked and
then he showed that underneath those
coxcomb manners of his, he possessed
a kind heart and if this was _ once
awakened, he would act more like a
natural boy. At last he had come to
himself but not the way his sister had
planned.
“Won't you come over and see the
presents Shen to the children?” he
asked, dressing both the maids
standing near him. They hesitated
but he insisted, and he finally won
their consent.
Mr. and Mrs. Van Smythers met
the party at the door, and, after the
first surprise was over, gave the
FELT PITY FOR VAIN MAN
“So Full of Himself That He Has No
Room for Anything Else,” Wrote
William Penn.
A vain man is a nauseous creationj
he is so full of himself that he has no
room for anything else, be it never so
good and deserving. '
is I at every turn that do this,
or can do that. And as he abounds in
comparison, so he is sure to give him-
self the better of everybody else: ac-
cording to the proverb, all the geese
and swans.
They are certainly to be pitied that
can be so much mistaken at home.
And yat I have sometimes thought
that suen people are in a sort happy,
| that nothing can put out of counte-
Misses Hicks a hearty welcome. Per-
cival cleaned himself up and joined in
the sports so heartily and made their
two unexpected visitors so happy that
Jane remarked to her husband late:
that evening, “I declare!
Percival |
has at last become what I always,
wanted him to be.
of him!
they're coming for dinner tomorrow,
my dear—I will never make fun of
again!”
POE'S PLACE IN LITERATURE
America Has Not Accorded Due Honor
to Her Gifted Son, Is Opinion of
Hamilton W. Mabie.
me
I am very proud
A national literature must have
many, notes, and Poe struck some
which in pure melodie quality had not
been heard before. As literary inter-
ests broaden, and the provincial point
of view gives place, the American esti-
mate of Poe will approach more nearly
the foreign estimate. That estimate
was based mainly on a recognition
of Poe's artistic quality and of the
marked individuality of his work.
Lowell and Longfellow continued the
old literary traditions; Poe seemed to
make a new tradition. . . The art-
ist always pushes back the hounda-
ries a little, and opens a window here
and there through which the imagina-
tion looks out upon the world of which
it dreams, but which it sees so rarely;
and we are not prone to mete out
with mathematical exactness our
praise of those who set us free. If
we lose our heads for a time when
Kipling comes with his vital touch,
his passionate interest in living, the
harm is not great. Poe may have
been over-valued by some of his eager
French and German disciples, but,
after all deductions are made, their
judgment was nearer the mark than
ours has been; and it was nearer the
mark because their conception of 1it-
erature was more inclusive and ade-
quate.—Hamiltos W. Mabie.
And those dear old maids—'
nance with themselves, though they
neither have nor merit other peoples’.
But at the same time one would
wonder they should not feel the blows
they give themselves or get from
others, for this intolerable and ridicu-
lous temper; nor show any concern
for that which makes others blush for,
as well as at them, viz., their unreason-
able assurance. . . .
Whereas the greatest understand-
ings doubt most, are readiest to learn,
and least pleased with themselves;
this, with nobody else.
For though they stand on higher
ground, and so see further than their
neighbors, they are yet humbled by
their prospect, since it shows them
something so much higher and above
their reach.
And truly then it is, that sense
shines with the greatest beauty, when
it is set in humility.— William Penn,
in “Fruits of Solitude.”
ee —————————
Finding Fault.
Addison says, “What an absurd thing
it is to pass all over the valuable parts
of a man and fix our attention on his
{pfirmities!” But that seems to be the
habit. About the first thing we try to
find in a man is his faults. They are
apt to transcend his virtues, even if
the virtues are mountain high. It
is a deplorable habit, for it not only
does great injustice to the person criti
cized, but it hurts the critic himself.
It lowers his views of life and confirms
the habit of seeing the worst side of
human experience and losing sight of
the bright side. No man can be a
moral man, or a religious man of any
faith, who is constantly searching for
the faults of people. The first duty a
man owes to his neighbor is to look
for the bright side and he will then
find, in most cases, that the dark side
is much smaller than he suspected.
