The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-12-23

\ er; he wrinkled
his eyebrows, puckered his mouth and
cramping his little fingers around a
stubby lead pencil began to write; and
this is what he wrote:
'DEAR SANITY CLAWS: PIese don't for Get 10
Fill my stockiH. An ID like A Sled an par Of
SKATES An plese Civ BiOThEr the Very nicEst
thine you get We Live on French street,
First ChimBly down , Flights.
ARTHUR HILL"
He stretched out his little numb fin
gers. with d sigh of relief; for printing
was hard work for Arthur's chubby
fist. Then he glanced furtively over
his shoulder, to make sure his mother
was not loolling-but no: stitch, stitch,
stitch her needle went through the
heavy coat. and she did not once look
up. 50 ne folded the precious letter in
2 paiustaking manner, and sealed 1t in
the envclope addressed:
-ER. SANITY CLAWS"
and stufiuE it into his little pocket
regardless Of opposition on the part of
letter or p0cllet-wont softly out Of the
room: but his quiet movements ended
on the landing Just outside, and he
tore down the stairs and through the
streets TO the post Office.
Perhaps the thought that there were
but two days before Christmas, and the
consequent fear that the gentle re-
minder might not reach Santa Claus in
time, gave the deer-ike heetness to his
sturdy little feet.
There was no one in the Office, so he
walked boldly up and dropped the let
ter through the slot, and watched it
sliding down the inclined plane into
the receiving box. Then, with a fear
of being detected, he ran out of the Of
fee, and, with his hands IN his pockets,
scampered home.
Arthurs letter lay among the others
for Il half hour or so, and then Il clerk
began asserting them for the mails.
Here's 4 good one"' and he laughed
heartily as he held up the crumpled
envelope.
''Nr. Santa Claus and he laughed
again, in company with two or three
clerks who had gathered around him.
just then the door opened and the
postmaster came in.
The clerk held up the letter: MIR.
Santa Claus-address not giveni Are
YOU acquainted with the gentleman's
residence"
Mr.. Norris took the envelope and
laughed, also. rs he glanced at it, and
was about TO throw it down, when a
sudden vision OF four little maids, with
an unquestioniug faith in Santa Claus,
rose before him.
Perhaps l eau find the gentleman"
he said. with a twinkle in his kind blue
eyes: and putting the envelope into his
pocket he walked away.
1t was Christmas eve. There had
been a heavy snowstorm the day be-
fore, and ii had cleared off very cold.
The people were muffled in furs to
their eyes-if they had the furs-and
hurried along over the crisp snow,
which sang sharp little songs under
their feet. The rude wind wrestled
with them at the street corners. max
ing the gentlemen catch wildly at their
hats, and futtering ribbons and wells
in the faces of the ladies.
Jack Frost played coarse practical
Jokes upon verybody and everything
within his reach. so that the market
boys felt obliged TO run with the tur-
KEYS and turnips, blowing the while
upon LutAI dCH4u- uIiPcTS u -0OD4L5
their smarting ears
The newsboys, with mufflers and
caps pulled closely down, held their
papers under their arms and their
hands in their pockets, and thrashed
one foot against the other, while they
called in cold voices to the passer-by:
Paper, sir, paper"
The heavens were studded with
cleaning stars which blinlked merrily
down on the hurrying throng; and
through uncurtained windows were
glir1pses of gay Christmas trees with
happy children dancing around them.
and smiling fathers and mothers look
ing on
Holly wreaths hung in profusion and
festoons of evergreen and mistletoe
adorned the walls; and over these hap
py scenes played the Pickering light of
the ''yula" logs glow.