The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-12-22
NUMBER rs.


Nothing but masks, of course !;
he had played with one many
time at home, but that
was quite different from facing such a host
OF those grinning, frOwning faces. Their
grl faces and scowls We're meant for him.
tnlt was clearl All the big noses seemed
TO be snufling at him with great relish, as
giants always do before putting little bows
IN TO roast, thought Rob. The jaws of
black bear especially had just opened to
gobble him up. Altogether he was grow
ing very uncomfortable when he thought
he heard toOtstep on the stairs, and fear
ing to be caught he hid behind baby
wagon. No one came, however, and as he
ielt rather hungry, he took out the remain
ing cakes and had a fine supper.
Why didn't Santa Claus come?
hoD was really getting sleepy. The bus
tic below was only faint murmur above.
anu so soothing that he stretched out his
urea legs, and, turning one of the woolly
sheep on It's side, pillOwed his curly head
upon 1t. 1t was SO nice to lie there, look
ing at the ceiling hung with toys, the faint
Eulh OF voices In his ears, and sleepily
thinking that, if he cared TO, he might
lump up and mount the finest horse or beat
The biggest drum in that great room The
blue eyes grew more and more heavy, the
place took on misty look, the sounds be-
came fainter. Rob was fast asleep.
The evening wore on; papas and mann
mas were on their way home loaded with
mysterious parcels. The clerks and errand
boys, too, seized their caps and left the
store in high glee-only one man stayed to
guard it. He went up stairs 20 turn down
the lights, but in his hurry did not notice
the little boy so snugly slowed away be-
hind the carts
Midnight The bells rang loud and
clear, as if they had great news to tell the
world What noise is that besides the
bells? And look, O look. who is that
striding up the room with great basket
on his back? He has stolen his coat from
polar bear, and his cap, too, | declared
His boots are OF red leather and reach to
his knees. Ills coat and cap are trimmed
with wreaths Of holly, bright with scarlet
berries
Good sir, let us see your face,-why it
is the best part of him,-so round and so
ruddy, such twinkling eyes and such a
merry look about those dimples But see
his long white beard,-ca he be old?
o, very, very old. eighteen hundred and
seventy years! Is not that long life. lit
tie ones: But he has young heart,-this
dear old man,-and 4 kind one Can YOU
guess his name? "Hurrah for Santa Claus :"
Right the very one.
He put his basket down near RObbv. and
with his back turned TO him shook the
snow from his fur coat. Some Ofthe flakes
fell on Rob's face and reused him from his
sleep. Opening his eyes, he saw the white
figure, but did not sir or cry out He knew
him in twinkling, though to his sleepy
eyes he looked more like nice plump
angel than anything else. Very quiet he
lay, not daring to speak word lest the
vision should vanish. But, bless his big
heart he had no idea OF vanishing till his
nights work was done. lie took large
book from his pocket, opened to the first
page, and looked at it very closely.
Tommy Turner" was written at the
1 mnp@ egd tiiRe 44 u below was ll!e
ped out like country. Part of the land
was marked g0od, part of it 6ad; some of
the people were called civilized and some
savage. Here and there We're little flags
to point out places where battles had been
fought during the year,-likc the flags in
the atlas, you know. Some of them We're
black, and sons white; wherever good
feeling had won the fight there was a
white one. Love and Hate had dreadful
tussel in Tommy's heart one day, but Love
won the field, and Santa Claus in triumph
reared white flag on the very spot. In
another place a black one showed where
selfishness and generosity fought over an
but self-that wicked old general
who kills and enslaves SO many good i'm
off the orange. He had
to pay roundly for it now, however, for
Santa Claus shook his head grimly when
his eye fell on it,-then he seemed to be
Tommy Turner" said he aloud,-"six
white flags, three black; that leaves only
three presents for Tommy; but we must
see what can be done fer him."
So he hustled about among the toys, and
soon had ball, horse, and a Noah's ark
tied up in parcel, which he tossed into
The basket
Name after name was read off, some of
them belonging to his little playmates,
md you may be sure Rob listened with his
heart in his mouth.
"Robby Morgan,' said Santa Claus.
In his excitement that small boy nearly
upset the cart, but Santa was so busy with
his map that he did not notice it.
"One, two, three, four, five, six. seven"
He almost clapped his hands.
Gone two, three, blacks Now | Won |
Ter what that little chap would like |
lere's drum, box of tools, a knife, and |
menagerie If he hadn't run away from |
school that day and then told a lie about |
t, I'd give him rocking horse"
Rob groaned in anguish OF spirit.
But bless him he's fine little fellow, |
md perhaps he will do better next year |
t give him the horse"
That WAS too much for our boy. With |
| "hurrah" he jumped up and turned a |
somerset right at Santa Claus's feet
Stars and stripes!" cried he; what's |
his?"
"Come along, I'll show you the one"
vas the only answer Rob gave, tugging at |
he fur coat with all his might
Santa Claus suffered himself to be led |
IF to the pile of horses. You may be-
ieve that Rob's sharp eyes soon picked |
Dut the one with the longest tail and |
hickest name.
Well, he beats all the boys ever | saw,
pack To the year one! What shall do |
With the little spy?' soliloquized Santa |
Claus.
90 dear Santa Claus" cried Robby, |
Juggling the red boots, do just take me
long with you; I'll stick tight when you
slide down the chimbley."
Yes, guess you will stick tisht-in
he chimney, little man."
Il mean to your back" half sobbed
Rob
Santa Claus can't bear to see little folks
n trouble, SO he took the boy in his
rms, and asked him where he wanted TO
20.
"To Tommy Turner's, and o you
Know that boy in the awful old jacket
hat likes pop-guns," was the breathless
eply.
OF course he knew him, for he knows
very boy and girl in Christendom; SO
pop gun was added to the medley of toys.
santa Claus then strapped Rob and
he basket upon his back, and crept |
through an open window to a ladder he
lad placed there, down which he ran as
limbly as squirrel