The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1880-12-22


"Please, sir, will you tell me where
Mr.. Santa Claus lives?"
s'Mr. Santa CLAUSE" said the man, in
broken English. "Vcll, / do not know
does he keep show or work at trade?
You tell me vot lie is, den maybe I re-
member him."
"Dop't you know: I thought every
one knew Mr.. Santa Clans" said Nina.
'.He-hs makes toys for little children. "
80" said the Germanl $50. Vas.
I know. Go up dis street and along to
the next corner, den you SEQ q little gate.
Behind dat you find de man dot makes
toys for de children"
Mine said that she was much obliged.
She felt that people were amiable in Ger
many, and her hopesrose high. She fol-
lowed her old Germans direction and
soon came 10 n high fence. There was a
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 Santa
Claus ut last, There, before the fire, sat
little fat old man, with white hair and
rosy cheeks, hard at work with turning
lathe. An old woman, asrosy US he was,
was gluing pieces Of wood together with
q brush-toy chairs, tables, bedsteads,
wagons, milk-maids, jointed dolls; and
at a table sat four little girls painting
away at the finished toyswith the bright
est colors. Obi 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 drop
ped the little courtesy her mother had
taught her, and said:
"Please, Mr.. Santa Claus, want to
speak to you particularly. 1t is about
Christmas.
"So!" cried the old gentleman-and
truly he was German-rising. "But
what did you call me, little one?"
"Nr Santa Claus" said Nina. Give
been looking for you all day, and poor
mother is so sick. That is why 7 want
to see you. You used to como in at the
window on Christmas eve when she lived
in Germany, and you always put some
thing 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 well, 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 Christmas eve, and giving pres
ents to everybody"
"The child thinks you arc Santa
Claus" whispered the old German wo.
man in her husbands ear. ooh, how
like she is to our little Nina, do you not
see?'
"Do you speak German, child?" said
the old man.
eyes" said Nina, ct is my mothers
language. Yes, 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, i" whispered the
old man. at is common name"
And how did you think of coming
here, my little maiden?"
Because you were so good" said
Nina. "To-day mother cried and told
mo how pleasant it used to be in Ger.
many; and oh, Mr.. Santa Claus, you
must know where her father aud mother
are. She said she ran away from them;
and ! 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 daughterr'
cried the old woman. "What was the
name Of your mothers father?'
1T was Ansen, Mrs. Santa Claus"
said Nina.
The old lady began to cry. She
caught the child in her arms and kissed
her fondly.
ooh, 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 III the
drawer Of little bureau and brought
out an old-foshioned daguerreotype.
"See, child" she said. Don't this
look like any one you lnow?'
1T looks like mother" cried Nina,
only-only not so old"
at is enough, said the old gentleman.
"Child, God has sent you. | am not
Santa Claus. lam only IN old toy-maker,
working here in Weehawken-ina strange
country to which I came from my father
land. But my dear, 1 am your grand
father, and this is your grandmother.
We came to America to look for our
daughter when We heard abe was a
widow, but We could not find her. Now
We are going to so aud take care of her.
We will go with you. And again l say,
God sent you"
So in few moments Nina md her
grandparents were on their way across
the ferry,
It was late in the afternoon when they
climbed the stairs OF the tenement house.
Then the ldpeople waited outside in
tho entry, and Nina went into the poor,
half.fmnished room and found little
Biddy Flynn still wnitinC natiantlv