Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1871-12-19
ss suE VOL. %, NO. %.
Letter from Santa Claus to the
Children.

ca 10 vain for the singing birds P
How cruel of them to hurry away,
just as the dismal winter days come
on, when you needed them morn than
everi
But pray be comforted, my dar-
lings 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,--a right jolly
Somebody who loves children! And
SO he says to himself, "Ah, it will be
long time before the birds and flow
ers return, long time before the
skies are bright and the fields are
green again /! What will become OF
the little folks ? Something must be
done For if they would 60 to sleep
as the bears do, and sleep till spring,
what a dreadful thing it would be I"
And SO this Somebody comes round
ia the very middle of winter, with u
noise and a stir and rowdedow, and
wakes them up and sets them laugh
ing and singing and dancing and
clapping hands, and shouting, "Merry
Christmas 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 1 am coming, O, very soon.
This long time the north wind has
been whistling te 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, Hurry
up Harry up The children are
waiting and longing
Q, | am so glad that you are! IT'S
such pleasure to be snre of such q
welcome To know that so many
bright eyes are looking 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 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 spend? But the chill.
dren, poor little dears, have spent
their cents and eaten up their candyl
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, run down,
heeled and toed, poor little flannel
ones run together at night, after the
washerw oman's work is dUue, any ,
thing, no matter what. And be sure
the baby hangs up his sock But it
is not fair to hang rubber boots, or
grandpa's long stockings that come
way up, they are SO hard to I'LL, and
my time is precious. For just think
of all have to do in 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
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 comeiD the dead Of the
night, with crack of the whip and
jingling of bells though you will
not hear me, little dears, 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 there'll be taking
out the goodies, opening the papers
and turning stockings inside Out to
get what's in the toe! O, the shout
ing and clapping! Q, the thousands
OF children that will dnace 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 | shall
not fail you. How could | fail you
Did | ever? You know L 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 to get
for you the very incest and prettiest
things, aud | hope, dear children,
that you will both give and lend
For selfishdess does grieve me so.-
The little boy to whom | brought
that tin trumpet believe there was
q tassel on it but may be mistaken
what do You think He wouldn't
let the others blow And the boy
that had the sword, what should he
do put want to be captain every timel
| picked out bright-eyed little
girl, and gave her stick of candy
as big around as a wax candle, and
she gave away only one little taste
Another child had picture book
with lions in tor if they were not
lions 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, see shut it up
Another had a sealloped cake
There was pink candy grated over il
and q big sugar-plum on top. She
carried this about in her pocket and
pinched off little bits at time, anC
when anybody said ''let me taste,
she only shook her head and pur
another pinch in her own mouth.
could tell her name, butt'would sham,
her so
But one little blessed girl took al
her goodies and sat awhile on The
doorstep, and to every halt-starved
beggar child that came along she
gave q taste of something nice. d
it did my very heart good to see her
For / am friend to all the beggai
children. Yes, I'm thinking of you
you poor sorrowful ones Lonely
orphan, I'm thinking of you And
weak little cripple, I'm thinking Of
youl Alb, it is sad, it is pitiful You