Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1877-12-22
ANNIE AND WILKES PRAYER.

Il
And Annie ami willie had crept into bed;
There were tears on their pillows, and tears In
And each iistie bosom was heaving with signs, :.
For Tonight their stern fathers command hao
been given,
That they should retire precisely at seven
Instead OF eight; Tor they troubled him more
With questions unheard of, than ever before.
He toll them he thought this deiusion SIN.
No sncs heing as s-anta Claus" ever nau pee o.,
And he hoped after this, he should never more
How he scrambled down chimneys. with presents
each year
And his was the reason that two little heads
So rest essy toss'd on their soft downy beds. -,
E'ght-aine-and the clock on the steeple tolrd
Not word had been spoken between them till
When Wilhe's cad face from the blanket did peep.
nd whispered sDear Annie, rs you fast asieeD!"
@Wny no, brother Willie." a sweet voice replies,
'sI've been trying IN vain, put can't smut my
For somehow it makes me sorry, because
Dear pa pa has said mere Is no santa Claus
Now we know that there is-and 1t can't be de-
For h. came every ye.r before mamma died.
But then I've been thinking that she used 'pi ay,
And God woula hear every thing mamma would
And psrhaps she asked Hin to send SANTA Claus
With tire sa. k full of presents he brought every
SWELL vvnv can't zoe pray dest as mamma did then.
and a * Did TO send HIM with presents aden?n
~Ive been thtnkIngs :, 10 land without word
-Four little bare feet bounded out on the floor.
And two ti.y hands we're clasped To each breast.
"Now, Willie, you know, we must firmly believe
That he presents we ask Tor we're sure to receive;
You must wait just as still till say the Amen
and by that you will know that Your turn has
come hem
spear Jesus, 'ook down on nv brother and me,
And grant u the favor we're asking OF Thee;
want n wax dolly, q tca-set AMI ring,
And an ebony work box that shuts with spring;
Bless papa. dear jesus, and cause him to bee
That santa Claus loves US far better than he,
Don't LIT him get fretful and angry again
AT dear brother Willie aod AnnleIAmen!'
~Please. Desus, 'et santa Taus' fun down to-
night
And bring us some presents before it is light;
wa & he shvuli dive me a nice little sled,
With bright shining runners. and all painted led,
A box 4 "A OF tandy, "a book and a toy.
Amen. and then, besLs. I'll be doc boy"
Their prayers being ended, tney raised up their
And with hearts light and cheerful. again sought
their belts
And with fairies in Dream'and, were roaming In
sleep.
Eighl-nine- the little French clock had
struck ten
Ere The farLer had thought of his children again.
He seems now 20 hear Annle's haf-suppressed
sigt,
And to See the big te rs stand in Wi lies blue eye
Il was harsh with my darings, ''he men ally said,
lana should not have sent them SD early 10 bed;
But then was troubc.i, my feelings found vent,
For bank stock O-day mas gone down ten per cenr
But, OF course, they've forgotten their trouble.
ere this,
And Ih..r denied them toe thrice asked for kiss;
Ieut Just make sure, III steal up To their door,
For never sp Ike harsh to my darlings BEFORE"
no saying. ae softly ascended he stairs,
and arrived at me door, ~ hear b tn their
His Annle's ''biess papa" draws forth the big
AMI whites grave promise tails swdet on his
ears.
.-sirauue. strange. I'd forgotten" said ne wirnla
show Ilongrd, whom child, to have Christmas
draw nigh.
III atone for my harshness,n ne inwardly said,
by answering Their prayers ere sleep in my
bed
). hen he turned to the stairs, and softly went
Threw n velvet slippers and silk dressing cow
Donned hat, Coal and Ooots, and was out In the
treet-
A millionaire --fl.lng the cod, driving sleet;
Nor st0pI,cd ne, until he had BOUGHT everything e,
~ the box uf cs.nd The tiny gold ring;
Indeed he kent aLhn. SD much to his store
That the varipus presents oltnimbcre'i score,
Then hamew ;sri he turned, with nIs holiday load,
Anu wi.n Aunt Nays help la the nursery twas
slowed: U.ls
Mis- Dolly was sea ell bereath pine tree,
n work box, well h.lcd, in the center was laid,
And on 1t tile RINK for which Annie h ID prayed;
~ soldier. IN uniform. stood by a slei,
with bright shIuing runner and all painted red
There werJ balls, dogs anu horses, books pleasing
And birds of all colors were perched In the tree
Wbie santa Olaus." laughing, stovd up in the
top,
AS il getting ready more pres nts to drop.
and the foDu father the picture surveyed,
lie tho't for his trouble he'd oeen amply repaid,
- a In ali If.l sr- Is.l
ssl',n happier Tonight than I've been Tor year
I've eujoyed more true pleasure than ever before
What care If bank stock fell ten per Cent mort!
Hereafter, III make 1t a rule, believe,
10 have Sasta Claus visit US each Christmas
s, thinking, he gently extingn,shed the light,
Aid trippcd down the stairs TO reLlrc for The
night.
rs som as the be ims of the bright morning sun
Put the darkness ~ hi@ht, and the starr one by
four Iiule blue eyes out of sleep opened wide,
And at tire sanic Nom, mt the presents esped.
Ten out If their pcdr they sprang with q bound
Aud the very gifts pray'd ior were all oil Ihem
found.
They laughed and they cried in their innocent
gee.
AMI shouted for ''rapa" TO come quick and see
VIII It presents ''SanI;l Claus UroL in the night
tJust the things that they wantedl, and lett before
s.And now added Annie, in voice soft and low
you'll beleve there's u santa Claus papa,
VIII dear little Willie climbed up on his knee,
j,eternn, q no ), cret between them should be-
And told in soft whispers how Annie had said
hat their blessed mamma, so long ago uead.
Used to kneel down aud play 10y the side OF heI
char,
And hat God up in heaven had answered heI
prayer;
sThen we dot up and prayed Just as well as we
couli,
And ,soi answered our prayer, now wasn't He
doodsr
II should say that He was if He sent you all these
And knew just what present, my children would
pleass,
fsWe, well, let him think so. the dear little elf
,fwould be cruel TO tell him did it myself.'r1
Ri nd athe'i Who crused your stern heart to relent
And the hasty words spoken 80 soon 10 regent?
Twas the Being Who babe you steal softly up
stairs,
And made You His agen' to answer their prayers.