Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-12-23
BRATTLEBORO

moment more he emerged through the fire.
place, and as he did so the sweetest, dear
est old lady you ever saw, dressed in a cos
tune similar to Santa's, glded from some-
where into the middle of the lodge and
stood by his side. Such shouts of applause
you never heard, and above all others
piped up the voice of boy
There! What did tell your OF course
it's his mother"
Grandma Santa Claus.
And so it was-Grandma Santa Claus
herself. Aud how erect the huted frill of
her cap stood about her face, and how
wisely and lovingly she peered through her
iron-bowed spectacles at the happy young
sters on the floor
Santa and his mother then proceeded to
fiji the remaining stockings and hang them
up. Every now and then he would seem
puzzled over name on a stocking, and lin
pantomme) consulted his mother, bidding
her to look at it through her spectacles
once or twice he borrowed them, and, put
ting them on, seemed to have more trouble
than ever in deciphering the name, where
upon he shook his head slowly and handed
spectacles and stocking TO her while he pa
tiently waited her decision 1t was really
great fun to witness his trouble of this kind
Soon every stocking was in its place
Santa clapped his hands, and through the
chimney came half tumbling half rolling
two funny little creatures, all covered with
white fur, that rusted-because it was
made of tissue paper-and queer capers
they cut before they brought up, with low
bows, in front of Santa Claus and his
mother.
The old lady sat down in an arm chair
I 1 l. IF q
her work bag, began to knit, every now
and then smiling at the happiness of the
boys aud girls. Santa Claus moved about
taking down stockings, reading the names
on them, and then sending his queer at
PENDANTS down TO deliver them
Their Fortunes Told.
When all the stockings were distributed
and the gifts discussed and compared, Santa
Claus said his mother would tell the boys
and girls, with the aid Of tea cup and
some tea grounds, their next Christmas
! fortunes il they wanted TO know them. In
minute Grandma Santa Claus was out Of
sight-that is, every boy and girl in the
room was struggling to get near her. She
made the fortunes very brief and sent each
inquirer away happy over the gift received
and the one to be received-may be--next
/ Christmas.
! Soon the fortunes we're all told and sup
per was announced This consisted Of
| light refreshments in the way Of sand
witches, cakes, candies, fruit and lemon and
/ orangeade. IL was observed that at sup
per there were two boys who had not be
fore been seen. No one seemed 10 know
them, but there was bit Of white paper
/ fur in the hair of one aud on the coat Of the
other. After supper the children sang a
pretty Christmas carol and then went to
say good night to their host and hostess
Santa gave each little girl and Mrs. Santa
each boy pretty souvenir card on which
was inscribed, The Best Wishes Of Mr.
and Mrs Santa Claus Christmas, 1895, ="
and the AT Home was over
1t is of no avail to tell those boys and
girls that there is no Santa Claus and that
he doesn't come down the chimney; and as
for Mrs Santa Claus-well she captivated
the whole lot of them n New York Sunday
Herald, Dec. II, 1925.