The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-12-25
A CHRISTMAS STORY.

Philip, who was rocking his infant brother in
cradle. A great deal OF snow bad fallen durin
the day, and the weather was Wintry cold, bt
yet Mrs. Dean had but little fire in the stow,
and her room was scantily furnished Will
Philips father was living, ne made out by his ia
dustry to keep his family quite comfortable, bu
n sudden and short illness IN early Spring had tel
minated in death. and now Mn. Dean was Ell
tirely dependent on her own c~xcrtions for Ill
suprort of herself and her two children. As IN
earnings Of the hard working woman were moder
ate, they were all obliged TO subsist on very poo
fare, and To live as best they could in n singl
room, and that mall and uncomfortable.
As little Philip was rocking the cradle, b
seemed engaged in n deep meditation, and hi
mother noticing this, asked him what lie wa
thinking about.
Mother, do you suppose that any body vii
make me n Christmas present, this Christmas 2
al fear not, my son, replied his mother, . fo
you know all our neighbors about here are yer,
poor people, and Mr.. Ellison, for whom I work
knows nothing of our affairs and If he did. it il
not at all probable that he would think of making
you n present"
But, mother, what do you say to my hanging
up my stocking? Some of the boys tell me thai
when children hang mp their stockings on Christ
mas eve, an old flying Dutcbman named Santa
Claus goes down all the chimneys, and puts pres.
ents IN the children's stockings"
At this, Mrs. Dean laughed quite heartily, and
informed Philip that s. there was no such person
as santa Claus, and that when children's stock.
ing, were filed with good things, it was done by
their parents and friends"
Philip appeared quite disconsolate on receiving
this intelligence, but in short time he frightened
up. as good children generally do for you must
know that Philip was n good boy, and did all he
could To help his mother along, in her poverty and
destitutIon.
Mother remarked Philip, a" know what l
should like Santa Claus to put into my stocking
that Is, il there was any Santa Ciaus.'
Well, what, my dear child ?'' inquired his
mother.
u should like money: but more n great deal
than | suppose he would put ii in my stocking,
even If what the boys tell me about him is all true,
and | know it is not true because my dear mother
tells he So"
But Philip, / don't see what you can want
particularly with money and suppose now, you
tell me how much money you would like to have,
and then if you really had it, what you would do
with it Y'
Mother replied the boy, :. don't laugh at
me now for such n foolish wish, but | should like
a whole dollar put in my stocking, for you know
that neither Santa Claus nor any one else
could cram n red sleigh TO run down hill on, in
one of my little stocking" And Philip quite
laughed at the absurdity of Santa Claus attempt
ing to perform such an impossible exploit.
$50 then, Philip" his mother observed, 'syour
money would be spent for a little sled. Well, L
think it would be n very pretty playtbing for you
to have, and you would without doubt enjoy il
very much but yet my son, as there seems no
prospect OF your having one, you must try 10 feel
conicnted?
Philips happy disposition led him to regard
his mothers good advice, and in n short time he
singing some Of his Sunday school airs to his
little brother as merrily as though he had been
the owner not only Of a little sled, but of n large
and u span of horses, to boot.
That night when Philip went to bed, he slept
swcetly and charmingly but in his dreams there
passed before his vision, u crowd of boys running
down bill on their sleds, and he among them, the
of all and then the scene would change
10 Santa Claus driving over tic tops of houses
with a team of Gathering reindeer before a NAM
moth sleigh. This sleigh was filled with all sorts
81 toys and beautiful articles and out of one
'ide OF the sleigh Philip thought Inc could per-
eivc that there was n little green sled sticking
Jut, and that It's name was the Antelope; and
hen it would seem to change itsclf into n red
ld with bright yellow runners, and having his
IN name q Philip Dean - very plainly painted
.n the top or it. .
But when Philip awokc in the morning, he
Uund il was all u dream and that there were
IN crowds of boys, no Gathering reindeer, no
Claus, no little green sled named the Ante
ope, and no red sled with yellow runners having
he name of Philip Dean painted upon the top of
81 had a first rate dream though, any way"
'hilip said to himself, and up nc jumped ont Of
" DS'T sfs ftN-A At-oAtfl htAACNA sAA1 ~ B.
Is little morning prayer, he went to work as
uietly as possible, and built a fire in the stove,
nd put on the kettle. After this he set the
hings to right around the room, pulled out the
title table ON which his mother and himself were
D take their breakfast. For some time Philip
ad attended to these duties, for he saw that hIs
ear mother was Obliged To work very hard to
arm a little money Tor them to live on, and he
onsidered il great pleasure to relieve her to the
xtent of her ability. BY the time Mrs. Dean
nd the baby awoke, Philips cheerful little coun-
snance was beaming with honest pride that lie
nd been so useful, and when Mrs. Dean remarked
he was a dear good boy, he felt sufficiently
swarded.
After breakfast, on the permission of his mother,
no desired him to return in half an hour, he
ent to see some of his young frier2s who were
ping on u little excursion TO some open lots,
here there was a suitable place for shedding =
hill. As he saw the boys blithe and merry,
nd OVERLOOKING with pleasant anticipation of the
they expected to have, he was seized with a
1yish sadness thar he must be left behind. He u
as a great favorite with the boys, and one said, !
Como Phil, 90 along with us, and l will lend q
,u my sled half the time 30 and another sang d,
1t, :. Yes Phil. you must go, and you can sled !
'wn hill on my Jupiter (that was the name of !
5 sled) all the time" q
But Philip was of too noble a nature to avail .
mself Of these generous offers, for he knew flat !
oh boy ought to have his own sled, and as he ,
"a moreover promised his mother that he would l
back within the half hour, he now turned his 8
cps bomeward, hallooing out to his little COM 8
DIES as he went along, al hope you will have a O
cry Christmas Same to you, Phil, same to II
u :" responded all the boys in one accord, and u
3 only Wish you to 60 with u.s." :,
When Philip reached home, he tried to amuse o
little brother, and sang to him as usual and q
ter the little fellow had fallen asleep and was y
aced in his cradle, Philip went on several er- "
nds for bis mother, and on completing them, 0
wing nothing else to engage his attention. he "
gan to think of the boys who were out shedding
d to indulge again in vain wishes that he too
d a sled. His mother noticed that her beloved a
d obcdient son was becoming somewhat dispirit- r
+, and as If a sudden thought had struck her,
G remarked to him -" Philip, as there seems a
be but little chance of your getting a Christmas H
esent, why don't you make a Christmas present o
some one yourself? and perhaps that viii make a
u feel happier than though you received ONE" u
a. Why, mother, how can l make Christmas al