1947-12-18 — Page 22

A Merry Christmas

from TENNENT'S.

Brewers of Glasgow, Scotland.

DRINK

THE

BEST'.

For Christmas Gifts

Rothmans Cigarettes Jane Seymour Cosmetics

Findlaters Sherries & Ports for the Festive Board!

Philco Radios or Pye Radios, Philco Refrigerators---Gifts the Whole Family can Enjoy.

BY APPOINTMENT TO

THE ROYAL DANISH COURT

THE BOYAL SWEDISH COURT

DENMARK'S

famous

GOLD LABEL

TUBORG

BEER

SPECIALLY

BREIVED FOR EXPORT

TUBORG BREWERIES

COPENHAGEN

SOLE AGENTS:

GANDE, PRICE & CO., LTD,

George's Building. Hong Kong. Telephone: 20136

'Merry

By

WALTER

LIVINGSTON

Snow fell in heavy, whirling flakes about the street corner. Sunta Claus stood, bell clanging in one hand, a purely decorative reindeer-gulding whip in the other, on the busy, None knew, blustery corner. passing him. nodding and smil- ing a return to his 'Christmas," sometimes pausing to drop a coln into pat, who he was or from whence he came, Few cared. Only a family miles

child, grey, anlaep upstairs, Away-- wife, hairal mother-wondered where Dreaved in that outht makes it he was, what had happened to easy, rusy and no risk hardly him, why he had gone away. If anyone should bump into you Nick Tierney knew he should you're playing Santa Claus, do that which he told himself see? Bring the stuff out to me he could not do go home, An and it's worth five hundred he stood now at this cold, blus-bucks."

tery corner, the belt clanging in

It's a cinch.

Kan jet the range boasted. Some talk of a sick child in the house had filtered through to him bat he hadn't paid much ailention. Now it neemed the youngster was worse. That bespectacled young man was the doctor, of;

course.

Grippe pneumonia, probably. Yea, sleep-deep, regular, peace-. fal sleep-was often a deciding factor in such cases.

his hand. feeling lost and ab- "Five hundred !--”

"That's right. Well, what do surd in this Holiday guiac, he wae aware of Nicks, Jr.'s, child-you Huy, Bu?"

his KAW ish laughter; ho

Why not? Easy and practi-

He was finishing the soup mother's eyes before him, wet, cally without risk. This indivi- when there was a knuck at the appealing.

dunl would get him in to the door. In response to his "Come right 120m Then--just walk in" the young man entered. across, open the safe and walk Doctor Martan." His voice "All righ. I'm through was tired, harried. "I've boon out, here at eight"

attending the Jensen child, i Anita, down the hall. Been with her all day. She's bad. Pneumo- in. If I could get her to sleep she'd have a chance."

Ir. Nicholas Tierney could net go home, Not until he had made good, at something else. Or not, at least, until he had ineney. “It's better," he mutter. ed. "to wait, I can get money. There are many ways of get- ting it, fast, in such a big city. If one isn't tuo particular," he added, grimly, He'd been tell- ing himself this for almost a year,

"I know it," the man said. "I been watching you for two days. Meet me at nine at the cernor of The Avenue on this side of the street. T'll pick you up."

He nodded. Very well, I'll

"

Nick kept looking at the exactly weary face, realizing what young Dr. Morton was go be there. The man went off. Ing through. Tough! No, he couldn't go back. A The now felt more quickly.

"She's been asking for Santa for Nick Tierney's gaze settled for Claws. Before, when she hoard doctor held responsible bangling an easy operation a moment. lingeringly, on the the bell-well, I wasn't in there could never go back. Not once blant grey structure which was but the parents say she thought he'd quit. And that's what the the Hid-town Hospital. He it was Santa coming to see her brilliant

Soon he young surgeon, Dr. tore his eyes away.

It was a disappointment when- Nicholas Tierney, had done. Quit. would receive a larger fee than hell, man, what I'm trying to Quit in silent, bitter anger, in he'd ever received before for say is will you wear your suit shocked, hurt bewilderment, an operation.

in there and play Santa Claus? "If you do it you'll never be I've tried everything else.

It Quit when perhaps he could have remained and fought. able to go back, never!

enn't do any barm, that's cari Fought not openly--ethics He laughed, harshly, low in in. And it might do the trick." wouldn't allow for that. Ethies his throat. "I don't want to-go

Dr. Nicholas Tierney's gaza wouldn't allow for the protege back. I'll bring them here."

travelled from the drawn face to to publicly place the

The corner at which he was the noisy alarm clock ticking on where it belonged: On the to meet the man was not too the wall. Twenty of nine, It read. muster surgeon who was aging, far from the cheap rooming "I was just leaving. I have to whese hand wasn't as steady house where Nick lived and he be back on the job at nine." that morning as it should have decided rather

