The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-12-23

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Had his sleigh broken down? Had
any of his reindeer got loose
But not was none Of these things.
Couldn't he find toys enough to go
around ? Bless your dear little anxious
heart, don't you be afraid of that !!
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 stock
ing belonged to little boy whose good
parents had long before Christmas sent
in his name to Santa Claus But al
though there had been plenty of time,
and Santa Claus had put plenty of
thought upon the matter, he had not
yet been able to decide upon ONE thing
for that little boys stocking.
Perhaps it seems strange to you that
Santa should be puzzled about such a
thing as that, when filing stockings is
his regular profession, but the little
boy to whom that stocking belonged
was very strange and unusual child.
Whatever was given to him he would
either 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
"Chirp Chirp 70 sounded sharp
little voice. You may as we'll give it
up. He doesn't deserve anything, the
little scamp p
"Oh! Is that you, Cricket ?" said
Santa. Come up here" and as he
held out his fat forefnger q tiny black
cricket reached it with q sudden jump.
You may as well give it up p creaked
the cricket You can't think of any,
thing, know
Il know, [ know > said Santa. mo |
l can't give him the donkey nor any
other of those fine little animals that
we have this year. I had thought of a
nice little hammer and box of nails,
and some blocks of wood for him to
hammer the nails into Hey, now
what do you think of that o.
What do think p said the cricket.
Il think, Saint Nicholas, that YOU have
forgotten how the little boy beat his
brother with his drumsticks how he
shipped his sisters fingers with the
scissors how he threw his harmonicon
at the nurse how he
Dear, dear, dear!' groaned Santa,
$50 he did, so he did r
"And if you keep giving him things
when he uses them so wrongly" con-
tinued the cricket, "how 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 necessary
that everybody should help to train
such boy AS
Il know, interrupted Santa, Il know.
You're wise little counselor, and not
as hard hearted as you seem. And if
you think it will cure the poor little
fellow, 1 suppose we must give him the
sawdust this year."
Yes, said the cricket solemnly,
'sawdust it must be-"
Christmas morning came. The little
boy whose name Santa Clans did not
wish mentioned, saw all the other chill.
dren pull out one treasure after another
from their long. well-stuffed stockings.
while in his own, which he had hung
up with so much hope the night before,
there was nothing but sawdust
If l should use all the sad words in
the English language I 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 chap
1t was almost year later, lust before
Christmas, when Santa Claus again sat
by his fire-thinking.
But this time he was in no trouble
no, indeed, not he He was rounder
and roster and jollier than ever 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 a candle at them. He and
the cricket had been planning all sorts
of ecstatic surprises for the stocking of
the boy to whom they had given saw
dust the year before for, if you can
believe it, the little boy had been trying
all the year to be careful and gentle,
and he was really quite changed
"Sawdust is grand thing chirped
the cricket, leapingabout in delight.
Yes, but am gladswe do not need
to use it this year, replied Santa. Let
me see the list again. Don't you sup
pose we could Gram in one or two more
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 world. d.-Emilie Poulsson, in
st. Nicholas.