Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-12-31

D0esticlye Sees SANTA Claus-Hts UnfOrs
tunaee Experiences with that Mythical
BofbH.
I've seen him.
he looks exactly like big Dutchman,
with pressure of elk quarts of lager TO the
square inch, and funnel on his head to LET
the steam off When I was Just beginning
to bloom into pantaloons and bud into brass
buttons, l g0s my first idea of Santa. Claus
from Damphool, who was then about as high
as hitchiDg post and expected a "big
thing" for his New Years. The little Dam
phool, remember, used to speak very low
down in his stomach when he talked to me,
and always took care to wink at little crino.
Lines, and spit great deal whenI was by,
by way of showing, suppose, that he was a
venerably experienced man of the world,
and only had me along to convey an idea Of
the numerical respectability of his family.
Little Damphool had weakness for pea
nuts, and when | would pay for pintin our
daily walks he would help me to eat them
with such look of compassion that often
had to wipe away tears of humility with
borrowed half of his apple. | always paid
for the apple. Some times we would make
q princely meal on taffy-candy. Damphool
said that taffy- candy was exceIlentfor cold,
and he always had dreadful cough at the
sight of a confectionery. He bought the
candy always, and-I paid for it. Some
times we would stroll as far as the Park on
Saturdays and then DamphooI would ask
me to take an Oriental draught of ginger
beer. After drinking his share, remember,
he would suddenly see some thing on the
Museum that he never noticed before, and
look at il SO hard that he couldn't see me
feeling in my pockets. By way of doing my
share always paid for the beer.
But was going to tell you how Damphool
told me about Santa Claus. 1t was the day
before New-year's, in the year eighteen hun
dred and none of your business, and had
Just been taking some ginger-nuts with
DsmphoOl at my own expense This pocket
book was in his other trousers-pockets),
when he suddenly asked me what Santa
Claus was going to give me. said | never
heard of him, and he said didn't 1, aud
said no, didn't.
Damphool frowned to keep his cap on, and
was so overcome that he had to have some
'roOt-beer. paid for it because he was sick.
When he came TO (tfree cents glass; he
informed me in strict confidence that Santa
Claus was good judge of reindeers, and
brought presents down the chimney on New
years Eve for me and other boys. He said
Sanity kept toy-shop in the moon, and sup
piled the y young angels with peg-tops and
celestial drums.
l was greatly impressed with this revela-
lion, for my parents had too much good sense
to delude me with the silly holiday talk /
went home and made up my mind 10 sit up
all night, and told my mother | wanted TO
see Santa Claus; She said, "nonsense, child"
and put me to bed. | cried, and father came
10 comfort me. He used soothing strip
Of leather | tried to 90 to sleep, but It
was DO go; | lay awake until every body
else was asleep, and then got up and went to
the fireplace TO watch for Santa Claus. Re-
mained there wide-awake until | woke up
with my head in the ash-pan, and ore arm
around the coal scuttle. Saw some body
coming, and said, Z" is that you, Mr.. Claus?h
The Dext thing | remember, | was in bed,
feeling as though / had been set down on a
red hot gridiron. That was the last time l
ever sat up to see Santa Claus. 1t wasn't a
good thing TO do.
Bpt saw him last Christmas eye
board in street that would be Fifth avenue
if the city was turned the other way. / aud
DamphoOl had been out, and Damphool was
so sure that the Oroton main would burst
sgain, that we drank enough water TO keep
us mildewed for a week The water tasted
very strong of the pipes, and when we came
out OF the reservoir, Il saw bottles there, but
Damphool said IL was the reservoir, and all
respectable families had private bottles of
water thefe,) we walked very carefully on
the sidewalk so as not to crack the pipes
down under them.
left Damphool bargaining with a barrel
of potatoes 70 drive him to Coughs lecture
Went home. Ny room is ON the first floor, if
you don't count the root, and is connected
with the front parlor by three pairs of stairs.
Hung my bat on the servant girls lamp and
went up. Fat Dutchman in my room stand
ing on both sides of the bureau, with two
coats aud three pairs of pantaloons over his
arm. Said he was Santa Claus, aud wanted
70 6ndsa good place to put my presents.
Would come again when | was asleep. He
went out together, and left me trying to
covermyselfup with pocket han dkerchief,
under the belief that it was a sheet. Next
morning missed all my tailors cOllaterals
Cant account for it, bat I've seen Santa
Claus. ss st