The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-12-01
A LETTER FROM SANTA CLAUS.

BY MRS. A. NJ DIAz, IN OUR YOUNG FOLKS.
Ny DEAR CHILDREN-Did the beautiful
summer go and leave you? And did YOU
mourn for the flowers and try in vain to
call back the singing birds? How cruel of
them to hurry away just as the dismal
winter days came on when you needed
them more than ever,
But pray be cOmforted, my darlings
For though your summer friends are gone,
don't you know who is coming? Some
body who is just starting from the north
with pack on his back-a right Jolly
Somebody who loves children, And he
says to himself, " All, t will be long time
before the birds and flowers return, a long
time before the skies are bright and fields
are green again. What will become of the
little folks. Something must be done !.
For if they should 90 to sleep as the bears
do, and sleep till spring, what dreadful
thing it would be-"
And so this Somebody comes round in
the very middle of winter, with noise
and stir and rowdedOw, and wakes
them up and sets them laughing and
singing and dancing and clap
ping hands and shouting " Merry
. Christmas" Merry Christmas :" No fear
- %.
and sleeping till spring.
And, children the good time draws near,
for L am coming, ., very soon. This long
time the norh-wind has been whistling to
me and roaring out TO he, Santa Claus
Santa Claus. Away with YOU. larry no
longer" And my little nephew, Jack
Frost, pinches me and whispers, Hurry
up! Hurry up! The children are wait
ing and longing"
0, am SO glad that you arc 'Tis such
n pleasure TO be sure of welcome, To
know that SO many bright eyes are look
Santa Claus will be your friend ALWAYS.
always. He'd rather have the children's
love than anything else in the whole
world
o yes, | mean TO belong TO the children
and be on their side, and bring them beau
tiful things For don't the grown
folks have always dollar bills grow
ing in their pockets, and ten-cent
bills and other kinds, that they can
spend. But the children, poor little dears,
have spent their cents and eaten up the
candy! Never mind, darlings! Just get
your stockings ready, that's all,-long
stockings, short stockings, scanned, plain,
white, blue, gray, red, speckled, spotted,
striped, footed up, cut down, heeled and
toed, poor little flannel ones run together
at night, after the washerwoman's work is
done, anything, no matter what And he
sure the baby hangs his sock But no fair
TO hang rubber boots, or grandpaS long
stockings, that come way up they are so
hard to fill, and my time is precious. For
just think Of all | have to do in a single
night! And when the stockings are hung,
go to bed and set your hearts at rest. No
need even to think of what you want most,
for Santa Claus knows much better than
you do yourselves,
Now. then, am almost ready. Ny pack
is made up, and L am just putting
on my seven-lcagued snow-shoeS,
which step me over the house-tops
| shall come in the dead of night, with
crack Of the whip and a jingling of bells,
Though you will not hear me, little deans,
for you'll be sound asleep. But in the
morning, the joyful Christmas morning,
when you see the plump stockings, then
you'll know all about it, won't YOU?
q, the jolly times there'll be taking out
the goodies, opening the papers, and turn
ing stockings inside out 10 get what's in
the toe. O, the shouting and clapping,
., the thousands of children that will
dance for joy! 1t makes my old heart
dance for JOY, too, and the tears of JOY
overflow, and run down my beard, and
there they hang in the long iciclcs you've
seen in my picture, | suppose.
Yes, my pack is ready and | shall
not fail you How could | fail Won:
Did | ever? You know | never did.
1t would break my heart TO think
of all those dear little stockings empty.
No, never was day behind, and never
shall be- have tried TO get for YOU the
very incest and prcttiest things, and hope,
dear children, that YOU will both give and
lend. For sclfishness docs grievc me so,
The little boy TO whom | brought that tin
trumpet believe there was "A tasscl To it,
but NAV he mistakcn-what do YOU think
He wouldn't let the others blow And
the boy that had the sword, what should
he do but want 10 be the captain every
time!
/ picked out bright eyed little girl, and
brought her stick of candy as large round
as a wax candle, and she only gave away
Just one little TASTE Another child had n
picture-b book with lions in it,-or if they
were not lions they were some other ami
mals,-and she carried that picture book To
school, and kept showing the covers, but
if any little scholar peeped in at the pic
lures, she shut il up!
Another had scalloped cake. There
was pink candy grated over it, and a big
sugar plum on top. She carried this about
in her pocket, and pinched off little bits at
time. When anybody said "Let me
taste" she only shook her head and put
another pinch in her own mouth. could
tell her name but I would shame her so
But one blessed little girl took all her
goodies and sat awhile on the Doorstep,