THE REAL SANTA CLAUS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9115, 21 December 1907, Page 3

THE REAL SANTA CLAUS

' (By QUEENIE SCOTT-HOPPER.) Author of " A Bunch -of Mistletoe/ " Zoe's Santa Claua " etc. [Aix Rights -Resebved.] It is a wonderful place at any time, that great, big shop of Messrs Hetherington's, with its huge windows full oi pretty things, and its doors with t granite columns, through which, when they stand ajar, one has glimpses of untold splendour within. Such richness ©F colouring, from the Oriental rugs and wondrous draperies ; such glitter of glass and silver and daintily-tinted porcelain; such smiling and graciouslooking attendants, moving softly to and fro amidst these surroundings of delight. . : ' - Yes, it is a wonderful place at any time, but .when Christmastide draws near, it is" a regular fairy,- palace. The glittering shapes of silver' and crystal look more beautiful a hundred times when framed in that soft setting of cot-ton-wool, pure white, like the newlyfallen snow. The great branches of scarlet-berried holly seem like fairy bowers, reflected in mysterious mirrors placed so cunningly here and there. And as you , stacd with your face against the pane, gazing at all these marvellous things, you can hear snatches of merry music coming from within — music which, if you are feeling happy, makes you want tc dance. To little Effie Saunders, stopping to gaze into those wonderful windows on Her way home from school, it seemed that Messrs Hetherington's was the most beautiful place in the world- At dusk, when its electric lamps were lighted uj> in a blaze of glory, it was like a vision of fairyland. Effie loved to look at the beauty and brightness of it all. Nerther beaut;- nor ness was to be seen in the narrow street where she lived— the ' ;.loomy Uttle street in the midst of so many othera exactly like it, where everybody's face looked careworn, and everybody's clothes were shabby, and Effie and her brothers arid sisters were fast forgetting what trees and green grass looked like, because there was nothing, amid the grime and squalor, to remind them of the pleasant" country where xheir -home had been, once upon a time. Effie lingered long beside the lighted window, and her. eyes were very wistful as she gazed. ' She heard the merry music, but it did not make her want to dance to-day/ She was very\ hungry^— so hungry that she had hardly been able to learn her lessons at school; so hungry that she had had to go past the pork-pie shop very quickly, because the savoury smell of cooking made her feel more hungry still. She was also very cold. The snow came through the thin places in her old shoes, and starved her feet; and her poor little shabby grey coat was a very slight protection from the cold wind. And in,the little room at home, where father sajb in despairing silence,, with idle hands that would have worked so gladly, if there had been work for them to do, Effie knew she would find no fire to: warm her, and very, very little bread to eat. A clear, ringing childish voice beside her made her start. "Oh, mother dear! I do hope you will have to come here again to-mor-row! I love this great big shop, at , Christmas-time ! There are such neaps of pretty things to see, and the music is so delightful, and isn't Santa Claus a perfect dear?" \ Effie turned her head. The eager, words rippled from the lips of a dainty little damsel clad in soft, , white furs, who was clinging to her mother's arm, and, looking up at her with, sparkling eyes ac they passed out of the enchanted portals and crossed the pavement to their carriage. ' She was the very prettiest, sweetest-looking little girl' that Effie had ever seen, but Effie, at the moment, did not think so much about her looks as about her words. '■' . Santa Claus ! It was a dear f amiliaT name. In the old times> Santa Claus had always found his way, on Christmas Eve, to the country cottage; yes, he had even come laet year, although he had not brought quite so many toys as usual — Mother suggested that perhaps he had been nearly at the end of his rounds, and had not had verjr much left. But this year it was quite dif- j ferent. Jacky, the other day, had been crying because he was