Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-12-11
SANTA INQUIRIES AS
TO CHILD'S WANTS
Jolly Old Northlander Takes
His Annual Orders From
Omaha Riddles.
STRIVES TO PLEASE ALL
BY A. R. GROH,
"Ha- a-ha -ha -ha-a-a"

Santa Claus hearty laugh rang out
through the toy department OF big
Omaha store. So | went ovcr\ to
where he was. There he sat in his
little house, dressed in his red suit,
ruddy- checked, twinkleeyed, white
whisk ered.
Most of the children of Omaha
seemed to be on hand, happy, won
dering, excited, anxious crowd. Anxi-
Gus, indeed, for>they had important
business to transact with the good
man. They trooped in one door Of
the little house and. out the other
With his jolly laugh Santa greeted
them, shook hands, patted them on
the head. He asked them what they
wanted for Christmas And they told
him gravely. Sometimes Santa and
some little tot would discuss the de-
tails of the desired present in low
voices.
\ She Must Have Dolly.
"A dolly that open N shuts her
eyes, whispered little girl.
"All right, my DEAR" cried Santa
"And you want brown or light hair?'
Brown" please" said the shy miss.
Zach, yes, brown. And With natchu-
rally curly hair, eh?"
Young miss nodded and went out
with happy smile, while lively boy
who had been waiting anxiously be-
fore Santa boldly demanded "a train
O cars on track"
Santa asked several questions SO as
to know just what kind of train to
bring. Next came little girl who
wanted set of dishes.
"Ha-a-ha-ha-a" laughed Santa. "A
set Of dishes! You're going to have
party. Mrs. McCarty had party;
Mrs. MCGEE forgot her key"
To every child the jolly old fellow
gave a stick of candy, And it is i'm
possible to say whether the children
or the grown-ups enjoy Santa's hos
pitality most.
A big kettle hangs over his fire.
place. In it is something white that
looks like snow.
"You know, children, | hat to eat,
all de time, SNOWFALL soup and fried
icicles SO | can keep cool enough here
in Omaha. Up at the North Pole
where l live it is so cold that all the
children hat to tie little stoves under
their feet SO they won't get so cold
that they turn into icicles. Ha-a-aha-
ha-a! Yes, yes. Hello, my dear, and
what do you want me to bring your"
This little girl whispers in Santa's
ear.
Zach, yes, some picture books"
cries Santa. we'll, now, you make
list of the books you want and ri be
sure to bsing them"
Next comes boy who wants pair
Of skates. Santa examines his shoes
so as to know what size skates to-
bring. A little girl asks for new
coat and Santa inquiries just what kind
of coat. The next is boy who wants
a steam engine; another puts in his
request for foot ball. Just going out
the door, he remembers and hurries
back to Santa to tell him that he
wants "a big one"
All the time Santa Claus is laugh
ing and talking, the jolliest old fellow
you ever saw.
Christmas eve, that's when l come"
he says: you can look, but you must
keep your eyes closed, Ha-ha-a-a-
ha-haw
Five minutes at Santa Claus house
with the jolly old fellow and his lov-
ing little friends will take you back
through the years to your own child
hood. Is anything i'll life quite so won
derful as toy store viewed through
childhood's eyes? ! remember when
| spent several weeks before Christ
mas, going every day into certain
toy store to look at little cross
legged desk and a tool chest that
had asked Santa Claus to bring me.