The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-12-23
WATCHING FOR SANTA CLAUS.

I'm going to cit mp to- night" said Will,
ssaud see Santa Claus, l am J"
"Why, he won't come if yon sit up,"
|xnswered his younger brother John ;"mam-
<aa told me he never comes till little boys
Ire abed aud asleep"
"Yes, but I'm going to bed when you do"
|Said Will, '.and get up afterwards, when
Everybody, and Santa Claus, too, thinks l
Inn sound asleep; then shall hide behind
khe large sofa, in tie room where we hang
BUR stockings, and wait till be comes, and
hen peep out and see what kind of a fellow
Ae is"
"He won't give you nothing, am sure,
"a he catches you," said John, sand perhaps
$ourt Brighten him, and he will 60 away
kithout leaving anything for the rest of
g."
"Well, am going to watch for him any
" Will and John were living in the delight:
fnl state of anticipation which most chill
&ren experience about Christmas time but
ghile John was contented to go to bed early
Ind wait for daylight to reveal what Santa
CLAUS had left him during the night, Will
had 30 far yielded to the temptngs of
Curiosity, that he had decided TO run the
.sk of getting nothing, for the cake of
s.eeing the sleigh, the little reindeer, the
ag Of toys, if Santa Claus really came
pwn the chimney.
Will and John, who were the youngest
Gn0 family, DdO SOlo ID o ydioL CoLHcT W
klk over Christmas affairs, without OBJ
irving that their elder brother Tom, boy
Nat was up to all mischief, wac listening,
et0r would they, il they bad seen his de-
mare face, have imagined that be, on hear
ng their plan, had Immediately formed
ne of his own, and was inwardly chuck
pg at what a good joke he would have on
Yet such was the case, and during the
hole day Tom was bustling about, bor-
Owing somebody's great coat, and some
pdy else's boots, and a fur cap, and few
ther things that he thought necessary to
esist him in carrying out his little joke.
Ii to bed very early, as they said, to give
ANITA Claus good chance, and when
%Aamma stood and listened at their bedside
Rhortly after, che thought how soundly
hey were sleeping. Tom also happened
- pass, and he listened and thought to
imeelf, "Oh, auhat a snore for little
blow that's going to get up in few min
les to watch for Santa Claus"
At last all was quiet about the house.
ot q creature was stirring, not even
ouse, at least, SO Will thought, SO he got
and noiselessly putting on his clothes,
'ent slyly ont in the passageway and then
the room where the stockings were
tie from the wall, he managed to creep
10 his hiding place.
At first all was quiet; then he found, by
lie opening and shutting of doors, that
me of the family were still up; once or
ice some one passed through the room in
hich Will was hiding, but he remained 30
aiet that he was not detected.
How slowly the moments passed! Will
as getting tired and sleepy, and heartily
ished himself back in his snug, warm bed.
is limbs ache d from crouchiDg behind the
pfa; his little eyelids were very heavy;
head nodded backwards and forwards,
ID at last he fell asleep.
How long he had slept he knew not, and
could hardly tell whether he was awake
dreaming, when, on hearing a noise of
be one walking and talking, he peeped
from his hiding place, and saw little
man, with an immense fur cap on his
., from beneath which fell his long aud
eggy white locks; pair of large boots
ched far above his knees, and he wore q
wn coat trimmed with fur and appar
y covered with snow on his back was
Ag, and hanging from it were drums and
3 and other toys in bis mouth he held
stump of 40 old pipe, from which the
gke was slowly curling.
Viii at last concluded he was not dream
and watched intently every movement
Santa Claus. What a story he would
e to tell the boys on the morrow! No
of them could boast that they had eeen
Ia Claus; in fact, some of them actually
ubted his existence.
Wills teeth chartered with cold and fear;
with fear, for the thought had occurred
him, what if Santa Claus should find
might he not whip him off into his
Ugh, and take him to his home in his
ehern country
Fill's fears gradually increased; the
go was go quiet he thought it must be
d of night; if he were to call for man.
abe would not hear him motionless he
wishing that Santa Claus would depart
that he could GO back to bed.
ut Santa Claus took his time; he
letled, aud smoked, and seemed to be
og one of the stockiDgs; after awhile
Burned to the other, which was Willis,
he was all anxiety to see what Santa
ms would give him. UnconsciOUsly he
eed up his head and in doing 80 he made
pise. Alas for Will! Santa Claus fixed
eye upon him in q moment, and his face,
oh had before wore a pleasant expres-
now scowled horribly, while slowly
xcpeated:
Doomed thou arttO come with me-
For mortal sy can never see,
Santa ClauB and liye''
hen slowly and with outstretched arms,