The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-12-30
A LETTER FROM SANTA CLAUS TO
THE CHILDREN,

did you mourn for the flowers and cal
in vain for the singing birds7 How
cruel of them to hurry away, just a.
the dismal winter days come on, wher
you needed them more than everi
But pray be comforted, my darhngs
For though your summer friends are
gone, don't you know what is coming
Somebody who is just starting from
the north with a pack on his back,-s
right jolly Somebody who loves chill
drenl And so he says to himself, "Ah,
it viii be a long time before the birds
and flowers return, a long time before
the skies are bright and the fields are
green again. What viii become of the
little folks9 Something must be donel
For if they would go to sleep as the
bears do, and sleep till spring, what a
dreadful thing it would be
And so this Somebody comes round
In the very middle of winter, with a
noise and a stir and a rowdedow, and
wakes them up and sets them laughing
and singing and dancing and clapping
hands and shouting "Merry Christ
mast" "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 I am coming, o, very soon.
This long time the north-wind has been
whistling to me and roaring out to me,
"Santa Claus Santa Clausl Away with
you'll Tarryno longer!" And my little
nephew, Jack Frost, pinches me and
whispers, "Hurry upl Hurry upl The
children are waiting and longingl"
o, 1 am so glad that you arei 'Tis
such a pleasure to be sure ofsuch a well
comei To know that so many bright
eyes are looking out for mel Bless
your little heartsl Santa Claus will be
your friend always, always. He'd ath-
er have the children's love than any
thing else In the whole world.
o yes, I mean to belong to the chill
dren, and be on their side, and bring
them beautiful things. For don't the
grown folks have always dollar bills
growing in their pockets, and ten-cent
bills and other kinds, that they can
spend2 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, grey, red,
speckled, spotted, striped, footed up,
cut down, heeled and toed, poor little
flannel mes run together at night, after
the washerwoman's work is done, any
thing, no matter what. And be sure
the baby hangs UP his sockl But it is
not fair to hang rubber boots, or grand
pas long stockings, that come way up,
@ha- - ca ha-1 - GI1 o-l - =
precious. For just think of all I 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
yourselvesl
Now, then, 1 am almost ready. NY
pack is made up, and I am just putting
OF my s~even-leagued snow shoes, which
step me over the house-tops. I shall
come In the dead of the night, with a
crack of the whip and a iingling of
bells though you viii not hear me
little dears, for you'll he sound asleep.
But In the morning, the joyful Christ
mas morning, when you see the plump
stockings, then you'll know all about il,
won't you2
o, the jolly times thereu be taking
out the goodies, opening the papers,
and turning stockings inside out to get
what's in the toei o, the shouting and
clappingl o, the thousands of children
that will dance for joyi 1t makes my
old heart dance for Joy, too, and the
tears of Joy overflow, and run downmy
beard, and there they hang in the long
you've seen in my picture, Isup-
Yes, my pack is ready and I shall
not fail you. How could 1 fail youG
Did ever? You know I never did. 1t
would break my heart to think of all
those dear little stockings empty No,
never was a day behind, and never
shall be. Ihave tried to get for you
very incest and prettiest things,
and 1 hope, dear children, that YOU
viii both give and lend. For selfish
ness does grieve me so. The little
boy to whom 1 brought that tin
believe there was a tassel
20 it, but may be mistaken,-what do
you Think. He wouldn't let the others
0lowl And the boy thathad the sword, .
what should he do but want to be cap
ain every timel
picked out a bright-eyed little girl,
bought her a stick of candy as |
arge round as a wax-candle, and she
1nly gave away one little taste Anoth-
n child had a picture-book with lions |
n 1t,-or If they were not hons they
we're some other animals and she car
ned that ~picture-book to school, and
1ept showing the covers, but if any
little scholar peeped IN at the pictures,
he shut it upi
Another had a scalloped cake. There
vas pink candy grated over it, and q big
'ugar-plum on top. She carried this !
about in her pocket, and pinched of
little bits at a time. When anybody i
'ald '1et me taste" she only shook her
head and put another pinch in her own
mouth. I could tell her name, but
would shame her sol
But one blessed little girl took all
Ter goodies and sat awhile on the door s
nd to every half-starved beggar-child S
hat came along she gave a taste of
omethlng nice. o, it did my verv
Ieart good to see heri G
For 1 am a friend to all the beggar- /
hildren. Yes, I'm thinking of You. \
poor sorrowful onesl Lonely or c
han, I'm thinking of you'll And weak 9
title cripple, Tn thinking of you .
u, it is sad, it ispitiful! You have no 4
ONE, but hungry and cold you beg p'
rom door to door. Where you sleep n
lights nobody knows. In some old
he'd, perhaps, or under the doorstep,
r in a cart. Old Santa Claus can't
ring gifts to you, darlings, for you 4,
ave no stockings to hang, and no Chin q
ey for him to creep down. But he n
lourns and weeps for you, and tears of 8
brow mingle with the tears:.of Joy! :
No. Santa Clans cannot ebrino won =