Page 9 Advertisements Column 1

Otago Witness, Issue 1917, 17 August 1888, Page 9

pHRISTMAS EVE, 18 87. When little Jabez Peters had knelt beside his bed And his " Now I lay me down to sleep " had reverently said, He lay, half waking, in his cot to hear an angel's tread. He knew — his mother told him so — at this time of the year, The Christ-child came to show himself, and to the children dear, Who never any wrong had done, to them he would appear. And as a pedlar he would come, all laden down with toys To give to every one of all good little girls and boys, A gift to make them happier amid their Christmas joys. And Jabez sank to peaceful dreams; his Christ was Santa Claus ; He knew while he was sleeping, from out the chimney's maws, The old saint would come creeping with hands like grimy claws. But ere his eyes in slumber deep had settled to a close, He said, half sleeping, waking, a prayer while in a dose : " Please, Santa Claus, I want, I want, I want a thing that goes." The daylight came, and as the sun placed gold on steeples high, Small Jabez Peters took a turn and heaved a peaceful sigh, And took a squint from the corner of his youthful dexter eye. ; ■ His little sock, by the chimney hung, was swelled out at the toe, He made a bound from his little cot, and with bare feet white as snow, He weut where Santa Claus had left a " something that would go." And he straightway to his father ran, and said : " Please, papa, say Will this thing beat and go like this, and never stop or stay, Or only keep its tick, tick, tick throughout this Christmas Day ?" The bells rang out a merry peal, a happy Christmas chime, " A Waterbury Watch," he said, ashis knee his child did climb, " Is not a Christmas watch, my son, it keeps time all the time. 11 And as you wind it up, my son, think of this Christmas Day, Improve each moment as it comes, for fast they flit away, And moments make the years, my lad, and years make children grey." W.C. In the Christmas number of The Waterbury. NEW ZEALAND, HARDWARE CO., LTD. Cumberland street, Dunedin.