What do
you think of it, Bingle?"
"Splendid!" said Mr. Bingle. "I wish I could have thought of that when
I was in the business myself. It would have been great to have a new
baby every Christmas morning. I will agree to that, Mrs. Force,
provided I approve of the people I'm supposed to be Santa Claus for."
On the Saturday before Christmas he went to the offices of the Society
with ALL of the children, for the industrious Mrs. Force had produced
claimants for the three older ones, and when he took the brood home to
supper long after seven o'clock that evening, homes and fresh parents
were assured for all of them. To be sure, Frederick and Marie Louise
objected to living on upstate farms, and Reginald howled bitterly over
being promised to a Jewish family in West End Avenue. He had set his
heart on being brought up as an Irishman. Some of them were to remain
in New York City, one was to go to Philadelphia and another to
Bridgeport. Harold, Rosemary and Rutherford were to undergo a complete
change of name. They were going into families where for sentimental
reasons, a John, a Betty and a Jeremiah were wanted.
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