A Christmas Gift For Fort Zack

Double T came back to Mrs. O'Reilly's desk, smiling. He laid one of his huge hands on her shoulder. "Don't worry, Momma," he said, "little Dickie dude and me had our Christmas. Now we gonna have a Christmas party here." He picked up the box with the Santa outfit in it, and Sanford Parker picked up a similar package, and Mrs. O'Reilly directed them to an empty room where they could change. Then she had all the sick little children and their parents gather around the tree in the ward playroom, and you never heard such screams and hollers when Santa Claus appeared, black and 6'6", in a suit several sizes too short, bellowing ho-ho-ho and dispensing presents and kisses and hugs to one and all. He was assisted by a grown man dressed like an elf in a forest-green outfit, with shoes that curled up at the toes and a little triangular cap with a feather in it. Sanford Parker said he would be Santa next Christmas, and Double T the elf, and they agreed and had that put in the contract, too.