The New York herald., 1864-12-24

r YORK HERALD, SATU
smiling ID sAsr sleep love 10 80 them waking with
the sarIisst dawn and olamborsg bod 20 what
Santa Claus has brought Such great eyes At wooden
horse Such silent sdmiration OF Q popgun Sucn
bursts Of ringing laughter u jack.iu the box Such
bousdess content a., ted into bod again. they all
their new treasures spread out upon the coverd And
then love 70 watch them at their play. How hard
these little men aud women work ~ their amusements
Their round plump legs 10 tire OF running
backward and forward with wagon or tiny
train Of cars whoh has its depot under chair whst
equesrtans they are, and how they ride their hobby
horses 70 and fro rough roads for immense dis
tances TO see some absent unoIe or auntie With what
patience they play the games and again.
and never weary With what gcnsrashi they marshal
their Toy troops into ine-these miniature Grants and
6hsrmaasi Their drums their rattiss and their tin
trumpes, odious 70 most ears make music
u mine No Yrma domns at the opera, pulled by Bohe
mans and applaudsd BY tho olaQs. sings dslioi,usy
little girl putting hsr doll TO siesp And then"
tinusd Santa Caus-hs aos bsamiug like SUM- and she
ights and the nre dancing madIy than overland
then love 70 watch tho dosyncracles Of children Here
y profoundly poaderog tho astounding phsnome
sistsr, with . doll whose cry has an amazing resem
blanos 70 the little dogs bark, accepts the squeak.
Ing ~ quito nssurai, and does not ponder
q all. Asothsr little fellow br6aks his penny
whistle 70 see whore ths sound comes from This
little gri forges her candies 10 her cares, while
sass eli her dolls lets hsr Toy kitchen be-
terribly dsordered. 70 stuff herself with borboss.
Hero stout little chap who kicks his picture books
into 10 mako for his architectural dssigns
There another who, forgetting al else sits absorbed in
the lamentabls history Of Cook Robin. Another cipher
Ing up the spots upon his dominoes while his little
brother finds such fun a. playing At ball. It is tho
world In little, my dear SIR But the best Of i," said
Santa Claus chucklng to himself "they don't tire OF my
gifts. When school 10 out they back to play again
They 60 sleep with Iher toy wonders casped n their
little hands, and have soon thcm die"-and hero the
twinkling eyes Of santa Claus dim-'I have
them die with their dear eyes turned 70 take last look
favorte play thngthe oldest and ugiest Of the
toys, you may be sureas II they we're sorrer to leave
that than all the rest OF the world beside"
HE BEcoMErH MORE PRACTICAL.
After q silence OF few moments, we ventured to ask
our visitor few questions, to which received the
following replies:-Sr" said Santa Claus. "t s, az
you say. OF regret TO that the children do
me, although sometimes think that they recog
nize In their dreams. But many OF the blessings OF
this life 70 from sources which behold,
rivers rise from secret springs and since II Is SO
ordained, must be oontsut. You remark that my
portraits do not do justice That must bc true or
else should not have been obliged 70 Introduce myself
to you. st very few OF the artists have soon
mo- cannot wonder at their failures. Nevertheless you
must admit that several or them have hit my general
appearance pretty correctly" Thsrc q trido Of
vanity In this-an unconscious pulling down Of the waist
coat and strokng OF the beard-bus affected not 70
notice is. "You ask sir, MI busy ever, this
year. Buster, sir, busierl There are 70 many SOL
diers children 70 look after and alas many orphans
10 these am unusually tsnder, and Il u the duty OF
every 70 assist me. II 10 true that am not per-
itsd 10 travel n your rebel Ssaies 'rhe sins Of the
fathers shall be visited upon tie chdreo, says the
good book. aud am bound BY that An the bravo old
Christmas tirnss IN the South until the war Il
The hearthstouss there desoIats. Children
who ought 70 DO playing with popguns shOuldering
real muskets in the rebel armies or st and cold be-
seash ths GOD. One Of yoar generals wisely said that
Jefferson Davis had robbed the cradle and tho grave for
troops v true % too trus Of tho cradle, - we'll
know. On, sir, Il would make your heart bleed II !
could toll you Of the have witnessed u Southern
homes during the past four yearA They wore Dreadful
dreadful Merry old man a. am. saddens mo TO think
OF them. Well, went South ~ long - could. gave
tie children such toys ~ were not contraband Of
war. kept green the memory Of Santa Claus
in their hearts for three martial years. But mad
myself shat every point, and this Christmas thsy
must do without me. Let h0ps," he added prayer
fully hat before another Christmas comes round there
win bs reunited Union, permanent poace snd santa
Claus for the children. But my good sr." continued
visitor, changing bis tone and manner, ths hour
grows late and like Hamlsts shoss must away at COCK
GROW Let US be practical; allow 10 explain my busi
ness hers." iu vain ws demonstrated and begged
him 10 costiaus his interesting rsmaks IL was n vain
i'm hat III not q
only 100 glad stsn 70 him. The httle old gsntlcman
had an imperative manner and certain goodna,ured
obs,iuacy whal, and he turned deaf ear 10 our en-
treaties Jumping up from his seat and busting chseriy
about the room. In less time than II takes US
10 tell Of is he mad cleared the Office table Of u
multifarious books, papers and pens. Then, lifting
hs black vallse from the floor while we smiled as our
ncendary theories OF hour before he look bis place
behind tho table, like conjursr, and motsonsd TO be
seatcd in front Of him, like conjurer's audience.
"Now s" said Santa Claus "you arc not about 20 SEQ
anything very WONDERFUL bst want you 70 remember
what you do SEQ "
ne pIspLAYErH CERTAIN TOYS.
Al he said these words Santa Claus opened his vaiss
and drawing forth great number Of toys pushed them
rapidly the table for our inspection "Inesc,
sir said he sAre Of tho usual kind but they arc just
tho things for children" There wsro balls and bats,
stoves and spinning wheels. dolls and dippcrs carts and
cats engines and cars nddiss and farm yards and
gingerbread, houses and huumns tops, jumping jacks
and jacks In Tho box, lambs and looking glasses, men
aud bes, noddog ures AID nucracksrs, omnbuses
and ogres, prints and paints, rattles aud rocking
herses swords md squirrels. xumpes and tambornss.
unicorus aud ewers, whips and walking sticks. Here
are more of the same sort" said Santa Caus, giving the
black valse cunning shake; and In second the table
was again covered with arks and animals, building
blocks and letter blocks bows and arrows companies OF
Infantry companies Of cavalry, doll heads and doll
bodies drums drumstIcks games In boxes gold and
silver beads hoes and hoops, kasdoscopss and menage
r,es, maps and mstamorphescs, magic lanterns and
skates ssghs and spades, ss and stables, stores and
tee sets furniture and forts, and hundreds Of other
things which have maintained their popularity for years.
and may ps found At any TOY shop. Snow, sir" said