Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-12-20
Waiting for Santa Claus.

There is a tonching picture which carries
a lesson TO all tender hearts at Christmas
tide. 1t is that of little street girl asleep
at dusk of evening in the closed doorway of
a great shop, whose show window towers
above her head with its tempting display of
holiday gifts. This picture is called Wait
ing for Santa Claus" Tue little girl has
sat herself down here to await, with the
sublime faith of childhood, the coming of
the generous saint with his load Of Christ
mas gifts, and has dropped asleep in the
falling snow, her face lightened with conf
dent hope and the wonderous dreams that
occupy her sleeping mind. We do not need
to suggest the lesson of the picture. The
sight, or even such a description OF it as we
have given, will be enough. The Christmas
season is so peculiarly the period Of the year
most delightful to children that the Joy of IL
is known in its completeness only by those
who have children Of their own to watch
and crafty or those who minister to the
pleasure OF children not their own-the poor
aud neglected little waits OF society, to whom
even the rudest Of the gifts of affection are
at other times unknown. The delight OF
making Christmas gifts TO children, AS We
all have experienced. rests largely in the fact
that the little ones take them almost as IL
from God Himself, as they take all that we
have TO offer them, mindful only of the af-
fection which they can give IN return. They
have no other return to make for our graft
fcation The satisfaction Of the giver is
found in the joy he so easily causes. til
fling expenditure, little forethought, and
the home is bright with happy young faces,
and echoing with happy young voices. 70,
too, if we carry our thoughts and gifts TO
homes beyond our own, and to children
whose only claim on our regard is that they
are children, and are less tenderly cared for
than those who daily gather about our knees
we can brighten our own hearts at the same
time that we bring JOY to others. Thadk-
cray says in one of his pathetic chapters {:
" On, brother, let us help the fallen sui,
though they never pay us, and let us lend
without exacting the usury OF gratitude
Such help and lending we must always give
to childhood but no cynic, even, who has
once offered them TO the appealing eyes OF
the little ones, has ever failed Of his abi.n-
daut reward. If one can give no more'to
the children of the poor than rag doll or a
wooden horse. let him give that, and never
consider his Christmas purchases done until
he has included among them something for
the little ones who are waiting for the Santa
Claus who may never come 10 them, ariess
perhaps he himself sends the SOD ..tint
Gifts of utility are desirable; clothes to
protect the children from this inclement
weather. and nourishing food; but 50 also
are things of beauty in the child's eyes, and
those that in any way awaken the childish
/ Joy. Every one has in his employ, or some
4 way connected with him, the parents of pool
children, who can easily be made glad by Q
visit of the old Knickerbocker friend oi
boys and girls, with his pack of toys anc
candies; and if the traditions of the merry
drives over the house-tops are true, he love-
best to scramble down the chimneys of th'
poor. Let us do what we can to gladden. thu
wide-open eyes of all the youngsters, OF
Christmas morning, with the sight of TIN
wonderful gifts with which he has tlle'
even the most darned of stockings. Th'
merriment that laughs in our own littl
ones eyes will then reflect for us the gen
eral JOY of childhood on the birthday o
Him who gathered the children about Hin
and blessed them.