News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1881-12-22
A HUNT FOR SANTA CLAUS
A Story for Children.

One wintry day little Nina arose il
the morning and found that her mothe.
was not yet up. This was strange, fol
the sun was high and his beams fel
aslant through the high garret window
upon the bare floor. The stove was colo
and the coffee pot stood empty on the
shelf. Nina laughed at the thought
that she had walked before her mother
She slipped on her blue woolen dress
her large checked apron, her knitted
stockings, and her thick shoes anG
having washed her face, and braided hel
hair in two tight little pigtails, crept
around to her mothers bed, intending
to kiss her awake. But her mothers
eyes were wide open, her cheeks were
red, and her hair was tossed about on
the pillow.
"Oh, my child" she cried, as she
saw her little girl, "what shall we dc
now? 1 am i'll. I have fever of some
sort. My head is as heavy as if it was
made of lead. / am not even able tc
rise, much less to go about my work.
We shall starve together, you and I,
poor, unhappy widow and orphan that
we are."
"Oh, no, mother" said Nina, "we
need not starve. 1 can make the coffee,
and go and buy the bread and sausages. .
"Child child-l'' cried the mother,
every soon there viii be no money to
buy anything. I have felt myself break
ing down for a week. / have no hope
now. 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 fair cheeks ; but she soon went to
the stove, and kindled the fire, and dmade
the coffee, as she had seen her mother
do it.
"The coffee will do you good, moth
err" she said. But the poor, sick mother
was too feverish to taste it.
Then, indeed, Nina felt that every
thing was wrong.
christmas time Christmas time p
repeated 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 Christ
mas would come. She had looked for
ward to it so. She had hoped to find in
her stocking a wax doll with blue eyes,
and candy basket full of sugar plums,
at least; but she would not care for
them if her poor mother were so sick.
Child, go to the old doctor" said
the poor mother. "Go tell him to
come quickly must be made well if
he can do it Col Cor
Nina put on her hood and away she
ran. The good German doctor came
back with her, and felt his poor coun-
try washerwoman's pulse, wrote pre-
scription, and patted little Nina on the
head, and bade her take care of her
mother. But though the child took
nearly all the small purse to pay for the
powders 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.
sit was Christmas time when I ran
rway with your father" she said, with
the quick speech Of fever. ''My father
did not like him, nor my mother either.
They bade him come no more; 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 fol
leaving you, my little girl, it would seem
best for me that am going to him.
Christmas Oh, in Germany, at home
in Germany, we always had Christmas
tree, and we sat together in the parlor,
and the window lifted and jolly ole
Saint Nicholas came in. He gave us
gifts and toys of all sorts. We were
glad, and yet frightened. Our wooden
shoes were set in row on the hearth a.
night. In each we found some gift
Such a supper dancing music |
wonder whether my old father is dead
whether my old mother lives whether
they forgive me?"
She wept, but little Nina sat think
ing. She thought of Santa Claus-olt
Saint Nicholas, the good Christmas
friend of all good children-he who
would come down the chimney, or IN a
the window, with any gift he pleased
Surely if he was so good to her mother
when she was little girl, he would re-
member her now that she was sick. Bu
how was he to know? He could, il ht
pleased, give her mother plenty o.
money. OF that she felt certain. Bu
how was one to find him
Mother" she said, "where does
Santa Claus liver"
The poor mother was fast growing
delirlous.
"Whas did yoR askf" che said