Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-01-19

"Well. what did you get from Santa
Claus asked the groceryman of the bad
boy - he came in the grocery with big
blue necktie, on which was pinned piece
of beer glass cut in imitation of diamond.
Santa Claus must have remembered you
splendidly." and the groceryman handed
the boy sour orange.
20, DON talk To me about Santa Claus"
said the boy as be bit into the orange, and
then went TO the vinegar barrel and drew
some vinegar in glass and took swsl-
low to sweeten the taste of the orange.
do you know I wonder there is boy in
this whole world that does not grow up to
be first-class liar. when they have their
parents lie TO them the first seven years
Of their lives about santa Claus? What
can a child think. when told that it is
wicked to lie, and then find out that its
parents have been lying TO it about the
Santa Claus business. Do you know |
have watched tor Santa Claus to come
down ehimneys. and when | asked how
such big fellow could come down such
a small hole, and crawl through a stove
pipe. pa would tell me that Santa Claus
was made OF India rubber, and was blowed
Dt
wind out, and then he would be small
enough to get into a gimlet hole. When
| found that Santa Claus was fraud, and
accused pa of deceiving me. he got hot
and said I was too smart for my boots"
30. that is all right, but what did you
get?" said the groceryman.
Il got nice enough things, but | have
not got them now. ! traded off q 10. of
my things for presents tor some boys
down our way that didn't get anything.
made a change in the Christmas tree busi-
hess at our church. You see, they have
been in the habit OF getting all the chill
dren together the night before Christmas
and having Christmas tree, and it is
cruel on the poor children. The rich par
ents put expensive presents on the trees
for their children, and the poor children
get ten cent whistle, or a popcorn ball,
or an orange. The poor children began
to think Santa Claus showed partiality and
that he was in the employ of the rich folks
and they were beginning to get sour on
Santa Clause. but this time me and my
chum sold all the presents we had at home
and went and bought whole lot of nice
things for the poor boys, and when the
man began to distribute the presents. and
the poor boys had their mouths made up
for popcorn balls and they got club skates
and fur caps. and nice warm mttens,
they yelled so the minister was afraid the
church would be pulled as disorderly
house. Inever had so much fun in my
life. as did to see those poor boys rake
in the presents. All have got left is this
necktie and alum diamond, but the fun
had makes this forty-cent diamond look
as bright to me as though it was the
Kohinoor. DO you known what Kohinoor
isP 1t is the biggest diamond in the
world
That's good boy," said the grocery
man. as he shaded his eyes to look at the
bad boys diamond. and then wet his finger
and touched the diamond and put the fin
ger on his tongue to see if it tasted of
alum. but there is one thing want to
talk TO you about. saw you jump on a
hose cart and ride with the firemen at the
fire last night. and your pa said you was
hanging around the engine house good
deal. Now. you want to let up on that.
Those firemen are pretty tough, and you
will he spoiled if you 60 with them.
wouldn't have anything to do with them,
or you will bring your fathers gray hairs
in sorrow to the grave. Firemen are hard
citizens"
when was this that firemen were hard
citizensp" asked the boy Indignantly.
They are just as good citizens as you
are. II your grocery gets on fire down
cellar from the Kerosene barrel, what do
you do ?" Do you go down cellar and put
it out' Nav, you don't. You grab your
insurance policy and light out. and the
firemen come and they 20 right down into
your subterranean hell of burning kero-
sene. and squirt water till they are over
come by the smoke. when their partners
drag them out by the legs, and others take
their places. and they keep up the fight
till your property is saved. when you
come back and kick because they tipped
over barrel of apples. They rush into
burning buildings and save the lives of
women and children. DO they do it for
paya Nav. All they get is S75 month,
and you pay that much to the man who
drives your grocery wagon. There is not
fireman who gets as much salary as
street-car conductor, in any city in the
country. and the firemen are the bravest
men that live. Why gol darn you. YOU
have not got as much sense as a calf"
but hold on. Hennery. Hear me-" and
the groceryman tried to stop the bad boy
Get out. am ashamed to know you.'
says the boy. "You and pa have always
told me that we should honor the brave.
How do you do it? You pay fireman
who risks his lite every time he runs TO a
fire. 'ust enough t. board and clothe him.
and when he is PLAYED out and sick he is
discharged and you forget him. Every
time an alarm sounds fireman takes
chances of not getting back to the engine
house alive. He protects your property
and your life. and now you tell me he is a
bad man. would like to see you Jump
up at an alarm of fire, slide down pole
with your pants half on, and get on an en-
gine and be driven over rough pavement
halt mile. Your hair would turn gray
with fright the first time. tell you city
ough, to pay tiremen S400 month. and
pension them when they get their lungs
busted. or get breke up, and support their
families. Firemen ought to be loved and
respected. and lionized. instead of having
old idiuts call them bad men," and the
bad boy took out his handkerchief and
rubbed his diamond and stood on the front
steps to fash it in the eyes OF his girl as
she came in after mackerel, but she