Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1885-12-24

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! thized with our anxiety, for we were
seated around the table half an hour
/ earlier than usual
/ Just as papa had finished saying
grace, Hilda came rushing in from
the hall, her big blue eyes fairly stand
ing out of her head with excitement.
"Ohl I've seen Santa Claus I've
seen himl I've seen Santa Claus Oh,
papa, Santa Claus is in the hall by the
hat-stand. / saw him p she continued,
turning 20 papa, and evidently want
ing to convince one member of the
/ party.
Papa jumped 10 his feet. "A sneak
theft he exclaimed, running into the
! hall
We all followed, only too glad to
have an excuse for finishing break
| fast in such short order But in the
hall there were no signs of any body
| having been there, except that IN the
corner lay Toms stocking, bulky, and
| looking as if it might contain pres
ents for the whole family. Tom seized
it with a shout of delight, and pro
ceeded to empty it. But what a sur
prisel An old oversnoe, single
glove, mothers pincushion, some
candy and coal ciuders mixed to.
gether paper weight from the Ii
brary table, and an ink bottle, which
came uncorked as Tom drew it out,
and spilled the contents all over the
carpet. We were at a loss to under
stand the meaning Of this, but Uncle
Jack looked at papa in sort Of comic
despair, and there was an '1-told-you-
so' expression on pApa's face that
made us think they knew more about
| II.
Hilda in the meantime kept insist
| ing that she had seen Santa Claus
Suddenly an idea seemed To strike
her.
Il know l sSw Santa Claus" she
exclaimed Gle was standing on the
bat stand, and he had on fur coat,
and, oh, papa, he put letter in your
overcOe, pocket"
Papa wlnked at Uncle Jack and
thrust his hand carelessly ia his over
coat. lie took 1t out again with an
exclamation Of surprise, holding in il
a square envelope Hurriedly he drew
out the letter and crisp new green
back fell tothe floor
Where ON earth do you suppose
the creature found it9' he exclaimed,
turning to Uncle Jack.
81 am sure | don't know; but now
you have your bill, we had better tiAd
Ire creature before he does any more
harm, said Uncle Jack.
81 don't think he has done any
harm, answered papa. III forgive
him a good many tricks for this. "
But it was not necessary to search
for the Creature, for Hilda came
running out of the parlor, exclaim-
ing, "Santa Claus is fixing the Christ
mas tree.
"We'd better Gx him before ne
fixes it any more remarked Uncle
Jack, as he walked into the parlor
! There ON the top OF the big Christ
mas tree sat Hilda's Santa Claus
one of the most comical looking Bra
lillian monkeys you ever saw. He
/ made faces at US, and spiiefully
threw bit OF candle at Tom; but
catching sight OF Uacle Jack, he
\ sprsng down on TO hlS shoulder aud
sat there staring at the rest Of us with
the gravity OF n Judge,
IhlS Is your 0nflAIInaS from me-
said Uncle Jack, sroking the mon
keys long tail, which was twisted
around his neck like tippet II did
intend to wait until after breakfast be
fore ] brought him out, but he took
the law 10 his own hands and played
Santa Claus before / knew it,
An. to very good purpose, too, y
said father.
Lets call him Santa Claus" !
suggested, and Santa Claus he was
from that day. He soon learned his
name, and was very good to mind.
| mast say to his credit that he was q
living contradiction 10 the stories
about the ill-temper Of monkeys. lie
was as docile and affectionate as a
dog, and bis mischief was seldom ma
liclous. Ii great delight was to put
things in peoples pockets, and while
it embarrassed papa, who was ilrm
hater of tobacco, 10 pull out hall
dozen cigars in the street when he
used his haI dkerchief; or if Uncle
jack was trhs angry 10 find when
out sleighing one day, instead Of his
gloves. a pair Of baby's stockings, yet
this was all forgiven in remembrance
Of the time when he so successfully
played Santa Claus.