the life and adventures of santa clause-第17章

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　their　clothes　damp；　their　mittens　dripping　and　their　shoes　and　stockings　wet　through　and　through。　　They　were　not　scolded；　for　Margot's　mother　knew　the　snow　was　melting；　but　they　were　sent　early　to　bed　that　their　clothes　might　be　hung　over　chairs　to　dry。　　The　shoes　were　placed　on　the　red　tiles　of　the　hearth；　where　the　heat　from　the　hot　embers　would　strike　them；　and　the　stockings　were　carefully　hung　in　a　row　by　the　chimney；　directly　over　the　fireplace。　　That　was　the　reason　Santa　Claus　noticed　them　when　he　came　down　the　chimney　that　night　and　all　the　household　were　fast　asleep。　　He　was　in　a　tremendous　hurry　and　seeing　the　stockings　all　belonged　to　children　he　quickly　stuffed　his　toys　into　them　and　dashed　up　the　chimney　again；　appearing　on　the　roof　so　suddenly　that　the　reindeer　were　astonished　at　his　agility。

〃I　wish　they　would　all　hang　up　their　stockings；〃　he　thought；　as　he　drove　to　the　next　chimney。　　〃It　would　save　me　a　lot　of　time　and　I　could　then　visit　more　children　before　daybreak。〃

When　Margot　and　Dick　and　Ned　and　Sara　jumped　out　of　bed　next　morning　and　ran　downstairs　to　get　their　stockings　from　the　fireplace　they　were　filled　with　delight　to　find　the　toys　from　Santa　Claus　inside　them。　　In　face；　I　think　they　found　more　presents　in　their　stockings　than　any　other　children　of　that　city　had　received；　for　Santa　Claus　was　in　a　hurry　and　did　not　stop　to　count　the　toys。

Of　course　they　told　all　their　little　friends　about　it；　and　of　course　every　one　of　them　decided　to　hang　his　own　stockings　by　the　fireplace　the　next　Christmas　Eve。　　Even　Bessie　Blithesome；　who　made　a　visit　to　that　city　with　her　father；　the　great　Lord　of　Lerd；　heard　the　story　from　the　children　and　hung　her　own　pretty　stockings　by　the　chimney　when　she　returned　home　at　Christmas　time。

On　his　next　trip　Santa　Claus　found　so　many　stockings　hung　up　in　anticipation　of　his　visit　that　he　could　fill　them　in　a　jiffy　and　be　away　again　in　half　the　time　required　to　hunt　the　children　up　and　place　the　toys　by　their　bedsides。

The　custom　grew　year　after　year；　and　has　always　been　a　great　help　to　Santa　Claus。　　And；　with　so　many　children　to　visit；　he　surely　needs　all　the　help　we　are　able　to　give　him。



12。　　The　First　Christmas　Tree


Claus　had　always　kept　his　promise　to　the　Knooks　by　returning　to　the　Laughing　Valley　by　daybreak；　but　only　the　swiftness　of　his　reindeer　has　enabled　him　to　do　this；　for　he　travels　over　all　the　world。

He　loved　his　work　and　he　loved　the　brisk　night　ride　on　his　sledge　and　the　gay　tinkle　of　the　sleigh…bells。　　On　that　first　trip　with　the　ten　reindeer　only　Glossie　and　Flossie　wore　bells；　but　each　year　thereafter　for　eight　years　Claus　carried　presents　to　the　children　of　the　Gnome　King；　and　that　good…natured　monarch　gave　him　in　return　a　string　of　bells　at　each　visit；　so　that　finally　every　one　of　the　ten　deer　was　supplied；　and　you　may　imagine　what　a　merry　tune　the　bells　played　as　the　sledge　sped　over　the　snow。

The　children's　stockings　were　so　long　that　it　required　a　great　many　toys　to　fill　them；　and　soon　Claus　found　there　were　other　things　besides　toys　that　children　love。　　So　he　sent　some　of　the　Fairies；　who　were　always　his　good　friends；　into　the　Tropics；　from　whence　they　returned　with　great　bags　full　of　oranges　and　bananas　which　they　had　plucked　from　the　trees。　　And　other　Fairies　flew　to　the　wonderful　Valley　of　Phunnyland；　where　delicious　candies　and　bonbons　grow　thickly　on　the　bushes；　and　returned　laden　with　many　boxes　of　sweetmeats　for　the　little　ones。　　These　things　Santa　Claus；　on　each　Christmas　Eve；　placed　in　the　long　stockings；　together　with　his　toys；　and　the　children　were　glad　to　get　them；　you　may　be　sure。

There　are　also　warm　countries　where　there　is　no　snow　in　winter；　but　Claus　and　his　reindeer　visited　them　as　well　as　the　colder　climes；　for　there　were　little　wheels　inside　the　runners　of　his　sledge　which　permitted　it　to　run　as　smoothly　over　bare　ground　as　on　the　snow。　　And　the　children　who　lived　in　the　warm　countries　learned　to　know　the　name　of　Santa　Claus　as　well　as　those　who　lived　nearer　to　the　Laughing　Valley。

