Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1878-12-21

BY MRS. SOPHIA P. SNOW.
k Twas the eve before Christmas; Coco
!, night had b cen said,
u And Annie and Willie had crept to bed:
y There were tears on their pillows; and teart
8 Ana Zach little bosom was heavy Will
For ts,-s.Ignt their stern fathers command
7 That they should retire precisely at seven
g instead of eight; for they troubled him
J With lsstions unheard OF, than ever be-
; fore;
t He had told them he thought this delusion
t No such being as "santa Claus ever had
( been,
! And he hoped, after this, he should never
Row ~ scrambled down chimneys with
| presents each year.
> heads
: So resiies Iy tossed ON their soft, downy
, beds.
Eight, zine, and the clock. on the steeple
tOled ten:
Not word had been spoken by either till
When WiIlie's sad face from the blanket
. And whfspeIed, "Dear Annie, is you fast
: why, no, brother willie,' sweet voice
. replies,
For, somehow, it makes me so sorry be
Dear papa has said there is no Santa
Claus -
Now We know there is, and then it can't be
denied,
For he came every year before dear mamma
died
But, ten. I've been thinking that she used
And God would hear everything mamma
would say,
And ? .rl..ps She asked him to send Santa
With TN sacks full of presents he brought
| every year"
Well, why tant we pay dest as mamma
And ask him to send him with presents
| ftden ~
''I've been thinking so, too" And without
| a word more,
| Four little bare feet bound ID on the floor,
| And four little knees tine soft lrpet pressed,
i And tvo tiny hand were clasped to each
| breast.
Now, Willie, you know we must firmly be-
That the presents we ask for we're sure to
You must wait just as still till say the |
And by that you will know that your turn
has come then"
"Dear Jesus, look down on my brother
And gr ut us the favor we are asking of
I want a wax dolly, a tea set and ring,
And an ebony work that shuts with /
spring:
That santa Claus loves us far better than
he;
Don'r let him get fretful and angry again
A. dear brother Willie and Annie, Amen
"Please, Desus, ct Santa Taus tum down
And bring us some presents before it is light,
| want he should dive me nict little sed, |
With bright shining runners, and all paited
A box full of tandy, a book and a toy,
Amen, and then, Desus, I'll be dood boy"
Their prayers being ended, they raised up
their heads,
sought their b DIS;
They We're soon lost i'll slumber, both peace
And with fairies In Dreamland were roam
Eight, nine, and the little French clock had
Ere the father mad thought of his children
again.
He seems now to hear Annies half sup
And to see the big tears stand in VIII les
II was harsh with my darlings' he mentally
"And should not have sent them SO early
TO bed;
But then was troubled-my feelings found
For bank-stocll to-day has gone down ten
per cent,
But Of course they've forgot their troubles
ere this,
And that 1 denied them the thrice asked for
But, just to make sure, I'll steal up to the
For I never spoke harsh to my darlings be-
So saying, he softly assembled the stairs,
And arrived at the door TO hear both of their
His Annie's ''bless papa" draws forth the
And Whites grave promises fan sweet on
Strange, strange I'd forgotten" said he
with sigh,
81 How / lOnged, when q child, to have Christ 1
mas draw nigh.''
'I'n atone for my harshness." he inwardly ]
said,
'By answering their prayers, ere I sleep in
Then he turned to the stairs and softly went {
Threw OF velvet slippers and silk dressing
gown
Donned hat, coat and boots, and was out in {
A millionaire facing the cold driving sleet.
Nor stopped until he had bought everything. S
From the box full of candy to the tiny gold
Indeed, he kept adding so much to his I
That the various presents outnumbered .
score; :
Then homeward he turned with his holiday /
And with Aunt Mary's help, in the nursery :,
twas slowed;
By the side of table spread out for her tea; :
A worl-boX well filled, in the center was
And on it a ring for which Anna had pray +
A soldier in uniform stood by sled,
with Understanding runners, and all
There were balls dogs and horses, books I
pleasing to see, y
While Santa Claus, laughing, stood up in K
AS if getting ready more presents TO drop, =
And as the fond father the picture survey
he thought for his trouble he had amply d
Daid
And said to himself, as he brushed offa tear. 3
I'm happier tonight than I've been for O
I've enjoyed more true pleasure than ever .
before; Il
Hereafter IN make it rule, I believe,
To have Santa Claus visit us each Christ h
So thinking, he softly extinguished the {
And TIPPED down thestairs to retire forthe i
AS soon as the beams of the bright morn fl
Put the darkness to flight, and the stars, one +
Four little blue eyes out of sleep opened n
wide, n
And at the same moment the presents es-
pied.
Then out of their beds they sprang with t
bound, =,
And the very gifts prayed for were all of v
them found. u
And shouted for 'papa" to come quick and a
see
What presents old Santa Claus brought in h
the night, II
Just the things that they wanted) and left h
before light, II
and now" added Annie, in q voice soft u
and low,
You'll believe there's a Santa Claus, papa, d
know ;"
While dear little Willie climbed upon his /,
knee, b
Determined no secret between them should n
And told, in soft whispers, how Annie had il
That their dear, blessed mamma, so long ago :,
dead. "
Used to lzneel down and pray by the side of Il
their chair, II
And that God up in heaven had answered -
her prayer; D
Then we dot up and prayed dest as well as
we tould, =,
And bod answered our prayers, now wasn't 81
He dOod ." 81
4 should say that He was, if He sent you all ii
these, 81
And knew just what presents my children u
would please. | 81
Well well, let him think so, the dear little -
Twonid be cruel to tell him did it my
Blind fatherl who caused your stern heart
to relent? o
And the hasty word spoken so soon to re d
Twas the the Being who babe you steal softly a