Weekly journal-miner., 1915-12-29
MAKES GLAD THE
 HEARTS OF THE CHILDREN
rFrom Sundays Daily.l

(From Sundays Daily.)
 Santa Claus, his little red nose glowing like a live coal in the ashes of his beard, visited his little friends in Prescott yesterday in the ball room of the Yavapai Club. The jovial old saint, who is as old as Christendom and yet as young as the bran New Year so near at hand-came cavorting into the city from his ice palace ill the North behind his sixteen gallop- ing reindeer to the merry chiming of sleighbells; and hitching the prancing animals to cornice of the club build ing, pumped right down the chimney and into the room where his grown up friends were awaiting him.
 "Ho~ said he. "Merry Christmas, everybody. Here I am, you see, right on tine stroke of o'clock, just as I said I would be in my answer to your invitation to visit the little folks of Prescott. Where are they, anyway? I'm mighty anxious to see them, and know they're mighty anxious to see me. So, if it's all the same to you, I'll go right in where they are just as soon as spruce up bit and melt the icicles out O my beard and hair.
 "Why, I know every one of 'ein by face, and by name, too. That's the reason I didn't have to ask any of you grownups anything about them before I filled my pack with presents and goodies, and crept in fere last night, when not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.
 "I stole march on you big folks then, all right, and long before day light I had their Christmas tree ablaze with candles and their presents strung cut around it. I didn't overlook the boys ill the club here who throughout the year cater so cheerfully to your wants, either. I haven't been in fife gift business for nigh on to two thou sand years 10 have one of you young stcrs of forty or fifty years of age catch me at my work, or give me any pointers on how to do it, either. No, sir, that 1 haven't. I'm mighty glad to see so many of my grownup friends here, but shall be even more glad to sec my little friends in the room yon- der. So, let's go in where they arc"
 And, suiting his action to his words, Santa Claus threw open the door and bounced right into the bali room where the children awaited him. My! What a shout went up when the little rolly-polly old fellow appeared among them. And he knew them all, too. Yes, sir, just as he had said, he knew every one of the nappy-faced kids in the room; and he shook hands with every one of them, too. Just went right straight around the room and shook hands with Billy, and Manuel, and Sadie and Manuletta and all the rest of the cosmopolite crowd of white, yellow and black little boys and girls.
 Not all those with whom he shook hands were little folks, either. He didn't overlook the grandpas and grandmas, the papas and maulmas, and the happy-hearted ladies and gen tlemcn who had bdden him come to Prescott-of that you may be sure. For the soul of child looked out of the eyes of every grownup there, and Santa Claus knows a kid even if it is logged out in a long dress or long trousers.
 After he mad chucked every little boy under the chin and had patted every little girl on tne cheek, ilc be- gan the distribution oi gifts. There was q present for every eager little hand and bag of goodies for every eager little mouth; and, to tell you the truth, it wouldn't surprise me to hear that more than one little Shavcr's grandma was called upon last night 10 soothc the ache in a little stomach filled to repletion with Santa's Christ mas cheer.