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what Nora was eaying, ahoe grew very faint; then she became calm and businesalike. "Dd you Jook for their clothea?" she aaked. And when Nora said that the children had apparently gone w-ny dreesed for the atreet, s Mps set in a frm, angry "They were asleep in bed when 1 went down to eupper.‘ Nora wept aver and over. and so at la«t, weep Ing, «he told Mother over the tele phone. Mother wae in the gilded teleâ€" phone booth of a certain big hotel, where she had been aating dinner with a group of friends. At first, when she managed to understand Kathleen ran too, and the butler hunted through the bag&ment and the attic, hopelessly, but with the idea that no place should be left un gearched before the desperate expeâ€" dient of calling the children‘s moâ€" ther was resorted to And on that street, growing darker and silenter and more «inister a« the clock‘s hands crept toward the hour of midnight, furtive shadows came and went. But the children were not to be seen among them They had dieappeared Where were the children? Nora ran. frightened for them and for hereelf, through the great old houee But where were the children? Twelfth Avenue was growing dark. The fat Swedish woman who kept the candy and tobacco store on the corner turned ont the lights in her little shop and retired to the two cluttered â€" roomes â€" behind | it. . The Italian gentleman who sold dry geods across his counterâ€"and very wet ones behind a partition of vooden hoxes acroe« the end of his «hopâ€"turned out his light and went home to his flat upâ€"stairs. The very old blgckamith across the street came back to his dim shop with a little package of meat that he had stepped out to buy for his Chrietmas â€" dinner, blew ont the flame in his «moky kero«ene lamp, locked his door and limped off to his small cold room in the block next the river. But nntil he «lept he thought of the childrenâ€"and of the days when he, toe, had been a child. and knelt beside his mother in front of a strawâ€" carpeted representation of a manger, wherein lay a Lkltle wax likeness of the Baby the chfidren were seeking, and of Budge‘s hand, Iying so warm and confiding in his. And while he was thinking these thinge, the chil But it may be recorded that he did not return that night to the comâ€" panionship of his friend Red in the dark doorway. Instead, he went off up a «ide street, home; and there an old mother who had not seen him for many months made a tremendous fuse over him. And before he went to bed his hand fumblingly made a certain «ign acrose his breast. Then Kid laughed at himself, for he knew that by morning his mood of toâ€"night would be gone. A story of twa children who set out to follow the Star in the East Moved by G. J. Voll and J. W. Burnett that the report of the medâ€" ical officer of health, as read, be edopted and engrossed in the townâ€" "I have the homor to be your obedient servant. "During the past winter months we experienced a considerable outâ€" break of scarletina and of whooping cough, which at the time was pretâ€" ty general over the whole province. However, these diseases were very mild, no deaths having occurred. Gentlemen:â€""In submitting _ the annual report of the medical officer of health for the year 1931 I beg to congratulate, your honorable body on the freedom from «erious epiâ€" deinics by the municipality of Welâ€" lesley during the current year 1931. Resolved thet the demise of this‘ family member and friend Oof Ours,| having caused deep sadness and| sorrow to the bereaved . widow,‘ children,. relatives and friends, we thererore wish herewith to show our â€" sympathy to those leftâ€" to mourn the departed aml we sincere Iy hope that this mournful occur rence may be overruled by Him who doeth all things well. | Resolved that a copy of this reâ€" solution be engrossed in the recâ€" ords Oof this township and that a copy be given to the widow of the eaid deceased â€"Carried. Here follows the annual report of the medical officer of health for the current year 1931:â€" And whereas owing to the long and intimate e@cquaintanceship with the deceased makes it particularly befitting that we record our appreâ€" clation of one of our beloved friends who has departed from among us. "To the municipal council of the Township of Wellesley: All the seats at the table were occupied excepting that of the dep uly reeve as had been the case Guring the months of November and December, owing to the death of Mr. L. Baechler. The reeve ocâ€" cupled the chair. The minutes of the previous session were real and adopted and passed. Resolution of Condolence Moved by G. J. Voll, seconded by J. Mantz. That â€" whereas, . Almighty God, ruler of all things, has in his inâ€" finite wisdom removed from among us Mr. Louis Baechler, member of Wellesley municipal council for a number of years and resident at the village of St. Clements, at the ege of 65 years, 10 months and 9 days. Wellesley municipal councii met, pursuant to adjournment, at the township hall, Crosshill, Tuesday. December 15. 