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

: GOOQ natureQ llttIe DlQuy LOOK Lne UoWl
and ran up stairs, and Nina ran down the
streets that she knew led to the river, as fast
as her feet could carry her. She had two
cents in her pocket, and thought that would
pay her fare.
A sailor was standing near a fruit stand
Nina looked up into his round, brown face
with confidence.
"Mr. Sailor" she said, twill you tell me
which Of those ships 60 to Germany ??
"Why, that one yonder, my little lass,
pointing to one over which the German flag
hoated Bnt Nina thought he meant the
little ferry boat that ran to Weehawken.
"Thank you," she said, and few away.
A bell was ringing she hurried past the
ferry. house, dropping her two cents into the
hand of the ferry master, and the boat was
off the next moment.
1t did not take long to cross the river, and
Nina went on shore and Looked about. A
great, good-natured looking man sat smoking
his pipe at the door of shoemaker's shop.
Nina went up to him and said softly:
"Please, sir. will you tell me where Mr..
Santa Claus lives p
"Mr. Santa Claus?' said the man, in bro
ken English. "Vell, do not know-does
he keep show or work at a trade? You tel
me vot he is, den maybe | remember him."
Don't you know: thought every one
knew Mr.. Santa Claus" said Nina. He
he makes toys for little children
"Sop' said the German! $50. Vas. l
know. Go up dis street and along to the
next corner, den you see little gate. Be-
hind dat you find de man dot makes toys for
de children
Nina said that she was much obliged. She
felt that people were amiable in Germany,
and her hopes rose high. She followed her
old Germans direction and soon came to a
high fence. There was gate in it. She
lifted the latch and opened it, and before her
was low, brown house. Softly she crept up
to the window. Yes, yes, she had found San
ia Claus at last. There, before the fire, sat a
little fat old man, with white hair and rosy
cheeks, hard at work with turning lathe
An old woman, as rosy as he was, was gluing
pieces of wood together with brush-toy
chairs, tables, bedsteads, wagons, milk-maids,
jointed dolls; and at table sat four little
girls painting away at the finished toys with
the brightest colors. Oh this was delightful,
and Santa Claus and his wife looked so kind |!
Nina knocked on the door. Some one
cried, "Herein," and she entered.
She stood at the threshold and dropped the
little courtesy her mother had taught her,
and said:
"Please Mr.. Santa Claus, want to speak
to you particularly. 1t is about Christmas" ;"
$50 !" cried the old gentleman-and truly
he was German-rising. "But what did
you call me, little one?"
"Mr. Santa Claus" said Nina. "I've been
looking for you all day, and poor mother is
so sick. That is why want to see you. You
used to come in at the window on Christmas
eve when she lived in Germany, and you al
ways put something in her shoe, and now she
cannot earn money because she is sick. |
want you to come down the chimney and put
enough in her stocking to last until she is
we'll, for father is dead, and we have nobody
who cares for US. And you-oh you are so
good, always going over the roofs on Christ
mas eve, and giving presents to everybody"
"The child thinks you are Santa Claus"
whispered the old German woman in her hus.
bands ear. "Oh, how like she is to our little
Nina, do you not see?
"Do you speak German, child ?" said the
old man.
"Yes," said Nina, "it is my mothers Ian.
guage. Yes, l speak it very we'll"
"And what is your name?" asked the old
gentleman.
"Mina Hoffman, Mr.. Santa Claus, if you
please" replied Nina.
The old woman caught her husbands arm.
BE quiet, be quiet" whispered the old
man. ut is common name."
"And how did you think of coming here,
my little maiden?"
Because you were 30 good" said Mina q.
"To.day mother cried and told me how pleas.
ant it used to be in Germany; and oh, Mr..
Santa Claus you must know where her father
and mother are She said she ran away from
them and l know she thought it was very
naughty-only what could she do if they
wouldn't let father come in ?"
Hans, Hans, it is our daughter?" cried
the old woman. "Whst was the name of
your mothers father?"
ut was Ansen, Mrs. Santa Claus" said
Nina.
The old lady began to cry. She caught
the child in her arms and kissed her fondly.
"Oh, good Mrs. Santa Claus you will ask
Mr.. Santa Claus to help mother won't you ?"
pleaded Nina.
But now the old couple took her by the
hands and led her away to an inner room,
where the old lady rumaged in the drawer of
a little bureau and brought out an old.fash.
ioned daguerreotype
"See, child" she said. "Don't this look
like any one you know?"
"It looks like mother" cried Nina, "only-
only not so DID,"
1T is enough" said the old gentleman.
"Child, God has sent you. / am not Santa
Claus. am only an old toy. maker, working
here in Weehawken-n strange country to
which came from my fatherand. But my
dear, am your grandfather, and this is your
grandmother We came to America to look
for our daughter when we heard she was
widow, but we could not find her. Now we
are going to 60 and take care of her. We
will 60 with you. And again | say, God
sent you"
So in few moments Nina and her grand
parents were on their way across the ferry.
1t was late in the afternoon when they
climbed the stairs of the tenement house.
Then the old people waited outside in the
entry, and Nina went into the poor, halffur-
nished room and found little Biddy Flynn
still waiting patiently.
"What happened We, Nina ?" she asked.
"The mother has been trettng for you.'
"Oh my child l am nearly frightened
to death !" sobbed the poor woman.
"Mother !" cried Nina "Oh, mother |
went to Germany tn find Santa Claus-fOr we