The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1886-12-23
A Talk With Santa Clans.


One Christmas eve Joel Baker was
IN a most unhappy mood. He was
lonesome and miserable; the chimes
making merry Christmas music out
side disturbed rather than soothed
him; the jingle of the sleigh bells fret
ted him, and the shrill whistling of
the wind around the corners of the
house and up and down the chimney
seemed to CRATE harshly on his ears.
"Humph, "said Joel, YEARLY, "Christ-
mas is nothin' to me; there was g.
time when it meant great deal, but
that was long ago-tifty years is a
long stretch to look back over. There
is nothin' IN Christmas, now, nothin'
for me at least; it is so long since San.
ia Claus remembered me that ven
ture to say7 he has forgotten that
there ever was such person as Joel
Baker in all the world. 1t used to be
different; Santa Claus used to think a
great deal OF me when was q boy.
An! Christmas nowadays amt what
it was in the good old time-no. not
what it used to be-
AS Joel was absorbed in his distress
ing thoughts he became aware very
suddenly that somebody was entering
or trying to enter the room. First
came draft OF cold air, then a scra-
ping, grating sound, then strange
shuttling, and then-yes, then, all at
once, Joel saw a pair OF fat legs and a
still latter body dangle down the
Chimney, followed presently by O. long,
white beard, above which appeared a
Jolly red nose and two bright twink
ling eyes, while over the head and
forehead was drawn a fur cap, white
with snowaakes.
"Ha, ha," chuckled the fat. iollv
stranger, emerging from the chimney
and standing we'll to one side of the
hearthstone; ha, ha, they don't have
the big, wide chimneys they used to
build, but they can't keep Santa Claus
out no, they can't keep Santa Claus
out! Ha, ha, ha. Though the chin
ney were no bigger than a gas pine
Santa Claus would slide down it!'
1t didn't require second glance to
assure. Joel that the newcomer was
indeed Santa Claus. Joel knew the
good old saint-oh. yes-and he had
seen him once before, and although
that was when Joel was a little boy,
a
Claus looked.
Nor had Santa Claus forgotten Joel,
although Joel thought he had; for now
Santa Claus looked kindly at Joel
and smiled and said: Merry Christ.
mas to you, JOEL"
'Thank you, old Santa Claus" re-
piled Joel; "but 1 don't believe it's
goin' to be q very merry Christmas.
, It's been so long since I've had q mer-
ry Christmas that l don't believe I'd
know how to act if l had one."
Lets see," said Santa Claus: lit
must be going on fifty years since
eaw you last-yes, you were 8 years
old the last time slipped down the
chimney Of the old homestead and
filled your stocking. Do you remem.
Der it?"
II remember it we'll, answered Joel
II had made up my mind to lie awake
and see Santa Claus; I'd heard tell oil
you, but I'd never seen you, and
brother Otis and concluded we'd lie
awake and watch tor you to come"
Santa Claus shook his head re.
proachfully.
"That was very wrong" said he
''for I'm SO scarey that if I'd known
you boys were awake Id never have
come down the chimney at all, and
then you'd have had no presents"
''But Otis couldn't keepPwake;" ex
planned Joel. eve talked about every
thin we could think of, till faith er call
ed out to us that if we didn't stor
talking he'd have to send one of us
up into the attic to sleep with the hired
man. So in less than five minutes
Otis was sound asleep and no pinch.
ing could wake him up. But / was
bound to see Santa Claus and don't
believe anything would've put me to
sleep. heard the big clock in the sit
ting.room strike IL, and had begun
wonderln' if you never were going to
come, when all Of q sudden heard the
tinkle OF the bells around your rein.
deers' necks. Then heard the rein.
deers prancin' on the roof and the
sound of your sleigh. runners cuttin
through the crust and slippin' over
the shingles. l was kind O. scared and
Icovered my head up with the sheet
and quilts-only left q little hole 50
i could peek out and see what was
goin' on. As soon as saw you got
over bein' scared-for you were jolly
and snilin' like, and you chuckled as
you went around to each stockin'
and filled it up"
Eyes, I can remember the night, y
said Santa Claus; II brought you a
sled, didn't II"
Eyes, and you brought Otis one,
too," replied Joel; "mine was red and
had Yankee Doodle painted in black
letters on the side; Otis was black,
and had Snow Queen in gilt letters -
II remember those sleds distinctly,
said Santa Claus, ''for made them
especially for you boys"
"You set the sleds up against the
WALL" continued Joel, "and then you
filed the stockin's."
''There were six of 'em, as recol.
lect," said Santa Claus.
LET me see," said Joel. ''There
was mine, and Otis, and Elvira's and
Thankful's, and Susan Prickett' s-Su
san was our help, you know. No.
there were only five, and, as 1 remem
Der, they were the biggest We could
beg or bor,er OF Aunt Dorcas. who
weighed nigh onto 200 pounds. Otis
and / didn't like Susan Prickett, and
. = 49, ~o1l
tato in. her stockin'."
..But Susan was good girl" re
ponstrated Santa Claus, "You