The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-12-31
c4R,srmAs AT cAAsE's MILLS.
The comIngof Santa CLAUS Discov-
cred by Uncle Scion.
tsolon Chase in the Lewiston Journal.)

cred by Uncle SCION.
(solon Chase in the Lewiston Journal)
some of the small boys thought Santa
Claus would not come this year but the little
girls had more faith ia the old man and one
of 'em little year old writ this letter to
SANTA CLAUS
addressed to Boston, Mass.
CHAsE's MILLS, Dec. 10. 1886
SANITY / want to see YOU II you cant come.
1t. Winnie wants sled Cora wants bracelets.
Mother wants a sacque SeEi the largest size
you have. Father wants pipe and tobacco and a
new suit of clothes. LIZZIE.
The letter was mailed and il due course of
time the presents began to come in from Bos-
ton, New York and the West-eyen as lar as
San Francisco. Santa Claus does not carry
with him all the presents that make the
hearts of little boys and girls glad, but sends
his goods by mail. As Uncle Sam don't
charge more for long haul than a short
haul, the mails are mighty handy as a means
of communication between Santa Claus and
his Christmas friends We knew he was
coming by the presents he sent. 1t was de-
cided to hold the Christmas festival in I. G.
Burdin's old house. 1t was empty-a family
had just moved out. The old house was Sc
lected because the chimney was big enough
to give Santa Claus free ingress and egress.
The old house was built by Uncle William
Lombard, about sixty years ago, and the
chimney is big enough, if it was laid down
on the ground, to drive a cart and oxen
through it, 1t is one-Story structure, low
in the walls, roomy on the ground, and
stands close to the river In the old kitchen
brick furnace has been built. In the other
two rooms there are large open freplaees
The old house looks venerable. Modern
windows have been put in, The outside
walls, never painted, have been blackened
by the storms of more than half century.
but it is color that don't fade. Uncle VIII
liam Lombard owned the grist mill and
started the wheel hub industry, which has
grown into the large business of I. G. Burdin
Il Son.
don't study last year almanacs much,
but as this Christmas comes round and the
third generation since the old house was
built are reaching for presents ON the Christ
mas tree with their hands and mouth wide
open, old time memories fit across my minds
eye with feelings of sadness not unmingled
with joy. Uncle William raised a large
family OF boys and girls in this old house.
They are now scattered from Quoddy Head
to Puget Sound. The late A. L. Lombard of
Auburn was the Oldest of the family. All
have made their homes away from Chase's
Mills except Mrs. L. q. Burdln.
The old house was put in order for Santa
Claus. The fires We're started the day be-
lore and kept at moderate heat on Christ
mas day so 1t would not be too hot for the
old man to come down the chimney. When
December's four and twentieth day well
nigh Its course had run, a great fire was
built with cord wood on the ice. 1t was ex-
pected Santa Claus would come down the
river on skates and the fire was built on the
ice to light him into the house.
1 or HOY mt ,af,. el-, i
went up river to meet the old man. Each
took brand of fire, and all the dogs Joined
the procession. (Beecher has died since last
Christmas. He was about all the dog we
had at ChaSe's Mills that amounted to much)
The, great fire on the ice gave out heat like
the breath OF an iron shelters furnace The
blaze Lit up the old house and the sky. and
brought out IN bold relief the jagged rocks
ana lclcles that hang down over leagues
Ledge When the lire was stirred up with a
long POLE clouds of sparks danced in circles
overhead, and then took their fight upward
The boys swung their firebrands over their
heads, and yelled like. Arabs. You could
hear the dogs bark and the click of the skate
irons long after the skaters went round the
bend of the river.
They did not meet old Santa Claus. He
got there first. He did not come down the |
river He came down "Jarry' Bog. and
stepped with one stride across the Fish
pasture right into the chimney of the house.
When the boys and dogs returned, the house |
was full ana they could not get in, but Santa |
Claus is white mana little bronzed by |
the weather. He spread himself in a biz |
arm chair and took two youngsters on each |
knee. The first word he spoke was 'sYah, |
yah! This is the best fire l have seen since |
crossed the Iuyder See" He was dressed |
more for comfort than fashion He had ON a |
big bearskin oyercoat that came down to his |
heels, on his feet pair of cowhide boots |
Ara Cushman's best-and no forepiece to |
hlscap. he spoke "Yah Yah-the green |
hack md NM o,.ff l
VIII be Christmas in every home all the year |
round" He always said, yah YAH before |
he spoke. That was his manner of speech. |
There hung from the fur of his coat gay col |
ored trumpets with the names all marked on |
just enough to go around one apiece for the |
twenty-one small boys. The boys were all |
there and stepped up and took their |
trum mp he left dolls and girl trinkets
well he knew that myriads of little
hearts were longing that night to |
see him. With a wisp and he was |
gone. One keen-eyed boy got glimpse |
OF one of his skate irons as he went up the |
chimney. All could hear the rattle Of his |
skates on the bricks as he went out. The |
boys that stood outside saw huge balloon |
lowering around the top of the chimney. |
When the old man got aboard, the balloon |
rose majestically- and steered west-sou'west |
toward Streaked Mountain. As he went up |
he waved his adieu to his friends at Chase's |
Mills, and put his trumpet to his lips and |
blew r0using blast.
The presents were all distributed. MANY |
things of beauty and articles of use Their |
name is legion, and there seemed to be no l
end to them. All the time the twenty-one |
small boys were blowing their trumpets with |
all their might and main Sir John Arthur |
is large boy of his bigness. and he made as |
much noise as any two OF the rest of EN- |
The boys who went to meet Santa Claus, and |
were crowded out of the house. got pres /
ents the same as the rest. The older ones |
were not forgotten. The men had caps and |
REFER coats, the women silver sets and /
sacques Of the largest size. The older peo- |
pie talked, or tried to talk, but the twenty |
one trumpets made such a noise you could |
hardly hear yourself think The more the |
boys were told to stop blowing the more |
they blowed~ To add to the din and confu- |
sion, the men stamped with their cowhide |
boots, and the broad heels of the women's |
shoes came down with the rest. Confusion |
reigned supreme until the boys were |
called to the feast that had been provided |
for them. The large old-fashioned pantry |
was full of victuals,-on the floor. on the /
dresser, and big mince pies were piled on |
every shelf, and every boy could go and help |
himself, besides apples, candy peanuts and |
parched corn in great profusion. There is |
one boy they cali Tinker" He can make |
two boys possibly could eat There was no |
man IN the crowd that enjoyed religion like /
Tinker" While the boys were eating they |
corld not blow their horns, but as soon as |
it again.
II was big day and night for Young
America at Chase's Mills The youngsters |
were so happy that all joined with them in |
their merriment. The hours passed so pleas
antly and swiftly that it was time to 90 |
home before the evening seemed half gone |
At II o'clock nearly all had departed. The |
boys kept blowing their horns on the way |
home, and the melody of the trumpets was |
reflected on the midnight breeze On this |
Christmas night want to say a word to all |
good little boys and girls: Never lose your