hungry, j and Trix had tried to comfort him by' saying — "Never mind, Jacky, it will coon be Christmas, and then Santa Claus will come, and bring us everything we want.' But mother lad exclaimed, in a voice that sounded like a sob — "Oh, child, don't talk of Christmas, when we cannot keep the wolf from the door I Santa Claus will never' be able to find us in River Street." Since mother had said that Effie at ways shuddered at night when she heard the wind howling: was that the wolf at the door? Perhaps it was ok account of the wolf that Santa Claus never came to River Street. But^ it was a new and wonderful idea to think of 4 his having his headquarters at Meskrs Hetherington'6. The pretty little girl had seen him there just now ! Effie stole nearer to the door, in the hope that she might catch sight of him. If she could speak to him, for just a moment, and beg, him to come down to . River Street by daylight, when the wolf was not astir! Two little girls, older than herself, pushed past her, talking and laughing. " Oh, yes ! come in," said one»to the other. ""We'll go upstairs and have a look at the bazaar. They dph't ajsk you to buy. you know ; and it's so nice to walk round and hear the music, and see the -Santa Clauß." The girls went in at the wonderful door. Dared Effie follow them ? • She seemed such a poor, shabby little figure to venture into the midst of all that splendour, but she did long to speak to Santa Claus I She walked across the great, beautiful shop on tiptoe, casting timid looks at the attendants, who did not seem to give any special heed to her preeence. Down a long oorridor, behind a counter, and up a flight of stairs went the laughing, 5 talking girls. Effie followed, with a fluttering heart. And lo! at the top of the staircase was a wonderful room* full of toys, such toys as Effie had never oeheld in all i her life before. A bevy of bright- 1 faced girls moved to and fro, thowing off this pretty thing and that to the "visitors who admired them; while from behind a screen of palms cam© the merry music of the orchestra. And, yes! there in the midst was Santa Claus, such a beautiful 'Santa Claus,- in a scarlet coat and *cap trimmed with snowy fur, wallang about with sprightly step and beaming smile, and jauntily twirling a very big white moustache. A real, true, live, and most benevolent-lookilg Santa Clans! Effie gazed, and gasped. He was beautiful ! — much too beautiful to be expected to come down chimneys in River Street, and run the risk of meeting the wolf in order to fill the poor shabby shoes- there. A sudden inspiration occurred to Effie. Suppose she were to bring the shoes to Santa Claus? He was here before her, in the midst of all his treasures ; what more simple than to beg him to fill them on the spot? To-morrow would be Christmas Eve; she could come to him here before he started upon his rounds, and how surprised- — how delighted — everyone at home would be when she returned! How surprised — how delighted— -to hear that she had found Santa Claus 1 Effie spent the next twenty-four hours in a glow of happy anticipation. Hunger and cold became bearable, with this wonderful secret to cheer her heart. She knew were to find Santa Claus; Santa Claus, who would fill her shoes, and make Christmas happy for everyone J Very quietly, very secretly, her preparations were made. She got^possessipn of an old carpet-bag, whioh 'mother i sometimes took with her when ehs went ,

shopping, and in it she stowed away the empty receptacles yrhich jSanta Claue's bounty was to fill. A poor old boot of father's, which had tramped many a weary mile in the rain search for work ; a shoe of mother 1 b, pawned and mended until no cobbler^ etmfcl keep it any longer from falling : 4k» pieces ; a well-worn 6lipper ,pf her own, and another of Trix's, and aetardky little boot of Jack's. Effie's fingers trembled with eagernesp as she packed them into the carpet-bag. , And me trembled all over when, having reached Messrs Hetherington's, and clinlbeditma wonderful staircase to the land of 1099* she found herself in the* very presertpe of Santa Claus. \^z .:*&;. 1 He was standing near the entrance, with his back turned towards. Etne. She stretched out a timid little hind, and touched the scarlet sleeve, .'