Margaret Sidney

“ The old gentlemen quietly confiscated the discarded basket, which had tumbled off on the floor by itself. Then he said a few words in a low voice to a salesman near.
Crinkle, meanwhile, was lost in thought, a short distance off, trying to calculate to a penny her slender stock of money, to see if she could compass the drum for Toby she saw hanging up over her head.
“He does want one so bad,” she thought with a sigh, looking over at the little fellow's absorption, “and he's perfectly crazy after soldiers. Oh my!” ”

“ Now then, take hold of the other end of this basket.”
As in a dream, Toby obeyed, and allowed himself to be led unresistingly off.
“Now,” the old gentleman no sooner stepped off from the lower step on to the pavement than he gave vent to a peal of such jolly laughter that it did everybody good who was fortunate enough to hear it.
“When children are kind to each other,” he said at last, wiping his eyes violently, “and patient,” here he glanced at Crinkle sharply, “they need some one to come along and give 'em a lift. Ha, ha, ha!”
“Are you Santa Claus?” ”

“ Oh! mother wouldn't like it—she wouldn't!”
“It's Christmas time!” said the old gentleman, lifting a very red face, and proceeding to tuck in another immense bundle into the already well-filled basket, “And I always do just what I have a mind to then. Now then, sir, everything's in but just a drum. We must crowd that in some way.”
“Here's one,” said the salesman quickly, taking down the object of Crinkle's admiration. “Now, sir, where shall we send the basket?” he asked obsequiously. ”