THE NURSERY GARDEN

Taranaki Daily News, 20 December 1924, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE NURSERY GARDEN

REWARD OF COURTESY

“Let’s really wait up for Santa Claus this year,” said Dicky to me on Christmas Eve. “It would be such fun to see him, and fre might take us with him on his round.” “What—down the chimneys,” said I { “How sooty we should get, and then what • would Nanna say?” And I chuckled at j the thought of her face when she saw us. I “Never mind the soot,” said Dicky, : “think of the spree of it. Why it would J be better than any pantomime or Christ- i mas party, or, in fact, anything else in the j world.” '“Well, I’ll watch by the window, and : you keep cavey by the fireplace, eh?” ; t ’“Right-ho! I’m game,” said he. | It didn’t take Nanna long to get us j ready fpr bed that night—we were quite eager. I hung up two stockings and a bolster, and Dick two of daddy’s stockings and a pillowcase. Nanna had disappeared, and everything seemed very quiet and I was getting a wee bit dozy, when suddenly I heard a I funny noise like the flap of a bird’s wing. j * I sprang out of bed, seized the eider- I down, and giving Dick a push I ran to •* the window

There, floating across the sky, was a lovely little silver boat with gossamer sails. Santa Claus (it was he, I knew him by his red cloak and white fur) was sitting inside surrounded with great big bags full of toys, and leaning over the side was a dear little fairy who was beckoning to me. ‘•Dick! Dick!” I cried, “come quickly! Here’s Santa Claus —he’s in such a lovely .boat, do be quick, or he’ll go!” “Where? Where?” said Dicky, rubbing his eyes as he scrambled out of bed and ran towards me. By this time the boat had halted just outside the window. “Like to come along?” said Santa Claus. “Rather!” we both cried at once. “Jump in, then,” he said, and climbing on to the window sill in we both scrambled, eiderdown and all, and away we sailed up right across the housetops. Dicky and I peeped through the windows as we passed—it was great fun; some of the nurseries were dark, but others had a light, and we could see inside. There were the little Jones kids all in little white beds, with rows of socks and stockings at the foot, and Dick spotted Smith minor, with his nose in the air, “snoring,” Dicky said, with a huge linen bag hung up with a list pinned on to it. “Such swank! as though Santa Claus could carry enough stuff to fill that thing, besides the chap didn’t deserve it.” Santa Claus was hopping in and out of the boatall the time and disappearing down each chimney. “Do you go where there are no children?” I asked. “Never!” he replied. “But how do you know the houses that have children?” I asked “Ah,” he said, “that’s a secret!” We were just sailing past Angela Brown’s house, and there she was, lying on the pillow with her hair all done up in rag nobs. “Now we know,” said I to Dicky, “and won’t I rag her about it too!” “I’m afraid I must now get back to fairyland and collect some more toys. My sacks are quite empty,” said Santa Claus,

“and it’s time little folks were in bed.” “That’s our nursery window,” said Dicky. “I know by the big tree beside it;” and down and down we floated, and in a few minutes we were just outside the window ledge and found the window shut.”

Dicky tried to push it, I tried to push it. Santa Claus tried, and even the fairy.

“It’s locked!” said Dicky, “that’s funny—l’m sure we left it open.” “Sorry about that,” said Santa Claus. I’m afraid it means the chimney, and I wanted to avoid that, as you might get rather sooty, not being experienced. Well, if you get very black, you must tell Nanna it was my fault, and I beg her forgiveness. It’s this one,” he said pointing to the third chimney, as we landed with a bump on to the roof. “Up you jump and down you go.” “Goodbye, Father Christmas, and thank you so much,” we both shouted and waved our hands and disappeared. It was just like going down the fine escape at school.

“I say, what will Nanna say? Just look at my hands!” I said.

“And my pyjamas,” said Dicky. “Let’s get into bed and hide.”

“He’s not filled my stockings,” said Dicky sleepily, peering, with a sooty face at his pillow case and sock hanging limp and empty on the end of the bed. “Nor mine either,” said 1 “I hon e he’s not hurt about anything.” “Hurt!” said I. “Gracious, child, are you hurt?” I opened my eyes—it was Nanna? “A merry Christmas to you both, but whatever are you doing here on the floor, Molly? However did you com e to tumble out of bed like this?”

“Nanna, I’m sorry we’re sooty, but we had such a lovely time! Santa Claus sent us back down the chimney ” “What are you talking about? Sooty! Why you’re not sooty. Here, wake up, you’re dreaming, child—this comes of your daddy giving you a mince pie before going to bed. A little pill, Miss Molly ” “Then he did come, after all?” said I, catching sight of a bulging bolster and pillowcase. “Dick! Dicky!' Santa Claus has been after all!” “Why shouldn’t he?” said' Dicky. “Yes, why shouldn’t he?” said Nanna. “He’d been when I came in to shut your window last n’ght. Your stockings and bolster and pillowcases weFe then full of the things.” “Isn’t it lovely, his coming after ’all!” said I, hugging a new-born dolly. “And, Dicky, how came Santa Claus to fill our stockings if he was away with us, and you know he was?” You were there too. Do you think there is more than one Santa Claus?” “Ask me another—you’re balmy, I tell you!” said Dicky. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” “And you wanted to go with him, Dicky! And it was a lovely time, wasn’t it?” “Balmy!” said Dicky, “quite balmy!” But I was not quite balmy, ’cos Angela Brown does her hair up with rag bobs. I asked her. How should I have known that if I hadn’t seen it?” So to this day it remains a mystery but text year I’m determined to find out— Wouldn’t you?

The Lord Bishop of Blankford was t® preach at St. Pauls Cathedral, and just before the time of the commencement of the service, duly arrived at the bottom of the steps leading to that great building. Making his way upwards, he noticed an elderly lady struggling to mount the steps, and approaching this lady his Lordship asked if he might be permitted to assist her. She quickly consented to this, but when they arrived at the top step, she thanked the unknown gentleman of the cloth for his kindness, then quietly enquired, “And now, sir, could you please tell me who is preaching here this evening ?” His Lordship said: “The Bishop of Blankford is to preach.” Imagine his surprise at her next re mark: “Oh, that old thing! Do you mind, sir,, just helping me down the steps again ?” Why is a pig the most curious of al! living creatures? Because it must b e killed before it ea® be cured.