Once；　just　as　the　reindeer　were　ready　to　start　on　their　yearly　trip；　a　Fairy　came　to　Claus　and　told　him　of　three　little　children　who　lived　beneath　a　rude　tent　of　skins　on　a　broad　plain　where　there　were　no　trees　whatever。　　These　poor　babies　were　miserable　and　unhappy；　for　their　parents　were　ignorant　people　who　neglected　them　sadly。　　Claus　resolved　to　visit　these　children　before　he　returned　home；　and　during　his　ride　he　picked　up　the　bushy　top　of　a　pine　tree　which　the　wind　had　broken　off　and　placed　it　in　his　sledge。

It　was　nearly　morning　when　the　deer　stopped　before　the　lonely　tent　of　skins　where　the　poor　children　lay　asleep。　　Claus　at　once　planted　the　bit　of　pine　tree　in　the　sand　and　stuck　many　candles　on　the　branches。　Then　he　hung　some　of　his　prettiest　toys　on　the　tree；　as　well　as　several　bags　of　candies。　　It　did　not　take　long　to　do　all　this；　for　Santa　Claus　works　quickly；　and　when　all　was　ready　he　lighted　the　candles　and；　thrusting　his　head　in　at　the　opening　of　the　tent；　he　shouted：

〃Merry　Christmas；　little　ones！〃

With　that　he　leaped　into　his　sledge　and　was　out　of　sight　before　the　children；　rubbing　the　sleep　from　their　eyes；　could　come　out　to　see　who　had　called　them。

You　can　imagine　the　wonder　and　joy　of　those　little　ones；　who　had　never　in　their　lives　known　a　real　pleasure　before；　when　they　saw　the　tree；　sparkling　with　lights　that　shone　brilliant　in　the　gray　dawn　and　hung　with　toys　enough　to　make　them　happy　for　years　to　come！　　They　joined　hands　and　danced　around　the　tree；　shouting　and　laughing；　until　they　were　obliged　to　pause　for　breath。　　And　their　parents；　also；　came　out　to　look　and　wonder；　and　thereafter　had　more　respect　and　consideration　for　their　children；　since　Santa　Claus　had　honored　them　with　such　beautiful　gifts。

The　idea　of　the　Christmas　tree　pleased　Claus；　and　so　the　following　year　he　carried　many　of　them　in　his　sledge　and　set　them　up　in　the　homes　of　poor　people　who　seldom　saw　trees；　and　placed　candles　and　toys　on　the　branches。　　Of　course　he　could　not　carry　enough　trees　in　one　load　of　all　who　wanted　them；　but　in　some　homes　the　fathers　were　able　to　get　trees　and　have　them　all　ready　for　Santa　Claus　when　he　arrived；　and　these　the　good　Claus　always　decorated　as　prettily　as　possible　and　hung　with　toys　enough　for　all　the　children　who　came　to　see　the　tree　lighted。

These　novel　ideas　and　the　generous　manner　in　which　they　were　carried　out　made　the　children　long　for　that　one　night　in　the　year　when　their　friend　Santa　Claus　should　visit　them；　and　as　such　anticipation　is　very　pleasant　and　comforting　the　little　ones　gleaned　much　happiness　by　wondering　what　would　happen　when　Santa　Claus　next　arrived。

Perhaps　you　remember　that　stern　Baron　Braun　who　once　drove　Claus　from　his　castle　and　forbade　him　to　visit　his　children？　　Well；　many　years　afterward；　when　the　old　Baron　was　dead　and　his　son　ruled　in　his　place；　the　new　Baron　Braun　came　to　the　house　of　Claus　with　his　train　of　knights　and　pages　and　henchmen　and；　dismounting　from　his　charger；　bared　his　head　humbly　before　the　friend　of　children。

〃My　father　did　not　know　your　goodness　and　worth；〃　he　said；　〃and　therefore　threatened　to　hang　you　from　the　castle　walls。　　But　I　have　children　of　my　own；　who　long　for　a　visit　from　Santa　Claus；　and　I　have　come　to　beg　that　you　will　favor　them　hereafter　as　you　do　other　children。〃

Claus　was　pleased　with　this　speech；　for　Castle　Braun　was　the　only　place　he　had　never　visited；　and　he　gladly　promised　to　bring　presents　to　the　Baron's　children　the　next　Christmas　Eve。

The　Baron　went　away　contented；　and　Claus　kept　his　promise　faithfully。

Thus　did　this　man；　through　very　goodness；　conquer　the　hearts　of　all；　and　it　is　no　wonder　he　was　ever　merry　and　gay；　for　there　was　no　home　in　the　wide　world　where　he　was　not　welcomed　more　royally　than　any　king。




OLD　AGE



1。　　The　Mantle　of　Immortality


And　now　we　come　to　a　turning…point　in　the　career　of　Santa　Claus；　and　it　is　my　duty　to　relate　the　most　remarkable　that　has　happened　since　the　world　began　or　mankind　was　created。

We　have　followed　the　life　of　Claus　from　the　time　he　was　found　a　helpless　infant　by　the　Wood…Nymph　Necile　and　reared　to　manhood　in　the　great　Forest　of　Burzee。