Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1886-12-18
SANTA CLAUS LETTER.
In Which He Tells all About Himself and
His Pretty Christmas Goods.
Snow HOUSE, Dec. Is, 1886.
= L,;tiIs B0ss,s and Girls:

Dear little Boys and Girls:
Almost one year has passed since
I paid you all visit and made your
little hearts glad Since then ! have
been way up here with Mrs. Santa
Claus, but | hope you have not for
gotten me Would you like 10 know
something about how live and what
I have been doing all these long
months? Well, will tell you. My
home is on high mountain of snow,
and is very beautiful. The windows
are of ice, and as transparent as
glass. There live up here besides
me, my wife, and my servant, Santa
KEN. Look whatever way | may, |
see nothing but snow, which looks
beautiful in the SUMS bright beams.
Behind the hills to the right of my
palace, my drove of reindeer gam
boil about in the snow, and are anx-
iously waiting for Christmas, so they
can fly over the frozen plains, draw
ing load after load of pretty toys
ard sweetmeats, etc. for you bright
eyed little children. Now, think
/ shear little Jennie saying: "Mam-
ma, du Santa Claus must Diet so
lonesome up dar by himself Dear
little one, Santa Claus would get
lonesome if there were no little chill
dren like you on the earth; if he
had no one to love, for whom he
could make pretty toys, etc. Why,
/ have been working every day since
last Christmas, and have made so
many, many lovely articles for you
all Santa KEN has been working,
too, for he also loves you. This
morning as | went out to my work
shop, Mrs. Santa Claus said: care
you still making your Christmas
presents for the children? Don't
forget to put plenty Of fire-crackers
in the moulds, and don't let the sug-
arkisses, chocolate drops, and cakes
burn. / want everything real nice
this time" Would you like to know
what all | have been making? /
don't like to name you all the good
things, but will pick out only few.
l have great piles of lovely dolls,
with flowing blonde locks of flax.
Some of them can walk, others crawl
and cry; and again, others say
"mamma" aid "papa" almost as
naturally as a real baby can. Then
l have sleeping baby with cap that
fits closely to the face. When the
breast is pressed upon, the head re-
wolves quickly and wide-awake face
is shown, while it says mamma"
twice. Much time was spent in fash
ioning this last little doll, and | could
only make limited number. Some
of my horses are in the shape of pro-
pellers, some rock and some gallop.
The incest are those covered with
real horse skin. Then / have great
numbers of tool chests, black boards,
picture-books, building blacks, desks,
and cut-up puzzles. / have made a
change in ten-pins this year. They
are made to represent soldiers,
and ball fired at them from min
iature cannon. 1 have not made
many nickel watches, but have sue
ceeded in making elephants that walk
and swing their trunks, birds that
hop along the ground, squirrels that
skip about and tom-cats that get
their backs up, stiffen their tails,
sneak along the ground and yowl as
naturally as life. Then there are
bows and arrows for boys, jugglers
that balance things on their chins,
men and monkeys that smoke cigar
elites just like dude. Besides these
/ have baby-carriages, velocipedes,
steam engines, dancing couples,
drums, marbles, and Yankee-jumpers.
Indeed l have SO many pretty things
/ scarcely know where to put them.
But l won't have long to keep them
now. Next Saturday is Christmas,
and have to start for Martinsburg
on Monday next, for live so far
away that it takes three or four days
to come to you little folks. 1 hope
it will snow before Christmas. My
reindeer could travel so much faster.
But, before / tell you how / get into
your houses and fill your little stock
ings, let me say few words to you,
dear little children. Have you been
naughty since last left you candies
and presents Have you sassed
mamma or papa, or leased your little
brothers and sisters? ] hope not.
Santa Claus does not like bad little
boys and girls, and viii not leave
them any presents. So if you have
been bad, the only way you can APP
pease my anger is, by being good I'M
til I come, Obey your parents; don't
cry because mamma washes your
face don't pout because she won't