CanÌƒon City record. [volume] (CanÌƒon City, Colo.) 1883-192?, 1904-12-29

face is now as solid as ice
Perhaps" remarked Claus thought
fully. 81 might now carry my pack Of
toys to the children"
''Is it a Iorg 1ourneyT asked FIossie
Yes, IT will take me many days. for
the pack In heavy" answered CIaus-
Then the snow would melt before
you could get back" said the deer.
You must walt until spring. Claus
Claua sighed Had your AAaf
ssst." said he. 81 could make the jour
ney in day"
-But you have not" returned Glossie,
looking at his own slender legs with
pride.
Perhaps / could ride upon your
back" Claus ventured to remark after
. pause.
"Oh, no, our backs are not strong
enough to bear your weight said
Flossie decidedly. But If you had a
sledge and could harness us to ii we
might draw you easily and your pack
as well"
'I'll make a sledge." exclaimed Claus.
"Wiil you agree to draw me IL dor
"WeIl," replied Fiossie, I'VE must
FIRST go and ask the KNOCKS, who are
our guardians. for permission, but II
they consent and you can make a
sledge and harness we will gladly as
DIST you"
Then go at oncer' cried Claus ca
gerly. Il am sure the friendly KNOCKS
will give their consent, and by the
time you are back shall be ready to
harness you to my sledge-"
Flossie and Glossie, being deer of
much intelligence. had long wished to
see the great world. SO they gladly ran
over the frozen snow to ask the
Knocks IL they might carry Claus on
bis journey.
Meantime the toymaker hurriedly be-
gan the construction of sledge. using
material from his wood pile. He made
two long runners that turned upward
at the front ends. and across these
nailed short boards to make a plat
form. II WIS soon completed. but
was as rude in appearance as it is pos
sible for sledge 10 be-
The harness was more difficult to pre-
pare but Claus twisted strong cords to-
gether and knotted them so they
would Mt around the necks of the deer.
II the shape OF collar. From these
ran other cords to fasten the deer to
the front of the sledge.
Before the work was completed Clos
sic and Flossie were back from the
Forest. having been granted permis
sion by VIII KNOCK to make the jour
ney with Claus provided they would re-
turn to Burzee by daybreak the next
morning.
THAT is not very long time" said
F1ossie '-but we are swift and strong.
and if we get started by this evening
we can travel many miles during the
night
Claus decided TO make the attempt,
so he hurried on his preparations As
fast as possible After a time he fas-
tened the collars around the necks of
his steesis and harnessed them to his
rude sledge Then he placed stool on
the little platform. to serve as n seat.
and filled a sack with his prettiest
toys
How do you intend to guide us:'
asked Glossie I'VE have never been
out OF th, Forest before except TO visit
your house so we shall not know the
way.
Claus thought about that for a mo-
mcnt Then he brought more cord>
and fastened two of them to the
spreading antlers of each deer. one on
the right and the other on the left.
'-Tio>e will be my reins." said Claus
'-and when | pull them to the right or
10 the left you must go in that direcs
ton. II l do not pull the reins at all
you may go straight ahead
VERY we'll" answered Glossie and
FIossie. and then they asked. Are you
ready
Claus seated himself upon the STOOL
placed the sack OF toys at his feet and
then gathered up the reins
IAN ready he shouted. Away we
go-'
The deer leaned forward, lifted their
slender limbs, and the next moment
away few the sledge over the frozen
snow. The swiftness of the motion
surprised Claus. for In few strides
they were across the Valley and gliding
over the broad plain beyond,
The day had melted into evening BY
the time they started. for, swiftly ~
Claus had worked. many hours had
been consumed in making his prepara-
tions. But the moon shone brightly to
uOht their uav and Ciaua rron d>r.,d.