Evening star., 1923-12-14

home with his bag full of toys Santa
wouldn't tell me the secret, although
/ begged him to do so.
Santa Claus wanted TO know where
we were living and how in the world
We got TO this great white land of
snow and ice. And when l told him
OF our little ship and just where she
goes every place. He declared he
must see our little ship and the men
on board. SO away we went with
whips swapping and snow. flying. .-.
And how he did laugh when he saw
our little ship all covered with snow
How he did enjoy the warmth of our
snug cabin with its glowing coal fire
and sparkling electric lights. There
were many surprises for Santa on
such little ship, but he was not sur
prised at our radio sets. He knows
alI about who makes them.
often Talks to Mothers.
He put the phones to his ears and
his fingers on the little dials. Now
l have Schenectady, y. Y: now Chi
rrago, now Dallas, Tex; now Prince
Rupert" he said. 81 often call up
mothers and find out how their chill
dren behave" That is how Santa
hnds out so many things about us and
why he is SO content TO live Way up
mere, for he can listen to all the world
ttful music from Europe, Canada.
United States and even far-away
Hawaii.
Santa used to be lonesome. but he
thoroughly warmed with hot choco-
late and filled with pumpkin pie and
with other good things we have
ABOARD. he declared it was getting
late and he must start back at once
him s itoiiie with
Just think what a treat it was for
me to go right to the snowy ba,ace
Where Santa lives and see the won
aerIul things that he is going to carry
doWn to you within few weeks. The
SIX reindeer were getting hungry now
and We're stamping their hoofs and
wondering what in the world their
master could be doing on board the
little ship. t--e
There were two small Eskimo hovs
standing by their heads when We carne
out or the cabin. Santa reached fown
INTO the pocket of his big fur coat and
gave each boy fine big popcorn ball
and bag of candy, and then We
were off, around the point of our bare
Dor and up the Greenland coast.
wondered if Santa would go
straight out over the ice of the pola r
sea TO the north pole, but no. when we
were lar beyond anorito, which means
place OF winds" he told me to shut
my eyes and keep them closed until
ne told me to open them I suppose
ne ala not really want me to- see tust
where his home was, for, if we all
knew. he would have so MANY visit
ors that he would not have time to
make presents for all of his little
friends down in America
kept my eyes closed so long that
/ began to think that Santa had for
gotten all about me. Then he said
now you may open them" We were
IN magnificent Snow-eovered val
ley bordered by towering black
cliffs over a thousand feet high abova
our heads. They glittered like dia-
monds and apparently were SO near
that we could almost pluck them out
of the sky.
At the head of the valley a great
white ice cap Shone in the moonlight
like bed of molten silver At its
foot were many twinkling lights, /
was filled with wonder. but Santa said
nothing. He simply smiled at my look
of wonder and surprise. The reindeer
were now doing their best, for they
knew that they were nearly home and
would soon have good supper.
Lives In Ice Palace.
1 could See now that each light was
really a window of clear Ice in a
great Greenland ice cap and that dear
old Father Christmas lived in a real
ice palace, When 1t seemed that we
must bump right into ii a big foppy
curtain made of snow flakes rolled
back. showing a beautiful hall, and
in dashed Starbright and Starlight,
Snowflake and Snow Crystal, and
North Star and Aurora.
We Embarrassed them all and put
them in their ice stalls all padded
with warm grass gathered in sum
mertime when the sun is high and
bright. Sounding through the palace
were all kinds of music and all kinds
of strange noises, for Santa's house
is the biggest and the busiest in the
world.
First he took me into the library
where there were hundreds and hun
dreds of big books containing thou
sands and thousands of names of
children. And here for the first time
/ met Mrs. Santa Craus-a dear old
lady with snowy white hair who loves
all children. In front of her was q
little radio set and she was listening
and asking mothers what their boys
and girls would like most for Christ
man.
Beyond the library. there We're rooms
and rooms. In fact Santa doesn't
know how many there are. (which
room would you like to see first" he
inquired. The dollroom is right this
way" he said, and led me to the end
of a long hall to a door marked dolls.
inside / could hear children laughing