WAITING FOR SANTA CLAUS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2861, 13 January 1909, Page 83

WAITING FOR SANTA CLAUS.

[The father singing Ronnie to sleep. Ronnie had heard " The Old Folks at Home " the night before for the first time, and was greatly interested in it.] "Daddy!" "Well?" " Say to me 'bout ye boy an' ye Swanme Wiver!" " Way down upon the Swanee River, Far, far away — I There's where ivy heart is turning ever, ' There's where the old folks stay." '•Daddy." '•Well?" I '• Wot's 'ye old folk 3 stay'?" " Wher e the fathers and mothers live. — | Xow, dear, go tc slsep!" '•'Wight, daddy; sing up!" " When I was play .rig with my bicther " — <■ Daddy :'" I "You doan say 'bout ye bands wot played, . an' ye bees eatin' ye ccnibi" ! "That's the r.ajrt verse, dearie; please don't interrupt." " 'Wight!" " Happy was I ; Oh, take me to my kind old mother, There let me live and die." " Daddy I" "Wellr" " You can't live and bo dead too, can you?" " Certainly not, dear. '• Vcn iy does vat darkie kid say, "are let me Hve an' die'?" „ " Maybs he was only funning, dearie. " Oh's vat aL! S*y ye xiex' bit.' "When shall I hear the banjo tumming?" "Daddy!" "Well, dear?" " Vot's ' tumming '?" " Playing like a drum." "Oh! Yen a banjo's a dwum!" "Yes dear, now go to sleep" " 'Wight." [Interval of silence lasting half a minut*.] "Daddy!" "Well?" " Vill me teil 'oo a 'towTy?" "Pleass!" " Yonce a lady had a boy. and her daddy vent out vif a" bv.>?.u new hat on, an' it came on to wain— a wealy f under — an' ye daddy got vet, an' he died, but ye little boy didn't cwy 'tause his mummy got him a new daddy." ' [Slight pause.] " Dood-night, daddy. I'se saepy." '• Gocd-night, dear; good-night!" — Blondec.