Mr. Kris Kringle | Page 5

always a good boy to--your mother?"
"I has been a vewy good boy." Then his conscience entered a protest, and he added: "for two whole days. I'll go and ask mamma to come and tell you."
"No, no," said Kris. "It is only children can see me. Old folks couldn't see me."
"My mother is vewy young."
"Oh! but not like a child; not like you."
"Please, sir, do let us see the presents," said Alice, much at her ease. For now he pushed a great chair to the fire, and seated them both in it, saying: "Ah! the poor little cold toes." Then he carefully closed the door they had left open, and said, smiling as he sat down opposite them: "I have come far--very far--to see you."
"Has you come far to-night?" said the little host, with rising courage.
"No, not far to-night." Then he paused. "Is--is your mother--well?"
"Yes," said Hugh, "she is vewy well, and we are much obliged."
"May we soon see the presents?" said Alice. "They did say you would not come to-night because we are poor now."
"And," added Hugh, "my pony is sold to a man, and his tail is vewy long, and he loves sugar--the pony, I mean; and mamma says we must go away and live in the town."
"Yes, yes," said Kris. "I know."
"He knows," said Hugh.
"Oh! they know everything in fairyland," said Alice.
"Was you evah in faywyland, sir?" asked Hugh.
"Yes."
"Where 'bouts is it, sir, and please how is it bounded on the north? And what are the pwincipal wivers? We might look for it on the map."
"It is in the Black Hills."
"Oh! the Black Hills," said Alice. "I know."
"Yes, but you're not sleepy? Not a bit sleepy?"
"No, no."
"Then before the pretty things hop out of my bag let me tell you a story," and he smiled at his desire to lengthen a delicious hour.
"I would like that."
"And I hope it won't be very, very long," said Alice, on more sordid things intent.
"That's the way with girls, Mr. Kwingle; they can't wait."
"Ah, well, well. Once on a time there was a bad boy, and he was very naughty, and no one loved him because he spent love like money till it was all gone. When he found he had no more love given him, he went away, and away, to a far country."
"Like the man in the Bible," said Hugh, promptly. "The--the--what's his name, Alice?"
"The prodigal son," said Kris, "you mean--"
"Yes, sir. The pwodigal son."
"Yes, like the prodigal son."
"Well, at last he came to the Black Hills, and there he lived with other rough men."
"But you did say he was a boy," said Alice, accurately critical.
"He was gwowed up, Alice. Don't you int--inter--"
"Interrupt, you goosey," said Alice.
"One Christmas Eve these men fell to talking of their homes, and made up their minds to have a good dinner. But Hugh--"
"Oh!" exclaimed the lad, "Hugh!"
Mr. Chris nodded and continued. "But Hugh felt very weak because he was just getting well of a fever, yet they persuaded him to come to table with the rest. One man, a German, stood up and said, 'This is the eve of Christmas. I will say our grace what we say at home.' One man laughed, but the others were still. Then the German said,
'Come, Lord Christ, and be our guest, Take with us what Thou hast blest.'
When Hugh heard the words the German said he began to think of home and of many Christmas eves, and because he felt a strangeness in his head, he said, 'I'm not well; I will go into the air.' As he moved, he saw before him a man in the doorway. The face of the man was sad, and his garment was white as snow. He said, 'Follow me.' But no others, except Hugh, saw or heard. Now, when Hugh went outside, the man he had seen was gone; but being still confused, Hugh went over the hard snow and among trees, not knowing what he did; and at last after wandering a long time he came to a steep hillside. Here he slipped and rolling down fell over a high place. Down, down, down he fell, and he fell."
"Oh! make him stop," cried little Hugh.
"He fell on to a deep bed of soft snow and was not hurt, but soon got up, and thought he was buried in a white tomb. But soon he understood, and his head grew clearer, and he beat the snow away and got out. Then, first he said a prayer, and that was the only prayer he had said in a long time."
"Oh my!" cried little Hugh. "I did think people could nevah sleep unless they say their prayers. That's what nurse says. Doesn't she, Alice?"
And just here Kris had to wipe his eyes, but he took the little fellow's hand in his and