The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-12-14

when We called out a dozen regiments of
tin soldiers 10 maintain order all Of 'em
! nIutinied. bent their %bayonets. refused to
sit or their horses. reversed their colors
| and affiliated with the Iron Wagon Drivers.
| In all my experience" Santa Claus added,
I've never had such a hard time with the
toys before.
The music boxes wouldn't play anything
l but the .NarseiIlaise,' the rag dolls de-
:nand@d PareSiau trcuseaux. the wax re-
fused to live in houses that were not pro-
viieri with running water. hot and cold
The marbles and agates wouldn't shoot
| straight and in our plaster schools the chill
dren all insisted upon being school mas
tiers, instead Of pupils"
BY Jcve. but you must have had a time
of it, I cried. But were there no non
union toys among themr"
Yes said Santa Claus. there were at
first"
And did they go over to the union" 1
asked.
Ne" replied Santa Claus.
They had the sawduSt shaken out of
EN-. mostly by the Iron Wagon Drivers.
Within a week OF our investigation. in
which the toys had to declare themselves
as being on one side or the other. We
gathered up eighteen baskecfuls Of nom
union toys. not one OF which was At for
US
The thing lasted until July and every
time we'd Yield a little they'd demand
AAAt "AAA- ~ JpNV- AA.N. ~ ~ IAN
point where they demanded that each one
Of them should be permitted to say to
what child he should be given and that
each should be delivered by special mes
Senger instead of in the usual way.
The china dolls issued a statement say
ing that they wouldn't go out at all unless
each was provided with three suits OF
clothes and a porcelain lined bathtub.
The last word from the Jumping jacks
was that they would consent to being left
only in fisfA-rhr,2d Sfnrkin0G and would
refuse TO work except in response to a pull
on u siiken string. instead Of the ordinary
Irvine We have used since the jumping jack
was invented.
And. worst Of all, the motto candles re-
qulred US TO inscrtbe them with lines from
Browning. Shakespeare and Tennyson, In
stead of with III. usual jingles-'
Well. l DECLARE said l. But what did
You do: Is the strike on yet?"
Yes. its on with that particular lot"
said Santa Claus
w are through with 'em. though. They
can strike and strike and strike for all We
care.
We just turned in and made an entirely
new Supply-leaving the walking delegates
out. The strikers have been left to their
them nonunion.
Il hated to do it. but it was tho only
way"
SO that now all is plain sailing again.
1 asked.
Not exactly" said Santa Claus We've
practically had to do a years work In hve
months, and l regret to say that. working
day and night, We are still woefully short
in our supply.
We have demands for about four mil
lion more toys than We can provide. and So.
of course. there viii be much d~isappoint-
ment all over.
I'm awfully sorry. but we've done our
best. which is all anybody can do"
Il suppose" 1 put in at this point, that
you have the usual run of smoking jackets
and slippers. and golf suits and furs. and SO
on for the grown-ups this year"
y haven't" said Santa Claus. i've
got a novelty this year for the grown-ups-
When l realized our condition in the toy
side of our proposition I took all our hands
off the presents for grown people and
turned our energies entirely into replacing
our toy stock.
Everybody in the place has been making
toys. giving up the smoking jacket and
slipper end of it altogether. Christmas Is
first of all u children's season. you know"
And SO We are to be without presents
this year, / asked. I'VE who have ceased
to be children"
NO. indeed" cried Santa Claus. ~jovialiy.
I've got a present for the adults that will
warm the cookies of every heart in your
country.
Il thought of it only yesterday. and I've
fixed it already. so that it will be delivered
all right"
And may I ask what it isT" said 1.
Certainly" replied Santa Claus, If you'll
promise not to tell"
1 promised. and Santa Claus whispered in
my ear a single monosyllable. which filed
my soul with delight.
of course. in view of my promise. can
not tell You what 1t Is the good old Saint
ts 70 gladden. our hearts with on Christmas
morning, but / can only say this:
If any adult reader of this interview finds
a ten of anthracite in his stocking on Christ
yaac .l-rTnr ba mood MT
surprised. JOHN kENDRICK RANGS-