Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1869-12-23
ears of. You see, hand-organs didn't


up to the window, and held out her tam.
BOURNE; and Uncle Tom ran the window
up and threw some money into it.
won't you give us some superb
asked the little girl, in pitiful tones.
"Yes, come right in /" said Mrs. Ellis
They came in, tired looking old man
and tired, thin little girl and they col
a good supper for nothing.
Then the man said:
Haven't you shed where we can
sleep? | am tired and poor, and don't
know where to CO."
Mr.. Ellis spoke up at that, and said
that the organ player could sleep in the
loft of the woodshed, where there was a
good bed. "But that poor little girl can't
sleep there" he said
"lIvery room in the house is full" saws
Mrs. Ellis.
Lutte thought moment, then Whispered
to her mother that the child might have
bed made up on the floor of hers and
Sadie's room.
care you willing to have her there9n
their mother asked, smilingly; and they
said Eyes"
SO after while they had some more
music, then some cider and apples, then
the little ones went to bed, and were pres
emily fast asleep, first having hung IN
their stockings, since Santa Claus might
come, and making their visitor hang hers
up too. The little stranger Marie, her
name was-had a nice bed close to the
twins, and they gave her one of their
pillows, and laid their two heads on the
other, with their pretty faces close to.
gether, and the blankets drawn up to their
very noses
By-and-by all the house was asleep, and
it came midnight. If they'd been awake.
they would have heard through the still
night air the finest silvery tinkling of bells
that could be, and then little crunchng
of the snow on the roof, and beat ef
tiny hoofs, and then voice saying "whoa"
with laugh all round the word.
Upon the roof had alighted small
sleigh with high back, and eight rein.
deer instead of horses to draw it. This
sleigh was filed full of all sorts of Christ
mas presents; and in the midst of them
sat little man with pipe in his mouth
AS soon as'the reindeer had stopped be-
side one of the big chimneys, the little
man hoped out of the sleigh, pulled
off his outside fur hat and coat
ooked to see that he was dressed
fine, feather and all, slung a pack over
his shoulders, and getting into the chin.
ney, slid down to the room where the
twins slept.
"Nice little girls" said he, putting
away at his pipe; and reaching down
their stockings he began to put some.
thing into them. There was candy, and
pretty pin cushion, and a picture-book
in each.
AS he hung them up, he spied another
poor little striped stocking; and looking
around to see whom it belonged to, he
saw Marie sound asleep, with her short
black rings of hair all tumbled about her
tanned face.
cor says Santa Claus with a laugh,
$50 here's a cousin of mine.
You see, about Christmas time Santa
Claus calls all poor people his cousins
and he is pleased with whoever helps
them.
He took down the striped stocking, and
filled it so full that it nears.y burst Then
he tished magnificent great doll out of
his pack.
II didn't mean to give this" he said.
"But when folks are good TO my cousins,
they must be rewarded"
He laughed between the whiffs of his
pipe, pulled stocking yard long out of
his pack, busbed the doll into it, and hung
it up with the toe just over Lute's head
Then he took slip of paper, and wrote
in great letters, "From Sanity Claus" and
pinned that across the stocking. But he
made the r and the SIS, and the N. and
l. hind side before, just for fun to seeift the
twins would know.
When all was done he stood before the
fireplace a minute, smoking, and looking
to see if things suited him.
"All right!' sayshe Goodnight, lit
tie girls Good night, cousin !"
| Before the last word was out Of his
mouth, he had whisked up chimney
jumped into his sleigh, and his reindeer
were half way to the next house. You
see, Santa Claus goes SO fast that his heels
smoke.
The next morning Lutte woke and saw
the toe of the great stocking within an
inch of her nose, and the beautiful face OF
the doll smiling down on her The cry OF
delight she gave woke the others; and you
had better believe that there were three
merry children. They were so merry that
they never thought to wish each othera
Merry Christmas till Uncle Tom put his
head in the door and reminded them by
calling it out.
Then the twins began to talk both to-
gether; and even little Marie proudly
showed her presents. -,
But you're Santa Claus cousin" SAID
Uncle Tom, patting the little girl on the
head. -BallOu's Magazine
Vice President Torrance, of the New
| Nork Central Railroad hae horse worth