The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1883-12-22
SANTA CLAUS AT WORK.
The King Of Christmas in Jolly Good
HumOr.


Come in" said a CHEEKY voice.
A knock at the 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 sleeves
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
the mind of the good old saint. who
would never be recognized as Santa Claus
without his bushy hair and face full Of
whiskers.
For mercy's sake, don't do it, pleaded
the excited caller. You will lose your
identity if you do. Think how many,
many years you have presented Just that
little red nose to view.
II don't count by years, but by Christ
mas tides replied Santa Claus. "but 1
Will spare the whiskers Il YOU think that
nv changed face would frighten the clIii-
dren on Christmas eve.' And n kindly
look that bOded well for the little ones
came into his eyes.
80 yon want TO interview me. eli =
chuckled Santa. Just come into my
store and see what have for your peo-
pie" and he led the way into 4 vast room,
which seemed TO be all outdoors, so big
was it. An army of assistants were hard
at work on their labor of love. For it's
only few days more" chirped Santa.
And the hammers flew and the saws
whiZzed and the forges scattered sparks
of gold. The candy-makers moulded
their wares into tempting shapes, and
the doll-mGkers bent TO their task of
making 30, 10000 speaking dolls.
The workmen 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 mai
dens, for staid married folks, and for the
childhood of old age, were stacked up IN
huge piles, covering acres Of ground,
seemingly in confusion; but they were
not, all being ready for the cunning
hands of the packers.
Then Santa escorted his visitor to his
public office. where his clerks were dash
ing away at correspondence and filling up
great books with the names of children
and the description of presents. Every
land and every tongue were represented.
but il was noticed that the American de-
partment was the largest, and its clerks
were the busiest of the lot. The tele-
phone. which connected with the branch
office, was ringing all the time.
Come and listen to the reports, said
Santa-to the visitor, as he grasped the
transmitter and placed it to his ear, say
ing Hello" IN a very natural manner.
Hello, This is headquarters. Yes.
Santa"
This reply seemed to stagger the man
at the otner end, as the SAINT rarely an
swers any of the hundred telephones.
go ahead,n resumed Santa, give me
full report. Who? Little Jimmy Green,
ha, ha, Been q bad bay, eh? Pulled the
head off the doll / gave his sister last
Christmas. That's bad. Did you ask If
he should be forgotten this Christmas on
account of it? Well, should say not.
Do YOU think l want to lose my reputa-
tionY I'll give him toy pistol. Hold
on minute, I'm called at the Berlin tel
ephone.
Hanging zip the ear-trumpet Santa
Claus tripped To the telephone marked
Berlin
You must excuse me-" said the kind
Old man 10 his caller, ''but am called up
by influential men now and then, who
are really nv agents. Just before YOU
came L had a nice chat with Emperor
William, of Germany, who asked me 10
take care of the German children IN
America"
The popular saint then resumed the
telephone. The agent was telling him
long story which interested Santa very
l.. ,eNr-s.1 Af
ter he had finished, the listener turned
to his guest End said:
MY trusty man on the Pacific coast
has been talking on subject that pains
me every year at this happy season. 1t
is impossible for me to visit every child,
and il grieyes me to think of the many
little worn stockings that are hung up in
my name in which the trusting wearers
find nothing but disappointment on
Christmas Day, the one day of all the
year in which such a thing should not
exist. Now, cannot tend to everything,
and really, / wish when you get back TO
your Office you would inform my able
band of assistants that / shafl depend on
them to look out for many of the child
rem in your city, even If they do no more
than 10 fill them TO the necks with
goodies. Here is a list Of the persons to
whom allude."
This list contains the names Of many
rich men and women which If published
would create a sensation, and many who
have given in secret would gain rep
utation far different from the one they
now enjoy.
why, Santa" exclaimed the visitor,
''do you really mean that these persons
delight to please child life, and will be
willing to assist you this Christmas?
II assuredly do" replied the good old
saint, with tear of gratitude in his eve;
my coming was eagerly looked for by
them when they were young, and the only
way In which they can revive those pleas
ant memories is through the grateful
hearts of other children, made so 10y their
benefcence."
Just then the st. Petersburg telephone
rang out loudly for Santa Clans, the Lon
don telephone Joined in, and then as if
by concerted signal all the bells in the
room chimed merrily. In the midst of
which music the visitor took his de-
parture.