10 o‘clock in the foreâ€" The Young Magi (Concluded from Last Week} siness at Final Session Council Includes Passing of Accounts. REPORT NO EPIDEMICS Wm. Glaister, M.O.H By FAITH ELLEN SMITH Some of theee men questioned the servanta until the women wept and the men became white and aullen. Some of them even questioned Faâ€" ther and Mother, until Father grow fnrionsly angry and Mother‘s pale face became very red, and ahe stamped her foot in its small siver alipper and cried, "Oh, stop it! Stop waesting time, and fird my chilâ€" dren!" _ Within an hour of the time that the children had crossed the Avenue hehind the actoryâ€"looking pereone in spate and the old woman with the cane, the fine old houee was fuil of strange men in blue uniforms and other strange men who did not wear uniforma but who had the keen eyes (f those trained to trackdown crimiâ€" na le. * "Oh, Irving!‘" said Mother, her face breaking into strange lines of terrible@orrow. And Father, quite naturaly, put his arms around her. "Be brate, dear," he said. "Wae‘ll find themâ€"we must find them!" ‘ Father‘s car and Mother‘s taxi arâ€" rived before the houee with the «tone lions almost at the same moâ€" ment, and Mother and Father met in the front hall. They had parted with bitter words; but neither had time for hitter words toâ€"night, for one look at the servants‘ faces told ibem mno trace of the rhlldrp’l\ had been found. _ And he did not know that he had said, "home" and "dear." For alâ€" though his words were brave, he was shaking so that he conld hardly reâ€" place the receiver on its hook, and a terrible fear gripped hid heart. And at that cry, Father, who had been sitting alone at his club. wiehâ€" ing that Christmas, with all its memâ€" Ories, was Over, forgot that he had «worn never to epeak to this woman again, and answered, "Keep up your ecurage, dear. I‘ll be home as soon a6 1 can get there!‘ "Children?" said the voice, which was Father‘s. "Good lord, Blanche! 1 haven‘t seen them. 1 ewear I haven‘t. You don‘t mean they‘re lost ?" Mother leaned against the wall of the gilded booth, suddenly feeling very ill. She knew that, although Father might have stolen the chilâ€" dren, he would never lie to her about ‘oing so. She ceased to be sarcastic and* businee« like, and became only a fterrified woman, crying out for help to the man npon whose strength she had for many yeare depended. . "Oh, Irving!" she wailed. "They‘ve gone‘ I left them at home in bed and â€"they‘ve gone. Whatever sha]l‘ I do?" "Irving." eaid Mother, coolly sarâ€" castic, "I called you to thank you for rour Christmas eurprise. 1 trust you will take‘ good care of the children until I send the police for themâ€"as I certainly shall do unless you give me your word to return them at once." _ "Stop eniffling and stay in the house until I get there," she comâ€" manded briefly. Then she called a number which she knew by memory, although it was fully two years since she had spoken it. Finally, a faâ€" miliar voice answered. 12. $42.95; Peter Dorscht, work on road 3, $4.50; Toney Straus. work on road 16. $14.00; Woolwich treasâ€" user, work on road 23, $183.88; F. McGoey, work on road 27, $2.00; H. Doherty, salary, $25.00; J. J. Berâ€" ger, lumber, $35.80; H. E. Ratz, §s23A94; Ingot Iron Co., for culvert, $55.68; Aaron Bender, work on ‘road 14, $4.30; total, $974.40. 4 rows away from these treea and only one load from 4 rows along side of these trees. The council preferred to withhold their deciston for the time being. s Moses Brubacher, Lots 17 and 18 concession A wished to know if the council would allow him to cut down the trees on the public highâ€" way adjoining his land. He claims that the shade of these trees de tereorates his crops along the proxâ€" imity of these trees. He stated that he got 4 loads of turnips from Moved by J. Mantz and G. J. Voll that this council examine the seâ€" curity given by the collector to find out if satisfactory. The amount is $5,000.00 which the council considâ€" ers sufficlentâ€"Carried. It was proposed by G. J. Voll and J. W. Burnett that the clerk be instructed to insert the following amounts in his minute book, nameâ€" ly:â€"Wim. Connolly, Butler, drainâ€" age account, (contract), $307.60; John R. Albrecht, Voll drain acâ€" count, (contract}, $126.21; Hamilton Pridge Co., steel for Heintz bridge. $22.26.â€"Carried. P. A. Wagner, commission as reeve, $250.00; L. Baechler estate. commission as deputy reeve, $200.00; G. J. Voll, commi«sion as councilior, $150.00; J. W. Burnett; commiseion as councillor, $150.00; J. Mantz, commission as councilior. $150.00, total $1874.40 â€"Carried. ahip records and that the members otlhowunlm:‘h:‘.b.t press their a good work woonp’l.:l‘:l'::‘:n.‘thh.u previous _ years compliment him on the interest he has continâ€" uslly taken in behalf of the people‘s health and the senitation of this township at large and that he may continue to do s0.