Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1863-12-23

An UNFoUSDED RUMoR-PosTIvELT
No PosTPoEEMENT.-Fors some days
past an unpleasant rumor has beer cir
culating among some of the little peo-
pie, to the effect that Old Santa Claus
would not make his annual visit the
coming Christmas on. account of the
war.
The thunder'of cannon, the rattle of
musketry, the shrieks and groans of the
dying, it was thought, would SO brighten
his timid reindeers-evenrf the fumes of
owder smoke didn't stife them-thatit
would be impossible for cold Nick to
make his usual rounds. Many little,
round, merry faces grew long and sor-
rowful as, gathered around the house
hold fire, they discussed the unpleasant
rumor. Some, with large faith, insisted
that Santa Claus was no coward, and
wasn't afraid of gunpowder, because he
was used to bearing "a FIRE crackers
and pistols every Christmas, and his deer
were too well trained to scare at noise
they had so often heard Others, more
responding, insisted that while Old Santa
Claus was accustomed to FIRE crackers,
rockets, pistols, and all that, he wasn't
in the habit of travelling when they shot
bullets, and cannon balls and bomb
shells, and they were really afraid the
old fellow would back out this year and
wait till this cruel war is over"
Yesterday afternoon, while media
ting upon this unpleasant rumor, so har-
RAISING to little folks, we were aroused
from cur reverie BY lively tap at the
door. I" Come in We said,g The door
flew open and there he was-not the old
fellow, but his travelling agent, who
looked as though he might be a son
of the old man-his eyes bearing the
same merry twinkle and his oountenance
glowing with health and good humor.
" Knowingi it is customary for travelling
agents to call first on newspaper men, l
come" he said, "to inform the little peo-
pie, through the columns of your valua-
bic and widely circulated Journal, that
the reports that Santa Claus will not ap-
pear as usual, the coming Christmas, are
without foundation" The rumors to the
contrary have aroused the indigna-
ton of the old gentleman to a high
pitch, and consequently he has laid in
larger assortment of articles caleu-
lated to delight his young friends than he
ordinarily carries. have few sam
Piles" he continued, (which will sub
NIT to your inspection" This merry
little August was shrewd fellow, and
knew exactly what we most admired, for,
before you could say Jack Robinson, he
opened out before us such variety of
books that we were completely bewil- !.
dered. There were stories for boys and
stories for girls there. were Mother
Goose's tales, and tales of Cock Robin;
stories about animals; stories about good
boys and bad boys; pretty girls, and ugly
girls; books in blue and gold, and books
with pictures. Besides all these, there
were magnificent Bibles, all " done up"
in Morocco and gilt. he had also
large assortment of Photograph Albums,
of every variety, in Morocco and velvet.
There were papier mache portfolios,
beautiful insdesign and arranged inter
nally just to suit the caprices of ORDER
loving young ladies' = 7T11z
Having satisfied our curiosity by q
hasty examination of the samples spread
out before us, we informed the agent that
we thought they were worthy a favorable
notice; but, We added, have you a sup
ply on hand sufficient to supply all the
youngsters in our larger city? a Yes,
yes" he replied, with knowing wink
and nod. ave have established our
headquarters at 0oBELL's BOOKSTORES,
on Main street" saying which, with "a
polite bow, he disappeared. e