The Red Cloud chief., 1882-01-12
HOW SANTA CLAUS CAME To THE
POOR. HOUSE.

HOW SANTA CLAUS CAME To THE
POOR HOUSE.
1t was a roomy, comfortable choking
white house, shaded with apple-trees.
L. stood a few rods back from the main
road, and perhaps that was the reason
that Santa Claus reindeers always
dashed by without giving a single
glance up the lane where the bare old
trees sighed and moaned in the winter
wind. Ii certainly was not because
there were no little children there, for
no less than ten found shelter beneath
this single roof. There was simple
Sue, grown almost to wOman's size, but
a child still, to whom dandelions and
buttercups would always be golden de-
lights. Here her mother had died ten
years before, and her father had not
. even left her the Inheritance of a name.
There were pale-faced Jamie Dyke and
his sister Katie. Farmer Dyke had
drunk up his house and barn, his cattle
and crops, his honor and health, and
when the grave closed over him and his
hcart-broken wife, these sad little or
phans came TO the poor-house to live.
There were Tom and Jack, Mary, Jennie
and Tab, whose histories were all sad
enough, God knows; but | am writing to
tell YOU of two little children who were
To spend their first Christmas i'm this
refuge for the poor--'Little Cap'en,"
rs people called the mite of a hunch-
back boy. who came from his mothers
grave to good Mrs. Hurst 5 sympathiz-
ing care. and who could Just remember
his sailor father and how he had sailed
away in the ''pitty sip;'' and little
Daisy, who had opened her blue ewes
months after the sea-wceds had shroud-
I'd her brave father. A fall early in life
had crippled little Ben and made him
the constant companion of his dearly
loved mother, and his little face grew to
reflect the sadness of hers.
Baby Daisy was like a little sunbeam
that CLEANS and dances upon the wall
Of your darkened parlor. The shutters
are closed, the curtains are drawn, but
there it frisks, defyinS shadows and
darkness. So Daisy had frisked and
danced and sung. Santa Claus had
never forgotten her. though the flour
might be low in the barrel. and the
coal-bin nearly empty. Only one sor-
row had touched her, and ever after
the first few nights of bitter CRYING for
her ''dee mamma" her smiles began to
come back, and her merry laugh made
music in her new home. Every one
loved her. Old Jim, who had drunk
his wits half away. and worn out the
. and patience of his nearest kin.
had ALWAYS a kind word for her; and
,-atIf1 1~,r 81 1-. 1l1..z
and dogs. were cut out by his ready
knife.
Mrs. Hurst felt almost a mothers
love for these little ones, but her heart
had a heavy load of care, and her hands
were very weary with each days work.
Old Aunt Lucy Stone took them into
her withercd arms and broken old heart
at once. The Lord sent 'em. Mrs.
Hurst" she would say, 1.-The Lord sent
EN-" Her faded eyes were very dim
with crying for a graceless boy who had
long since forgotten his mother; but
they looked with sympathy upon every
little creature around her, and fairly
grew bright with glances of love for
these little nes 1t had long been her
sclf-appointed task II act as peace
maker among the Earring, discordant
clements of this heterogeneous family;
and it had come to pass that she bound
up the dirty, cut fingers, bathed the
poor little bruised heads, pitied the
scratches, was sorry for the aches, and
even kissed the battered little beings
about her as if she had been mother to
the whole flock. praying Lucy" the
others called her with q sneer; yet old
Jim wanted Aunt Lucy's "yarb tea"
when his :" rumatiz'' was too much for
him; and growing Mother Moody"
wouldn't let any other nurse come near
her when down with any one of her five
hundred complaints. To teach the
children about her some Christian
prayers was her great delight, and nc
little pauper dropped off into his dreams
without being coaxed into saying some-
thing that passed for a prayer. Aunt
Lucy had seen a great many earthly
hopes fail. but her faith in .'God and
little children was strong.
Thanksgiving came and went at the
pOor-house. 1t was a feast day there.
Mrs. Hurst would have it so; but MANY
q phantom sat at the board. and many
a poor heart was sadder than fasting
could have made it. Christmas grew
near Little Daisy chartered off its
wonders. Santa Claus was coming. He
would bring ''hosses and dogs, and
desses, aud states. and pictures. and
books, and dollies- little bits of black
doilies, and great big dollies
The children listened in wonder. 1t
was an Arabian Nights" tale to them.
As the days few on, the child added to
her PRAYER: "'BeSs Santa Claus, and
make him member everybody"
Every one hated to spoil her little
dream. and Mrs. Hurst was pondering
WAYS aud means for some little Christ
mas when Aunt Lucy took the matter
up. ..Daisy, DEAR" said she one night
when the darkness was settling down,
..Santa won't stop here. darlin'; he
goes right straight by. I've lived here
nigh onto ten years, and he never come
oncem
Not come? The little heart wa al
bursting with grief, but the woman
vi her withnsa6sS words and the
loved. She
mas, all
vet her.
klting
Eprds
rely