The thing to attack is the sin, for we
will discover that that is greater than
the man who is guilty of it.—Ohio
State Journal.
— Subscribe for the “Watchman.”
————————————————————————,
YEAGERS SHOE STORE
BARGAINS ! BARGAIN !
No matter how much care and thought
I give to the purchase of my Shoes, ¥
make mistakes. For example, in order
to get good quality in Boys’ extra
heavy High Top Shoes I purchased them
in the black leather, because it is very
much better than in the tan, but the
average boy or parent does not look to
the wear and service of Shoes; they
want what they think is style. In this
case boys want Tan Shoes and this
black one is not selling. My motto
is to have nothing on my shelves that
does not sell and I will sell them to
you at a loss. These Shoes are made
of leather, not shoddy, but absolutely
solid. They are the old-fashioned
peggy kind, bought to sell at $5.00 I will
close them out at $3.50.
I have many other such bargains to offer
from now until Christmas, this space is
too small to tell you of all the bargains
that I have. Inever advertise anything
that I do not fully carry out, all I can say
is to come and see for yourself.
BARGAINS !
I.
:
5 i
YEAGER'S SHOE STORE
THE SHOE STORE FOR THE POOR MAN
Bush Arcade Building 58-27 BELLEFONTE, PA.
A EE, A BE, -. ’
cme m——
a—
THE POTTER HOY HARDWARE (0.
Suggestions for Christmas Presents
Casseroles
Pyrex Ware
Silverware
Flash Lights
Auto Robes
Auto Spot Lights
Watches
Carvers
Sleds
Skates
Percolators
Aluminum Ware
Vacuum Bottles
Pocket Knives
Razors
Scissors
Bicycles ‘
Let Your Christmas Giving be Useful, Durable and
Reasonable in Cost.
The Potter-Hoy Hardware Co.,
62-35
BELLEFONTE, PA.
Red Cross Drive for Membership
BEGAN DECEMBER 16th
You will be asked to renew your
membership and to secure as many
new members as possible.
Who
would refuse to help in this great
work !
The First National Bank.
61-46-lw
Bellefonte, Pa.
Come to the “Watchman” office for High Class Job work.
Lyon & Co. ~~ Lyon & Co.
Do your Christmas shopping now, and do it here.
We have the largest stock for useful presents; “prices
the lowest.
» —
For Women and Misses
Bath Robes Handsome Winter Coats and Suits
Kimonas Silk Hosiery—black, white and colors
House Dresses Gloves—Trench, Kid and Fabric
Sweaters Shirt Waists in Georgette, Tub Silk and Cotton Fabrics
FURS— Handsome Neck Pieces and Fur Sets in Taupe,
Natural and Black Fox, Black Lynx, French Coney
and Mink. Full animal Neck Pieces and all new-
shaped Muffs. A large variety of Children’s Sets.
New Collar and Cuff Sets bh
T,adies’ and Children’s Handkerchiefs—silk, linen and. cotton
Silk and Gloria Umbrellas for Men, Women and Children
For Men
A large assortment of new Neckties
Gloves and Sweaters
Silk and Cotton Hosiery
Bed-room Slippers
Linen, Silk and Cotton Handkerchiefs
Collars, Silk Scarfs
Pajamas and Night Shirts
en.
General Line of Gifts
Fancy Ribbon for bags, Ribbon and Japanese Novelties.
Sweet, Grass, and other Fancy Baskets. Cut Glass,
Ivory Pieces, Manicure Sets, Boudoir Caps, Shell
Combs, Pins and Barettes.
Linens ___ Table Linens 2 yards wide, heavy damask, satin
stripe, beautiful floral designs, with Napkins to
match. Lunch Cloths, Towels—regular and guest size ; Linen
Scarfs and Doilies, Pillow Cases and Cushion Tops.
| Lyon & Co. «»= Lyon & Co.