The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-01-05
Chapter Glqbteentb
bew the first stecktnss Mere Dung by TIE
Chimney

"HEN you remember that no
\" child, until Santa Claus began
his travels, had ever known
the pleasure Of possessing a toy. you
will understand how JOY crept into the
homes Of those who had been favored
With a visit from the good nan and
how they talked Of him day by day in
loving tones and were honestly CRATE
full for his kindly deeds 1t is true
that great warriors and mighty kings
and clever scholars Of that day We're
often spoken of by the people, but no
one of them was so greatly beloved as
Santa Claus, because none other was
so unselfsh as to devote himself to
making others happy; for generous
deed lives longer than a great battle
or kings decree or Il 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
er 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 a 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 act was to visit the Gnome
King, with whom he made a bargain
to exchange three drums, trumpet
and two dolls for a pair of fine steel
runners, curled beautifully at the ends;
for the Gnome King had children of
his own, who, living in the hollows un-
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 that he presented Claus with a
string Of sweet toned sleighbells in
addition to the runners.
these will please Glossie and Flos-
sie,' said Claus as he jingled the bells
and listened to their merry sound.
"But I should have two strings of
bells, one for each DEER
Bring me another trumpet and a
toy" replied the King, land you shall
have second string Of bells like the
first"
1T is a bargain!' 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 it's construc-
ton. Claus made a high, rounding
dashboard, to keep off the snow cast
behind by the fleet hoofs of the deer,
and he made high sides to the plat
form so that many toys could be car
ried, and finally he mounted the sledge
upon the slender steel runners made
by the Gnome King.
1t was certainly handsome sledge,
and big and roomy. Claus painted it
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.
I'VE might pull it over the snow, to
be sure,' said Glossie, but we could
not pull it fast enough to enable us to
Visit the faraway cities and villages
and return to the Forest by daybreak."
"Then I must add two more deer to
my team,' declared Claus after 4 mo-
ment's thought.
The KNOCK Prince allowed you as
many as ten. Why not use them ALP"
asked Flossie. 'Then we could speed
like the lightning and leap to the high
est roofs with ease"
"A team of ten reindeerv' cried
Claus delightedly. ''That will be
splendid. Please return to the Forest
at 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 the grawle plant
to become fleet Of foot and Of the
MARION plant that you may live long
to accompany me on my journeys
Likewise it will be we'll for you to
battle in the Pool of Mares, which the
lovely Queen Zurline declares will rem
der you rarely beautiful. Should you
perform these duties faithfully there is
no doubt that on next Christmas Eve
my ten reindeer will be the most DOW
erful and beautiful steeds the world
has ever seenv'
So Glossie and Flossie went to the
Forest to 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 as his body is crooked,
and he is remarkably shrewd as well.