The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-12-10

believe there's any Santa Claus at all -
Inc hunchback hadn't said anything
LOT some time, but now he smiled a
-, I've seen him" he said, land so has
the rubber ball"
on, have you? Tell us about him"
salq the king and queen together.
saw him last night" said the
HuIlcHpack. The rubber ball and [
We're taking walk together, when ev-
erything was quiet, and he was telling
me ABOUT the time when he used to be
part OF a tree. ! used to be part of a
tree myself, once and grew in the great
6lack forest in Germany, you know
we mad Just stopped for a rest over
mere IN the corner, when the door OPP
eleu ever so easy, and he came in. He
was little and round and fat and wore
d sealskin coat just like your mammals,
only hner He took all the presents
OUT or his great pockets and put them
Where you found them. He was GO
ing TO leave a black haired doll. but
m glad he didn't. Black haired dolls
always have had dispositions. He was
taking to himself all the time while he
worked. He said if this climate didn't
change pretty soon. he'd have to give
up his sleigh and take to a bicycle. be-
cause 1t was killing his reindeer to drag
over plain ground. Then he said
something else about wishing he could
leave WorcesteTsoff his route aItogeth-
er, because the streets were so bad.
He didn't notice me or the rubber ball.
but hurried out of the door as soon as
he had put everything in place. So
you see, he musts have come through
the library chimney"
I believe you're making that III, 3"
said the kin yrb 1a =
the truth about his watch. and was
in bad humor, anyhow.
No, he isn't making it up" said the
rubber ball. who had rolled over to Join
IN the conversation. Il saw him nv
self, don't care if I am red on one
side and green on the other, I know
what I'm talking about And if YOU
don't believe it, you can ask Aunt
Dinah"
Who is Aunt Dinah?" asked the
queen.
She's Santa Claus sister. and When
ever 1t SHOWS, it's because she's shak-
ing the feather bed. So there" and the
rubber ball closed his mouth with a
snap You didn't know rubber ball
had mouth, perhaps, but it's only be-
cause yon don't know where to look for
it,
I'm ask her" said the queen, Gust
to prove it,"
you can't" said the king. "she's
way up in the clouds and you can't
reach her.
Listen to dat chile" said a voice in
a corner. What you want to know,
honey? Ask me. Use Aunt Dinah."
Sure enough you are" said the
queen. She had forgotten all about the
darkey rag doll that was with the rest
of the pres ents. Are you Santa Claus
sister, and does it snow when you shake
your feather beds?"
'"Cause / amt Santa Claus sister,
cause Use black. And Use too much Of
q lady to shake feather beds. l got a
gal to do dat for me, and she is so shift
less, OATS why we amt hab any mo-
snow dan what we is. I'd be mighty glad
if dat rubber balPd keep his mouf to
hisself about my relations. Use a sister
to Jack Eros an not to Santa Claus.
OATS what makes it so cole in here"
The king and queen had begun, to feel
cold, but they thought it was because
the man had let the steam go down,
and hadn't dreamed that the sister of
Jack Frost was the cause Of it.
Then there isn't really any Santa
CLAUSE" asked the king.
"Of cose dey is a Santa Claus" said
Aunt Dinah, with a sniff. my brudder
wuk for him, an"
But just here the door opened and a
man came in.
/ Merry Christmas, papa" cried both
the children.
''How cold it is here in the nursery"
said the man. Come down stairs with
me and see what else Santa Claus has
brought you.
And the children took his hands and
went out, leaving the hunchback and
the rubber ball to get acquainted with
the new toys