Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-12-21
FROM SANTA CLAUS.

ful summer go and leave youi And
did YOU mourn for the flowers aud try ia
vain to call back the singing birdsi 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 dsrlings!
For though your summer friends are
gone. don't you know who is coming?-
Somebody who is just starting from the
north with pack on his back right
jolly Somebody who loves children =
And he says to himsslf, :. Alb. t will be
long time before the birds and flowers re-
turn. long time before the skies are
bright and fields are green again! What
will become of the little folksi Some
thing must be donei For If they should
go to sleep ~ the bears do, and sleep ill
spring, what dreadful thing it would
ber'
And so this Somebody comes round
in the very middle of winter, with noise
and stir and a rowdedow, and wakes
them up and sets them laughing and
singing and dancing and clapping hands
and shouting Merry ChristIHas!" "Msr
ny Christmas!" No fear after that of their
doing as the bears do, and sleeping ill
spring!
Aud, children. the good time draws
near, for | am coming. o, very soon.-
This long time the north wind has been
wh,stlng TO me and roarin' out to me,
Santa Claus! Santa Claus! Away with
you! larry no longer And my littlo
nephew. Jack Frost, pinchss me and
whispers. Hurry up! Hurry up! The
children are waiting aud longing!'
o, am so glad that you are! 'Tia
such pleasure to be sure of welcome!
To know that 90 many bright eyes are
looking gu: for me! Bless your little
hearts! Santa Claus will be your friend
always. always. He'd rather have the
chidreu's love than anything else in the
whole world.
o yes, mean to belong to the child
rem, aud 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 oth>
or kinds, that they can sped! But the
children, poor little dears, have spent
their cents aud eaten up the candy =
Never mind, darlings! just get your
stockiugs ready, that's all,-long stock
ings, short stockings. scanned. plain.
white. blue, gray, red, specklsd spotted.
striped, footed up, cut down, heeled and
toed, poor little flannel ones run together
at night, after tho washerwomau's work
is done, anything. no matter what. And
be sure the baby hang, his sock But
no fair to hang rubber boots, or grand
pas 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 ara hung, go 10 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 am just putting
on my seven lsagusd snow shoes. which
step me over the house-tops. / shall
como in the dead of night, with crack
of tho whip aud a juggling of beIls!-
though you will not hear me. little dear.,
for you'll be sound asleep. But in the
morning. the joyful Christmas morning,
when , on see the plump stockings. then
you'll know all about it. won't you?
o, the jolly times lhere'll be taking out
the goodies, opening the papers, and
turning stockings inside out to get what's
in the toe! o. the shouting and clap
ping! 0, the thousands of children that
will dance for JOY! 1t makes nv cd
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 aud shall not
fail you. How could I'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
a day behind, and never shall be. have
tried to 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 trumpc,
Il believe there was tsssel to it, but
may be niistaken--whatd do YOU think?
He wouldn't let the others blowi 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 caudy as large
round as wax candle. and she only gave
away Just ore little taste! Auolber
child bad a picture book with lions in it
or il they wore not ions they were
some other animals.-and she carried
that picture book to school, and kept
showing the covers, but if any little
scholar peeped in at the pictures, she
shut it up!
Another had scalIoped cake There
WA pink candy grated over it, and big
sugar plum on top. She carried this
about 10 her pocket. and pinched off lit
tie bits at time. When anybody said
"Let me iasie." she only shook her bead
an6 put another pinch in her own mouth.
l could tell her name, bat I would shame
her so!
Rut ona hlassed little oirI took all her