Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-01-01
Bright Stories by Members Of the Club
SANTA CLAUS ADVENTURE.

Mother < wish Christmas would
come more rnan Just once year
Don't yovi-
Asked a li:,ie girl to her mother
one day.
No, dear. think once a year is
just enough to celebrate Christmas"
Well. mother. why do we celebrate
aChristnasl-
# Ny. oe,.r." answered her mother.
s.Doat fcu remember, told you the
very Hnme thing last year"
1--WE forgotten mother, please tell
ME nHu 1 want forget any more"
we celebrate Christmas as Christ's
birthday. and as you already know
sws have oaly one birthday year.
Now. don't forget, my dear"
II won't, mother" she answered
and ran out to play with her little
brother.
This little girl. of whom I have
Just spoken. was only years old
Her name WAS Jane and her broth
cr's name was Freddie. though he
liked better to be called Fred
One. day about week before
Christmas little Jane ana Fred were
Quietly playing together within their
playroom, when their mother, Mrs.
Bradley. came in with Il book under
her arm. She came In so softly that
the busy children did not hear her
enter. but kept on playing. Then
she said: ''Children."
When they heard her they iumpcd
up and clapped their hands in glcc.
Chtidren. have n little story to
tell YOU IL you would like to hear it,
For she was very fond OF telling
them stories, and they always liked
To hear tEeu,-
oh. yes. mother. please tell u.s."
they both exclaimed.
And SO Mrs. Bradley told them tho
etory. II ran thus:
Santa Claus is a great traveller. He
travels throughout the country. He
also travels in part OF the foreign
Heids Santa takes his pack
wherever he goes. He likes best TO
visit little children who arc poor and
90 not know much about him.
am now going TO tell you Of one
would like to tell you OF more. but
j haven't time.
RMS place whore I am going to
tel Eou about now is in tn. far
eastern part of France. where three
little American girls lived. They
iiNcd WITH their parents, who were
very poor
The oldest of these was Iou,so.
the next was Mary. and the youngest
WAS May. Santa Claus hardly ever
VISITED this little American hut. But
this year Santa Claus felt that n
was his duty to visit them.
Children" called their mother one
day Il believe Santa Claus is going
10 visit us this year"
'Oh. mother" they cried. "mov ,ye
hang up our stockings tonight?
Il want old Santa to fiji my stock
ing up fun"
Yes, you may hang up your stock
ing tonight"
SO the night before Christmas.
three little stockings were seen
hanging by the chimney. all torn
and full OF holes.
About mignight santa Claus ar
rived at the home of the little
Americans. lie came down the big
black chimney and stood in the big
hare room where the three stockings
were hung. Looking artund. he saw
them and went over to 81 them up
This VIII never do" inc thought
ITO ill! these"
So in place OF the old ones ho got
n new pair for each little child and
filled them fun Of good things, lie
also gave them lots OF other things.
including nice new pair Of shoes
for each one. Still he never sighted
the parente. for on tahLe he laid
many good things 10 eat ana others
as we'll
Next morning they were awakened
by Merry Christmas" When they
heard this they jumped out of bed
and ran 10 get their stockings They
were so pleased to see what Santa
claus had brought them. and also
10 know that he hadn't forgotten
their mother ana father. They all
spent 81 very happy Christmas
This was known to he their first
Happy Christmas they had spent
since they loft America.
Santa Claus Was very glad that he
had this great advcnture OF visiting
these poor little children. He was
glad lie had made n good heart
merry.
"oh, mother, tina, was a good
story, wasn't it?"
II liked IT too" exclaimed little
Freddie.
81 hope we can spend a happy
Christmas IKE they did. children.
don; you?" asked their mother.
And go they did. Santa Claus did
not forget them.
tOrisinal)
ELLEN scHooLEs.