Morning journal and courier., 1880-12-17
Price Four Gents.
For the JOURNAL AND ooUnrzn.l

For the JOURNAL AND CoUR1ER.l A Message to Happy Children-From the
 Poor Children's Saint Nicholas. Yes darlings, I'm poor old man-but near relation, Of good friend old Santa Claus long life to him
 and youl Perhaps you think he wouldn't own a shabby chap Perhaps you think that I'm a cheat Just wait
 awhile and seei 'Tis true that cannot afford to keep sleigh, my But you may ask my character of folks I've known 'Tis true they're mostly shabby folks whom hunger And I confess, not all of them approved of by the They sometimes stand at Christmas time and gaze While Santa Claus from roof to roof of rich mems They hang their ragged stockings up and watch the
 whole night through I fear they'll find them:.empty, dears; that's why I Now Cousin Santa Claus himself my reputation And he gives all he has to spare of his out And sometimes, when his reindeer sleigh is full and
 running OCT, He drops the surplus round for me at some poor cot
 tage door. We're in the stocking business, both he and l. you And he conducts the higher branch, but leaves the His stockings are for little feet that walk in pleasant With dainty shoes worn over them. Now that's the
 branch that pays" But mine mostly Open-work about the heels and For little feet that walk mong thorns, or trudge
 through rain and snows oh darlings, if only knew how cold such feet
 be, You'd pull your nice warm stockings of and give
 them straight to mel My cousin, in his reindeer sleigh goes flying fast and
 far, And up the loftiest chimneys climbs homes where Where children. sleeping soft and warm. in by
 mothers hand Lie dreaming of the wondrous things that come from
 Christmas Land. But go trudging in the lanes and through the mar
 rowest street, And many little tracks I find of bare and wounded An, darlings, then I think of Him, our Christmas
 child, and pray
 Christmas day. Up many crooked, winding stair. that creaks be- I climb to visit little ones who have no cozy bed. But lie half frozen all night long. and dream of That pass them by and heap their store on happier
 girls and boys. And sitting there. sometimes find by poor can Some mother, nearly blind with tears who sews the
 nve-long night To gain bit Of Christmas cheer to brighten up the And bring geam of Christmas joy to her poor dar-
 hngs face If could what great delight the smallest gift
 bestows When slipped in stockings that have holes where
 yours have heels and toes- If you could read the wistfuI face of neglected
 child, I'm that with your bounteous gifts my basket
 would be piled I'll tell you something very strange. You see my When it's well filled it seems to me to be as light as
 air, But when it's emptied get through all my Christ
 mas rounds, It feels so heavy that it to weigh thousand
 pounds That's out of my arithmetic. think you start. We'll, well, it is not in the book I learned it from
 my heart; And here's Christmas sum- from which both great
 and small may gain,- Cite haf pleasant thing atoay,-ttco pleasant things
 remain. Thank God that givng wins grace and doubles all
 the store Thank Him that with a few bright drops the poor
 mans cup runs oeri Thank Him who gave the Christmas child, with love
 enough for all On those who have and those who need, a Christmas
 blessing fall Well filled be every stocking, dears. and with this
 wish close. The best of sermons, if too long, will make good
 children doze. And though stockings ragged ba, for this we
 won't repine If only through the open-work some Christmas
 bounty shine