THE LITTLE FUNNY MAN.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 24 December 1925, Page 4 (Supplement)

THE LITTLE FUNNY MAN.

A CHRISTMAS EYE STORY. It was Christmas Eve, and the three children were being taken to their beds. “There’s not such a thing as Father Christmas,” said Molly, the eldest of tho three, with a shake of her fair curls as she climbed up the steps. “Y’es there is,” hotly protested- Betty, “and you believed in him until last year. Y’ou can’t expect to get any nice presents from him if you talk that way.” “Oh, I’ll get presents right enough,” said Molly with a shrug of her shoulders. “Now, now,” said mother, “stop all this nonsense, and wo will see what happens in the morning. Willie, come to hed and sleep, because Santa Claus won’t come to any baby that’s awake.”

“Santa, Santa,” said the curlyheaded boy; “let mo go to bed; let me go to bed.” Soon all were fast asleep, except Molly, who was still sure that Santa did not exist. After- some time she heard a strange sound coming from the chimney. Instinctively she turned on her side in order to watcli the bottom of the chimney. Two or three minutes elapsed—they seemed like hours to the expectant Molly—before a tiny pair of legs, followed by the body and head, came into view. It was a funny little man, who was singing as he walked about peeping into all the open drawers inquisitively. Molly kept very quiet for fear of attracting the little man’s attention. She listened to all that he sang. “I wonder. I wonder, I wonder what is in liere,” lie sang in a strange voice; “a pair of gloves, a pair of gloves, a pair of gloves is in here.” Then he went to the chimney, and Molly heard him shout —“One stocking of toys, Santa, for a good girl who likes you, and one more stocking of good things for a baby boy who’s nearly dying for the morning. And —here Molly had to listen very hard, because tho little man spoke in a whisper—“a printed card with “HAD” on it for the girl who doesn’t like you, Santa.” Molly began to tremble, for she knew the ticket was for her. An answer came down the chimney to tho waiting elf —he really was an elf. “Here you are,” and Molly heard the presents falling. “Good thing this chimney has been swept,” said the elf, as he began to put tho toys into her baby brother’s stocking. . _ 'After this he placed the remainder in her sister’s, and then, before Molly knew it, he was away up tho chimney again. He soon returned, however, with a ticket with “HAD” on it, and placed it in Molly’s stocking, hung up on the rail of her bed. After .this, the elf indulged in a silent dance, admiring all the time tlie many preparations round tho bedroom forv Christmas. Then lie disappeared, and w ould not be back again for another year. “Wake up, children,” said mother the next morning; “Santa has been here.”- _ Molly wakened up with a,start. No toys for me,” she thought almost sobbing. “Here you are, Molly. Here s youi* stocking.” Sure enough, there was mother with a Christmas stocking in her hand. Molly, wiping her eyes with the hack of her hand, took the proffered stocking and searched for the expected “Had,” but she did not find it/,.. • < V . That same morning Molly confided’to Betty that “Santa Claus is the best man I know of, and 1 wish I could see him to “hank him for liis, lovely presents.” ■ So, you see, Molly benefited by her) ptrange dream, and never .again disbelieved her younger sister about Father Christmas.