American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1877-12-22
APAIR OF CRUTCHES.

GueSSWheretOWn was IN a state OF
great excitement, one afternoon last
winter-the afternoon of the day before
Christmas. Copies of a wonderful
proclamation had been posted up at the
corners of the principal streets, flung
down areas, showed under doors, and
distributed in all the public schools; and
this is how they read
To nsy beloved children, greeting:
f, Santa Claus, otherwise known as st. Mich
olas, and Kriss Kringle, having, on Christmas
Eve, for more years than you would care to
count, filled little stockings and shoes with
goodies, and left in all convenient places
many gifts for small people, now call upon all
who remember my visits in years gone by,
for some return of the favorS l have bestow-
ed. From every child who loves me, ex-
pect, toll might, present 1 not how
small it may be, or what it may be. In my
wide kingdom can be found use for any thing
and every thing. And knowing that my dear
children will respond quickly and cheerfully,
and that the gifts will be many more than
would fill both my stockings, request that
each church of this town receive and retain
them until further orders from me.
With much love,
hereby affix my hand and seal,
SANTA CLAUS.
Such a hurrying to and fro of eager,
bright-eyed children, as there was, that
Christmas Eve, though the streets were
filed with snow and the snow still fall
ingi Babies toddling along with toys
some of them sadly battered and broken,
it must be confessed-for "dood ole
Zante Caws;" boys with books and
balls and cast-off jackets, and coats, and
hats, and hundred other things; girls
with more books, and dolls, and little
aprons, and mittens, and dresses, and
hundred and fifty other things bakers
children with loaves of bread and cake
shoemakers' children with shoes; toy
merchants children with toys; con-
fectioners' children with candies and
fruits; grocers' childred with tea, sugar.
raisins, figs, rice and potatoes. On they
all trooped, laughing and singing, car
rying 'any thing and every thing as
the proclamation read.
How jolly it was to see them pressing
into the different churches with their
offerings, and laying them up on the
long tables, over each of which was
hung the inscription, printed in fat
letters, made of evergreen and bright
red berries, g Christmas Gifts from the
Children to Santa Claus''
But one poor. little boy, in poor little
loom of a poor little house, in a poor
little street of Guesswheretown, sat by
the side of poor little widow, his poor
little mother, disconsolate and forlorn.
"In yeaths gone by" he said-he was
an old-fashioned chap, and spoke with
alsp-" when father wath alive, Thanta
Clauth wath very good to me. He didn' It
give me any thing lath Chrithmath, but
l thuppothe it wath becauthe he didn't
know where we'd move-tho' that
walnut hith fault. And here" look
ing wistfully at a copy of the proclama-
nation which lay on the table before
him, al can't give him a thing, we're
tho extremely poor.'
Then sudden thought struck him
",My crutcheth-they'rea NTH pair; and
now that I'm all well except extreme
ly little limp, can ther-tain-ly do with
out them. Mother, do you think he'd
laugh at them, or it'll it poth-i-ble that
he hath a little boy or girl that 18th
lame?"
SIT is just possible, my darling, - said
the poor little mother, looking into the
serious dark eyes, with fond smile.
" Anyhow, I'm sure he wouldn't laugh
at them.''
''Then hurry up, mother, or We'll be
late,'' he said, eagerly jumping from
his chair, and running quickly, in spite
of his limp, to the corner where hung
his hat. It's near O'Clock. Well
take them to the church around the cor
ner-hot the big one, but the little one
where poor folks can CO."
Wrapping the little fellow in an old
shawl-he had no overcoat, and his
jacket was summer one-the poor lit
tie mother took him by the hand, and
away they trudged through the cold
street, with the tiny pair of crutches.
Behold Christmas morning, another
proclamation
Santa Claus, otherwise krloarR as KrisS Kringle
and ST. Nicholas, to his thrice belored children
greeting:
Thanks for the many useful and beautiful
things you have brought me, and now, beg
you, grant me one more wish, and then fare
well for another year. Go all you happy lit
tie ones who have never known want and sor-
row, into the poor streets and alleys, and.