The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-12-24
A Talk With Santa Claus.

One Christmas eve Joel Baker was
n q 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 a
time when it meant a great deal, but
that was long ago-ffty years is a
long stretch tolook back over. There
is nothin' IN Christmas, now, nothin'
tor me at least; it Is so longsince San
ia Claus remembered me that l ven
ture to gay he has forgotten that
there ever was such a person as Joel
Baker in all the world. 1t used to be
different; Santa Claus used to think a
great deal of me when I was a boy.
All! 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 vas entering
or trying to enter the room. First
came a draft OF cold air, then a scra-
ping, grating sound, shen a strange
shutting, 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 a 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 sn~owlakes.
"Ha, ha," chuckled the fat, Jolly
stranger, emerging from the chimney
and standing well 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
outl Ha, ha, ha. Though the chin
ney were no bigger than a gas pipe
Santa Claus would slide down til"
1t didn't require q second glance to
assure Joel that the newcomer was
indeed Santa Claus. Joel knew the
good old saint-oh, yes-aad he had
seen him once before, and although
that was when Joel was a little boy,
he had never forgotten how Santa
Claus looked.
Nor had Santa Claus forgotten Joel
although Joel thought he had; for now
Santa Claus looked kindly at Joe
and smiled and said: Merry Christ
mas to you, JOEL"
.Thank you, old Santa Claus" re
piled Joel; "but | don't believe It'll
goin TO De q very merry Christmas
It's been SO long since I've had a mer
ny Christmas that / don't believe Tc
know how to. act If / had one"
Let's see" said Santa Claus: eli
must be going on fifty years since
saw you last-yes, you we're 8 years
old the last time ] slipped down the
la&kAtMut VI Luc Olu uOultstSdQ hnC
filled your stocking. Do you remem
Der it7"
II remember it well, /" answered Joel
~ had made up my mind to lie awake
and see Santa Claus; I'd heard tell D
you, but I'd never seen you, and
brother Otis and / concluded we'd lii
awake and watch tor you to come.n
Santa Claus shook his head re
proschfully.
THAT Was very wrong" said he
sfor I'm scsscarey that if I'd known
you boys were awake Id never hav,
CONS down the chimney at all, ani
then you'd nave had no presents"
but Otis couldn't keep awake e, ex
planned Joel. Eve talked about every
thin We could think OF. till faith er call
Cd ont to as that If we didn't stoy
talking he'd have to- send one OF III
UP into the atticto sleep with the hired
nan. 60 in less than five minutes