Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-12

It was Christmas eve, and John Bob and
Mary Stockton were talking In whispers by
the hall fireplace. There was no fire lit,
for they had reserved this chimney for
Santa Claus to descend with his numerous
packages. The excited three had just sent
up their notes for Santa to read. 1t was
custom in the family to always put the
notes up the chimney as far as the hand
could reach, for there was sure to be a
brick there good enough to act as Santa
Claus post Office. Mary, the only daughter.
wrote for doll house, all furnished. In
deed, the floors must all be carpeted except
the kitchen, which must have an oiicloth on
its floor; the walls must all be papered, and
each room filled with everything it should
have to make 1t look like real persons
house. Her brothers helped her write, for
she was only five, and so tired were they
with all the instructions concerning the
doll house, of which boys take no notice,
except to sniff scornful shifts at, that they
quietly suggested to Sister Mary that Santa
Claus would take all night to get her things
down the chimney and they would have
tired. for John and Bob wrote a very long
n0te-indeed. 1t was a good sized letter.
Ihey asked for a foot ball, six marbles
twenty-five cents apiece. boxing gloves
SeAAo CosS dt SCHOOL OaO tnoIa, ana small
boys like thNmselves). a toy pistol (they
would lend 1t to each other SO one would
oo). Two pairs OF skates ut was no fun for
one to skate at a time, 50 they would have
70 nave two pairs). and story books. and
30 many other articles that Santa Claus
must have thought they expected great
tnlngs OF him and his reindeer. Then they
hung up their stockings by the fireplace,
three pairs for themselves. a pair for
mother and q pair of socks for father
what long row It made. Wont that
Keep Santa busy.' the three cried and
clapped their hands
After this John. Bob and Mary went
quietly upstairs to bed but not to sleep for
somehow their little brains were too busy
thinking The boys were dreaming, though
awake. Tor they imagined they were trying
on their skates. they were playing with
their marbles on the hall rug, their hands
were huge In boxing gloves, they were kick
ing the foot ball high in air In Elee and
tney were sharing all kinds OF adventures
win the boys of story books. Little Mary.
700: mad her Imagination busy, for she had
Just had wedding between two of her
COILS, Susan and Charlie, and they were to
set up housekeeping in a real bride and
Dridegrooms house. where everything was
new and spick and span. Then the other
ooHs would nave to be servants Oh, dear,
she hadn't asked Santa Claus for aprons
and caps. But mother would do that, and
SO quickly, too. so the little girl fell asleep
iuli OF thoughts of the morrow. and her
prothers soon followed her into the land OF
nod.
The room was quite dark, when John
cailed: bob, are you awake? Let's get our
things on and see what Sanity has left"
..S was so sleepy. but when he heard
SANITY he awoke entirely. and the two
were dressed in no time. But Mary? 1t
would be mean to go down without her.
Inc boys went into her little room and
called: Mary, get up! Santy's been here!
Let's see If he left your doll house. Mary
was up In hurry and dressed in hurry
John and Bob buttoned her shoes. buttoned
her dress, and they were out of the room
with bound Just as they put their feet
on the stairs the clock struck one, two,
three, four. five-and John held I'D his
finger and said, I'VE must be quiet or we
Will waken father and mother. and they'll
send US back to bed before we get even a
peep"
Then they tiptoed down the stairs+pro-
voking stairs, provoking shoes-what q
creaking they made between them And
the nrst thing they saw was the doll house
with chimney
Mary fairly pulled the bows and held than,
TO see 1t before they touched a thing of
their own, but not for long, for In a corner
or the hall, marked For John" were a
root ball, and skates. and boxing gloves and
DOCKS, and so many other things and in
another corner, marked For Bob" was al
most the same collection. The boys called
Mary, Mary, look! lookr' Blu Mary was
dear and dumb and blind to anything and
imp Jul hOi uoll lOuSe- ana II had
an upstairs, and was furnished like really
house,
What excitement! Dear old Santa Claus
would have forgotten all his troubles in de-
scending II he could have seen the 10y of
the overjoyed three
AND then the Stockings-wfth oranees
nuts, candy, marbles and what not.
When father and mother came down for
breakfast and pushed open the dining room
door the children beheld Christmas tree.
and they danced again for joy and clapped
their hands. isn't Sanity good to us!
wish we could hug him." they all cried
rather and mother had never seen three
happier children. and IL dear old Santa
Claus had suddenly dropped his reins and
peeped in could he have viewed a hammer
or merrier group?
MARGARET KIRBY TAYLOR.