The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-12-08
The Elliott Family's
Christmas
Santa Claus Did Not Come
Down the Chimney
By ELINOR MARSH

| TO talk ABOUT CHrlStIndS, 10 Hahe Out
the lists Of things they wanted and
otherwise prepare for the joyful ami
versary, when Mr.. Elliott came home
from business one evening and an
nounced to his wife that he was Oblig
ed to go on journey that would keep
him away for several months.
The first the children knew Of this
move was seeing their mother pack
their fathers trunk.
"Where is papa going?" asked Ma
mic, the oldest child.
"He is going on a Journey" was the
reply.
"He isn't going to be away for Christ
mas, is he?"
Il fear he will be away for the holi-
days"
ooh, mammal
There was terrible disappointment
in the child's voice. Mr.. Elliott was
very affectionate and kindly father,
and Christmas without his presence
would hardly seem Christmas at all to
his family. The news spread among
them, and it gave every one Of them
shock.
IF papa can't be with u.s." said one,
| II don't care for Christmas"
II wish Christmas could be put off
till he comes back" said another.
Mrs Elliott was too disappointed her.
self to give them much comfort. She
continued her packing, and when all
he oh; Il
the husband and father a sad adieu
Then the mother endeavored to light
en- the load so far as possible for her
little ones, but her heart was not in
her work, and it was not effective.
Christmas day was near at hand.
The postman had been bringing pack
ages for the Elliott family for ten
days. Mrs. Elliott had examined the
/ addresses. noted where and whom the
packages came from and then stored
them in some place where the children
could not get them, for they knew the
packages contained Christmas presents,
and every child was burning to open
them and see whom they were for and
all about them. But the mother would
give no indication whatever concern
ing the gifts, telling her little ones that
/ they must wait till Christmas.
One morning the postman called,
! but, much to the chidren's disap-
pointment, brought not single pack
! age. He delivered one letter.
When Mrs. Elliott opened and read It
she kissed every child, assuring them
that the letter was worth all the pres
ents that had come a hundred times
over.
Then there was II hubbub to know
what the letter was about. Johnnie,
aged six, said he believed it was from
! Santa Claus in answer to a letter he
had sent asking for a rocking horse
for Christmas. Mamie, aged eight,
said she believed 1t wasn't about
Christmas at all, but something else.
When they had all had their turn at
guessing the mother told them that it
was really from Santa Claus, promis-
ing that this Christmas, if the children
would be good, they should see him
and he would bring each one of them
something pretty.
Then they all wanted to know at
what time of day Santa Claus would
come.
"Of course he'll come in the middle
Of the night" said Johnny. I'm 60
ing to keep awake and listen for the
sleigh bells"
He wouldn't come then," said Billy,
aged four. "He says were to see him.
How could we see him in the middle Of
the night?"
They tried to find out from the moth
err just when Santa Claus would come,
but she would not tell them, saying
that they must be on the watch and
promising that the one who saw him
first would receive silver dollar for a
prize. With that the children declared
they would remain awake all Christ
mas eve and watch the chimney. But
Mamie, aged eight, said that she didn't
believe Santa would come down the
chimney at all. If he did that he
would be covered with SCOT, and they
couldn't hug him without being be-
smeared themselves.
Mamma" asked Billy, isn't papa
coming home for Christmas?"
That depends upon whether he gets
through his business
Whats business?"
Business is that which produces tho
money TO feed and clothe you children
and send you to school and buy TOYS
and things for you"
Mamie declared that she would rath.
er have papa at home for Christmas
than all the gifts Santa Claus could
carry to all the children in the whole
world.
1t seemed long while before Christ.
mas, though it was but two DAYS from
the time Mrs. Elliott received her let.
ter The children in the meanwhile
Were ON the tiptoe of excitement Al
one time there was the odor of hot
mlnce pie in the house; then the wagon
from the meat market stopped before
the door and the turkey was brought
In. Billy ran through the house CRY.
ing: The turkey has come! The tur.
key has conner
Every hour during the dav before
christmas brought new object of In.
| terpSf and r-ho,, -