The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-01-05

self as small as possible and slid down
the chimney.
II ought to be at the bottom by this
time" he thought as he continued to
slip downward, but no fireplace Of any
sort met his view, and by and by he
reached the very end of the chimney,
which was in the cellar.
'This is oddv' he reflected, much
puzzled by this experience eff there
Is no fireplace, what on earth is the
chimney good for?"
Then he began to climb out again
and found it hard work, the space be-
Ing so small. And on his way up he
noticed thin, round pipe sticking
through the side of the chimney, but
could not guess what it was for.
Finally he reached the roof and said
to the reindeer:
"There was no need of my going
down that chimney, for 1 could find
no fireplace through which to en-
ter the house. I fear the children who
live there must go without playthings
this Christmas.'
Then he drove on, but soon came
to another new house with small
chimney. This caused Santa Claus to
shake his head doubtfully, but he tried
the chimney nevertheless and found
it exactly like the other. Moreover,
he nearly stuck fast in the narrow flue
and tore his jacket trying to get out
again; so, although he came to several
such chinneys that night, he did not
venture to descend any more of them.
What in the world are people think
ing of to build such useless chimneys"
he exclaimed. I'm all the years I have
travelled with my reindeer have never
seen the like before"
True enough, but Santa Claus had
not then discovered that stoves had
been invented and were fast coming
into use. When he did find it out he
wondered how the builders of those
houses could have so little considera-
ton for him when they knew very
well it was his custom to climb down
chimneys and enter houses by way of
the fireplaces. Perhaps the men who
built those houses had Outgrown their
own love for toys and were Indifferent
whether Santa Claus called on their
children or not. Whatever the explana-
ton might be, the poor children were
forced to bear the burden of grief and
disappointment.
The following year Santa Claus
found more and more of the new fash
Toned chimneys that had no fireplaces,
and the next year still more. The third
year, so numerous had the narrow
chimneys become, he even had a few
toys left in his sledge that he was
unable to give away, because he could
not get to the children.
The matter had now become so seri-
GUS that it worried the good man great
~, and he decided to talk it over with
t<ilter and Peter and Nuter and Wisk.
kilter already knew something about
it, for it had been his duty to run
around to all the houses just before
Christmas and gather up the notes and
letters to Santa Claus that the children
>~~~~ "AASsSAs SSAAAA6 VAdI "1SuCu
put in their stockings or hung on their
Christmas trees, but Kilter was a 81
lent fellow and seldom spoke of what
he saw in the cities and villages. The
others were very indignant.
"Those people act as if they do not
wish their children to be made happy!v
said sensible Peter in a yexed tone.
"The idea of shutting out such gen.
erous friend to their little onesw
"But it is my intention to make chill
dren happy whether their parents wish
1t or not" returned Santa Claus.
Years ago, when I first began max
ing toys, children were even more neg
lected by their parents than they are
now, so have learned to pay no at
tention to thoughtless or selfish par
ents, but to consider only the longings
Of childhood"
''You are right, my master" said
Nuter, the Ryl; many children would
lack a friend If you did not consider
them and try to make them happy
Then" declared the laughing Wisk,
I'VE must abandon any thought of