The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1865-01-06
Ghe 8tnia Sentinel.
sETHw. BROWN, EDITOR.
FRIDAY. JANUARY 6, 1865.
Santa Claus's Wish Council.

old gentleman, for this was the night OF
his famous Wish Council; and the knott
ed bToWs Of his Secretary Blazius, and
the piles Of memoranda By which be was
surrounded, testified to the amount of
business on hand, while the air vas full
Of the impalpable, but to him plainly
visible forms Of the Wishes, Some we're
jolly and rosy in their intangibility, even
giving signs of mortal obesity some
sweet and airy, in their impalPable deliea-
ey. Others, hungry, eag3r, starvlngly
thrust these rosy vapors, and stretched
forth bouy fingers beseechingly to the
genial Saint, as he stood smiling before
his Widemouthed, glowing fireplace. In
the instant that the formless Wish gained
form and substance its supplication was
carefully recorded by the nearly distract
ed Secretary, and it faded forever into
hothingness. There we're visions Of fair
children, with golden culls and rosy lips,
begging, stocking in hand, for candy and
toys; Of spare and stout gentlemen with
speetacIes, desirous of rare editions Of
choice authors OF stylish danes who long
ed for point, thread, or HOnitOn, or HlOtTeS,
velvet, or glaee young girls beseeching
vapory evening dresses, aud all manner Of
gold and gear; Of ragged children long
ing for q mere glimmer Of Christmas Joy,
for crumb from 4 rich mans table; OF
gaunt men in ragged uniforms begging
for letters, for sympathy, for common food
and clothing, for deliverance from prison,
and Yermin, and starvation of other
men not so gaunt and PrisOn-wOrn, brave,
hardy, and enduring, yet turning loyalty
/ to the dear freside for the light and
Wsrmth of the Christmas cheer which
may not be denied them. Aud sadder
sights than these were shadoWy women,
With begging rags, starving cheeks: and
fingers prieked and bleeding; asking fires,
blankets, food for the workers, medicines
and care for the sick thrusting out i'll
spelled bills for unpaid work in skeleton
hands; and fair, bright girls fading
away over desks, over needle-Work, and
asking not to be forgotten by those who
bad been their guests in happier days,
when their best friend filed soldiers
saddle and not a soldiers grave.
The smile died away from the lips Of
the Saint, and he walked anxiously up
and down the room.
Something must be done, different
from what has ever been done before.
The days when the reindeer and 1 could
manage this thing are over. One Of
Grants Wagon-trains could not carry the
things l am expected to deliver. The
days when tiny stocking full of candy
and nuts, cake and primer, or a squaWk-
ing dog and jumpingjack would satisfy
a child, sppesr to have passed away for
ever. Here's Fenella M'Fiimsey wants
a gold tea-set for her doll, and Kstarina
Won Troudelbedde wants 4 velvet cloak
aud royal ermines. Does she indeed
I've great mind to bring her = switch,
as have done in old times And forty
thousands others as reasonable as they. |
Fact is, l won't stand it !; and the old |
fellow grew so warm that he threw off his |
mink dressing>goWn, and kicked his |
slippers vigorously into one corner
'Blazins! fetch me my bufalO-skiu capote,
and see that the reindeer are ready in
six seconds ; and the old gentleman few
round in a style quite astonishing in one
of his age. IN see the parents them
selves, and try to talk a little common
sense into them But what's this !?
Ouly three dulls-mother and daugh-
ters-four if you count the Topsy, who
carried their white Opera-clOaks over her
arm. Mamma Doll in velvet and point
lace, a diamond pin confning the tiny
collar. Daughter Clementine in white
satin aud bridal veil, and pearls, real
pearls, un her Waxen neck. Sister Belinde
as a bridemaid in silk and blond.
your servant, ladies' bowed Santa
Claus-aud if he could have blushed at
his own disarray be would have done so,
bad not nature anticipated any movement
in that direction by tinging both cheeks
and nose with the deepest carnatiOn land
what can l do for you p
'Ws have a great favor to ask, Sir,
replied Mamma Doll I'VE are in grief,
too. though that is not what we came to
say to you. We were once very happy
family when Miss Katarina dressed US 10
merino, and Clementine was engaged to
the Zouave. But at the height Of this
gold went up, Kattie's father made
fortune, and-the poor Zouave was utterly
demolished BY the poker accidentally fall
ing upon him as he lay on the rug in
front of the FIRE. And Katie, instead of
asking Aunt Olive 10 mend up our poor
friend, took him up-oh, horrors she
threw him into the blazing CRATE. Imsg-
inc the feelings of doll Of sensibility at
/ this awful mOmentl And all Katie
would say was.
"My papa is rich; he'll buy me nOzzer
one.'
4 knew Of poor Clementine's attach
ment. L lOnged to fly to her, but you
know we can not stir til bedtime of our
own will In the mean time Aunt Olive
captured our PTOstrate forms, carried US
off to her room, and arrayed us as you
see, announcing that she was going to
marry Clementine to Lord DuUdreary,
whoever he is, and that the wedding was
to take place IN the new playhouse on
Christmas-eve. Meanwhile we lie hid in
Aunt Olives bureau drawer
Indeed, sObbed out poor Ciementine,
I'D far rather marry the broken Zouave
than this dreadful Dundreary, who is
certain to be horrid, if do have pearls
and satin to wear
Yours is certainly hard case, replied
Santa Claus, who had listened attentive
ly; 'but it don't seem to be case for
my interference exactly
That is what I am coming to, said
Mamma Doll. 'Of course you can not
restore US the poor ZOuave from bis ashy
grave but while We were under Aunt
Olives care poor woman came in (the
widow Pettibone, you know herr to bring
home some shirts she had been making,
and the drawer wasn't quite shut, and
we couldn't help hearing what was
said. She shivered, and came near the
FIRE, and looked so hungrily at the chill
dren who were lunching on buttered rolls
and cold chicken that Arthur told Katie
to offer her some; but Katie said, She
wanted all there Was-there was none too
much for her.
Then ths children ran Of to play, and
Amt 0iiwn took ~ ans - aL-s.esv %