Los Angeles herald., 1909-12-19
AIRsHiP CARRIES BOY
TO STRANGE LAND
Honorable Mention)

Dear Aunt Laurie:
IEN HIS is the second story have sent.
Was dreaming? Before the huge
Il fireplace stood the strangest
person / had ever seen. He was
dressed in bright red from head TO
foot; not TALL but very stout, with
long white beard which hung nearly
TO his waist.
was about to creep back into bed
when he saw me Reckoning me toward
him, he held out his arms and crept
up to him. I knew l would love him,
he was so tender so gentle, so loving.
He spoke to me: his voice was sort
and musical: Young man. you nave
been very good this year, and: II you
wish, will give you what few chill
dren can have--a ride with me. Would
you like to go?"
"Oh. yes" 1 cried at once. come on
now"
NV mother was in the habit of dress
ing me, as l was too small TO DO 80
myself. He offered to do 1t for me.
s'Now." he said, as he laced my
shoes. 1--WE must hurry" He clasped
my hand tightly in his own, and di-
rectly we were up the chimney ana
on top of the house.
Here a strange sight met my eyes.
7 expected to see a large sledge with
beautiful reindeer, such as had seen
pictured in my books, but instead there
was a big airship loaded down with
toys of all kinds. have always
thought ii would be grand to SO up In
an airship: now had chance. What
would mother and father say?
Taking NV seat beside Santa Claus
we started The night was cold, the
moon cast her bright. clear, cold beams
upon us. We stopped. he was gone for
"a few minutes then we glided on again
oil w hUn1.
Now we were higher than the highest
church steeples, then we would sWoop
down on the top of some house; then
on and on until we reached the country.
II was then he spoke: "Well my
work is nearly done"
You must be very tired?' / asked.
yes" he answered: "but It's worth
II Think of the many children who
will be made happy when they awake
in the morning"
At last he was through an1 we
started home, to his ice palace, as he
called it, many miles to the north.
Away we went through the keen Cold
air. which bit our faces until they
were blue. Jack Frost was coming. he
told me.
Inside of the ice palace it was very
warm and we removed our overcoats.
He then took me 10 his workshop, ana
my eyes nearly popped out or their
sockets at the things I saw. There
were numberless tnys-some that
wound up, others that went on wheels,
and dolls without number. They didn't
attract my attention much. Dolls
were made for girls. not for boys.
AS | wandered about the shop / no.
ticed for the first time that he had
helpers. Such funny little creatures
they were: some no larger than 1,
though much older. for they had long
white boards like old Santa himself.
"Come, child. we must be going. 1t
is getting light in the east; come.
Take any toy you wish. but come"
one of the little men had Just nm
ished the toy he was working on-a
horse and rider. liked horses, and as
this toy was new. / asked him II |
might have It, He nodded. ] clasped
il in my arms and followed old Santa.
Again we went high above the earth.
l was very tired and soon fell asleep.
awakened with q start. Where
was /? / realized l was I'm my own
little bed and all had been a beautiful
dream.
BAYARD BELL DOUGLAS.
504 West Twenty-frst street. Nor
wood Street school, AT.