Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-01-09
A LITTLE GIRL "SANTA CLAUS
The Days Christmas Tree. and Who
Planned and Made 1t.

Planned and Made 1t.
At the very tip-top of q very long hill
stands a big white house; and at the
foot of the hill stands a little house
| which the winds and rain and sun have
painted black.
Mrs. Deane, who lives in the big white
house, has one little girl, and Mrs. Day,
who lives in the little black house. has
three.
Every Monday morning the three lit
tie Days tug a big basket up the long
hill to the white house, after the weekly
'swash;' and every Thursday afternoon
they tug it up again, filled with clothes
US sweet and clean us sweet and clean
can be. For Nora and Mamie and Bess
have no papa, and their m has to
work early and late to earn clothes for
their growing bodies, and bread enough
to fill their hungry little mouths. Some
times there isn't enough.
Now | have come to the story.
1t was the week before Christmas,
and little May Deane, in the pretty sit
ting-room of the house on the hill, was
chatting to her mamma and Dicky, the
canary, about Santa Claus, and what
she was sure he would bring her, when
there came a knock at the door.
1t was Thursday afternoon, and Nora
and Mamie and Bess had brought home
the clothes.
Mrs. Deane asked them in to wait for
the basket; and when they were in
Dicky sang for them, and May kept up
her chatter, tipping her head sideways,
and looking like a canary herself, with
yellow curls and bright eyes.
"What do you suppose Santa Claus
will bring you?" asked she.
The little Days stared very hard at
each other and at May. Nora answered;
she is the oldest:
"We don't know who he is"
1t was Mays turn to stare. In all
her life she had never before found any
body who didn't know Santa Claus.
"Then who gives you things Christ
mas?" asked she.
1--WE don't have any," answered
Nora, "'thout's sometimes we get our
winter shoes then"
"Nhy, don't you hang up your stock
ings?:"
1O, Stlu 1NOIds
''Nor have any Christmas tree ever?:"
May asked.
"No," said Nora again; and then
Mrs. Dean came back with the basket,
and the three little Days made three
little courtesies and went away.
May stood at the window and watched
them 60 down the snowy road. Her
face was very sober:
Mamma she asked, .swhv don't
Santa Claus ever 60 to their house?"
perhaps the chimney's too small for
him." answered mamma, with a smile.
cit isn't a chimney at all; it's a
stove-pipe," said May. "May be it is
too small"
She looked out of the window for a
long time, without speaking. At last
she said:
Don't you s'pose he'd 90 there this
year if l wrote him q letter and asked
him TOP"
Perhaps" mamma answered, .if he
had gifts enough in his pack"
'lt he hadn't, mamma, he needn't
come here"
Mamma smiled. '.Thcn 1 think he
might" she said. But the .stove-pipe
how could he manage that?"
May thought a moment. Then she
clapped her hands and whirled about
like a live top, spinning right up to her
mothers side at last.
so, mamma, mammal she cried.
'let me be their Santa Claus and make
'em a tree, like the one Aunt Bella
made for me last year, and Hooked in
the par1or and caught her tying on tie
oranges! 0, mamma, can't i, pIeasea-
with strings Of popcorn and candy-horns
md apples? And then l won't care if
Santa Clans, che rcally-truly Santa Claus,
mamma, doesn't como here. Can't |,
please?"
AND mamma kissed hc1 little daugh-
ser lips. Il think yoS cam" said She.
you may ask papa about it,"
II just the same's know he'll say I