Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1879-12-23
MISCELLANEOUS.
eRETGRRN,s .CHRlsFMAs,

| - lH fa.s-
xoITTLB Chris was looking out Of the win
~ dow one day when, all of a sudden, he
shouted
"ssy. Poll" (PolI was his sister. -"1 be.
ieye SEQ Santa Claus marching down the
street. I'm going to follow him and see it
he has any presents for US"
| Away few Chris before Poll knew what he
| was about, aud he was soon out Of sight He
! ran on and on after the little man with fur
| cap on his head aud u pack on. his back,
/ shouting SAINTS Claus with all his might
Pretty soon some other little boys Joined
in the cry.
| Chris was all in earnest, though; but he
began to wonder what answer he should give
/ in case the little man tnrued around all Of
! sudden aud asked him what he wanted.
He was not self.tr boy, so he thought of
Pollys presents iirst. He remembered a lit
tlc bureau for her dolly's clothes that she
/ wanted more than anything else She mad
! also told Chris in confidence that # there was
/ any possibility OF her having two real nice
presents she would DO perfectly happy if one
should prove to be bedstead for the same
dolly. with pillows and sheets and everything
complete, hut she informed Chris she scarce<
ly expected TO get both because papa had
said very lately that ''the times were hard -
height of his ambition lie felt that moths
ing else conld add to bis felicity. SO being
all loaded and primcd, lustsliie d pistol when
It Is ready to 20 Of, nc rot very close to Tie
't15
far as TO give his coat tail 9 slight pull
Santa Clsus turned suddenly upon him,
and shouted, ..Wha. for you want?"
Bureau, bcdstcad, veIOcipede,' shouted
Chris.
PIP corn, marbles. skates, balls" said
the other boys
Go away, go away you bodder mo P'lice.
p'Iicc, p'Iice, cried out Santa Claus; but
there was no policeman near, and so the poor
little fellow was followed to his own door by
the crowd Of boys.
lie could not make them understand him
very we'll for he was from Germany. aud had
been in this strange country such a little
while that he knew very little English.
lie stood on tue step before his door min-
| ute stamping his feet and saying very earn
estly. Don't bodder; don't bodier." Then
he rushed in and shut the door.
The boys pounded on it two or three times
and then gave war whoop such as only boys
and Indians can, when they heard a window
open upstairs and thought more fun was
coming; but poor woman put her head out
/ of the window and said il very broken Eng
/ lish
You go way boys Little girl SICK SO
! sick. No ike noise"
The woman looked so sad as she spoke
| that the boys, who did not intendto do any
harm, went off very quietly. All went away
| bur -Chria, who rcEnaiDed- d-even after the
woman had closed tho door, for he had
| very tender little heart,Rnd he wanted tn tell
! her how sorry he was that he had disturbed
| I. H,klo al 4 L..
minute, then gave a gentle knock at the
! door, and when the woman opened it again,
| though she could not understand exactly
| what he was trying to tell her, yet his hon
! est face was Recommendation, and she in-
! vited him in.
This was just what be wanted; for he did
mot ike to give Up the idea of taking with
Santa Ciaus. and he longed 10 do something
for the little girl even before he had seen
| her.
1t vas some time before the woman could
make out what Chris meant by Santa Claus.
but when she began TO understand how he
had run ell the way from home because he
imagined he was following that delightful
| visitor who had come to town with loads of
presents. she explained as well as she could
that Chris had made mistake. and that her
husband was only poor peddler.
She showed Chris the inside of the pack,
and there were no bureaus, nor vclocipcdes,
nor bedsteads certainly. only pins and nee
dies and tapes aud Iaces; nothing that he
cared for, he was very sure.
Then the woman took him mp miserable
rickety staircase, that shook badly even
under his little feet. and there upon poor
old bed lay little girl about the very age Of
Chris. Her light hair wared around her
like sunset, as Chris thought to himself,
but her cheeks were thin and pale. and she
looked SO still that he was almost afraid that
"ver' sick, said her mother; ''po much
to eat; no doctor; no anyding
81 know what I'll do" said Chris; "IIl
go right home and tell my msmma, and
bring her some nice dinner"
The poor woman could not understand
much that he said; but she Thought from bis
bright, earnest face that he was saying some-
thing very pleasant, so she nodded her head
and then shook hands with him, and he vent
away.
i. did not take him very- long to reach
home. although II was some distance of; bul
there were not many corners to turn, and he
remembered the direction very well.