The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-12-16

"wRLL, CHILDREN, HOW DO YOU DopT
Course he'll so to the nearest town,
cause it's a great big place, with lots
of girls and boys. An if we can stop
him anywhere | guess he'd come If
we'd ask him"
Great! You always do think of the
right thing. Dotw exclaimed Teddy.
Just as twilight was falling the little
boy and girl slipped from the house
unnohced by their mother and were
soon lost to view in the great forest
OF course this was very wrong, but in
their zeal to find Santa Claus they
didn't stop to think.
Meanwhile, in town, Uncle Jack was
about to put the finishing touches on
his costume You see, he thought he
would dress himself exactly like Santa
Claus, load a pack full of nice presents
and pay visit to the cabin in the
clearing. He, too was afraid that
Sanity might not be able to find his
way there, and he didn't want Teddy
and Dot to go without their usual
presents.
Uncle Jack had never paid them
visit Indeed, he had come to town
but a few days before. But he felt
sure he would have no trouble In find
ing his way, faint though the track
through the forest was. He was dis
turbed, however, when he learned that
he would be unable to use his horse,
because the animal had been badly
lamed the day before, As no other
horse was obtainable, Uncle Jack
started out on foot
On and on went Teddy and Dot upon
their journey. After awhile Dot began
to grow the least bit afraid, while even
Teddy's stout heart misgave him.
II don't think we can find Sanity to-
night; let's 90 back" whispered Dot,
throwing fearful glances at the shad-
ows cast by the trees overhead.
Teddy nodded his head sadly and
was about to turn when something far
ahead claimed his attention.
Somebody's over there, an l do
believe it's Sanity! 1t looks like him,
anyway"
The two walked timorously forward.
Sure enough, II was Sanity! Seated
YEARLY on tree stump beside the
road, with his pack beside him on the
ground, he looked up as the boy and
girl drew near.
"Well, children, how do you do1 You
don't often see Santa Claus without
his reindeer, do your The fact is" he
explained, II jumped out OF my sleigh
for a moment. and for the first time In
my life the reindeer ran away from
me. | can't understand it. Perhaps
you can tell me where Ted and Dotty
Harmon live. l was on my way there
when this accident happened"
Teddy and Dot were so overcome
that at first they were unable to
speak. Sanity seemed surprised, too,
when he learned their names, and he
laughed heartily when they told him
what their errand had been.
Mother was surprised most of all
when the brother and sister gravely
ushered their visitor into the room
with the words
mother, we thought Sanity couldn't
find us. so we went out and found
him"
And SANITY lett them all manner or
nice things. which. of course, they
were not permitted to see until the
morrow.
Strange to say, that night Sanity dis
appeared again, and the next morning
Teddy and Dot found in his place their
Uncle Jack.
The two were greatly puzzled as to
how Uncle Jack had arrived. But
they wondered still more about the
way they had found Sanity and how
he had been able to go away without
his reindeer.
Perhaps" suggested Dot. "his team
came back for him" And for want
of a better answer Teddy was com
PEELED to reply. Perhaps"