Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-12-08
A LETTER FROM SANTA CLAUS.


My DEAR CHILDREN-Did the beautiful
summer 60 and leave your And did you
mourn for the flowers and try in vain to
call back the singing birdsG 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 comingg 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, "Ah, 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 go 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
Christmasp "Merry Christmas |" No fear
after that Of their doing as the bears do,
and sleeping till spring!
And, children, the good time draws near,
for am coming o, very soon. This long
time the north-wind has been whistling to
me and roaring out to me, "Santa Claus |!
Santa Claus! Away with you! larry no
longer" And my little nephew, Jack
Frost, pinches me and whispers, "IIurry
up! Hurry up! The children are wait
ing and longing"
o, | am SO glad that you are "Tis such
a pleasure to be sure of welcomed To
know that so many bright eyes are look
ing out for me! Bless your little hearts
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
spend9 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 washerwomans work is
done, anything no matter what. And be
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 single
night! And when the stockings are hung,
20 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. My pack
is made up, and / am just putting
on my seven-leagued snow -shoes,
which step me over the house tops
shall come in the dead Of night, with a
crack of the whip and jingling of bells |!
--thuughyou will not hear me, little dcars,
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?
o, the jolly times thercll be taking out
the goodies, opening the papers, and turn
ing stockings inside out to get what's in
the toel o, the shouting and clapping
O, 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 icicles you've
seen in my picture, suppose.
Yes, my pack is ready and I shall
not fail you How could / fail you
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 10 get for you the
very incest and prettiest things, and hope,
dear children, that you will both give and
lend For selfishness does grieve me so |!
The little boy TO whom / brought that tin
trumpet believe there was tassel TO it,
but may be mistaken--what do you think ?
He wouldn't let the others blOwl And
the boy that had the sword, what should
he do but want to- be the captain every
time!
picked out bright-eyed little girl, and
brought her stick Of candy as large round
as wax candle, and she only gave away
Just one little taste! Another child had a
picture book with lions in it,-or If they
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