The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-01-05

UNI child, until Santa Claus began
his travels. had ever known
the pleasure Of possessing toy, yo,
viii understand how JOY crept into tn,
homes Of those who had been favoret
with a visit from the good man ant
how they talked of him day by day In
loving tones and were honestly CRATE
fGl for his kindly deeds 1t is true
that great warriors and mighty kings
and clever scholars of that day were
often spoken of by the people. but nc
one of them was 80 greatly beloved as
Santa Claus. because none other was
so unselfish az to devote himself to
making Others happy; for generous
deed lives longer than great battle
or a kings decree or scholars essay,
because it spreads and leaves its mark
on all nature and endures through
many generations.
The bargain made with the KNOCK
Prince changed the plans of Claus for
all future time. for, being able to use
the reindeer on but one night of each
year. he decided to devote all the 9th
err days to the manufacture of play
things and on Christmas Eve to carry
them to the children of the world
But a years work would. he knew,
result in vast accumulation Of toys.
so he resolved TO build a new sledge
that would be larger and stronger and
better fitted for swift travel than the
old and clumsy one.
His first net was to visit the Gnome
King. with whom he made a bargain
TO exchange three drums. trumpet
and two dolls for pair of fine steel
runners, curled beautifully at the ends;
for the Gnome King had children of
his own, who. living in the hollows I'M
der the earth, in mines and caverns,
needed something to amuse them.
In three days the steel runners were
ready. and when Claus brought the
playthings TO the Gnome King his
majesty was so greatly pleased with
them TINT he presented Claus with q
string OF sweet toned sleighbells in
addition to the runners. '4af
"These willapiease Glossie and Flos-
SIZE" said Claus as he jingled the bells
and listened TO their merry sound.
But l should have two strings Of
bells. one for each deer"
Bring me another trumpet and n
toy" replied the King, "and you shall
have. a second string of bells like the
first"
1T is a bargainr' cried Claus, and
he went home again for the toys.
The new sledge was carefully built
the KNOCKS bringing plenty OF strong
but thin boards TO use in its construc,
ton. Cmus made high. rounding
dashboard. TO keep off the snow cast
behind by the feet hoofs of the deer.
and he made high sides to the plat
form 80 that many toys could be car
ried. and finally he mounted the sledge
upon the slender steel runners made
by the Gnome King. i
1t was certainly a handsome sledgc,
and big and roomy. Claus painted il
in bright colors. although no one was
likely to see it during his midnight
journeys, and when all was finished he
sent for Glossie and Flossie to come
and look at it.
The deer admired the sledge, but
gravely declared it was too big and
heavy for them TO draw.
1--WE might pull it over the snow, to
he sure" said Glossie. but we could
not pull it fast enough to enable hs 70
visit the faraRay cities aapd gillages
and return to the Observation-Disclosures :
Then | must add }more deer to |
my team" declared Claus after a mo-
ment's thought,
THE Knock Prince allowed you as
many as ten. Why not use them all?'1
asked flossie Then VIC could speed |
like the lightning and leap to the high
est roofs with ease
a team of ten reindeeri'' cried |
Claus deligbtedly. THAT will be
splendid. Please return 10 the Forest |
al once and select eight other deer as
like yourselves as possible. And you
must all eat of the casa plant TO be
come strong and of fIle erawle plant |
TO become feet of foot and Of the |
marion plant that yon may live long |
to accompany me on my journeys.
Likewise it will be well for you to |
battle in the Pool of Mares. which the |
lovely Queen Zurline declares viii rem
der yon rarely beautiful Should you
perform these duties faithfully there is
no doubt that on next Christmas Eve |
mr. ten reindeer will be the most pow
erful and beautiful steeds the world
has ever seem"
So Glossie and Flossie went TO the /
Forest 10 choose their mates. and ]
Claus began to consider the question /
of harness for them all.
In the end he called upon Peter
KNOCK for assistance. for Peters
heart is as kind ss his body is crooked.
md he is remarkably shrewd as well. |
And Peter agreed to furnish strips OF
tough leather for the harness.
This leather was cut from the skins