Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1892-12-29

eAgSs sssaA IN from his moth
~ \ ANN er; he wrinkled
his eyebrows. puckered his mouth and
cramping his little fingers around
stubby lead pencil began to write; and
this is what he wrote:
DEAR SANITY CLAWS Plesc don't for Get to
Fill my stockin. An Id like A Sled an par OF
skates An plese Civ MOThEr the VERY nicEst
thine you GOT We Live on French street,
First ChimBly down Flights.
"ARTHUR HILL"
He stretched out his little numb fin
gers, with sigh of relief for printing
was hard work for Arthurs chubby
fist, Then he glanced furtively over
his shoulder, to make sure his mother
was not looking-but no; stitch, stitch,
stitch her needle went through the
heavy coat, and she did not once look
up, so he folded the precious letter in
painstaking manner, and sealed it in
the envelope addressed:
MR.. SANITY CLAWS
and stutfing it into his little pocket
regardless of opposition on the part of
letter or poclIet-went 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-like feetness 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.
Arthur's letter lay among the others
for q half hour or so, and then a clerk
began asserting them for the mails.
Here's good one!" and he laughed
heartily as he held up the crumpled
envelope.
"Mr. Santa CLAUSE 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 given Are
you acquainted with the gentleman's
residence"
Mr.. Morris took the envelope and
laughed, also, as he glanced at it, and
was about to throw it down, when a
sudden vision of four little maids, with
an unquestioning faith in Santa Claus,
rose before him.
Perhaps can find the gentleman, ~
he said, with twinkle in his kind blue
eyes; and putting the envelope into his
pocket he walked away.
| II was Christmas eve. There had
been a heavy snowstorm the day be-
! fore, and it had cleared of, very cold.
The people were muffied 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 fluttering ribbons and wells
in the faces of the ladies.
Jack Frost played coarse practical
jokes upon everybody and everything
within his reach, so that the market
boys felt obliged to run with the tur
keys and turnips, blowing the while
upon their aching fingers or rubbing
their smarting ears.
The newsboys, with muffiers anC
caps pulled closely down, held their
papers under their arms and thei
hands in their pockets, and thrashel
one foot against the other. while thcy
called in cold voices to the passer-by
Paper, sir, paper!''
The heavens were studded witt
| cleaning stars which blinked merrill!
down on the hurrying throng; an'
through uncurtained windows wer'
glimpses of gay Christmas trees will
happy children dancing around them
and smiling fathers and mothers look
ing on.
Holly wreaths hung in profusion an
festoons of evergreen and mistleto
adorned the walls; and over these hep
py scenes played the pickering light o
the "yule" logs glow,