The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1890-12-20
A CHRISTMAS CURE.
Santa Claus sat by the fire in his own home
lOking very much trOnhled

Santa Claus sat by the fire in his own home
looking very much troubled.
Santa Claus sat there MISUNDERSTANDING.
1t was just before Christmas What was the
matter with the good jolly old Saint? Had his
sleigh broken down? Had any of his reindeer
got loose?
But mott was none of these things.
Couldn't find toys enough to go round? Bless
your dear little anxious heart, don't you be
afraid of thatl Santa Claus had toys enough.
That wasn't the trouble
One stocking there was for which Santa
Claus had not yet planned single thing; and
that was why poor dear old Santa Claus was
in such a state of worry and anxiety. This
stocking belonged to little boy whose good
parents had long before Christmas sent in his
name to Santa Claus. But although there hac
been plenty of time, and Santa Claus had put
plenty of thought upon the matter, he had not
been able to decide upon one thing for that lit
tie boys stocking.
Perhaps it seems strange to you that Santa
should be puzzled about such a thing as that,
when filling stockings is his regular profession,
but the little boy 10 whom that stocking be
Whatever was 81, gIven 70 fn ne WSad etsf
break to pieces very soon or do some naughty
mischief with.
Yet kind old Santa could not bear to leave
even this stocking empty. So he had been
puZzling his brains to find something with
which the little boy could not hurt people, and
something he could not break; and although
he had been thinking over all his lists of toys
and presents, nothing had he found yet
"Chirpl Chirpp' sounded a sharp little
voice. ''You may as well give it up. He
doesn't deserve anything, the little scamp!''
ooh! Is that you Cricket?' said Santa.
Come up here" and as he held out his fat
forefinger tiny black cricket reached it with
a sudden jump.
"You may as well give it up!" creaked the
cricket. 'You can't think of ANYTHING, /
know"
81 know, I know" said Santa. mo! 1
can't give him the donkey nor any other of
those fine little animals that we have this year.
/ had thought of nice little hammer and box
of nails. and some blocks of wood for him to
hammer the nails intol Hey, now what do
you think of that?'
"What do ] think ?" said the cricket. II
think, Saint Nicholas, that you have forgotten
how the little boy beat his brother with his
drumsticks how hesnipped his sisters fingers
with the scissors; how he threw his harmoni-
con at the nurse; how he"
Dear, dear. dearn groaned Santa, $50 he
did, so he didp'
"And if you keep giving him things when
he uses them so wrongly" continued the
cricket, chow will he ever learn better? To
be sure, his mamma and papa and all his kind
friends are trying to teach him, but it is neces-
sary that everybody should help to train such
boy as"
You're a wise little counselor. and not
as hard-hearted as you seem. And if you
think it will cure the poor little fellow, sup
pose we must give him the sawdust this
year."
"Yes," said the cricket solemnily, ''sawdust
it must be-"
Christmas morning came The little boy
whose name Santa Claus did not wish men
toned, saw all the other children pull out one
treasure after another from their long, we'll
stuffed stockings while in his own, which he
had hung up with so much hope the night be-
FORE there was nothing but sawdust
If should use all the sad words in the Eng
lish language could never tell you how sad
that little boy was as he poured the sawdust
out of his stocking, and found that Santa Claus
had really sent him nothing else.
Poor little chapl
It was almost year later, just before Christ
mas, when Santa Claus again sat by his fire
thinking.
But this time he was in no trouble; no in
deed, not he! He was rounder and roiser and
jollier than before; and how he was smiling
and chuckling to himself! His eyes twinkled
so, and were so very bright, that you could al
most have lit candle at them. He and the
cricket had been planning all sorts of ecstati2-
surprises for the stocking OF Tie Duy 10 wllOfII
they had given sawdust the year before; for, if
you can believe it, the little boy had been try
ing all the year to be careful and gentle, and
he was really quite changed
"Sawdust is a agrandthing," chirped the crick-
ct, leaping about in delight.
'Yes, but I am glad we do not need to use it
this year" replied Santa. "Let me see the
list again. Don't you suppose we could cram
in one or two me-s. things? Have you put
down the"
This is the end of the story; or at least, all
that could be told before Christmas for if
should write more and certain little boy
should read it. he would know just what would
be in his stocking and that would never do in
the wnrld.=St Nicholas.