El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-23

,tEV THERE are you going, Uncle
M wiggilyg" asked Nurse
Jane Fuzzy Wuzzy. the
muskrat lady housekeeper of the hol-
low stump bungalow, as she saw the
rabbit gentleman taking his red, Whlte
and blue striped rheumatism crutcA
@oh. lust out for a little walk" re-
piled Mr. Longears. Tt is getting near
TO Christmas, you see, ana want 70 .
make sure that everything Is all rlgnL
'-ChristmasH cried Nurse Jane
What have you to do with Christmas,
Uncle Wiggily, if I may ask
You may ask, Nurse Jane, but II
so, I aIa not going TO tell you spoke
the rabbit gentleman with laugh-
It's a secret, you know
~Ohi If it's a secret, and above all.
Christmas secret, don't for the world
tell me-" answered the muskrat lady
hOusekeeper. I can wait to find out
All right spoke Uncle Wiggily.
I'll be back pretty soon
1t was showing outside and little
wind was blowing, making the white
flakes sail through the air like little
toy balloons. but Uncle Wiggily did
not mind the storm On and on ne
Who knows2" he asked himself. for
there was no one else to talk to. Who
knows? Perhaps 1 may have an ad-
venture"
He went on a little farther and
pretty soon he heard near tree the
jingle Of bells
sHa! did not know I was so close
10 the hollow stump school. where the
lady mouse teaches the animal chill
dren." the rabbit gentleman said. I
think will go in and pay them a little
But, when he looked for the school.
from which he thought the ringing OF
bells had come. he could not see il.
Nem M
bunny uncle saw big sleigh, with
eight reindeer hitched TO it, and around
each reindeer was string of bells. It
was these that had jingled-
why, bless my Whiskers!' cried IN
ele Figgily- This is very strange"
Then ne rubbed his eyes. which were
sort of watery on account of the cold,
ana looked again. This time ne saw
a nice old gentleman, with long, white
beard. wearing red suit all trimmed
with white fur.
You're Santa Claus, aren't you2"
That's who I am, erie the Jolly
old gentleman And you're Uncle
Wiggily. aren't your
yes, but how did you know" asked
the rabbit gentleman
ooh, I know everybody" Santa Claus
laughingly answered And, besides,
I've seen your picture in some books
that I am going 10 bring TO the animal
and other children this year"
Bless my twinkling noset" cried
Uncle Wiggiiy. 4 didn't know any
body had my picture. But how are
you, Santa ClausY
We'll, I'm all right" said the jolly
old saint. but I fear I am going TO
have a lot Of trouble this year
''Trouble2 How 500" asked Uncle
Wiggily. Perhaps / can help you
like to help persons out Of trouble"
That is very kind Of you" said the
jolly old white whiskered gentleman,
but I don't see how you can help me.
You see, the trouble is that families
don't have their houses, or bungalow,
chimneys clean as they used to. The
chimneys get all stuffed up with black
SCOT from the fire smoke and that
makes the hole in the chimneys so
small that I can't get down to leave
the presents.
What I'm going to do 7 don't know
But I've been around lately. with my
invisible cloak on, so none Of the chill
dren could see me, looking down the
chimneys. More than half of them are
so stuffed up / know there's no use in
me trying TO get down and I'm fatter
than I used to be-" said Santa Claus
with a sigh
Uncle Wiggily thought for a minute
Then he said;
-Hal / think I know a way I can
help you. Mr.. Santa Claus!"
How" asked the jolly old saint
why, ! have an airship, you know
In that I can sail in the air above all
the chinneys. and. by dropping down
hoe, or q rake. on a string, / can pull
out the SCOT and make the chimney
hole big enough so you can crawl