Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1877-12-26
A Visit to Santa Claus.
nv Ev1,IG TOWNE

D1 ELLAo lOWNE"
"Once upon a time, when l was taking
a walk through the great field beyond
the orchard, l went way on, round
where the turns behind the hill. And
after l had walked a little way, l came
to a high wall-built right up into the
sky. At first l thought / had discovered
the ENDS of the EARTH or perhaps | had
somehow come to the great wall of
China. But after walking a long way l
came to a large gate, and over it was
printed in beautiful gold letters, Santa
Claus Land and the letters were large
enough for a baby to read!"
How large that might be Lii did not
stop to explain.
"But the gate was shut tight" she
continued, " and though / Knocked and
knocked and knocked, Is hard as /
could, nobody came to open it. l was
dreadfully disappointed, because l felt
as if Santa Claus must live here all of the
year except when he went out to pay
Christmas visits, and it would be so
lovely to see him in his own home you
know. But what was / to do? The gate
was entirely too high to climb over, and
there wasn't even . small cnck to, peek
through"
Here ILL paused, an A16ke drew a
long breath, and looked greatly disap-
pointed. Then Lii went on:
But You see, as l was poking about,
l pressed a bell-spring, and in a moment
Jingle, jingle, jingle, the bells went
ringing far and near, with such a merry
sound az was never heard before. While
they were still ringing the gate slowly
opened and / walked in. l didn't even
stop to inquire if Santa Claus was at
home, for l forgot all about myself and
nay manners 10 was &c lovely. First
there was a srn2 paved square like a
court; it was surrounded by rows and
rows of dark green trees, with several
avenues opening between them. 4
Gin the centre of the court vas q beau
tiful marble fountain, with streams oil
sugar plums and bon-bons tumblinGsput
Of it. Funny-looking little msns We're
filling cornucopias ut the fountain, and
pretty little barefoot children, with
chubby hands and dimpled shoulders
took them as soon a. they were filled
and ran of with them. They were al
too much occupied TO speak to me, but
as l came up to the fountain one of tn,
little fellows gave me q cornucopia, ane
] marched on with the babies.
ave went down on the avenues, which
would have been very dark only it wa
splendidly lighted up with Christina
candles. / saw the babies were slyl,
eating a candy or two, 80 I tasted mine
and they were delicious-the real Christ
mas sort. After we had gone a littl
way, the trees were smaller and not $
close together, and here there were othe
funny little fellows who were climbin
up on ladders and tying toys and Dor
bons to the trees. The children stoppe
and delivered the bundles, but / wen
on, for there was something in the di
lance that l was curious to see. Icoul
zee that it was large garden, that lool
ed as if it might be well cared for, an
had many things growing in it. BIZ
even in the distance it didn't aPpe,
natural, and when l reached it / four
it was a very uncommon sort OF q garde
indeed. l could scarcely believe m
eyes, but there were donkeys and dra.
and cars and croquet coming up in lon
straight rows, and ever 80 many 9th
things beside. In n place the woodt
dolls had only Just started; their funr
little heads were Just above ground, ar
I thought they seemed very much gu
prised at their surroundings. Earth
ON were china dolls, that were qui
grown up, and l suppose were ready
pull; and a gardner was hoeing q row
soldiers that didn't seem in q very health
condition, or as if they had done We
well.
1.-THE gardener looked familiar,
thought, and a. / approached him
stopped work and, leaning on his hoe
said, How do you do, Lillian? ! a
very glad to see you.'
1.-The momenthe raised his face / knit
it was Santa Claus, for it looked exact
like the portrait we have of him. Y
can easily believe that / was glad the
l ran and put both of my hands in h
fairly shouting that ! was SO glad to fl
him.
"He laughed and said:
|, "Why, l am generally to be foui
: here or hereabouts, for l work in t
grounds every day"
: And ] laughed too, because his lau
: sounded 80 funny; like the brook goi
3 over stones, and the wind up in t
trees. Two or three times, when
7 thought he had done he would burst Q
: again, laughing the vowels in this wa
> 'Ha, ha, Ia, ha! He, he, he, he, I
: Hi, hi, hi, hi, hi! Ho, no, no, h-o-o<
"Lill did it very well, and Efie laugh
= till the tears came to her eyes; and {
. could quite believe Lii when she "a
1t grew to be 80 funny that / could
= stand, but fell over into one of the lit
X chairs that were growing in q bed j
y beyond the soldiers.
: when Santa Claus saw that he stop,
suddenly, saying:
4. "sThere, that will do. / take q hea
ID laugh every day, for the sake of die
IL ton
N Then he added, in = whisper, sTha
the reason l live 30 long and don't 81