The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1872-01-13

| father alwsye strapped . bag On his back, AS ev-
cry one knows, but they were all too big for
kriss to carry; % he filled his pockets With lit.
tie things stuck many he could in his belt
strung some around his neck, and so dressed up
! Krlss jumped down many and many large chim-
neys.
lie was Just goia to step into his sledge after
many hours of busy work, when he happened to
glance up st the sky, and saw that it was nearly
day.-He had intended geing farther, but now
he had no time. he took cut his toys-but they
were almost all gone-placed wha. he had on .
good straight roof. close to the chimney, whip
ped up his deer, and galloped home. lie had ex.
pected to have reached home before bIs parents
had awakened, but although he took short cut
home, he saw the smoke curling up through the
Keen morning air before he saw the house, and
so knew that his mother was certainly mp. He
managed to drive quietly into the stable, and had
just embarrassed the deer, and was about to give
them some moss, when q shadow darkcned the
door he looked up and there stood his father!
kriss did not feel very comfortable, but his only
course was plain he followed the never-forgot-
ten example Of George Washington under some-
what similar circumstances, and owned up. The
only reply Santa Claus made to tell him to
come into the house and get his breakfast. AT.
ter the meal wa over they all sat down around
the fire, and little Kriss had to give \ full
| count OF his adventures. After he had finished
his story. to which his parents listened in perfect
gravity, they sent him out to feed the tame bears
and walruses, while they talked the matter over.
Mrs Claus sat on one side of the fireplace, Santa
Claus on the other. They were silent for mo.
ment; then he looked at her, she looked back at
him, aud then they both laughed. 1t certainly
was very funny to them, but then it would not
do to let him 60 UNPUBLISHED, or he would travel
off whenever he pleased,-perhaps make Christ
mas once = month. 1t was easy enough to find
something to whip him with, for Santa Claus
had some very fine switches all ready for the
stockings Of bad children, bat he never succeed
! ed in INJECTING this punishment for "a soon as
kriss began to cry-and he generally started rs
soon As he saw the switch-his mother always
ran and took him away. This being out of the
question, after much discussion, they concluded
TO make him keep up the fire in the cave of ice
! for three months. Santa Claus used to make his
! glue there, and do various odd Jobs that Mrs
Santa Claus did not like to have done at the shop;
and as the fire had to be kept up regularly and
SO needed wood every day, they knew it would
be severe punishment t. Kriss as he hated
| stated tasks.
cution it was found that Kriss was bright enough
to make fan Of it. He determined, it seemed,
that if he had to make fires, they should be big
ones; and he piled on the wood until it could
be heard cracking and roaring clear to the north
pole The reflection was often seen in the Unit
ed States. and set all the learned men to wonder
why there should be SO many displays Of the
aurora horealis that year. If they had only
| known that they were caused by Krss heaping
pine wood upon his fathers fire, it would have
saved much trouble and more talking.
But the consequence of kriss' frolc did not
| stop her. When the people whose houses he had
| visited arose the next morning, they were aston.
isbed to find the presents IN their rooms. Some
of them thought that there must be new fash.
| ion regarding the time for Christmas gifts
Others thought they must have made mistake
in the date. One old lady was SO fustered that
she ran down into the yard and killed her Christ
mas turkey with her own hands, she was 80
afraid that it would not be done in time. In one
town, where he had been especially liberal, the
neighbors ran in and out of each others houses
J asking what day of the month it was, consulting
almanacs, aud wondering what it all me 1T.
The children, however, were perfectly SAT- l.,
and when they received the second installment
of presents from Santa Claus himself at the
proper time, they were 90 delighted that they
: wished there be two Christmasses every year.
1t was funny, however, to hear of the way
kriss distributed his presents; for, as he knsw
nothing Of the several inmates of the houses, be
bestowed them as they came to had He left
solitary old bachelor an ivory rattle and little
crying pussy.cat; . little girl, not yet three
months DID, had pair Of skates left upon her
and tiny silver timble in his room . severe
old maid, whs did nothing but knit coarse, hard
but very durable stockings for her little nice es
and who hated games inventions of Satan
found set OF ten.pins and a Backgammon board
set out upon her table whole family of child.
rem had nothing to divide but An empty picture
frame; and . grave minister was surprised
when he came into his study to find fine little
fiddle lying Just on the top OF his half.fuished
sermon for the next Sunday.
But, puzzle as they might nobody ever found
out the truth Of this frolic. As for tho toys
Kriss left on the roof, do not know what be.
came of them. Santa Claus looked for them, but
in vain; 20 1t would, perhaps, be we'll TO say
; now that If any boy or girl living in q town
northwest Of Boston found some toys, one being
walking doll aad another fshirg pole, upon
} roof close to chimney, in the winter of 1870,
they may know from this account just how they
J came there
|