The Washington herald., 1914-12-21


of all the year. is close at hand, ana
we are making great preparauons '.nls s
war IN give all the good boys and
Girls an extra good time; and all the
sprites and fairies in this land OF
snarklInr ice and snow. with happy
hearts and willing hands, are working
overtime to help Santa Claus get ready
for those joyous but mysterious visits
which mean 30 much to the little foik
the wide world over.
No doubt you little rogues would
rather I kept right on Win my worH iH
on hacking toys; but when look
around and see the bright, expectant
faces of my little friends, and listen
10 their childish talk about the merry
CHRISTMAS time and the pretty gifts
thav are so certain Santa Claus VIII
bring. / feel like putting Down my
heavy packs for n little while and hay-
ing a talk with the loyal little people
whose radiant faces turn to me with
such loving faith and conndepee;
/ wonder IL you little boys and girls
have ever thought how tame and dull
life must have been to children before
santa Claus was born. Only think OF
having no one dear day SO sweetly
dIfferent from all other days to look
forward to throughout the year! No
Christmas tree full to the very top
with dear, mysterious packages pear
ing ones very own name written way
on here in fairyland by Santa Claus
himseIf! No hanging OF the stocking
with authorizations so keen, as to what
It would hold on Christmas morn that
sIeep could not come until long after
the midnight bells had at last pro-
claimed the coming OF that tardy
Christmas Day! And no dear old santa
70 whom secret letters could be writ
ten with Just hint of the things most
desired by the little writers
Let me tell you something about those
days. and of how Santa Claus came in
answer 10 a childish prayer for a some
thing to whom he could confide his III
tie secrets without fear OF being laughed
AT. and his inmost longings for the pret-
ty toys and tempting things he had new
er possessed. This little HEARTFELT pray
er was waited on and on over shining
miles and leagues Of space UNTIL when II
had reached the far OF ice-bound pal
aces of the cold and distant Northland'
IL. too, glistened and sparkled Ike a
morning star. Another little boy with
earnest face pressed against the window
name saw and loved this brilliant thing
and straightway. as II in answer to his
great desire. the pretty, shining object
seemingly drifted into the very conscious
ness Of the dreamy, watching child. From
that time, a new thought possessed the
boy and he was nevermore quite happy
unless making others as happy as him
self All his pretty toys and cherished
games and picture books were always
shared with those who had none, while
his ioy knew no bounds when he could
stealthily place these treasures at the
doors of his toyless playmates, and watch
from afar the delight Of their happy
hearts, and their surprise and wonder at
the unguessed source.
This desire to make children happy,
grew with his years, and II caused no
surprise when. in early manhood, he told
his people this was to become his life
work throughout the wide, wide world.
The great spirit heard this splendid dec
laration, and in approval. promised the
youth that, though he might grow gray
and hoary with the flight Of time. and
bend beneath the burden of the years,
stin strength TO carry blessings to the
heart and home OF childhood would al
ways be given him, and that he should
never die.
And this. my dears. is the true story of
my life. There have been SO many un-
true things told about me. my very ex-
istence having been doubted by some peo-
pie, thus bringing sore distress to the
hearts of believing childhood. to whom
Santa Claus is as real, il not quite so
dear. as are their papas and mamas, that
I feel 1t to be my happy duty to tell them
some of the curious things about myself.
whose life, being so different from other
peoples, may interest you and perhaps
keep you nice and quiet while you read II.
and perhaps give your folks a nice little
rest from trying to answer your many
questions
Well. as 1 told you. I was born up here
at the north pole, oh! ever and ever so
many years ago, and really. children, II Is
quite a nice place to be born in, after
all Our days and nights are not one bit
like those most of you folks have. You
have long days and short nights in the
summertime, you know. but We have a
sUnshIny summer six months long when
the sun never goes out OF our sight. Il
Just shines and shines all the time, and
everything grows very fast much faster
than 1t does where you live. Just think
what a beautiful long playtime We chill
dren up here must have! When we go
to school We study hard and learn our
lessons and do not keep thinking We are
not going to have much time before dark
In which to play ball and marbles and
diablo and all the merry games We all
like so much; for our summers have no
dark nighttime and We can play and play
until we are so tired and so sleepy that
We are always glad to lie down and take
a nice long nap, for, OF course. we have
to sleep up here, even IL it isn't dark.
When the wintertime comes, we have
six months of darkness when the sun
never shines at ALL 1t is like one long
cold night, but we do not mind II one
bit, because the sky Is full OF bright,
shining stars, and when the moon
shines on our big white snow-and-ice
mountains, it does not seem SO awfully
dark to US who live here and are used
to these queer seasons. It is very cold,
of course, but we have heavy coats of
fur, and our worm fur caps come down
over our ears End tie under our GhinR
with warm fur strings, and we run so
fast Bnd hard that our cheeks are red
and we keep as warm as kittens, and
Or! what fun we have sliding down our
long hills covered with The frozen
snow! And then we cal skate and
skate with never a fezr of thin ice
breaking and letting us into the Water
to Grown, for IL Is too cold here to-
TIE ice to get :hiT. as it does In your
warmer countrT
But dear me! vas going to tell you
about my folks. Ay father is Unrlr
SAM. and he married my mother. Miss
Columbia, when bothgwere very young,
before they knew what great times
were in store for them. They wanted
to come to the United States on their
wedding trip, but there were only slow
going reindeer teams in those days aud
so they didn't see that great country
for a good many years. They built their
home in the most beautiful reindeer
park in all that snowy land and hidden
from sight by a forest of lovely Christ
mas trees. Can you think OF anything
p-ettier than that place must be, and
do you wonder that Santa Claus chose
it for his headduarfarsp Thav 1fvad