The Topeka state journal., 1905-12-24
TWO LITTLE SANTA CLAUSES.
CBy Sarah Noble Ives, Illustrated by
the AnthOr.1

(By Sarah Noble Ives, Illustrated by
the Author.1
Three whole silver dollars apiece!''
said Marcy to the Boy as they sat in
the corner Of the garnet, where the nut
pile had been. and gazed affectionateiy
on their hard-earned wealth. IT'S like
having money instead of nuts fan of
the trees. However shall we spend il %
spend it9" said the Boy with a
grand air. Spend It? Why, that s
easy. My; I could spend It if all the
nuts we picked up was dollars. There's
heaps OF things to buy, and we've to be
Santa Claus for q sight OF people
There's Father and Mother and Baby
Dorothy, and Violet Amanda ana Rob
ert and Uncle Tom and Aunt Molly and
Cousin Joe. Why, II ! had It, ] could
spend as mueh as-seventeen dollars,
Marcy gaaped at the reelzlessnsss of
the Boy.
I'm maxim a list" he went on.
proudly. Here it is. You see I'll know
just what can do
He held out a paper for Marcy to see.
It was done in his best copybook let
ters.
Mother-fifty cents.
Father-ffty cents.
Margy-tWenty-fiv cents.
Dorothy-tWenty-f cents.
Uncle TOm-tWenty-fv cents.
Aunt Molly-twenty-fv cents.
Joe-twenty-fiv cents.
Violet ATnanda-tWenty-fv cents.
Robert-twenty-fiv cents.
And that leaves a quarter for
candy
@UncIe Tom said he would take US
to the city, so father and mother
needn't know a thing said Marcy.
True to his word, Uncle Tom hap
pened in that very evening and said, in
/ a careless way to Father:
I'm going to town tomorrow, and If
the children would ike 3 trip, I'll es-
Z cort them" tts
So, dressed in their best witt the
precious money held tight in theit
purses, they went on the little river
boat to the city with Uncle Tom.
What day that was! The very air
was full of secrets. Every shop seemed
Here is where you want to buy!" Ev-
cry window seemed full Of gifts that
would be just right for someone on the
/ list.
The Boy stopped in front OF a great
sheet of plate glass, behind which were
/ perehed many ga5ly-colored hats, look
/ ing like SO many butterflies.
There's the very thing for Mother" p"
/ he exclaimed delightedly That hat
with the pink velvet roses.
! won't it cost too much 90
/ "Well I'm going to ask 'em any
way. Maybe we could put our fifty
| eentses together and get it,"
The Boy darted in, but came back
4NAChAys Win q Ao0-A A410tS eAAAA "a LAS
/ face
'Jerusaleml It is twenty doliars!''
"NIyi I didn't s'pose anything could
/ cost as much as that. Uncle Tom.
where can we go to buy our presents %
st should recommend the Dollar
! Store,' said Uncle Tom. They have
| counters there where everything is ten
! cents or a quarter, or any price you
choose to pay, up to a dollar"
This proved to be the place for their
money. The Boy made his selection in
next to no time. Marcy took longer,
for it was hard to choose between so
many things; but at last the purchases
were made, and two happy children
went home that night, and sneaked up
| the back stairs with their bundles
Later they slowed them away in an old
chest of drawers in the garret, safe
| from the eyes of the curious.
And Father and Mother never made
a guess as to all the whispering that
went on. Nor did they notice that the
children were fairly bulging with Sc