The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-01-07

do was to aniuse myseH | spent my timc
in exploring the wonderful valley. pays
passed and still the old gentleman gave
me no hopes for a speedy return home |
finally had to walt until Christmas when
old Santa Claus made. once more, prepara-
tions 90 visit the civilized world. ! deter
mined to accompany him and effect my
escape n possible. ] made myself very
useful TO Santa Claus until we reached
Washington. then intended to desert
my peculiar friend aud at once repair 20
| the presidents mansion. there 70 give
a glowing description OF this wonderful
valley and be suitably rewarded by the
government But. ah there's many
| slip 'twixt the cup and the lip, and n
proved pretty slippery In this case. for
when ] attempted to make my escape old
santa gave me such punch over the head
with toy gun until | came very near
being his prisoner again, but huriy po-
liceman rescued me and vas dragging me
from the scene. when | awoke to find il
was only q dream. Your patriotic Hap,
Willie e. Carpenter
| Bolton, Texas.--Dear Haphammer: Last
night while strolling along the road Of
Greenland l came in sight OF magnia
cent mansion. / was gazing admirlngiy
upon this beautiful building and wouder.
ing who was the proud owner, when
noticed some one within very blsily en-
gagged II seemed that they were packing
| trunks. Now and then ! could hear q
faint murmer as II some one reading TO
| himself was thinking who are they
and where are they going this cold win
ter night?" When the hall door opened
and a quaint little figure appeared, clad
| In neat fitting FUR cloak, Seeing me,
| he beckoned me TO come In. So l went
| In. The little inquire held out his hand
to me, saying Good evening. Mr.. --.
We are glad to have you with us" He
| saw that | was surprised at his knowing
| my name. and said Excuse me, forgot
TO introduce myself. My name Is De-
cember. You have often heard OF me
You know am the twelfth member OF
1893 family. My brothers have departed
for the land OF the past, but their names
still remain to be given TO the next gen
Grafton OF Times family. We are packing
up tonight although we will not leave
till 10 o'clock tonight. | am 81 days old.
The old folks say they have so much TO
do that they Will begin now to prepare
for our departure" THE old folks, who
are they?" ! asked. "oh, they are the
Nineteenth century and 1899. Come and
1 Will introduce you to them" He led 1.-THE
way into brilliantly lighted room. There
were books and papers OF all descriptions
packed in great crates ! was looking over
the numerous stacks of papers when my
eyes fell on stack OF Houston Posts.
|
look over them when he Interrupted me
by saying. Eighteen and ninety nine, Mr.
~---. has made us visit" Then | noticed
4 figure something like that OF December,
only great deal Older, and also noticed
the eyes that were searching me were
very bright and expressive. His gray
locks were carefully comhed back and
he looked very sad as he held out a
wrinkled hand to me. gave his hand a
hearty shake, for | had become Interested
In these figures He asked me 10 be
seated and said that December would en-
terrain me as he was very busy. Asklns
me to excuse him, he turned back 10
chair and watched 1899 as he put zach
book and paper in its place. I again no
decd the stack OF Posts. | asked pecem-
, Der what they were going to do With
them He SAID eve are going 90 take
them With US into the land of the past,
You geo they are our record Of al tbs
deeds good and bad that were committed
while we were here You know that The
Post has a page for the boys aud girls
BY this page they ran improve their
minds and help the poor ana needy. !
must say the club IL rightly named Hap
! pyhammers. tor II YOU could see as Do
, the happiness they have brought to tn
homes OF eripples You would agree vita
me" ] assured HIM that ! kn2w the
Happyhammers are doing a noble wor6,
also told him I was a mambeF Of tha
, club but guess have eheen forgotten ~
the other Haps, as It has been so long
since ! have written. Just at that mo-
, Inent the clock began to strike the hour
OF midnight. heard some one say good
bye. and looked In the direction from
whence the voice came and beheld tbs
( cutest little figure l had ever ssen stand
ing In the door dressed in a travelling
SUIT He had a satchel In one hand and
= Iafte TotIH
Goodbye said December g. 1899, as
7 the little figure disappeared. you see,
I said December. that is another member
OF our family" where is he golng2"
, asked. why. you stupid Don't yot
know Haven't | already told You wheI
! land OF the past?" oh" said !. and
did feel stupid at his rebuking WORDS
What is he going to do with tina
Z Post?" That is his record" said De
cember He has a record Of what hap
penSd while he was here. When | leavI
l will take thirty lone Daily Posts viii
me. Eighteen and Ninety nine will taxi
865 when he goes. and the Nineteenth
Century goodness knows how many h
will take. He has six large crates full.
That made me think OF the other member
. and l asked December TO show me th'
Nineteenth century room He lit can
! die and led the way through very small
q
like tho one that had Just departed Goo-
morning" said December as we passed
him, Good morning grandfather, he
answered and went on with his writing,
: Then we entered a hall, There were vera
I small doors on either side. Be careful
said DECEMBER Tor you will step OF
them" ION whom7 asked. ION the
2 minutes seconds and triees," he said.
They are continually going and coming
Those are their rooms, he said. pointing
to the small doors that had noticed,
asked him TO hold the candle SO coult
see what they were like. Al this h'
! gave vent to a little ripple OF laughter
why. would you notice a moment
? That's not like you generally are. d.
, not think you knew the value OF mo
ment" But he held the candle near tn
ground and ! saw many very small figures
: and a few not as small. and one large
. than any OF the rest This supposed wa
, a minute. The smaller ones were second
: and triees. Tho larger one said some
thing ] could eonrcely understand.
!, think II was: "You had better improy
: u.s." We then entered the room OF tn
Nineteenth century This figure locke.
old and worn. He held out hand tina
! was very wlthered and shaky He looket