The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1876-12-28


the moon, and the captains chronom-
eter, when Christmas came, but we were
ready to usher it in. Everybody was 60
wide awake that Santa Claus could not
possibly have got into the steerage with
out being seen; and for that reason, as
we supposed, he did not come. But We
were as merry, perhaps, as though he
had been there. We rang the forecastle
bell for an hour, aud ran up the stars
and stripes at the mizzen peak, and
should have fred salute with the two
old guns ON the quarterback, had they
not been so filled with frost that there
was danger of bursting them. While we
were making all the noise we could the
cook, with another man and boy to
help him, began to get our Christmas
dinner, to which we looked forward with
great expectation.
We had running and leaping matches
and other games in the open air till we
were tired of them, and then we went
down again into the steerage, and, while
the dinner was cooking, we had songs,
speeches and theatricals. Booth wasn't
there, but we had Jack Short, probably
the best star actor at that time within
the Arctic Circle. Short made an awful
Richard. Taking the first man he could
lay hands on for horse, he made the
rest of us fly to our hunks for safety ;
and then we couldn't help laughing to
see the black cooks eyes stick out as he
stood behind his coppers stabbing at
Short with his longest beef-fork to keep
him of.
In the midst of our fun strange voice
hailed from on deck, and we all tumbled
up to see who was there and what was
the matter.
Behold there stook Santa Claus him
self 1t could be no other; it was just
like the pictures we had all seen of him,
and every one recognized him at once.
He spoke to Short, whom he seemed to
recognize as our leading man, in voice
that was thick with frost.
"Pm little late," said he; "but l
was sure of getting here before sunrise,
anyhow, 80 l though. I'd attend to all
the others first. Mighty hard driving
up this way. Broke trace crossing
Winnipeg, and had to stop to mend it.
Upset all my traps, too, coming down the
Saddle-back Mountains. But Pm here
at last, all right, and if you've got any
oats I'd like to give my team a feed be.
fore begin to unload"
"Haven't got an oat," says Short;
"but where's your team? Trot it up"
The heads of the team were visible,
and the next moment four curious-look-
ing animals. came up the inclined snow
plane to the open gangway, drawing
sledge (which looked very much like the
one we had built to use about the ship,
and leaped upon deck. The sledge was
loaded with packages and bundles, all
labeled, but the team was what at first
most interested us.
Those animals were not reindeer nor
dops-unless they were new species that
we had not yet heard of. They had only
two legs, and they wore boots. But
their bodies and heads were covered with
fur, and something that looked like
raveled-out stocking yarn. Their heads
looked somewhat like dogs heads, but as
none of them had their tongues out, we
suspected they were not dogs at all. In
some respects, especially in height, they
resembled our four boat-steerers; and
when we remembered that we had not
seen the boat-steerers below for an hour
or more, We thought it just possible that
they might have been transformed into
these strange animals.
The captain and the others who lived
in the cabin-all but the mate-came up
tn look at Santa Claus and his team. AS
for the sledge, we all felt sure we had
seen it before; but we were not going to
accuse Santa Claus with deception or
with stealing to begin with. Evidently
he had brought us presents, and we
ought to be satisfied.
6No oatsI" exclaimed he, as if aston.
ished, when his team stood stamping and
shaking themselves on deck. What
have you been living on all winter Z"
- Nothing to brag of as yet" said said
Short. "We've been eating odds and
ends, mostly. The doctors got some
good beef in his coppers to-day, though,
and if your hounds are hungry. enough
to eat that they can have some"
"Hungryi Haven't stopped to eat or
drink till now since we left KantchGtka,
almost twenty-four hours agol Been
clear round, you know. Guess they'll
pick your beefbones if you give 'em a
chance! And that reminds me I've got
a few fixin's here that won't 60 bad with
your Christmas dinner, and l guess !
may as well give 'em to ye right away
And at once Santa Claus began to un-
pack.
The packages he drew out first were
labeled, in very bold letters, "For gen.
eral distribution" There was a keg OF
molasses, two whole hams, frozen pickles,
condensed milk, package of cheese
(very old cheese that had been packed in
brandy or something else that was strong
enough to keep it), pilot bread Ia better
quality of bread than we got every day.
a quantity of preserved bananas (some
what resembling fgs), box of mustard
vinegar, picked potatoes, and a bag o.
dried apples.
All these Santa Claus unloaded, while
we crowded around him, and then came
articles of clothing, each bearing II
large letters the name of one of the crew
A pair of boots for one, flannel shir
for another, a Guernsey frock for third
and 80 on. Every man of us got some
thing to cheer his heart and show tina
he was not forgotten. Old Santa seemed
to know us all, and handed to each hi
particular package, accompanying II
with some appropriate remark.
We could not but admire the old fel
low while he was doing this, but when i
appeared that he had brought us letter
from home, our enthusiasm almost upse
him. From out of deep pocket he drew
letter after letter, and, slowly reading
the superscription, handed it to the on
to whom il belonged. Toevery one, evel
the cook, he brought letter.
But IL was too cold TO read the letter
on deck, and we at once transferred al
our presents to the steerage. Then W
} invited old Santa and his team to g
, down with us and hear the news and &c
: some dinner. But the dinner would no
0 be ready for an hour, and the old fellow
9 thought he couldn't wait He had onl,
/ an empty sledge now, he said, and hi
/ spaniels would take him home in n jfiy
Most likely his wife would have Dime
l.~a:t;,o 60 ba cracked hia looo xvh;