â€"Carried. Mre. R. Foster, for caretaking of Tp. hall, $25.00; ,m. Yost, 1 man 16 hours, work, $4.00; D. Demar, man and team 4 houre, $2.00; J. J. Freeborn, valuing sheep, N. Hertâ€" tord, $1.00; Louis Schaub, refund of dog tax, $2.00; N. Hertford, comâ€" pensalion for 1 sheep killed by dogs, $8.00; C. B. Barbour, balance sal ary, $125.00; C. B. Barbour, for stamps and stationery, $1.10; Geo. Miller, refund in Butler drain. $6.75; N. Waterlco Fire Ins. Co‘y, insurauce on Tp. hall, $2.00; H. E. Schnarr, refund _ on _ asseesment, $4.48; Mrs G. Petch, refund of tax es, $1.11; L. Blumen, refund of pol) tax, $2.00; Canadian Bank of Comâ€" inerce, for safety deposit box, $3.00; Leander Butler, refund Tp. tax re less by fire, $20.64; C. D. Bowman. O.LS., _ account _re â€" Birmingham drain, $29.50; C. D. Bowman, acâ€" count re Butler drain, $145.00; Leanâ€" der Butler. assisting engineer on drain, $9.90; Mas, McKee, assisting engineer on drain, $11.15; E. Kautâ€" man, for collecting 1930 taxes, $198.12; Ed. Schott, work on road Moved by J. Mants and J. W. Burnett that the following accounts be paid and that the treasurer issue cheques in payment on same:â€" Peter F. Schummer, Tp. Clerk ‘rags or old paper some dark doorway. to the left. And now and then, the car etopped, and Father wont in somewhere to IQQphona back to the honee with the‘ stone lions, or he etopped the car and got out, peered hopefully in to the face of some child, late abroad with an older perâ€" «on, or poked, with no one knows ‘what horrible fear, at a bundle of They drove in Father‘a car, one of them staring out of the window to the right and one out of the window So _ Father â€" brought _ Mother‘s heaviest fur coatâ€"left to herself, she would probably have gone with no coat at allâ€"and Mother reminded Father that he needed to take his hat, and they atarted out. ‘ Father, too, could not bear sitting there inactive. "You «tay, Blanche, and lie down, I‘ll go out," he eaid. _ But Mother clung to him, "Iâ€"I can‘t face it alone," she whispered. "Let me come with you‘" There were two lost childran temâ€" porarily lod in a police «tation in Brooklyn; byt it developed tÂ¥at they were both Boye, and an tant later, that they‘spoke only Ital There was a ch und cryingk in a doorâ€" way in Harlem, bu was a little girl about ten yeare old and she wae a negress, A policeman reported having seen a woman in a tattered. brightâ€"colored shawl riding toward Bronx Park on the subway with a child asleep in her arme. . . . And thenâ€"maddeningly bringing disappointment on the heels of hope â€"reports of children who had been itound. or children who had been seen in the company of queerâ€"lookâ€" ing persons, began to trickle back \over the telephone wire, "I can‘t bear it‘!" eaid Mother Jost sitting here, doing nothing." _ One of the strange men sat at the telephone, and «oon, in all parts of the great city, telephones and radios were telling the news of two loet chilâ€" dren. i Now and then they atopped to tele phone, or to talk to one of the men in blue who were either on duty all night in those atrangely quiet streete ‘fl' had been sent out, in their little cars, to look for what Mother and |vr. and church belle began to peal forth their midnight message of the Baby of Bethlehem, and «hadows went and came along etreets that ‘wqro now beginning to be powdered over with a fine, eugary snow, and, at Jast the sky grew f&intly gray with dawn. and more early ahurch belis ehouted with all the power of their iron tongues that the Hope of the World was bornâ€"Mother and Father drove up one atreet and down anoâ€" ther TH® warrrtO0 CHREONXTCE®~ _ When Father heard this, he orderâ€" ed his chauffeur to turn the big car to the west. And while the stars hid their facea behind a vell of clouds, and the city grew allenter and darkâ€" Aud_while all these things were ih ppening, the telephone wiree had carried to the fine old house behind the liona the first really helpful clue. This camefrm a traffic policeman stationed Fiftyâ€"ninth Street and Fifth Avenue, who remembered see ing a little girl in a blue coat and a little boy in a brown coat cross his street behind an old woman who valked with a cane. Then she began to cry «o hard that her sobs shook the seat of the car. And somehow Father‘s hand found Mother‘s, and the two hands clung together. looking after them?" â€" And Mother «aid in a queer, flat voice that was not at all like her own: "I sent her away. Sheâ€"ehe was telling them the atory of Jeaus and the first Christmas. You know, we agreed they were to be left to judge for themselvee about such thinge." They did not say much, but once, aiter they had ridden for what seemâ€" edl to them years, Father demanded. "Where was Nannie that she wasn‘t looking after them?" poor (Charlie Roes, who was never found. Other children. who, even more tragically, had been found only as poor, mutilated little bodies buried in shallow graves. . . . Mother sat humped over in her corner.