Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-12-23

She sat up after a while, and then
she saw a light twinkling from a little
hollow just below. It was bright and
winking like million of little tapers,
or whole room full of glow-worms,
and she thought she would creep for
ward and find out what it was.
She did so. Such wonderful sight
she had never seen before. The hollow
was lined like nest with green
and brown moss and soft yellow
grasses. It was so light that she could
see every blade, and the fiery points of
the cup-mosses; and the light came
from torches, each about the size of a
pin, worn in the caps of myriads and
myriads of tiny fays, who were flying
to and fro, and chattering and cluster
ing together like a swarm of bees.
Thousands and thousands of them, and
every moment more came from now
where in particular that Ellie could see.
They just appeared and took their part
in the general hubbub.
But by far the greatest st was going
on about a messy nook at little dis
tance where sat three old men. Great
pine-torches were stuck into the trees
| above their heads and showed them
plainly. One had seat little higher
than the others, and was taller and
more dignified. His face was sweet
and solemn, and looked at least a
thousand years old, but his eyes had all
the fire of youth, and seemed never to
have been weary or ever shed a
tear. the other two were stout and
hurry, with snow-white boards, and
faces pink and round like schoolboys.
trimmed with lamb 's-wool. The other
had great fur-lined wrapper. Both
carried pointed caps on their heads,
from under which their little eyes
twinkled brightly. Around them on
the ground lay heaps and heaps of
things-clothes. books, sugar-plums,
rocking-horses, dolls, drums, whistles,
great piles of coal, fat turkeys, smok-
ing-hot pies with savory crusts-every
kind of thing that you can think of!
All these they were packing away as
hard as they could into great bags.
and as soon as one was filed, two or
three thousand fays would seize and
drag it off to place behind the bushes,
tinkling of bells, and sound as of ami
mails stamping the ground. Ellie
looked very hard, and thought she
could make out in the dim light pair
OF horns above the bushes. but she was
not sure.
But neither the fays nor the torches
nor even the mysterious sounds at
tracted her as did the face of the beau
tiful old man in the midst. 1t was SO
sweet and kind that it seemed impossi-
bic to keep away from him. Almost
before she knew it she had made few
timid steps forward, and was standing
in the middle of the hollow. The fays
espied. her first. With csies and
shrieks of laughter like tipsy bells, they
clustered about and drew her gently
along and she was close to the larger
group. A myriad tiny voices began
explaining, but the grand old man held
out his hand, and with look COM
manded silence.
II know all, dear little one," he
said; Il heard thy steps in the wood
path, and sent the elves but now to
break thy fall, Thou knowest me not,
but know thee. Thou art one of my
children. Dost thou not guess my
name? am Father. Christmas
"Oh! yes, dear Father Christmas, I
know thee well,' cried Ellie in rapture,
and she kissed the hand so aged, yet
so unwrinkled.
Father Christmas smiled. we'll
pleased.
"And these are my sOns;' he went on.
This is Kris Kringle. Thou hast heard
of him? He takes my gifts to all the
little beloved ones of German-land and
to the Hollandcrs. Once, long time
since, he used to carry toys across the
sea to the children in Manhattan, but
it was far to 60, and now my son Santa
Clans takes that business off his hands.
They are good boys. both of them, but
they are young-quite YOUNG
care they much younger than you?'
asked Ellie: t: Are you very DID, dear
"Going on two thousand,' replied
Father Christmas with genial laugh
| "But feel youhg as ever. Hast thou
not !; something in thy pack for this dea'
child. Kris Krinele?'
eyes, indeed" cried the old ''boy'
at his side. '.See, little one-this-and
this-and this and he held up a doll
book of beautiful pictures, and a fa
goose with its legs tied ready for thu
spit. And these stockings are for thy
grandmother, he went on, as he hud
died them into his bag; "but neither
she nor you must have them before th'
time comes. shall leave them on M,
way back from town. Many, many
; people are waiting for me there"
''ADd for me- said Santa Claus
''They are getting ready even now il
England. The stockings are hung up
and the children have begged to q
early to bed that they may wake th'
sooner. The ringers are collecting il
the cburch-towers and blowing upol
their fingers that they may be warn
to make the bells peal merrily. Ant
the little American boys and girls ar
waiting. Soon they too will be tucket
up. / must be off. a.
I "And have you done your work, M
, fays?' asked Father Christmas.
I'VE have painted all the window
in the world with pictures, answered
, some. '.and they are all about Christ
mass; crosses and evergreen bough
; and spires so delicate and beautiful
Now if people only were not stupid
They will wake NJ Tomorrow aud Sc
, them. and neve., e:.ess what is meant
There is fir-bcagE OH your little pane,
, nodding to Ellie. &
Il "And / have .;ess, round and tucke'
j | the children up 81 over the world,
j said another. And kissed the bahie
so that they shall sleep like dormic
s while their mammas trim the nursery
j Not one isawake II al tho cradles, .ez