Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-06-29


presents to Susy Briggs. Good
BY, "Klrrn BEsr."
Kittie folded the letter up and
put 1t in I'm envelope, and printed
Santa Claus name in very large.
plain letters on the outside.
She wheeled the great easy chair
up to che window, and sat down
to rest.
1t was beginning to grow dark,
but the sleigbs were flying just as
merrily as ever She wished
Fred would come home and take
her down to Mace's toy shop;
and perhaps she might see Santa
| Claus
Just then a sleigh came rather
slowly along by the window, with
an occupant that caught Kittie's
eye in an instant. And at the
| arst al.nce her heart give o great
|tbump! For il was little old
gentleman who sat in the sleigh,
and his face was exactly like
| Santa Claus face in her picture
book--a round, good-natured
face, with rosy cheeks, and
twinkling black eyes.
Kittie didn't pause for a second
thought, but with her letter in
her hand rushed out of doors
Tho little old gentleman stopped
his horse when he saw her, and
Kittie, though almost out oil
breath, damaged to gasp out:
Here's letter for your and put
it into his hand Then turned
aud ran back to tho house.
The little old gentleman looked
puzzle.l; still more SO when he
read the superscription. But at
last he cbuckled good-nat uredly, |
o glimmer Of the truth seeming to |
strike him.
$50 the child took me for Santa |
Claus!" he said to himself, and
he opened Kittie's letter and read
it.
Gary some presents to Susy |
Briggs, eh?" he said to himself
"A pretty queer thing to take a
forlorn old bachelor like me, who
never had anybody to give Christ
mas presents to, for Santa Claus!
Susy Briggsl Well. I don't know
but that / may AS well take Miss
Kittie Bent's advice, and carry
hersomething. Susy-- and Briggs,
too" he went on, musingly. ut
is a little singular, but, of course,
it isn't possible that that little
sister OF mine. who ran off and
got married to that poor scamp Of
Briggs, should turn up in this
out of-ths- way place, when I've
hunted half over the world for
her in the last ten years. No, of
course it isn't possible But I'll
carry Susy Briggs some presents
for her name, any way, and so
that Kittie Bent's faith in Santa
Claus needn't be shaken /"
SO tho little old gentleman
whipped up his horse until he
came to dry goods store, and
then he bought o beautiful plaid
dress, a warm shawl, a pai- of
boots, a sled and a beautiful,
great wax doll.
When he had got all the bund-
les into his sleigh he started in
search OF Cherry lane.
He had made up his mind that
IL the little girl, Susy Briggs her
self, came to the door, he would
pretend to her that he was Santa
CLAUS, and drop the bundle in her
arms and beat retreat as rapidly |
as possible.
But when little Susy Briggs did
come TO the door, at the first sight
Of her face he seemed to forget
himself entirely, and stood look
ing fixedly at her until she was
half frightened.
'I-I-Kittie Bent asked mo to
bring you this and I want to see
your motherl" he stammered
just then Susy's mother APP
peared in the entry, and an in
slant, after one startled glance |
into the gentleman's face, she
was sobbing for JOY on his shoul- |
der, and be was calling her "Susy |
his little sister Susyl" while |
little Susy looked on with wide- |
open, wondering eyes, thinking |
her mother must be crazy And |
she was almost beside herself |
with delight at finding the brother
whom she had never expected to
see again; and he, on his part,
was not less delighted to find the |
sister he had sought for 30 long
in vain. He wouldn't consent to
their staying in that cold, dreary |
old house even for one night, but |
insisted on their going to the
hotel with him, and than they |
spent o merry Christmas eve you
may be sure.
Uncle James lid not forget
Kittie Bent The next morning |
there was brought to the door
large box. with hole in it to
let in the air, with "Kittie Bent,
with theresI ects Of Santa Claus"
written upon it, and what should
lit contain buttwo beautiful truly |
rabbits" with pink eyes! Kittie
was n little disappointed when
she found that Santa Claus was
Busy Briggs uncle; but when she
understood it all, she was more |
liroud than if it had really been
Sinta Claus who had read her