-r'^eih "Oh, please, Santa Claiis— ,'W^ Santa Claus turned round, ,^ta<^ai start and a smile, and Effie's woislft bj& gan to tumble one over another jai^Jftfrt 1 eagerness. . ;?; -V 1 - - i " Oh, please, Santa Claus, I £ag« brought our shoes, if you would;- be so kind as to fill them. I found oat .y4*terday that you lived here . ; aSd so I came to ask . *. because mother said you would not,be>able to .find "tia in Eiv.er Street, and it isn/t vesy'. 'ntee ■ in. River Street after dark,* on. account of the wolf. This is Trix> shoe, Ittss this is Jacky's; and please, may \-'*fy ' which of the beautiful toys I think they would like best? They would have beep so. disappointed if . you hadn't broagji't them anything this Christinas. . .'•%j : .!yo. • And this ia father's boot; could yoil please put in a little bit of " \xjptf Father says he cannot toll what will happen if he doesn't get a bit of luck from somewhere soon: . . . Aaia this- — " ■■ ■ ■ • : ■ ' '■:,.'-■:■:■'„ ■-:, Effie stopped short, for Santa Clan* gave an odd little cough. This was th* 1 third Christmastime that he had parad* ed Messrs Hetherington's showroom* decked out in all hie brarery of soarkn and white, and twirling his fine moustache ; but in all his experience he lad never before "chanced _ to find himself mistaken for the genuine article. : ,.' " I— er, I'm sorry, little girl," hi said. " But I'm afraid you've got holq of the wrong idea — I mean the wrpnjj Santa Claus. The old kind, that oam< down the chimney to fill shoes, Jlit rather rrone out of fashion nowaidays. I'm only z sort of new-f«ngled imitation, set here by Messrs Hetiieringtojn to cell their Christmas goods. I'm : nott under orders to give them away." At this, two of the girk wno werrf, in attendance giggled. It was not ofte< that such" a joke came in their way. The sound of their mirth added tohef sense of bewildering and bitte* dfestm pointment, completely overwhelmea poor EfEe. ' : • " I — l didn't understand," she fal* tered, and as she covered her quivering face with her 'hands, hot teaTs trickledbetween her fingers and fell upon the Door old shoes which had come toQ-thnr feiitrp&tace in vain. v !W; ; ' "Why, what is the matter,?" «p*^ denly inquired a very sweet, inotherfy voice at her side. . - j. : . One of the shop girls began to volunteer a laughing explanation. -; " " She came to bring all these ahoeS to Santa Claus. She thought the toys and things were to be had for the asking." ■ " I ■• , ' ..'■ ■■■.■■■.■•?-' "And so they are, som© ©ftli«n/V declared the sweet voice brigntly. " Come this way, little girl, with mey and we shall soon find out which ar4; presents and /which are not. Look up, my. dear, and tell me ell about owners of these shoes. There's a little Christmas fairy here who is waiting tt wave her wand and fill them." t . Effie looked up, with brimming eyes, and saw the dainty little white-daa maiden and her mother, who had. com* out of the shop, talking go merrily , upon the previous afternoon. .Ana presently, she found herself soWbinß out all her story — while Mrs St Oswald patted her softly on the shoulder, anq Stella , gazed sympathisingly at h«r» with the sweetest eyes in the worl^. : Very wonderful things happened afterwards, for all the shoes were filled to overflowing, and there were so many parcels besides, that Effie's small a^rma could not hold them all, and thet venture ended by her being drivenl home in Mrs St Oswald's oan^age.* to River Street, where a certain houßenokl spent a very much happier Christmas than they had' expected. Perhaps^t-^a wrong to say that the adventure ein|n here, for it really ended in fatlu^i finding . that longed-for bit" of l^clL which meant a move for the whota family into -much more otwnfoTtable Ril* roundings, where no dreaded wolf pam< »to prowl about the door. . iY* Effie is quite a big girl now, -M* enough to smile over that mistake of hers about 'the Santa Claus in Messrs Hetherington's. But she always aayl that that was a very wonderful Christ mas Eve; for if she was disappointed about the imitation Santa Clans, there is no doubt that she did most certainly meet some Teal, true Christmas Angela in disguise. ■ ■.-