*staring out of her window with hopelese, tragle eye«; and Fa: ther sat in his, staring out of his window with eyea that saw, in Ima: gination, a long line of loat children | They were on Twelth Avenue then, and on one «lde of them was the river. dark and ugly under a «harp weaterly wind, and on the ether the city. of which, as t seemed to them. they had traversed every Inch. The city «o vast that two little children could be swallowed up in Its dark, rapid stream of existence, as the whirling snowflakea were ewallowed by tha slategray waters of the river. and never heard of acain‘ At last, when it wae quite day they gave up. And Father said, "Of cource, you can do much more than we can, and ‘we know you‘re doing all you can. But my wife and I can‘t rest. and we‘re keeping in touch with our home. «0 if we‘re needed there we can get back on a minute‘s notice. . . We‘ve got to be doing something." He did not know that he had said, "my wife"â€"who for two years had never «poken those words. And when, after every freeh disappointâ€" ment, he returned to the crr and siw Mother‘s tortured eyes turn to him in eager questioning, he did not know that his voice grew tender and that old familiar phrases of endeat ment crept into the answera he made to her silent prayers for news. "You might as well go home," said the men in bine. looking with pitying eyes upon Mother‘s and Father‘s pule, haggard faces. "We‘re doing all that can be done." But Mother cried, "Oh, no. Officer! I can‘t bear to go home!!" The chauffeur halted the cartand its place before the forge. in which the emall fire he had kept harning, r®ther as a protection again«t cold than m« a requlaite of businaes, had birned itealf to mehes. Bits of old harness hung on the walls. And in a low manger, in which a it when he went home wgh the little package of meat for hi Christma® dinner. The maty old anvil «tnod in In the shop everything wa« as the vpear«ighted old blackemith had left Father got out and croesed the eldewalk. Then he came back. and bis face was radiant. "Bianche," he eald. taking Mother‘@ arm and rousâ€" ing her from the ead hallâ€"stupor Into which she had fallen, "come here!" And guite naturally, he put hia arm aronnd her and "od her acrosa the walk to the window [ There at the corner, under an old ‘w(-.alh('rwnrn wooden horeeshoe, a little group of people. who were Ipmbahly on their way home from I(-hurvhv for there are many churchâ€" roing people in those dingy old Imildinge along the water {frontâ€" sinod, «taring, and. pointing through the dirty window of af old smithy. The chanffeur drew the car to a stop. It would do no harm to ask Before he could speak. a woman sild, "Poor little mite«! _ Sound meleep they are an‘_ how they got there, the good Lord only knowa!" The chauffenr got ont and peered through the window. Then he came Inck to Father‘s side of the .7r, and hie face was ehining. "Come," he eald to Father in a shrill whisper "Come and look!‘ J never seen only ther picksures an‘ 1 may he mleâ€" taken. so you‘d better come youreelf hefore you let on to the Missis wl looked back. "Where to now, air"" he asked pitvingly i Father looked over at Mother, |"Home." he â€" said _ firmly. "No :l!l;m('hc-, you mustâ€"at least for a cup 0f coffec and a few minutes‘ !I‘u~t." So the chanffeur drove elowly l‘np the street toward the next corâ€" ner ’ "I _ think,"" she whispered. "the Paby of Rethishem has sent you back, Irving So what can you do |but come?" THE END And _ Mother raised toward the gray sky a face that looked twenty veare older ae the price of that terâ€" rhhle night Then Mother said brokenly, "And to rek= to «end â€" yon back _ to them, Irving." Father _ «ald Blanche?" ’ To find the Baby in the manger," «aid Mother tearfully, above Rustet‘s nodding bead; "the Bahy of Bethle hem;" and Father. above Bundge‘s nodding head. said queerly: "Ta give Him the toy engine and the woolly bear and the ringâ€"withâ€"aâ€"pearlinâ€"t‘"* Mother and Father were silent for a fime, helding the children very tlehtly, as if they were afraid leat they vanish into thin air ’ They didn‘t remember much of their adventnres when finally the door was opened, and they were wakened and carried out to ‘the car, and. I am eorry to say, they were both so tired that they were very ctoss. But they both, after consider chle excited queetioning. recalled why they had left the fine old houee with the lione, and ow they had happened to wander into the blackâ€" «mith‘s shop There they were, and there they had been all night, rather cold but |quua eecure and «afe, while Father and Mother and the men in blue ecarched the city for them. and the whadows, good and evil, paseed un bheeding the dark window behind which they lay! children. fast aeleep, with their arms around each other. and Buster‘s coat spread over them both and the woolly bear and the toy engine sharâ€" ing their cramped quarters‘! horee might have eaten its dinner i‘ anyone had a horke which wiched to dine while it was waiting to he shod, on a few wieps of straw, lay the two May come: