Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-01-04
From Harpers' Bazaar.

Why TWO Ch-istmasses Came in One
Year.
From Harpers' Bazaar.
yKriss, Kriss !" called Mrs. Santa
Clans. as she went out of the house and
across the yard. CHOW | do wonder
where that boy is, " she added looking
behind the iceberg that stood like a
great frosted hay-rick just in front of
the stable door Kriss was very fond
of plaving there with his little white
bear: but neither boy nor bear was to
be seen now. She then peeped into
the stable, and saw the reindeer in their
stalls, but no Kriss was there. "Wen,"
she thought, as she turned back, "he
can't be far away, and the smell of sup
per will certainly bring him home
Just as she was going in the door she
saw the bear trotting clumsily but
quickly off toward the north pole,
which is in sight of the house She
went in then, quite easy, for she knew
the boy must be somewhere near,
and cutting two fine, juicy seal-steaks
off the seal in the pantry she freshened
mp her fire, and prepared to cook sup
per. Mrs Santa Claus never permit
ted her family to become hungry.
They always had four meals day; but
KISS, who was growing. and needed
more food, had his two lunches be
sides. 1t certainly was q great pity
that neither Sir John Franklin nor DIR.
Kane ever happened upon Santa Claus
when they explored the polar regions.
He is much more hospitable than the
Esquimaux, and would have been glad
to have entertained and helped them.
His visiting circle is SO very small that
to see a stranger is quite an event, and
there would have been no limit to the
kindness he would have shown them.
Mrs. Santa Claus goes out still less
than her husband; so, although she
is obliged to have several new dresses
every year, she is never worried by any
changes il the fashions. In fact,
she cuts the clothes for the whole
family just alike. When Santa Claus
brings home the skins from his grand
hunts, she sorts them into three piles.
The largest IS for Santa Claus, the
next for herself, and the little ones do
1or kriss. When the three are togeth-
er, they are a comical looking family,
for except in size, there is no difference
in them. Another odd thing about
them is is, that they have but the one
name in common. This became very
confusing after the child became old
enough to run about, rs old Santa
Clans would often answer the mothers
call for the boy, perhaps leaving q toy
half finished and the glue cooling.
He finally decided that it would be
best to nickname the young Santa,
and called linn - kriss Kringle"-a
title he himself is known by among the
Pennsylvania Dutch After this there
was no farther trouble about names.
But to come back to hriss upon this
particular evening. He was bv no
means "a far away as his mother had
thought, for he had not only seen her.
but also had heard her speak. But if
she had known where he was, he would
have made a quick march ont. Over
the stable there was large room,
neatly fitted up with boxes and shelves.
where Santa Claus keep all his finished
toys. kriss was never allowed to 20
there without his father; but here he
was now, busy rs he could be. He was
not, as you may perhaps think, play
ing with the toys, for he did not care
about them now; he had had so many
and knew all the secrets about them.
He had even helped his father to put
the squeak into the dogs and pigs. and
knew just how the strings must be put
INTO harlequins if they were to Jump
properly, and how the iugglers and
magic lanterns were made. and so was
tired of them all. He had Just now,
however, handled them exten
sively. ana was still engaged
in the same occupation. He
had taken ont his fathers great leather
bags, and was busy filling them up
with anything that came nearest 10
hand. As every thing In the room was
finished in good style for Christmas.
be had, in spite of his lack of choice.
made pretty collection His idea IN
doing this can be very simply explain
ed. 1t was now near Christmas-time
and there was much excitement and
business In the Santa Claus domicile.
Santa Clans was hurried with some ey-
ira vanishing and between dressing
dolls, making candy and candy bags.
and seeing that the Noah arks and the
menaEeries We're all properly assorted
HRS. Santa Claus never went to bed
until after twelve O'Clock. Little
kriss was, however. a looker-on in this