Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1872-01-04

stockings of bad children, but he never
succeeded in intiicting this punishment,
for as soon AS Kriss began to cry-and
he generally started as 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 Clans did not like to have done at
the shop; and rs the fire had to be
kept up regularly, and 50 needed wood
every day, they knew it would be a Sc
we're punishment to kriss, as he hated
stated tasks.
But when this sentence was carried
into execution it was found that Kriss
was bright enough to make fun out 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 United
States, and set all the learned men to
wonder why there should be so many
displays of the aorora borealis that
year. If they had only known that
they were caused by Kriss heaping pine
wood upon mis- fathers fire, it would
have saved much trouble and more
talking.
But the consequence of Kriss's frolic
did not stop here. When the people
whose houses he visited arose the next
morning, they were astonished to find
the presents in their rooms. Some of
them thought that there must be a new
fashion regarding the time for Christ.
mas gifts. Others thought they must
have made a mistake in the date One
old lady was SO fustered that she ran
down into the yard and killed her
Christmas turkey with her own hands,
she was so afraid that it would not be
done in time In one town, where he
had been especially liberal, the neigh
bors ran in and ont of each others
houses asking what day of the month
it was. consulting almanacs, and won
dering what it all meant, The chill
dren, however, were perfectly satisfied;
and when they received the second in
stallment of presents from Santa Claus
himself at the proper time, they were
so delighted that they wished there
could be two Christmases every year.
1t was funny, however, to hear of
the way Kriss distributed his pres
ents; for as ne knew nothing of the
several inmates of the houses, he be-
slowed them rs they came to hand.
He left a solitary old bachelor an ivory
rattle and little crying pussy-c a
little girl, not yet three months old,
had pair of skates left upon her era
die; boy OF ten found little white
hood and tiny silver thimble in his
room; a severe old maid, who did no
thing but knit coarse, hard, but very
durable stockings for her little nieces.
and who hated games as inventions OF
Satan, found a set of ten-pins and 3
backgammon board set out upon her
table; whole family of children had
nothing to divide but an empty PIC
ture frame; and grave old minister
was surprised when he came into his
study to find fine little fiddle lying
just on top of his half finished sermon
for the next Sunday.
But, puzzle as they might, nobody
ever found out the truth Of this frolic.
As for the toys Kriss left on the roof, !
do not know what became of them.
Santa Claus looked for them, but in
vain; SO 1t would, perhaps, be well &c
say now that if any boy or girl living
in town northwest of Boston found
some toys, one being walking dol
and another a fishing pole, upon root
clo'e to a chimney, in the winter OF
1870, they may know from this account
Just how they came there.