The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-27

Yes" said I. "and 1t is causing much disquiet among the youngsters. It has been stated that owing to your troubles with the Union Toys, you have announc- e4 that Christmas must be celebrated on the 4th of next July instead of December 20. or else the youngsters will be put upon basis of the half full stockings. In my own family there is a great huliabaloo about it, and there are about two hundred and sixty pounds of good, solid boy that will land on my neck in no uncertain is true"
 No One to Be Overlooked. There is no truth in it." said Santa Claus instantly. You may announce with my authority that shall start out as usual on Christmas Eve and shall not overlook single sock that Is duly reg istered in my books. Nor will there be any reduction in the bulk of the gifts | supplied. Some of them. it is true. maj be less carefully made than in the past years. because we've had to do six months work practically in two. The paint on our wooden monkeys probably won't be as dry as 1t ought to be, but shall leave word with every monkey delivered warning mothers of the fact and suggesting that the babies be forbid
  after New Years.
 How do you suppose the rumor start ed?' I asked. Tt Is rather too bad to circulate tales of that sort to harrow up | the souls Of the expectant kids "Oh. 1t is not at all surprising" replied | Santa Claus. Fact is, fancy was my | self responsible for 1t. You see. when the walking Jumping Jack from the Toy Brotherhood came around here and | threatened to tie up the whole Christmas business unless I acceded to certain pre- | posterous demands, I told him plainly | that he could go ahead and caii out every Toy in the place. Then there'n be no Christmas said he. "oh. yes. there will. said I. We may have to put 1t off until l the Fourth of July, but thereM be a Christmas just the same.' haven't any | doubt that the rumor you speak of has ] grown out of that retort of mine."
 ''The demands were preposterous, were they?" I asked. t- | Not all of them" said Santa Claus. Some of them were quite reasonable. When the Monkeys asked for an extra coat of paint and quality of paint that would stay on when baby chose to try | to lick 1t off, 1t seemed to me a wholly reasonable request. I yielded on the ques- | ton of baby proof paint right away. When the Plush Dogs demanded barks | instead of squeaks, couldn't deny that there was justice in their request. Nc l self-respecting dog, whether he's made of plush or some other material, should be | asked to make sounds like a canary bi7d that has been punched in the stomach and I promptly gave orders to have them all fited out with parks, or at least with | yelps."
 Indestructible Toys.
 But when they started to go out un. less I stopped encouraging indestructiEle toys, in fact, unless I shut down my in destructible toy shop altogether, put my foot down and declined even to consider the proposition. There is a demand fol indestructible express wagons. steam en. zines and choo-choo cars of one kind and another, and it is my place to meet the demand. am sort of purveyor of hap piness to the youngsters of this world, and if the heart of a youngster Is set upor an indestructibIe ice wagon. fire engine ar hook and ladder outfit, I should be re creant to my duty if I withdrew then from the market.
 "A very proper stand-and how abou the eight hour movement for the dolls?' asked.
 That matter We have decided to arbi- trate,' Santa Claus replied. Though, tC tell you the truth, don't see how I car abide by a settlement of that question il 1t goes against me. A doll is perfectly justified in wishing to have the play hours reduced to eight. Eight hours Is enough for any doll of ordinary strength to bG played with, but that matter rests witf the children. not with me. can say that no doll shall be required to be dressed and