Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-04-10

lYM%5RMEa Valley where stands the big, rambling
EA NSxEoSxsE castle in which his toys 1nanufac
ESAes-&s tured. His work1nen selected from the
tESk4HAl ryls, knocks, pixies and fairies, live with
Ea aSKEIR him, and every one is as busy as can be
IkSSzz1z-E@zZsssa from years end to another
1t is called the Laughing Valley be-
cause everything there is happy and gay. The brook
chuckles itself it leaps rackng between its green
banks; the wind whistles merriy III the trees: the sun
beams dance lightly the soft grass, and the vo,es
and wild-tiowers look snlingy up from their green
nests To laugh one needs TO be happy to .be happy
one needs to be content And throughout the Laugh
ing Valley of Santa Claus contet6nt reigs supreme
On one side is the mighty Forest Of Burzee AT the
other side stands the huge mountain that contains the
Caves OF the Daemons. And between them the Valley
lies smiling and peaceful. .....-.,.
One would think that good old Santa Claus, who
devotes his days making children happy would have
enemies on all the earth and matter OF fact,
for long period OF time he encountered nothing but
love wherever he might so.
But the Daemons who live in the mountain caves
grew to hate Santa Claus very much, and all for the
simple reason that he made children happy.
The Caves of the ljaemonS five IN number. A
broad pathway leads up the first cave, which is
finely arehed cavern at the foot Of the mountain the
resides the Daemon of Selfsness. Back of this is
other cavern inhabited by the Daemon of Envy The
of the .Daemon OF Hatred IS next in order and
through this passes the home of the Daemen
of Malice-situaed in a dark and fearful in the
very heart of the mountain. j do not know what lies
beyond this Some say there terrible pitfalls lead
ing to death and destruction, and this may very well
be true. However, from each one of the four
mentioned there IS small narrow tunnel leading to
the fifth cave-a coy little occupied by the Dae
of Repentance. And the rocky floors OF these
passages are well by the track of passing feet
judge that many wanderers in the Caves of the Dac
have escaped through the tunnels TO the abode
of the naenen of Repentance who is said to be a
pleasant sort of fellow who gladly opens for
little door admitting YOU into fresh air and sunshine
again =
Well, these Daeons OF the Caves thinking they had
Ggreat cause to dislike old Santa Claus held meeting
one day to discuss the matter.
"Pm really getting 1onesone said the Daemon of
Selhshness For Santa Claus distributes so many
pretty Christmas gifts do all the children that they be
happy and generous, through his example, and
keep away from my cave"
'I'm having the trouble" rejoined the Daemon
of Envy. "1he little seem quite with
Santa Claus, and there few, indeed that
TO become envious
"And that makes it bad for mew declared the Dae-
mon of Hatred For if no. children pass through the
caves of Sehshness and Envy get my
cavern"
Cor to NINE" added the Daemon of Malice.
"For my part" said the Daemon of Repentance, at
is easily that if children do not visit your
they have need TO visit mine; 50 am quite as neg
lected as yoh are.
"And all because of this person they call Santa
Claus p exclaimed the Daemon of Envy. He is simply
running business, and something must be done at
once"
To this they readily agreed; but what to do an
other and difficult matter to settle. They knew
that Santa Claus worked all through the year at his
castle in the Laughing Valley preparing the gifts he
was to distribute Christmas Eve and first they
resolved try tempt him into their caves, that they