Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-01-17


Santa Claus. which had not been
drawing very near he said to his
mother: do you 'spose, mamma, that
I might get what want on New Year
so long as 1 did not get it for Christ
mas?"
why, sonny, I don't know about
that" smiled Tommy's mother. Nov,
what was it that you wanted so much
and which you did not receive? There
were the fine new skates Santa brought
you and your splendid coaSting sled,
and your football and boxing gloves
all the very things you told me you
had written to Santa for"
Eyes, mamma; but 1 wrote another
letter to Santa that was very private,
cause it was to be a gift to you and
papa as much as it was to me, you
see. So / thought I'd keep it secret
from you till 1 found it in my stock
ing-or in my plate on the table, for
it would be too big to go into my
stocking, you know"
No, sonny; 1 do not know anything
about the size of the longed-for Christ
mas gift which you did not receive, so
cannot tell whether it would go into
your stocking. You are a mighty fine,
big boy, dear, and wear a great big
her big, 6-year-old Tommy. But,
come, darling, confide to mother what
it was you so much wanted and did
not get.''
81 wanted a baby said Tommy. ST
wanted one for all of uS-yOu and papa
and myself. You know what cum
ming little boy baby the Smiths have,
mamma, and Chubby Smith told me
that Santa Claus brought it to them
He said it came two days before
Christmas, but that was because 1t
was so cold in Santa's house that he
was afraid the baby would get the
collie or the Group, so he hurried up
and delivered it to the Smiths a little
before Christmas. But Mrs. Smith told
Chubby that they would not mind If
the baby did come a few days sooner
than Chubby had asked to have it, for
it could be named before Christmas
and Chubby could hang present on
the Christmas tree for it, Wasn't that
nice, mamma?"
Lovely admitted Tommy's mother
"And so you wrote letter secretly to
Santa Claus, begging him to bring us
a baby, did you? And what kind of
a baby did you want, dearest?"
81 asked for one just like Smiths
baby, mamma" explained Tommy, 'I
said that if he-Santa Claus-had an
other just like he had sent to Chubby
Smiths house to please put a tag on
it for our house and deliver it as soon
as possible, as 1 wanted it for Christ
mas"
"Well,' said Tommy's mamma, Sup
pose Santa hadn't another baby just
exactly like the Smiths baby-he
doubtless would not bring you any at
all, thinking that you wanted a spe-
cial kind of baby.
Now, the little Smith baby has blue
eyes and very light hair. And as it
I, ILL
by-that is, if he plays in the sun and
wind without his hat on as does
Chubby. Well, 1 don't think fair
haired, blue-eyed, freckled baby would
fit in at our house. You know papa
has gray eyes and black hair; and
Tommy has papa's eyes and mamma
hair. so, you should have asked Santa
Claus to fetch a baby that would fit in
with the others Of our family. Don't
you think dear little brown-eyed baby
would suit you?-or one with dark gray
eyes like your own and papa's? I would
love one to resemble my Tommy"
A smile of pleasure played on
Tommys pretty little face, and with
pride he said: "All right, mamma, let's
ask for a baby like was when 1 was
first brought here. Did I have any
freckles like Chubby Smith has?"
ooh, you were such a dear, sweet
baby" declared Tommy's mother hold
ing him so close to her heart that he
could feel it's throbbing. "And there
never can be another baby nicer than
you were, dearest"
"Can there ever be one as nice?'
asked Tommy, his face full of happi-
ness over his mothers praise of himself
as baby. Surely" he thought, IT
must have been a corkin' fine little
kid" But he didn't say that to his
mother, for when he talked to her he
used the very incest and politest Ian
guage he knew. Only to the kids at
school did he use the language he so
often employed to frame his thoughts
to himself. To her he added, aloud !:
But maybe Santa Claus couldn't find
another baby as-as-nice as 1 was,
mamma"
well, he couldn't find one a whit
nicer declared the mother, "but he
might find one just as nice, for it
would have to be as nice as you if it
were to come here to be your little
brother or sister,"
A new thought flashed through Tom
my's mind. Say, mamma" he ex-
claimed, which should I have asked
fora girl baby or a bow baby?"