Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-12-29
The Trials of Santa Claus.
AS TOLD BY HIMSELF.

AS TOLD BY HIMSELF.
I know am considered jolly old fell
low, with nothing to do but drive down
ohimneys with broad grin ON my face
but have my trials, like all other saints
and sinners. It is not Christmas-eve the
whole year round; there is before and
after, and if you think I have jolly times
then you are mistaken. Just now, it is
the before that worries me I must have
before the 25th of December, private con-
sultation with at least five millions of
fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters,
uncles and aunts and cousins, to say
nothing of husbands and wives, lovers and
friends, and this is no trife, assure you,
when you look at it seriously, as | have
to.
Take as an example, the Rubbs-about
an average family. There is grandpa and
grandma Rubb to begin with, and aunt
Melinda, then there is papa and mamma
Rubb, and Minnie, and Tom, and Lottie
and Harry and the baby, besides Nora,
the nurse, and Bridget, the cook. 1t is
easy enough to manage the baby and the
two, four and six year olds, there are can
dies and dolls, and blocks and picture
books, and jumping-Jacks, and things of
that sort for them, but think of grahdPa
Rubb and of aunt Melinda How can L
know what will snit old maid of fifty
who CONT nave caps, because she dyes her
hair, and don't care for bows nor books,
nor pictures, nor portfolios, nor sugar
plums, nor pin-oushions, and who would
be mortally offended if | carried her q
new dress or shawl, 'as if she was too
Door to clothe hersslfi" Papa Rubb is
almost as bad he's had shaving paper
and slippers and dressing gown, and a
family Bible, and penknife, and port
monaie, and photograph album-and l
should like to know what more you could
do for a man who never reads, and cares
nothing for pictures and pretty things !?
In fact men are trying, both old and
young ones there are hosts of things to
give pretty, wide awake young girls, but
the men do bother me every year most
unaocountably. Aud I suppose there are
at least fifteen thousand to be looked after
this very minute And an easy time
have of it, forsooth I should like to have
you try it just for one yesr and see,-
that's all
Another trouble is,--people hurry me
so. Half of my customers will not do
single thing till ten days before l am to
load up, and then, how they do drive
round, and what hurries and worries and
they do get into! | want little
time to assert my wares and get things
packed away into my bundle orderl y and
and though I can move as
swiftly as most people, should be good
deal more saint-Hke in my temper and
department if 1 was not knocked and hur
ried about so on the 23d and Gath of De-
cember every year.
Again, 1 being a saint, am of high
moral principles. Judge then, how hang
my head and blush, when some bright
eyed young girl brings me cigar case, or
a brandy flask, or pack of cards to take
to some young man whom L know -
though she doesn't,-is on the very verge
of running himself by smoking, drinking,
or gambling? Shall her fair hands help
to push him over the precipice on which
be stands lettering? By law of my
nature, can never refuse to deliver what
is entrusted to me, but often long to cry
out, "Forbear you know not what you
do" More than once | have taken "a case of
genuine Hollands to a man breaking
down by drink, or box of choice Ha-
vanas' to youth whose nerves were al
ready unstrung by excessive smoking, or
a set of costly jewelry to a wife whose
womanly purity was already soiled, if not
destroyed, by too great love of dress
Yes, even Christmas gift may bring
ruin to some poor soul
Another terrible trying thing to ten
L. Ill %
carry loads and loads of things to per-
sons who don't want thenl-who are
rather annoyed than pleased by their ar
rival, and to go straight by many poor
mans door without leaving so much as
single stick of candy for the baby. Last
year, carried solid silver urn to rich
Mrs. Fuller, who the moment she saw
it turned up her nose and said: AS if
wanted to be plagued with the care of
such thing as that! How I hate to be
under obligation to that woman ! and
in going there L had to pass right
by Mary Minturn's door, and she, poor
thing, lying there year in and year out
with her curved spine, and not single
pretty thing in her room to make it cheer
full II I could have only left her some
warm fannels, or even a dish of oranges !
Yes, merry as I am, and beautiful and
holy as is the work / mostly do, I have
many a heart-aehe when I 90 empty hand
ed by such doors. So much light and Joy
could be carried into sick rooms, such
lovely pictures, such refreshing fruits,
such dainty little contrivances for ease
and comfort, if only the money, worse
than wasted in some directions, could be
transferred to these
And there is an after to me, who stand
behind the scenes. To go back to the
Rubbs last year, we all ohuckled over
what we regarded as the happiest idea for
grandpa beautiful, gold-headed, ebony
cane which was presented by the younger
members of the family forming process
sion, headed by Tom and brought up baby,
tumbling round promisouously, yet vail
antly holding on to the cane by his club
by hands the old man smiled and said
'Thankee, thankee,' good.naturedly
enough, and we fancied we had for once
achieved entire success; but as | am a
living man, and I hope nobody doubts
that, that lovely cane has been standing
in the darkest farthest corner Of the bed
room closet from that day to this After
walking out to the gate with il, he said
to grandma Rubb, 1t don't feel natteral,
and went back to his old knotty, walnut
stick, and grandma Rubb's cap, which we
all thought SO pretty and becoming, and
which Minnie sat up till midnight to
finish off, didn't feel MATERIAL either so
she shut it up in box and carried it into
the spare-chamber bureau drawer, and has
never looked at since. Now, when have
been at the trouble of finding and carry
ing things to people, I want they should
be enjoyed and used, and it hurts my feel.
ings to have them treated in this wav. OIL
course, it does.
As this is but a sample of what occur.
red in one family, you may Judge that in
a million l have my trials. However. II
am happy fellow, in the main-most of
my patrons are loving and true-hearted
most of my gifts are welcomed as offer.