Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-12-29

| whole focks of woolly sheep and curly
dogs, with the real bark In them: stacks
Of drums regiments of soldiers armed to
the teeth; companies of firemen drawing
their hose carts no end of wheelbarrows
and velocipedes! a
Rob screwed his knuckles into his eyes,
as gentle hint that they had not better
play him any tricks, and then stared with
might and main
The room was lighted just brightly
enough to show its treasures, yet the far
corners were so dim as to give quite mys-
terious air to the baby jumpers and great
dolls, lying SO stiff and still in rows upon
the shelves. But what were those things
across the room staring at him so fixedly
I Nothing but masks, Of course
he had played with one many
time at home, but that
was quite different from facing such host
OF those grinning, frowning faces. Their
! grimaces and scowls were meant for him,
that was clear! All the big noses seemed
to be snutfing at him with great relish, as
| giants always do before putting little boys
in to roast, thought Rob. The Jaws of a
black bear especially had just opened to
gobble him up. Altogether he was grow
ing very uncomfortable when. he thought
he heard foOtStep on the stairs, and fear
| ing to be caught he hid behind baby
wagon. No one came, however and as he
felt rather hungry, he took out the remain
ing cakes and had fine supper.
Why didn't Santa Claus come?
Rob was really getting sleepy The bus
tie below was only a faint murmur above.
and so soothing'that he stretched out his
tired legs, and turning one of the woolly
sheep on its side, pillowed his curly head
upon it. 1t was SO nice to lie there, look
| ing at the ceiling hung with toys, the faint
hum of voices in his ears, and sleepily
| thinking that, if he cared to, he might
Jump 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 NAM
mas were on their way home loaded with
mysterious parcels. The clerks and GRAND
boys, too, seized their caps and LETT the
store in high glce-only one man stayed to
guard it. He went up stairs to 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 backg He has stolen his coat from
polar bear, and his cap, too, | declare!
His boots are of red leather and reach to
his knees His 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 u
merry look about those dimples! But see
his long white beard, can he be old?
O, very, very old eighteen hundred and
seventy years Is not that a long life, lit
tie ones? But he has young heart, this
dear old man,--an kind one Can you
guess his name? "Hurrah for Santa Claus! |"
Right the very one.
He put his basket down near Robby, 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 stir or cry out lie 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 q word lest the
vision should vanish. But, bless his big
heart he had no idea of vanishing till his
nights work was done. He took large
book from his pocket, opened to the first
page, and looked at it very closely.
7Tommy Turner" was written at the
top, and just below was little
map,-ycs, there was Tommy's heart map
ped out like a country. Part of the land
was marked good, part Of it bad; some of
the people were called civilized and some
savage. Here and there were little flags
to point out places where battles had been
fought during the year,-like the flags in
the atlas, you know Some Of them were
black, and some white; wherever good
feeling had won the fight there was
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 a white flag on the very spot. In
another place a black one showed where
selfishness and generosity fought over an
orange, but self-that wicked old general
| who kills and enslavcs SO many good i'm
| pulses--carried off the orange. He had
| to pay roundly for il now, however, for
Santa Claus shook his head grimly when
his eye fell on it,-then he seemed to be
counting.
"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 for him."
So he hustled abettiitt aaf1rorIg the Toys, and
| soon had ball, a horse and Noahs 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,
and 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,
zone, two, three, four, five, six, seven"
-Rob's breath came very short-"UhatesP r.
He almost clapped his hands.
zone, two, three, Hacks! Now / Won
der what that little chap would like
here's drum, q box Of tools, knife, and
a mcnagerie If he hadn't run away from
school that day and then told lie about
q xJ,.v l.