Evening star., 1903-10-24
AN UNEXPECTED VISIT FROM
SANTACLAUS.
By AlbeA Nselow Paine.


Tho Little Lady y-has the greatest respect
for Santa Claus. and she knows he is never
SO far away but that he can see just what is
going on, and can ebe right there in a
second if he wants tos She knows this. be-
cause once when She wished for a pair of
red slippers, they were right by the bed
the next morning. and it wasn't Christmas
time, either, though she knew Santa Claus
brought them. for there was q candy cane
in one-the very kind Santa Claus always
brings.
And there was another time that Santa
Claus came two other times. and both in
the summer when the Little Lady was in
the far land of trees and fields. and not in
the least expecting him. though as say she
knew he could come then If he wanted to.
Indeed, the Little Lady knew great
many things She knew that fairies lived
under the Gamma leaves, only you couldn't
see them, and that brownies live in the
loose stone wall back of the house. She
had seen a brownie once-at least, she
had seen something brown dart into the
wall when she came around the corner
of the house suddenly, and If 1t wasn't a
brownie what was it? She had learned
to count twenty, too, and the Big Man
had paid her 20 cents for that, which
money she had spent for chocolates the
same day. That was the day she learned
something about Santa Claus. l mean
something new about Santa Claus.
You see. she had brought her chocolate tes
home and laid them by her plate at the
dinner table. Then they looked so good
that she wanted to eat some before dinner.
The Big Man said they were bad for lit
tie girls before dinner, but that she might
eat just one. Just one tasted so good that
tie Little Lady wanted to eat just two.
Then when the Big Man said no, she
Goa xed real hard and was about to cry, at
which he said that as it only sixteen
-,,.fr r;rl, lrI I~a{t
be careful, and reminded her of how Santa
Claus sometimes came around to see how
children behaved during the year.
The Little Lady thought about this a
minute and then said that sixteen weeks
was long, long while, and she would
have plenty of time to get good again
after the chocolates were gone. Then she
began to pout and look cross and not at
all like pretty flower, as she often does,
which is the reason why some folks call
her Blossom.
Il shouldn't wonder if Santa Claus was
around here now says the Big Man all at
once. Sometimes he comes and takes
things away, too. I thought heard some
thing. You had better look close at that
candy"
The Little Lady darts a sudden glance
down at her elbow, where she had placed
the precious box. Then she gives a little
scream. 1t is gone!
What is it? What is the matter?' asks
the Big Man, carving busily at the chicken.
The Big Man looks very grave
Dear me-! he says, how dreadful! I
didn't see a thing, either! Are you sure
you know just where you put it?'
The Little Ladys voice sounds weak and
trembly when she says she is sure she put
1t right by her plate, and then pretty soon
she isn't so sure, and looks down in her lap
and under the table, until the Big Man
says he knows old Santa Claus must have
Slipped in and taken it when he heard her
wanting to eat it before dinner, and that
just as likely as not he will bring it back
if the Little Lady eats her dinner and
doesn't make any fuss about it.
This is hard to do, for she feels n good
deal more like crying, but the Big Man is
so sure that he says if SANTA doesn't come
back with it he will buy some more choco-
lates himself So she has some soup, and
by that time she finds out how hungry she
is, and nearly forgets her candy until lust
as she is through with a nice plate of
chicken and potatoes she happens to look
down, and there, right at her elbow, is the
box of chocolates.
Well, well"' says the Big Man. We'll,
Well"
But the Little Lady has opened the box
and is counting them. There are just
twenty and three fmOre-not a single one
gone, except the one she has eaten herself
So that was how Little Lady came TO
learn something new about Santa Claus,
and she thought about it great deal. II
Santa Claus could come and go like that it
couldn't be so far to his home as she had
thought, and there must be way to go
there. She spoke about this to the Little
Woman one day when She had been lying
out on the grass thinking it over
Il don't suppose he lives far away as
it seems" said the Little Woman.
Perhaps the way to his home comes out
under the front porch" said the Little
Lady. There's a place there that looks
like gate at the end"
Perhaps" said the Little Woman.
The Little Lady went out in the sunny
yard again. 1t was September and very
warm and still. A lot of contented grass
hoppers We're singing not far away, and
a troop of yellow butterflies We're dane
ing in time to the music. The Little
Lady rested on her elbows in the shade
of the cannas and looked toward the lat
tice work at the end of the porch. Then
she went over and tried it, but if it was
a gate 1t was fastened inside. So she
stretched out on the grass again and lay
there looking at it and thinking. 1t
was fifteen weeks now till Christmas.
Fifteen weeks and three days-her mann
ma had said so. She counted it over and
over.
Hello Rosebud"
The Little Lady looked around quickly.
People often called to her that way in
passing. <33ut there was nobody passing
now that she could see
Hello PanSy!"
The little girl looked very quickly this
time, but still could see no one.
Hello, Butuercup"
This time it seemed as if the voice was
right in front of her, and she said quick
Iy:
My name isn't ROSebud, or PanSy, or
Buttercup. either. Some people call me
Blossom, and papa calls me Little Lady"
"Oh. well, that's all the same said
the voice, flowers are all blossoms, you
know" and just then the Little Lady
saw the lattice under the porch move a
little and then some more, and then one
end of 1t was pulled back, and out step
ped a little fat man with a rosy face.
white whiskers and dressed in a nice
summer suit of striped seersucker cloth,
short trousers and a coat belted at the
waist.
"Ohw exclaimed the Little Lady, Santa
Claus"
The Little Man bowed very low.
But you haven't your furs on, said
the Little Lady.
Neither have you" said Santa Claus.
"Furs are for winter"
Yes, of course. but all your pictures
are taken in furs."
Il know. They're all taken about
Christmas time. I'm going to have one,
though. with my summer things on.
Don't you think them becoming?"
Very. Though you look different and
not so Christmassy, but knew you right
away"
That's because you were looking for
me. If you'd passed me on the street you