Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1880-12-22

The hoy scratched his head.
.Yes-he Ibis in Germany he said.
Mlna's heart leaped high.
'Biddy-little Biddy Flynn abe
called to a child passing the door Will
YOU take this bowl Of ice up to m,
mother, and give her some, and stay b,
her undl come back. III only be
cone few moments
Good uatured little Biddy took the
howl and ran up stairs, and Nina ran
down the streets that she knew led to the
ri, er as fast as her feet could carry her.
She had two cents in her pocket, and
ihoughGthat would pay her fare.
A sailor was standing near fruit
stand. Nina looked up into his round
brown face with confidence.
'Mr. sailor she said, will you tell
me which of those ships go to Ger"
m,ny?'
Why, that one youdcr. my lille lass
pointing to one over which the German
hlp 1oated. But Nina thought he
meant the little ferry-boat that RAD to
Weehawken.
Thank you.' she SAID, and new
away. A bell was ringing; she hurried
past the ferry.hou-e, dropping her TWO
cents into the hand of the ferry master
aid the boat WAS of the next moment.
1t did not take long 10 cross the river
and Nina went on shore aud locked
about. A great, good-natured looking
man sat smoking his pipe at the door oi
a shocmaker's shop.
Nina went up to lin and said softly:
Please, sir will you tell me where
Mr. Santa Claus livcs?'
Mr.. Santa Claus p said ths man, in
broken English. Veil. l do not kno"
DOES he keep show or work ut Irade'
You tell me vot be IS, den maybe ire
member him.
Don't you know: l thought every
one knew Mr.. Santa Claus. ssid Nina.
'He-he makes toys for little children.
Sol! said the German 1! so. fas.
know. Go up dis street and along to
The next corner, den you see little
gate. Behind dat YOU fnd de man dot
makes toys tor de children
Nina SAID that she was much obliged.
She lelt tlat people were amiable iu
Germany. and her hopes rose high. She
followed her old Germans direction
and soon came to high fence. There
was gate in it. She lifted the latch
and opened it. and before her was a
low. brown house. Softly she crept up
10 the window. Yes, yes, she had found
Santa Claus at last. There. before the
fire. sal a little fat old man, with white
hair and rosy cheeks, hard at work with
tnrnlpg lathe. An old woman, as
rosy as he was, was gluing pieces OF
wood together with brdsh-toy chairs.
,ables. bedsteads, wagons, milk>maids.
iolnted dolls and at table sat tour
little girls painting away at the finished
Lows with the brightest colors. Oh!
this was delightful, and Santa Claus
and his wife looked 80 kind!
Nina knocked on the door. Some
one cried Herein and she entered.
She stood at the threshold and drop
ned the little courtesy her mother lad
taught her, and said:
please, Mr.. Santa Claus. L want to
sneak to you particularly. It is abou:
Christmas
SO y cried the old genIleman--and
truly he was GOrman-rising. 'But
what did you call me, little ouer
MT. Santa Claus said Mina. I've
been looking for you all day, and poor
mother is so sick. That Is Why want
70 see YOU. You used to como in al
tho window on Christmas eve when she
lived in Germany, and sou always put
something in her shoe, and now che
cannot earn money because she Is sick.
T want YOU 10 come down the chlmnes
and nut enough in her stockings to lssi
until che is well, for father is dead, and
we have nobody who cares for us. And
,ou-oh you are so good, always go-
inc over the roofs on Christmas eve,
aud givisg presents 10 everybody
The child thinks you are Santa
Claus whispered the old German wo-
man in her husbands ear. oh. how
like she is to our htIle Nina, do you no"
see?'
DO YOU speak German, child" said
he old man.
Yes said Nina, it 10 my mothers
LANGUAGE. Yes, speak 1t very WE'LL
And what is your naIne? asked the
old gentleman. -.
Nina Hoffman. Mr.. Santa Claus, II
you please replied Nina.
The old woman caught her husbands
arm.
BE quiet, be quiet Whispered the