Page 10 Advertisements Column 3

Otago Witness, Issue 1918, 24 August 1888, Page 10

riHEISTMAS EVE, 188 7. 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 iime 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 haid, 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 went where Santa Claus had left a "something thai 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 throughoui tliis-Christmas Day ?" The bells rang out a merry peal, a happy Christmas chime, " A Waterbury Watch," he said, as his knee his child did climb, " Is not a Christmas watch, my son, it keeps time all the. time. ".And as you wind it up, my son, think of • ' thiri- Christmas Day, Improve each moment as it comes, for fast they flit aw ay, And moments make the years, my lad, and years mike children grey." ! In the Christmas number of The WatebBUBY. NEW ZEALAND HARDWARE CO., LTD. Cumberland street, Dunbdin,