Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-12-16
SANTA CLAUS AND THE CAT.

L.
Kris Kring1e Finds to His Surprise That
Some of His Children Didn't Believe in
Him-No Stockings at the Fireplace.
The snow had settled thickly on the
house-top, ard Santa Claus, who hal
alighted hurriedly from his sleigh, was
unpleasantly conscious that he was get
ding his feet wet. Dear me-" said he,
feeling blindly about in the eight-inth
fail of snow, "this is very distressing.
/ fully believe have lost my way
ITO be sure you have said small,
sleek voice. q And why shouldn't you?
I've lost mine"
''Oh! have youp" continued Santa
Claus. cropping around toward the small
of his back in search of the patent buckle
by which to relieve himself from his
cumbersome load of snow-covered toys;
''then what's to be done?''
''Who are you, anywayr' said the
small, sleek voice.
''Why, bless my heart replied the
other, ''don't you know? Who on earth
would you expect to meet on the roof OF
a house upon Christmas Eve if not
Santa Claus?n
''Well, to tell the exact truth" said
the stranger, Il was expecting to meet
Maria But it's all right; I'm a men,
Der of the Claus family myself. I'm
the Cat"
You don't mean itp'' replied Santa
Claus, who by this time had found the
buckle and had dropped his load of
toys with the dullest kind of thud you
can imagine upon the snow mutfied
roof. ''But come to think of it now,
I've often seen your photograph taken
with a background of CHI mney pots.
It's singular we've never met before"
Not the least bit singular" said the.
Cat, chat you haven't met me. I've
taken care that you shouldn't. You
are add cted to pea-shooters and pop
guns. You also carry silver bells,
strung upon bits of blue ribbon, and,
what is worse, you usually have in stock
a large variety of what are known as
cat S blankets l bear you no personal
animosity, but l have learned that your
Christmas visits are not conducive to
my happiness. 1t was only Christmas
before last that you left for Miss Jessie
blue and white striped flannel gar
ment, bound all around with fine cord
of white leather. You had been careful
to pin upon this article an explanatory
note setting forth that it was
Christmas blanket for Fido, the spaniel.
Fido never wore it. He died from the
ELECTS of Christmas breakfast consist
ing exclusively of fig paste. wore that
blanket, and | carry the mark of it's
grth upon the fur of my stomach to
this day. You also left upon that occa-
sion small bow and several blunt
headed arrows for Master Fred; at least
YOU said they were for Master Fred.
though he decided the arrows were for
me- It's all right now, however. and
! bear you no malice. You'll find no
CHI ,ldren here this night
mo children?" repeated Santa Claus.
in dismay. 'Why, | have sack of
things for Jessie and Fred. F."
Spare yourse' the trouble" said the
Cat, arching her back to such an angle
as to make it almost impossible for the
snow flakes to find Judgment upon it.
''They' re not expecting you. The truth
is they don't believe in you. know it
has rude sound to tell an old gentle
man so to his face, but they think you
are only Vague Tradition"
BLESS my heart said Santa Claus.
again shaking the clustering snow from
h 5 bundle of toys; ''you alarm me-
Il don't wonder" rejoincd the Cat
"but just fancy my position in the
household. Day after day am COM
PEELED to sit in speeches. amazement
at the arrogant ignorance that is dis
played beneath this roof, and not by the
children alone, for / assure you, good
sir, that 1 am daily compelled to listen
to assertions from older people. which
make me vince as though about three
inches of my tail had been unexpectedly
run through rubber clothes-wringer, -
This is indeed an age of scepticism,
broke in Santa Claus. Il suppose it is
not generally believed that my reindeers
have magic hoofs.'
No." replied the Cat; 'nor even
that blessings have nimble wings; such
blessings. for instance, as faith and hope
and trust-the sweet possessions of in
nocent childhood. Surely if this were
believed and understood. your term of
sovereignty over the children would be
as long as parents could make it.
The snow mad now ceased falling and
old Santa Claus, KIN ting his shaggy
eyebrows, bent forward to obtain n
better view of his philosophical COM
panion. .Biess my heart said he,
..have been dreaming9 l see no Cat.
It's only the queer-shaped chimney-pot,
creak ng in the wind. Ho.ty-toity,, l
think I'm growing DID, So saying. he
swung himself, bundle and all, up to
the top of the chimney, and. with
little chuckle that echoed softly like the
sound of mothers kiss through the
snowy air, dropped out of sight. Five
minutes lat r his big fur hood came
slowly up out of the chimney into the
frosty night. 1.-The Cat was right.
said he, as he clambered down upon the
roof and into his sic gh. There were
no stockings at the fireplace. The chill
dren's belief in Santa Claus is gone.
What next? What next?'-N P. Bah
cock in " 7. World.