"A minute or two will suffice. been, whod bit the scalpel a restaurant dressed as he was fa to ever so grateful, and her fraction of an inch too deep....he'd follow his usual routine tamily eternally so, if it works." then coolly indicated for Dr. and return to his room. There'

"All right. A minute or two." Tierney to lake over. For he would lie down and rest a He got up and stood in front tunately, the patient survived.

blume

minute.

than go to a

of the mirror, affixed the whisk. No, ethics wouldn't allow for Moving cross-town he deli- an necuration, an open fight. He berated what he'd do when it cra, put on the red cap with the white ball atop it, drew on might have stayed and fought, was over. He'd have a couple of the mittens, picked up the whip quietly. In time perhaps he'd Yaletide drinks and dine

und bell liave been able to prove himself, style. Then he'd do some Christ- He closed the door behind him his innocence, his ability, and re- mas shopping of his own, for and now he did those things ho his had done as a Santa Claus the moved the questioning, calcula- Marie and Nickle and

He might even send last two Christmases at home ting lock from the eyes of his mother. colleagues. But the battle, then, for them to come lo him, now, in Eastchester, playing the role had seemed too hard, too long, spend Christmas Day with him as he had. played it for Nickle, "too worthless. If it's like this, in the city, maybe keep

Jr. Ho stomped about, rang the he'd reasoned bitterly, I'm here.

bell constantly, lightly, called through. I'll do something else Strangely, there seemed small out in a deep, merry voice He left a note for Marie and pleasure in the thought of buy- feigning to halt his reindeers. came here to be swallowed up ing the gifts he'd decided upon, He moved slowly down the in this big city. Here he found and

his half-formed plab nall until a door opened and

thom

there was little 4 man of med-of bringing his family here to young, Dr. Morton exclaimed: cine could do who was no long- him. for even a day, haWell here he is now! Hollo, man of medicine. What perished by the time he'd reach- Santa. Have you come to see money he'd come away with was cd the place where he lived. Anita Jensen?" Kone, had been gone for weeks, He hold the bell and the-gay "Yes, I've come to see Anita he'd sought a job in the depart-reindeer whip in one hand and Jenson, Nick boomed; he step- ment store before which he now opened the house with the other.ped inside.

i Dr. Tierney frowned,- kept ringing the bell.

stood at just the moment theyd The bell tinkled as he moved The child lay on a bod in the decided to put aBanta out front, along the hall. At the steps the cheap, semi-dark room. Her eyes "Hey, Bo He swung half-Iandlady was in conversation glowed like two tiny black coals around:

with a bespectacled young man, in her small, pale face. "Hello, "Merry Chris—”

"No, she's worse, Mrs. Mc- Santa Claus, aho greeted weak- Save it, Bo. I'm the one Carthy." Nick hoord the young Fly... that's playing... Santa, maybe." nan say, wearly, as the ap- Nick went forward past the The mo went through thu pronched. “I've done everything floutor and the parents, his mật- motion of dropping a coln into I can. The crials will come to tened hand outstretched. "Hello, the Welfare pot. "Want to make night. If only we equid get her Anita Jongen" he said in this yourself some Christmas to sleep her chances would be depp, hoarse Kris Kringle tone. money.

no much batter." "

"I hear you have been faʼvory "Now what a pity ?” The land good girl. I have left a bll:and lady nighted dooply."And the other presenta for you down. "I ain't got much time. If such a nice and pretty little talis by Mrs. McCarthy's chim you don't wants do it I'll get bite, too. Sometimes it goume pey but you must ob open the guy on the next block, see the good Lord. Top of the them till tomorrow The voice was low and razor evenin to you, Mr. Temple, and She smiled manly, like, ko the face. There's a Merry Christmas to ho gure" took Nick'a hig mitianid, hand some stuffin', hatte up on "Merry Christmas, Nick in hers, clung to it, The Avenue that I want. I know murmured In return, he went on "I heara you come, Santa." the layout and I got the come up the stairs, his boots clatter she went on softly "I heard the bination to the safe. All you, ingun the hard wood, the bell tolle of your calaigh. Is Blitzen have to do is walk in and walk inkling ishly with you?" ARE out with It They'll all be in He took off the mittens andYou are a smart little #lil,” another part of the house, trim the Kris Kringle that and the Nick: rumbl div/Bisan 12 me ming the tree, as they do every winkerz}" washed while the soup indeor Christmas Eves. The kids Tube slowie theated over the Faingidh

happily, E

TENNENT'S

BUY

BRITISH

BEER

ER

SOLE AGENTS

GIBB, LIVINGSTON & CO., LTD.

TO OUR PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE CUSTOMERS

A

Merry Christmas

and

A Very Happy &

Prosperous New Year

TAI WO COMPRADORE

GROCERY AND PROVISIONS

WINE AND SPIRIT MERCHANTS

PATENT MEDICINES AND PERFUMERY.

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