Annie And Willie's Prayer

"Twas the eve before Chrlstmas, "Good nlght " had been sald. And Anule and Wlllle had crept into bed- There wre teara on thelr Jplllows and teara In tbelr eyea. And eten llltle bosom was heavlng wlth ¦Ighi: For to-nlght thelr stern father's command had been glven, That tbey shoulrt retire preclaely at seven Instead of at elgbt, for they troubled hlm more Wlth questlon uoheard of than ever before He lold them he thought thelr deluslon á sin - No soch creatare as "Santa Claus" ever had been; And he hoped that after tula be would never more bear How be sorambled down chlraneyg wlth preaents each year. And tlils ws the rcaaon that two llttle heads So restlessly tossed on thelr soft, tlny beds hlght, nlne, aud the olock 1d the steeple truck ten- Not a word hd been spoken by eittier tlll tnen - Wheti Wlllle's sad lace from the blanket dld And he whlspered, "Dear Aunle, U 'ou fast asleep f' "Why no, brother Wlllle," a sweet volee re"l've long trled. In valn, but I can't shut my eyee, For, eomehow, lt makes me o sorry, becaase Dear Papa has sald tbere Is no Santa Claus Now, u-E know iherel, and lt can't be denled. J ' or lie came everj year before mamma dled : Jiut Uien I've been tblnklug tht sbe used to pray; And God would bear everytalng mamma would say, And may be she osked hlm to send Santa Claus here Wlth the sack full of presenta he brought every year." "Well, why tant we pay deat as mamma dld den, Aud ast Dod to gend him wlth presente flQCIlr " I've beeu thinking so, too," and, without a word more, Four llttle bare feet bounded out on the floor. And four llttle knees the soft carpet pressed, And two tlny hands were clasped lo each In mul "Now, Wlllle, you know, we must flrmly belleve That the presents we ask for we'ro sure to reedve; You must walt Just as stlll tlll I sy the 'Amen !" And by that you will know that your turn has come theu : "Dear Jesús, look down on my brother and me And grant us the favor we are asklng of thee: I want a wax dolly, a tea set, a ring, And an ebouy workbox that sliuts wlth a spring. Hle8 papa, dear Jesús, and cause hlm to see Tnt .Santa Claus loves us as much na does be; Don't let bliu get fretful and angry aeain At dear brother Wlllle and Annle, Amen!" "Please Desus, et Sunta Claus turn down tonlgnl, And bring us lome presents before lt Is 'Ight, I wlsh he would dlv me a nlce 'ittle sled, Wlth brlght shlnin' 'unnera all paintedyed; A box full of tandy, a book and a toy. Amen ! and dear Desun, l'll be a dood boy." Tbelr prayers belng ended, they ralsed up thelr Iii'uiIh, And, wlth hearts llght and cheerful, agatn soogbt thelr beds, They were som lostlu slombor both peaoorul and deep. And wlth fiilrlt-s In dreamland were roamlng In sleep, ElKht. nlue, and the llttle French clock bad struck ten. Ere the lather had thonght of hls chlldren agal n ; He seems now to hear Anule's half-suppressed s.lghs, And to see tbe big tears stand In Wlllle's blueeyes. "I was tiarsu with my darllngu," he meutally Raid. "And siiouM not have sent them so early to bed; But then, I was troubled, my feelings found vent, For bank stock to-day has gone dowu 10 per cent.; Bnt, of cuurse, they'ye forgotten thelr trouble ere thls, And that I denled tnem the thrlce asked for klss; But, Just to make ure, l'll steal up to the door, For 1 never xpuko harsh to my darlins before." So aaylug. he softly ascended the rtairs, And arrlved at the door to hear bolh of thelr prayers. Hls Annle's "bless papa"drew forth the big team. And Wlllle'H grave promlse feil sweet on hls ears " strange- Ktrauge- l'ü forgotlen," aald he, wlth a stgh, "How 1 lonyed, when aolilld, to have CbrlatiiiHs draw nlgh. "l'll atone ior my harsliness," he lnwardly sald, "By auswerlng tbelr prayers ere I sleep In my bed'" ; 7 ben lurned to the Itairs. and softly went aown, Ttn-ew off velvet slippers and slik dressing gowa, Donned hut. coat, umi boots, and went out In the slreet- A rallllouaire faclng Ihe cold drlvlng sleet ! Nor stopped he untll he had bougbt everythlug, Krom a box full of caudy t) the tlny gold ring; Indeed, lie kept addlng so niuch to hls store i bat the varlous preseuts outoumbered a score. Then homeward be lurueil, whea hls hollday load Wltli Auot Mary's help In the nursery was stowed. Miss i iiy was seated beneath a plne tree. By the elde was her table spread uut for her tea, A work-box, well fllled, In the center waa lald, And on lt tbe ring for wlilcli Anule bad prayed. A soldier la uniform stood by a sled, "Wilh brlghl sblulng runners all palntcd red.' There were balls, dogu and horses, books pleaslng to see. And blrds ïu all colors were percbed on the tree, Whlle Santa Claus, laughlng, stood up in the top, As If getllng ready more presents to drop. And, as the fond fatber la picture surveyed, He lbought for hia trouble he had aniply been pald. And be mud tohlraself as he brusbedoffa tear, "I've enjoyed more true pleasure than ever betore- Wbatcare I lf bank stook fall ten per cent. more? Hereafter 111 roake lt a rule, I belleve, To have .Santa Claus vlslt us eacb Chrlstmaa Eve." So thinking, be gently extlngulshed tbe llgbt And tripping down Btalrs went to bed for the nlght. As soon as the beams of the brlght mornlng sun Put the darkness to flïght and the stars one by one, Four llttle blue eyes out of sleep oponed wlde. And at tbe same moment the present espled ; Then out of thelr beds they sprang wlth a bound. They laughed nd they crled In thelr Innocent glee And shouted for papa te come qulck and nee What present old -Mina Claus brougbt in the nlght. (Jast the thlng thnt tbey wantod, and left before light.) "And now," added Annle In volee soft and low, "You'U belleve there'é a Santa Claus, papa, I know." Whlle dear llttle WUlie ollmbod up on hls knee, Determlned no secrets between them sbould bfi And told In soft whlspers bow Annle had sald Tliat their detr, blessod mamma, so long ago ilead, Used to kneel down aud pray by the slde of her chalr, And that Ood up In heaven had answered her prayer. "Den we dot up and prayed Just as well as we tood. And Dod an.wered our prayers ; now wasn't he dood 1 " "I should say that ho Is lf he sent you all these, And knew Just what presents my chlldren would please. (Well, let ii 1 in tliink so, the dear llttle elf. 'Twould be cruel to teil hlm I dld lt myself.) Ullud fatherl Wbo caused your stern heart to reien t. And basty words spoken so oon to repent? " l'wu" the Belng who bade you steal soflly up stalrs And made you Hls gent to answer thelr nrflTnm."