The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-12-22
Christmas at Hollow Tree Inn
TAIbert Birelow Paine. ]

sum and the old black Crow all lived
together in a Hollow Tree in the Big
Deep Woods, and had the Robin and
the Turtle and the Squirrel and Jack
Rabbit come and live with them
That was in the summer and early
fail. When it came on toward winter
all the company went home, and no
body was left there except the Coon
and PosSum and the old black Crow.
OF course the others used to come back
and visit them pretty often, and Mr.
Dog, too, because he had got to be good
friends with all the Deep Woods peo-
pie, at last, and they thought great
deal of him when they got to know him
better Mr.. Dog told them a lot Of things
they had never heard of before, things
that he'd learned at Mr.. Mans house
and maybe that's one reason why they
got to liking him SO well.
He told them about Santa Claus for
one thing, and how the old fellow came
down the chimney on Christmas eve to
bring presents to Mr. Man and his chill
dren, who always hung up their stock
ings for them, and Mr.. Dog said that
once he had hung up his stockings, too,
and got nice bone in it, that was so
good he had buried and dug it up again
as much as six times before spring He
said that Santa Claus always came to
Mr.. Mans house and that whenever the
children hung up their stockings they
were always sure to get something IN
them.
Wen. the Hollow Tree people had
never heard of Santa Claus. They knew
about Christmas, of course, because
everybody, even the cows and sheep.
knew about that; but they had never
heard of Santa Claus. You see Santa
Claus only comes to Mr.. Mans house,
but they didn't know that, either. so
they thought if they just hung up their
stockings he'd come there, too, and
that's what they made up their minds to
do. They talked about it a great deal
together, and Mr.. 'Possum looked over
all his stockings to pick out the biggest
one he had, and Mr.. Grow he made him
self a new pair on purpose Mr.. Coon
said he never knew Mr.. Grow to make
himself such big stockings before, but
Mr.. Crow said he was getting old and
needed things bigger, and when he
loaned one of his new stockings to Mr.
Coon Mr.. Coon said That's So. and
that he guessed they were about right,
after all. They didn't tell anybody about
it at first, but by and by they told Mr..
when Mr.. Dog heard it he wanted to
laugh right out. You see, he knew
Santa Claus never went anywhere ex-
cept to Mr.. Mans house. and he thought
it would be great joke on the Hollow
Tree people when they hung UP their
stockings and didn' t. get anything.
But by and by Mr. Dog thought about
something else He thought it would
pointed that way. You see, Mr.. Dog
liked them all now, and when he had
thought about that minute he made
up his mind to do something. And this
is what it Was-he made up his mind to
play Santa Clausi
He knew just how Santa Claus looked,
cause ned seen lots of his pictures at
Mr.. Mans house, and he thought 1t
would be great fun to dress up that way
and take bag of presents to the Hol-
low Tree while they were all asleep and
fill up the stockings of the Coon and
Postum and the old black Crow But
first he had to be sure of some way of
getting in, so he said to them he didn't
see how they could expect Santa Claus,
their chimnegs were so small, and Mr.
Crow said they could leave their latch
string out down stairs. which was just
what Mr.. Dog wanted Tnen they said
they were going to have all the folks
that had spent the SUMNER with them
over for Christmas dinner and to see
the presents they had got in their stock |
ings They told Mr.. Dog to drop over, |
too, if he could get away, and Mr. Dog
said he would, and went off laughing to |
himself and ran all the way home be-
cause he felt so pleased at what he was
going to do.
Wei, he had to work pretty hard, I
tell YOU to get things ready. 1t wasn't |
so hard to get the presents as It was to
rig up his Santa Claus dress. He found |
some long wool out in Mr.. Mans barn |
for his white whiskers, and he put some |
that wasn't so long on the edges of his /
overcoat and boot loops and around an |
old hat he had. Then he borrowed a big
sack he found out there. too, and ne |
dxed it UP to swing over his back. just
as he lad seen Santa Claus do in the
pictures. He had a lot of nice things TO
take along. Three tender young chlcK- |
ems he borrowed from Mr.. Man, Tor one |
thing and then he bought some new |
neckties for the Hollow Tree folks all |
around, and a big, striped candy cane
for each one, because candy canes al
WAYS looked well sticking out OF Stock |
ing Besides all that he had a new pipe |
for each and a package of tobacco. You |
see. Mr. Dog lived with Mr.. Man, and |
didn't ever have to buy much for him /
self so he had always saved ms money /
He had even more things than that, but |
can't remember just now what they /
were: and when he started out, ali
dressed up like Santa Claus, tell you /
his bag was pretty heavy, ana ne al I
most wished before he got there that he T
hadn't started with quite so much
It got heavier and heavier all the way,
and he was glad enough to get there ara
find the latch string out. he set ms
bag down to rest a minute before clImD-
ing the stairs, and then opened the doors
softly and listened. He didn't hear
thing except Mr.. Grow ana Mr coon
and Mr. 'Possum breathing pretty low.
and he knew they might wake up any
minute and he wouldn't have been
caught there in the midst OF things Tor
a good deal So he slipped up just as
aasy as anything, and when he got up III
the big parlor room he almost had to
laugh right out loud, for there were the
stockings sure enough, all hung up in 4
row. and a card with a name on 1t over
each one telling who it belonged to-
Then he listened again. and all at
once he jumped and held his breath, for
he heard Mr. 'Possum say something.
But Mr. Postum was only talking in his
sleep. and saying III take another
piece. please" and Mr. Dog knew he
was dreaming about the chicken pie he'd
had for supper
So. then he opened his bag and flied
he stockings. He put in mixed candy
and nuts and little things first, and thea
he pipes and tobacco and candy canes
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