Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-12-17
SANTA CLAUS AT WORK
The King of Christmas in Jolly
Coed HumOr.
A Peep Into His Mammoth Factory Busy
Hands Working for Little
New ioIfers.
". J. journal.
P IN. y said a chcery voice


door marked Private Office of Santa
Claus" had ELECTED this hearty response.
The visitor entered the room. Good
old Santa Claus stood in his shirt
-leeves mixing lather.
Why what are you going to do?"
was the spontaneous query of the visi-
tor.
SHAVE" was the lacOnic reply.
The direful consequences that would
arise from such an act had not entered
Il e mind of the good old saint, who
would never be recognized a. Santa
{ laus without the bushy hair and face
uil of wLiskers.
"For mercy's sake, don't do it,"
pleaded the excited caller. "GOu will
:ose your identity if you d.. Think how
many, many years you have presented
u>t that little red nose to view"
IL don't count by years, but by
Ihristmastides," replied Santa Claus,
"UuI | Will spare the whiskerS if you
think that my changed face would
:rghten the children
On Chrisimns Eve"
And kindly look that BODIED well for
TIE little ones came into his eyes.
$50, you're from New York, eh""
81 u kled santa. Just come into my
Lore and see what have for your peO-
p.e and he led the way into u vast
so big was il. An army of assistants
were hard at work on their labor of
love. "For its only q few DAYS more"
chirped Santa. And the hammers flew
and the saws whizzled aud the FORCES
scattered sparks of gold. The candy
makers moulded their wares into
tempting shapes, and the dOll-makers
bent TO their task of making 30, 900
speaking dolls in two weeks time.
The big sleigh was undergoing re-
pairs, one of the rumOrs having been ill.,
Jured last Christmas eve in crossing the
roof a big French flat. In cold outer
room eight beautiful reindeer were
browsing amid snow and ice. They
were in splendid condition, and greeted
Santa { laus with snOrts Of delight.
"iney know that
Chrisimas IL Coming"
laid the old saint, "and are eager to be
up ami away" 81 saying, he latted
them on their noses AID then led the
way back 10 the wOrE-ToOm.
The Gorkmen did not shirk when
Santa Claus was away, but his presence
gave them new vigor, and the amount
of work they did was astonishing.
Presents for babes, for little boys and
little girls, for larger children, for
young men and maidens, for staid mar
ried folks, and for the childhood OF old
age were stacked up III huge piles cover
ing acres Of ground, seemingly in con-
fusion; but they were not, all being
ready for the cunning hands OF the
packers. From the appearance Of things
the coming Christmas will be even hap
pier than OF old.
Then Santa escorted his visitor to his
public office, where his clerks were
dashing away at correspondence and
filling up great books with the names
Ofchldren and the description of pres
ents. Every land and every tongue
were represented, but it was noticed Iltat
the New York department was the
largest, and its clerks were the busiest
of the lot. The telephone, which con
nected with the branch office in Central
Park, was
Ringing all the Time.
"COne ana listen to the reports from
your city, said santa to the visitor, as
ne grasp,d the transmitter and place it
TO his ear, saying Hello" in very ma
tural manner.
"Hello. This is headquarters. Yes.
santa Claus
This reply seemed to stagger the man
at the other end, as the saint rarely
answers any of the hundred telephones.
500 ahead" resumed Santa, "give
me a full report. Who? Little Jimmy
Green, ha, ha, Been a bad boy, eh?
Pulled the head OFT the doll | gave his
sister last Christmas.s That's bad. Did
YOU ask ifhe should be forgotten this
christmas on account of it: Well, |
should say not. Do you think l want
% lose my reputation? I'll give him a
TOW pi>tol. Hold on minute, I'm cal
led at the Dublin telephone"
Hanging up tue ear-trumpet Santa
Claus Iripped to the telephone marked
"Dubliun aud called:
"WhO's there? On, is 1t you, Mr.
Parnell? WHAT am | going to do fol-
the Irish children? IfyOu could Sc
the pile l have here for them you'd
think / was going to kill them with
kindness. What's that: Put SONS
dynamite in ODonOvan BoSsa's stock
ing? Who's he2 Oh. Nlnety-eighI
ofim
"You must excuse me" said the KIND
old man to his caller, "out | an called
I'D by influential men now and then
VINO are really my agents. Just hetor,
YOU came in l haG q nice chat witt
Emperor William, Of Germany, wh'
asked me to take care OF the German
children in America"
The Popular Saint
then resumed the telephone. The agen
was telling him long story which in
terested Santa very much, as his eX'
carnations attested. After he had fin
ished, the listener turned to his CUES
and said:
"My trusty man in Central Park ha
been taking oil subject that pains M
every year At this happy season. Ii L
impos sible for me to visit every child IL
New y rk City, and it grieves me q
think Of he many little Worn stocking
| that a! e hung up IN my name in whlcl
the trusting wearers find nothing bu
disappointment Oh Christmas Day, tn
one day in 81 the year in which such
| thing should not exist. Now, csnno
attend to everything, and, really,
wish when you get back to town yo
would inform my able band Of assist
ants that l shall depend on them to loo
out for many of the children in tn
lower wards, even if they do no NOR
than fill them to the necks with goodies
Here is list of the persons to whom
allUde."
This list contains the names of man.
| r;ol, man opd uomeD which if nh blishe