Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1898-01-23


santa Claus for the benefit of the boz.
They do be saving, said Mrs
Brien, with a sly wink at Mrs. Finn
that santa Claus is Dootchman, and
that he dc be liyin' in the north
pole"
Faith, that's what I heard myself"
replied Mrs. Finn They say he has
big house up there filled with TOYS
and candies"
Mickey listened to the conversation
with both ears open
Last year Mrs Murphy told me-"
continued Mrs. O'Br;en, that Santa
Clause told her he had a narrow es-
cape comm from the north mole to
Greenland. He said that when he was
! only half way, with his sled loaded
with good things, a white bear chased
nm. When the bear got too close he
threw over to him four pounds of
mixed candy, and as soon as he swal-
lowed it he was took with cramps and
died.
i wonder" interrupted the boy, eff
sandy Claus ever brings anything to
animals?"
Hear the boy!" exclaimed his moth
er. Who ever heard of such thing!
Animals. Mebbe you'll like to have
nm bring something for the pig,
Miclley?"
No, mother, I wasn't thinkin about
the pig," said the boy with a sigh, as
he buried his face in his hands and
l>psed into silence again.
Children have strange fancies. An
earthly cherub is credited with saying
that the stars are angels eyes An
other has stated that a pansy is
flower butterfly. With the wisdom of
child Mickey knew that any search
Tor knowledge along the line of
thought would be unsuccessful, yet he
could not help wondering why the
beneficent fellow with the long white
whiskerS and the reindeers did not
bring presents to the cat and the dog
and his tame crow
Were they not as worthy to be re-
membered as himself?
There was the pariah dog lying in
/ the chimney corner lazily blinking in
the fire light. How often he had been
kicked and cuffed. For what? The boy
reflected. He leaned over and snapped
his fingers. The dog leaped to him, his
! tail eloquent with motion Why didn't
Santa Claus bring the dog a bone?
And there was the goat.
Was he, too, to be forgotten il the
gladstone time? Then it occurred to
him that perhaps animals were over
looked because they had no stockings,
He did not give expression to The
thought. 1t would only excite laughter
Children do not like to be laughed at
The question was too big for him. He
could not fathom it. But he came to
the conclusion that he would test the
matter to his own satisfaction. lie
arose from the chair and assumed care
iessness, stretched his arms as if
weary put on his cap and stepped out
, into the yard. Both Mr.. and Mrs Finn
loved their boy as the first born and
only child is ever loved.
Il don't like the way Mickey's act
ing, Mike said his wife anxiously.
Mr.. Finn awoke from his doze with
start. Where is he?" said he.
He went into the yard, replied Mrs.
Finn, stepping to the window. Then
turning, she exclaimed in a A,yhisper:
Come here, quick. Come here."
Alarmed and anxious Mrs O'Brien
and Mr.. Finn stepped to the windows.
| The fields were silvered with moon
light Mickey was crossing the yard
walked with the stealthy step of bur
glar.
When he arrived at the shed where
lay the billy goat he looked around fur
lively, as if afraid of being detected
in the commission CT an unholy deed.
He took from his pocket a piece of
string and tied the pail to the hasp of
the door. Then he disappeared in
side the shed. A dim perception Of
the truth stole in upon Mr. Finn. His
grip frightened upon the shoulder of
his wife as he whispered hoarsely:
He's gone to bid the goat good
night
"Ah, the dear murmured Mrs.
O'Brien, land what did he tie the pail
to the latch for?"
Mrs. Firms eyes were shining. Her
speech was broken as she replied:
"He thinks Santa Claus will come
to the goat, and he's put the pail there
bekase he has no stocking
=
The next morning Mickey was out
of bed soon after daylight. He went
out in the yard and found in the pail
a small cabbage, a large carrot, a
dozen potatoes and piece OF brown
paper on which was scrawled: Merry
Christmas! Santa Claus"
The goat feasted, with the help of
Miclkeys jack-knife and his mothers
horseradish CRATER, on meal which
would have made the mouth of Lucul-
lus water When the family sat down
to their humble breakfast Mickey had
a broad grin on his face. He showed
| the scrawl he had found in the goat S
| pail to his father and said:
Father, does Santa Claus wear pet
ticoats?"
MIR. Finn looked across the table at