BILLY-BOY'S CHRISTMAS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 150, 22 December 1931, Page 24

BILLY-BOY'S CHRISTMAS

(Original.) Uiir r HOM are you writing to, dent", inquired Mrm Stunners et iV / '*er Utt'e son» •* •*• c*me aoross him 'y™* *ttll JenK*^ %A / on the m*t wtth a pad; is front of him, on< land fra*p* m/mA ing a pencil and the other ruffling hi* goUen ourlp. Thf w V golden head was lifted at the sound of her voice. "Santr 01am, Muwsie," replied Biily, "an' I'm asking him to bring me a cricket bat and wJekets —he will bring it, won't hef" The mother JqwU beaido her little son and'drew the curly head clos# to her, , She explained to aim how there wers Jpts of children who didn't have anything to c.at. and were hungry and cold; And how Santa Claua would' h«v« to leave them food instead of giving tpys to little boys vr|u» had plenty to eat. "So you see, Billy-boy, Santa Claus won't be comiflf to our house. I know my little boy better than, to think he will mind— you'd rather Jet the poor children have food, wouldn't you, dear!" "Yes, Mum," said the little boy very quietly.

"I'm also afraid," went on his mother, "that we won't bo able to h»*« much of a, Christmas this, year, because the., rent has been, put Wp, Of course, we've had all the alterations made' to the, house, >ud don't »i»d' paying the extra rent but if only it hadn't eqm'e 4t Christ»BM'time! I tried to explain to tha landlord that your father w*B only, on r«tfef .work, and we wanted to have ft good Christmas and could we .pay tht e*tr* reninext year; but he doesn't tj«l|eve in ChrittmM, go we'll juit fc«y» to $0 very ■ steady. You understand, don't you, dear!" " -~■-• "Yes, Mum," ««idi tht Httle boy dully. Be then picked up the p»4 an* pencil, and put it on the table, picked up an,old cap »nd rwuud it o* 'his head. "I'm going out to play," he said, and slowly went out through the door. Mrs. Summer* noticed the dTQop in the little figure, how he walk« 4 instead of running as he uiually did, and the mother heart in her ached. Billy Summers went slowly down the street, scuffling 'his feet, an 4 every now and then savagely Kicking a stone that was in Mb way. "How do, Bill?" cried a loud voico, and there was the bully of th« village. "What's the matter'? Get a slapping, fcaby, eh?" "No," snapped Billy. ' ' "If you don't behave yourself, Santa Glaus .won't come, you know,' went on Bully Sampson in his teasing "voice,. • *■ «'Ho isn't coming t« our house, anyway," said Billy,, "so it don't make ho difference if I'm good or 'not." "Do you mean to say you really believe in him?" "Of course," said Billy stoutly. "Ha! ha! ha!—he believes in ole Father Christmas!" and Sully Samp# son shook with laughter. «'There ain't no Father Christmas—it's, nil bunkum, - what they tell you!'!- ' '■ ■ "It isn't! Mumsie told me!"'shouted the little,boy angrily, "He in real, he does come! I guess my mother knows more, than you do. So I'll fight you. I will!" ■ ' "No, you aon't," said Bully Sampson, not wishing to fight. "I don't' fight babies. You'd better run Some now; it's time for your bottle." Billy made a spring at him, put the bully sent him flying off th«| footpath, right in front of an oncoming car. There was a grinding pf brakes, but it was too late, and the little figure with tha golden- curls lay still. A middle-aged, hard-looking man jumped out of the car and picked tha boy up. "Thank goodness, ho's only uneonnoiousj" Then turning to Bully, Sampson, who was standing with wide-open, frightened eyes, he said, "Wher«does he live?" Bully Sampson led the way, and in a minute Mrs. Summers, had her son in bed and thß doctor sent for. "Slight concussion," he said. "Not very serious, but he needs looking after." ' ' ' ' Billy, was in bod <for mapy days, »nd his most frequent visitor was'thy', grey-headed man whose car had knocked him down. "Do you believe in Santa Olau'st" Billy asked him one day. "DOel he really come?" "Of course not," said the man. "Oh, T was forgetting," replied Billy. "He doesn't come for growaup people like you, but he does to little boys, and girl* like. me. Only, lio isn't coming this year," and Billy-boy proceeded to tell • his .frienel about the poor children and the rent, and the landlord. "I'm praying every, night for him to come,I,' finished Billy. "Po you think ho will!" "Jilaybe, Billy-boy," said the msn, whose face had looked kinder during the little boy's stpry. . «■ It was Christmas Eve, and Billy was now quite well, though Summers noticed a difference in her son because he seemed so quiet. The sun was shining in tho window when Billy woke next morning. "It'» Christmas morning," he thought, "and Santa Claus will havo come!" But then ,he rememberod, and was just turning over on his qther side when something caught his eye. BTe was out of bed like ft shot—it w«s.» ctfeket' bat and wickets, just like the big boys had, and his etoflkipg was full to the^top with wondorful things.' "Oh, Mumsie!" he cried, running to tier. "He's been, he's really been!" Mrs. Summers looked at her son, and hep heart wa's happy onco more'because he wns radiant. The Summers had a wonderful Christmas because the landlord- put tht rent down again, and their guest for Christmas dinner was Billy-boy's friend. ; He really was the landlord, but he hadn't understood about Christmas-tiig* till Billy told him. Billy-boy forgave Bully Sampson, because at Christmas time It wjm "peaua and goodwill towards all men," and after that Billy and S»»1H»» ■ were fast friends. .. '. , .; "MISS BILLY"' (16). .. ' Pet one.