The Newtown bee., 1888-01-13
A MODERN SANTA CLAUS.

enough for us and don'5think he's going to hurt our children
 That's right exclaimed the professor. skipping the speaker on the shoulder, Well stand by the little ones."
 The professor was large man and his hand was heavy. Carried away by his feelings, he used more strength than was needed. So at least thought the little ma ior, who was almost crushed by the friend- ly pat. Removing his chair to a safe dis tance, he nursed his injured shoulder in moody silence. The clock ticked away loudly in the corner; the cat, purring up- on the counter, blinked drowsily at the haring lights and an old woman coming in through tho swinging doors brought a breath of the wintry night.
 "I tell you what it is, said the doctor, rubbing his hands softly, T am still enough of boy to appreciate Santa Claus. Christmas, without his presence, would lose half it's charms"
 Il can't agree with you" observed the deacon. carefully knocking the ashes from his pipe and e-flllng it from leather pouch. "The twenty-fifth of December would be much pleasanter day if the old heathenish fraud were done away with.
 And are you quite sure, deacon. .~auer- jed the major, with roguish twinkle in his eye, that the expense has nothing 10 do with your averson?' "No, sir" thundered the person ad dressed my objection is solely on moral grounds. In telling such a barefaced lie we are encouraging our children in false hood.
 Chestnut" murmured dyspeptic young man who had just entered and was leaning against the flour barrel. l A general laugh followed and the dea- con, giving this shallow intruder a look of whitening contempt, rose slowly to his feet. II repeat it boldly" he continued. "We are doing great moral wrong in carrying on this shameless deceit. We shall all live to regret it.
 Penetrating his remarks with an ap- propriate gesture, as was always his cus- S l if including the whole company. The newly filled pipe, lightly held between the | fingers of the extended hand, came ingvio- lent contact with the heated stove. 1Ihe blow was quick but decisive. The dehcate meerschaum was shattered into tiny frag ments Gazing upon the wreck with sor- rowful visage, the impassioned orator said never a word; his feelings were too deep for utterance. Not so with the others They spoke freely and to the point, but, unfortunately their opinions did notagree with those of the sufferer. Indeed, they all seemed to regard the accident in the liz ht of a good joke.
 When the mirth had somewhat sub- sided, the major observed in tones he strove in vain 10 render steady: Well, deacon, there is one thing to be thankful for Your point has been proved Santa Claus is so utterly depraved that even talking about him has brought misfort une upon you"
 With that impulse for teasing inherent in every human being, the drug clerk,
 
 ent time. now joined in the attack. "It seems to me-" he said. that our friend the deacon is what the newspapers would
 call an iconoclast
 This was too much. Patience had ceas. ed to be virtue. His loss had been , laughed at, his opinions derided and here was stripliug hardly out of short jack , cts who was calling him long and, fol aught he knew, an opprobrious name. Il
 was more than flesh and blood could en
 dure. The peace loving deacon turned up on his adversary. What do you mean. l he cried fiercely, 'by calling me such z D name? 1 demand an explanation" ! II didn't mean any harm" stammeret the youth, rightened out of his usual selt
 possession. Its only word I saw in tn
 paper, yesterday 1 haven't the faintes
 idea what it means.'
 r Il know, said pimply faced boy witt s a red cap. Father told me-" What is It?'' they all enquired, looking
 at him with respectful attention a "An i-con-o-clast," answered this youth lul pdllOSopACls 10 q tClloW pbdl SOc
 around breaking things If he doesn like anything, he chops it up with hi IS axe
 T "A very good definition, indeed. sai ' the professor. batting thu boy gently Q
 the back, ''l couldn't have done better my n self"
 a. The drug clerk was on the point of mak n ing some iocose remark, but, thinking bel "a ter of it. sat down on the box of smoke !. herring.
 ing forward and taking his fayorite sea i- by the fire, '.did ever tell you how Sanl
 Claus saved the lives of all our family? le No we should all like to hear it." the I'd all cried in chorus, hitching their chail le closer.
 In the interest of the moment all an !, mostly was forgotten. The major. as 1s sort of peace offering, gave. the deaco d one of his best cigars; the professor, wh e- suffered much from rheumatism, put h
 right foot in an easy position under th of stove and the cat, starting from dee le sleep, watched the group eagerly with on
 eye.
 ''There were three of us children sai the postmaster, settling himself comfor = ably, .'and our stockings were always we
 filled at Christmas. We had sneakin . suspicion, however, long before the ia, v was really discovered, that Santa Clar
 was not altogether what he seemed ID Many things, indeed, pointed to this cor ' clusion. Father, so free and open with [
 in every other respect. gave evasive al ss sw-rs whenever we sought to learn tI