Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1900-01-03
CORRESPONDENCE
CONTINUED from Second Page.l

with recitations by Misses Edith
Dawes, Harta Hassett and Rosa
Wldditield and songs and choruses
by Mrs. Badger and the Garneill Glee
club. About the time this portion OF
the program was finished we heard
the voice OF santa Claus yelling to
his team on the roof and the paving
Of the hoofs Of the reindeer, IS certi-
fed to by several ladies in the audi
ence with abnormal sensitiveness of
the ear drums, when with a slam and
a bang Santa Claus, that genial old
fraud. slid down the chimney and ap-
peared before the audience
with his little round belly
That shook like a bowlful of Jelly"
and the head OF every kid in the Groom
disappeared from sight under the
seats. In the seat before me sat the
mayor, and | was Mortified to see
him disappear under the seat along
with the kids. leaned over theseat
and whispered, "Your honor, what
does this mean? Come out quick"
Which be did with flushed face and
dlsheveled hair and IA look on his STAGE
OF a man caught by his wife kissing
the pretty little hired help. Heleaned
back over the seat and said, links,
old man, for the sake of aud lang
syne come over here In this seat and
help me live this down." which | cid,
whereupon he gave me an explana-
ton OF his peculiar actions. links,
my boy, for a moment / was n boy
again, living back on the old home
stead. | was sitting again in the
family circle around the old fireplace
us we used to sit on Christmas Eve.
| heard again the voice of my mother
telling us all that good old fairy
story about old Santa coming down
the chimney. ! was sitting again rs
| used to sit with my nerves strung
up to concert pitch and my eyes
bulged out like hickory nuts, ready
Ia fly Mt the drop Of the hat, when
bang. down dropped the Santa Claus
OF tonight, and you know the rest"
And rs he finished, tears as big as
boiled gooseberries rolled down his
cheeks and splashed On the desk be-
fore him with Il sound like an April
hail storm on n tin roof. "Your
honor said. you have INDUCED
yourself in n pipe dream and have
had n rude awakening" Speaking
Of rude awakenings, Jinks," snid the
mayor, with a snort which | knew
was n sure sign the old pirate was
again himself, my awakening this
morning was OF the most brutal
kind. You remember my remarks to
YOU about how on Christmas Eve ]
was going to hang up my stocking,
Just to keep up the dear old custom
Yes, | made a note OF it and bribed
the q Of his landlady to step into
his room and pour the contents OF q
paper sack ! gave him into his hon
Or's stocking. "Well, let me think.
your honor. Yes, that's so, your
honor, you did speak OF it. And
swell, links, look me in the eye, vii
your" Well, | did so. "And, YOU
honor" "Oh, yes, you're terrible
innocent, amt you? But you're thu
man who put that quart of oatsintc
my sock. Now, what have you got
to say about it," ''Well, your honor
the party who did it gaveyoua most
appropriate present, for seeing you're
the mare and noticing you were not
In condition, gavey feed OF oats
and side stepping 10 avoid a possible
rush on the part Of his honor, | III
out down Il side street for home
shedding popcorn at every iumptha1
some sweet young thing at the social
whilcin a facetious mood, had poured
down the back Of my neck.
JINKs.
C--at1 nnn on ISHl