Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1869-12-23

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 together, and the blankets
drawn up TO their very noses. lisa
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 silyery tink1
ling of bells that could be, and then q
little crunching of the snow on the roof,
aud a beat of tiny hoofs, and then a
voice saying "whoa!" with laugh all
around the word.
Upon the roof had ali2hted small
sleigh with high back, and eight rein
deer instead of horses to draw it. This
sleigh was flied full of all sorts of Christ
mas presents; and 10 the midst of thom
sat q little man with pipe in bis
mouth.
AS soon as the reindeer had stopped
beside one of the big chimneys, the little
man hoped out of the sleigh, pulled off
his outside fur hat aud coat, looked to
see that be was dressed fine, feather and
all, slung a pack over his shoulders, and
getting into the chimney, slid down to
the room where the twins slept.
"Nice littls girls!" ssd 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-cnshion, and picture book
in each.
AS he hung them up, no spied anoth.
err poor little stripped stocking; and look
ing 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.
"Or saws Santa Claus with laugh,
so here's 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 stripped stocking,
and filled it so full that it nearly burst.
Then he fisbcd magnificent great doll
out of his pack.
81 didn't mean to give this" he said :.
But when folks are good to my cousins
they must be rewarded."'
He lau he'd between the whiffs of his
pipe, pulled stocking yard long out
of his pack, pushed the doll into it, and
hung it up with the toe just over Lute's
head. Then he took strip of paper
aud wrote in great letters, From Santa
Claus" and pined that across the stock
ings. But he made the r, and the SIS,
and the N, and the L hind side before.
just for fun. to see if 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" SAID he. " Goodnight,
little girls! Good night, cousin"
Before the last words were out of his
mouth. he had whisked up the Chimney,
jumped into his sleigh, and bis reindeer
were half way to tho 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 there were
three merry children. They were SO
merry that they mover thought to wish
each other merry Christmas till Uncle
Tom put his head in the door and re.
minded 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, pa:ting the little girl on
on the head.