Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1880-12-23
LOOKING FOR SANTA CLAUS.

LOOKING FOR SANTA CLAUS.
A GOOD STORY FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS
One wintry day little Nina arose in the
morning and found that her mother was not
up.
This was strange, for the sun was high and
his beams fell aslant through the high garret
window upon the bare floor. The stove was
cold and the coffee pot stood empty on the
shelf. Nina laughed at the thought that
she had walked before her mother. She slip
ped on her blue wooden dress, her large
checked apron, her knitted stockings, and ber
thick shoes and having washed her face,
and braided her hair in two tight little pig
tails, crept around to her mothers bed, intend
ing to kiss her awake. But her mothers
eyes were wide open. her cheeks we're red,
and her hair was tossed about on the pill.
lows.
"Oh, my child," she cried, as she saw her
little girl, what shall we do now? am i'll.
| have fever of some sort. My head is as
heavy as if it was made of lead. | am not
even able to rise, much less to 60 about my
work. We shall starve together, you and |,
poor, unhappy widow and orphan that we
are"
"Oh, no, mother" said Nina. ave need
not starve. can make the coffee, and 60
and buy the bread and sausage"
"Child, child |" cried the mother, very soon
there will be no money to buy anything. |
have felt myself breaking down for week.
have no hope now. l must send for the
DOCTOR and when he finds am not able to
pay him he will send me to the hospital.
You, poor little soul, will soon be motherless
as well as fatherless."
The poor woman hid her face in the pillow.
Nina wept. Tears ran down her cheeks; but
she soon went to, the stove, and kindled a
fire, and made the coffee, as she had seen her
mother do it.
"The coffee will do you good, mother"
she said. But the poor sick mother was too
feverish to taste it.
Then indeed, Nina felt that everything
was wrong.
"Christmas time Christmas time! !" repeat
ed the poor woman, talking more to herself
than to her child; "and Christmas used to be
so happy"
At this Nina crept closer to her mothers
bed. Yes, in two days Christmas would
come. She had looked forward to it so. She
had hoped that she would find in her stock
ing wax doll with blue eyes, and candy
basket full of sugar plums, at least !; but she
should not care for them if her poor mother
were so sick.
"Child 20 to the old doctor?" said the
mother. Go tell him to come quickly! /
must be made we'll if he can do it! Go!
Co."
Nina put on her hood and ran away.
The good old German doctor came back with
her, and felt his poor country woman's pulse,
and wrote prescription, and patted little
Nina on the head, and bade her take care of
her mother But the child took nearly all
the small purse contained to pay for the pow
ders he had ordered, and though she watched
by her mothers bed all day, the mother grew
worse. She lay tossing to and fro, talking Of
the past.
"It was Christmas time when ran away
with your father" she said with the quick
speech of fever. "My father did not like
him, or my mother either; so we ran away
and were married. We came to this country
in great ship. We were very happy until
he died. Nina do you remember how good
he was to US last Christmas = All, only for
you, only for leaving you, my little girl, it
would seem best for me that am going to
him.
"Christmas Oh, in Germany, at hon in
Germany, we always had Christmas tree,
and we sat together in the parlor, and the
window lifted and St. Nicholas came in. He
gave us toys and gifts of all sorts. We were
glad, and yet frightened. Our wooden shoes
were set in row on the hearth at night. In
each we found some gift. Such a supper !
dancing music!
81 wonder whether my old father is dead /;
whether my old mother lives; whether they
forgive me?'
She wept, but little Nina sat thinking
She thought of Santa Claus-old St. Nicho.
las, the good Christmas friend of all good
children-he who would come down the
chimney, or in at the window, with any gift
he pleased. Surely, if he was so good to her
mother when she was little girl, he would
remember her now that she was sick. But
how was he to know? He could, if he
pleased, give her mother plenty Of money.
| Of that she felt certain But how was one
to find him \?
"Mother,' she said, "where does Santa
Claus live"
The poor mother was fast growing delir-
ious.
"What did you ask?' she said dreamily.
"Where he lives ? Oh, l do not know"
"But he could do anything, give anything
he chose ?" asked Nina.
EYES," said the teverish woman, Eyes
yes tell him to give me ice-nice, cold, gilt
tering ice-to cool my head-ice, ice"
"Oh, will get you some ice, mother" said
Nina. 81 will 60 to the grocers and get
some"
She took a bowl from the closet and a
penny from the old purse, and ran out of the
room, shutting the door softly behind her.
There was a grocery in the lower part of
the house, and she went into it and up to the
counter A rosy. faced Dutch boy gave her
the ice, and he looked so good natured that
she asked him question.
"Do you know where Santa Claus lives ?"
she said.
The boy scratched his head
"Yes-he libs in Germany" he said.
Mina's heart leaped high.
"Riddv-1ittle Riddy Flynn" she called