The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-12-13
WONEYBUN'S RIDE WITH SANTA
CLAUS.
A Christmas Sketch for Children.

NOISY, tlrlng day, TO young ana oiu, In tnet
cottage house on the bank OF that wide, busy
river, now thick with ice, as on that twenty
fourth day of December, eighteen hundred
and blank, and everybody so anxious and
merry, too, wlthal; that was the best of it
by tar Aunt Sumums making pies and
cakes, and oh such rare buildings, in the
kitchen; grandma and mamma closeted mys-
teriously and interdicted to almost every
body, and the door only opened TO masonic
knocks. And then the peepings through
keyholes of the little people, for there were
plenty of them there, 10 be sure, to find out,
if possible, what was going on, on the other
side and the capping of little hands, and
the glee shining on fresh, sweet faces,
when detected In the act by the sudden out
| bursting of ode of the cOuspiring elders and
then the seizing of the said elder by dozen
! little hands and forcing him or her into
corner OF the big hail, and demanding-yes,
demanding, mark that, for it is Christmas
| time and we little people have our rights
| demanding to know what is being done. you
| know Oh such fun and such general heart
! gladnessi These are worth year of a good
1t is night, and cold, 1nonarItaoie night
| it is to the poor, and la the world outside, and
the huge cakes of ice in the wide river sweep.
ing on below are plunging madly about, and
the wind Is screaming madly and low among
| the trees and II isn't comfortable to be out
in it at ali. But we are in IA room, red and
aglow with the bright, warm freight and
we might be In a. worse place, can tell you.
In cozy little bednest lie two boys, and
! they are called Buster lsix) and Honey bun
| three years aud half However it came
| to be that they were so called-for these were
! not their true names, of course-it would be
hard TO decide, even upon a wager. The
tradition TO the title of Buster is that q
| peddler OF wet and very much damaged dry
goods memory, had stood sponsor and in a
moment of admiration of the child's stead
mess of manner, called him a "bust-
er" As to that OF Honey bun, we are
clearer, and grandma stands charged with
the fact overcome by y grandmother's feel
ings, we suppose and it really is astonish
| ing TO witness the amount and number of
feelings which grand mother has always on
hand tor the youngest boy III a family.
Buster has plunged his head in the pillow,
and is asleep. quite worn out; and Honey bun
has Just intImated 10 his grandma his ire
vokabe determination 10 remain wide awake
until the elderly gentleman known as Santa
Claus should arrive. Firm III this resolve.
as thousands of little people arc on the mig at
of all nights in the year, he lays his head on
he little soft plliow-not to sleep, no indeed:
but Just to think-of what? Why, of what
the jovial Saint would say to see him awake,
He knows that persons are moving about
the room ond bending over the little sleepers,
for there are other little seepers besides
Buster" and himself; and he hears some
body say quietly, May God bless my child
rem, and no feels mothers breath and lin.
pressure on his cheek, and then all is quiet.
| But he will be awake when St Nicholas
comes He wouldn't go to sleep for any thing
you could offer him.
Honeybun has lain n this way, Oh for
long time, and he looks up from his pillow
at the live red coal II the stove, which has
made cheerful All the room, wondering all
the while why Santa Claus does NOT come.
Ioneyb bun Tubs his eyes and then opens
them wide, fully g. wide aud wider than
they ever were before, l. the fire light too
strong? Not at all Why, then, does Hon
eybun stare go ixedly at tae chair by his old
raam Peggy little work table? Well. II you
had seen what Honey bun say JUST then, yon
would have rubbed your eyes lgv. aud per
haps little harder than tie did for there on
the chair. close by she stove sat the funniest
little man you ever saw ous Of a TOT shop
He was dressed IL beautiful, soft, w@rm furs,
from hahead TO his heels, aud you could Just
! s3e MS face and hands and on what 8 face !
such u jolly red big nose, and then his ewes
7 the merriest, laughing, tiLkiing little grey
ewes thas ever peepei out of fur cap in
! this world and thea his fat red cheeks and
his white teeth, too !; why, when he took his
! pipe out of his mouth, you couldn't for the
! lite OF YOU, say which laughed the most. bic
eyes or his teeth. And there he sat, one leg
| thrown over the other, and smoking away as
! piaoidly as if be had been in his own house
Bless yOu, lie didn't seem to know any diff
| ference. You must take my word for it, he
/, was the very iolhest, fattest coolest and
! kindest old fellow you ever knew or saw. or
ever Will. Is it any wonder, then, that Uon
ey bun rubbed bis eyes harder and opened
them wider TO learn if be wasn't mistaken :?
| The little old man was looking at Honey bun
all the sine, aud now was winking at him,
as he sent IA thick Jet of smoke through his
nost:ils, actually winking at Honey bun as
| Familiarity if ne had known hip all his
! short life.
How are you. HOneybun ?'' saId the old
! gentleman. Merry Christmas to you"
Tank you, ar" replied Honey bun slowly,
and only just little bit afraid, for the old
gentleman spoke so kindly.
| $50 you've kept awake to see me- Ell Pr
continued the old fellow. And how's Bus
ter 2"
"Very well. tank you. tir. Oh, brudderI"
Here HOneyb bun shook his brother, without.
however, taking his eyes from the little fas
man, for he looked so merry that he couldn't
help'looking at him, do what he would
| ''Oh, brudder," still shaking him, and
epeaking in whisper, Here's Santa
Kaws."
Just at this moment Honeybun beard a
merry rattling of sleigh bells outside in the
yard and asked:
What's dat, "Trip"
"Those are my deer, shaking their bells,
Honeybun."
Are dey eight tiny ones, tir2"