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fl Satin" at at“! HUDA Y . DEC. Like a cobwebby witch on the back of a broom. His hair was dishevelled. his eyes were ‘bedevilled. His shoulders were shrunk. his complexion was sallow As. dropping his jowl. he began with a growl This argument grumpy and bumpy and fallow :â€" "Now how do 193 know. little man.” He began. "There’s any such person as Santa Clausâ€"say! Did £92 ever see him? Do folks ever tree him Or make him come out to be photographed. pray? And how. if there i_s such a silly old dunce. Can he visit nine million chimneys at once In Maine and in Spain and in Guam and Siam, Paraguay. Uruguay. Brooklyn, Dakota, iceland. Bogota, far Minnesota. These. to say nothing of Jutland and Ounce And places in Russia I dread to pronounceâ€" . Doing all this between dusk Christmas eve A ad sunrise next morn ?“ Here the imp laughed in scorn. Thus pondered Wee Willie. when suddenlyâ€"ouch! The wihdow flew up and the sorry imp Grouch Popped into the room With a manner of gloom Elke a cobwebby witch on the back of a broom. Or the average bear in his Iona winter hug. With visions delighted His brain was excited; His fancy a-tingie with thoughts of Kris Kringle. Who. laden with gifts. would appear at .t-he ingle To fill up each stocking. then off jiggle-Jingle. a prett; large taiaâ€"‘Niliic, can you believe?“ (COPYING-1T.) .‘BY , BY THE NEW YORK HERALD CO.) AIL Rights Rgservcd. . when fairies and elves duAfAV’ They flew over Boston, they flew over Frarce, I‘hey flew over Switzerland’s Alpine expanse ;, O'er Europe and'Asia they sped through the night, - But when they reached Iceland they turned-to the right “Hang on!” whispered Cheerup, “for sure as my soul In seventeen minutes we’ll ,be at the Pole.” So. faithful to schedule, they flew in 3. tries Right over the jag Of that Boreai crag . And there at the Pole stood a Pal‘ ee of Ice 0n the top of whose door a bright sign-board did glow:- And Fail-y‘and Child flcw'as hifififéé fig; ' ' ' O'er snow-fields and icebergs and strange panoramas- And \Villie still clad in his cotton pajamas! « “Aha! let us see!” the small gnomekin replied; “Now get on my aeroplane close to my side And straight to the Christmas Headquarters we'll buzz So there we may see how old Santa Claus does it.” Then burr-r-r went the fly-wheel and @313 went the wing .’\â€"J t‘_.'.._ _A, 1 nu -. u a On nine mfifibn separate roofs at a time In Lasrador. Singapore, London and Dune: And places in Russia I cannot pronounce?” Of a moon that was jolly and frosry arfd bright The little gnome Cheerup, the merriest fairy ‘ That ever shed Christmas good-will in his flight, Was out for a spin on his aeroplane airy. And. hearing Wee Willie’s sore wail of despite. “Highty-tite!” cried the Sprite, “And it’s likewise do-duddy! It seems rather queer APM‘W'O‘ the year ‘ For folks to be weepingâ€"what ails little Buddy?" So his airship he tied to the bedpost beside The pilly where Willie so ardently cried ' And he laughed. "Holly-ho! - ‘ Now tellme. sweet child. why you take on so wild? Is it mincemeat that troubles you so? ' is your hair stuck with gum. have you pains in your turn, Have you lost your dog Fido? Oh, what is the matter?" But W'illie responded with tear-drops a-spa'tter, ' "‘Nhatâ€"what shall I do? Is it right, is it true That Santa Claus never existedâ€"hoo-hoo? And ii he giggin- live, is he able to climb Now it happened that night By the fairylgnd light Poor Santa Claus. friend of all childhood. lay dead ST: he drooped like a willow and lay on his pillow V/hilc tears in his eyes welling up like a spring Cried. “Santa Claus? Never was any such thing!’ II. Somewhere out in the snow So saying, imp Grouch. with a fleet and a ”leer And a sneeze and a sniff and a snort and a sneer VJith a whisk of his tail through the window out And left Willie Jones sitting upright in bed A-feeling as though CHRISTMAS HEADQUARTERS S. CLAUS <3: CO. Joy fernished Herc ‘ By the Mile or the Year; Orders for Happiness easily filleJ. v" ,-spcd wmzs "Ho, Slaves of St. Nick, ye are hereâ€"many thanks? Now first let me ask, VJere you true to your task? Last Christmas morn were you all at the Tree Wearing your boots and your whiskers like Me. Lighting the c’andles and giving our toys. Dolls for the Girlies and guns for the Boys 3" (Cries of “We were-l”) "I‘m delighted to see All have obeyed my now famous Decree Saying ‘The World has so populous grown No single Saint can supply it alone; (Which was not very tall), \Vith his eyes flashing brignt Santa gazed at them 211 Then spckelike a Marshal reviewing his ranks, Spirit of Yule! what a scene of surprise Lav before VJ illie's ~wide-wondering eyes! _ Think of a room packed witthhristrnas-tree stores Forty times bigger than all of Outdoors Stretching through galleries ninety-six floors! Think of a million Kris Kringles in line Round a great platform of jolly oak-wood Where in his pride the geil Santa Claus stood Viewing the ranks with expression condignl Suddenly clapping his hands as ”a sign, Every Kris before Wee Willie’s eyes Put up his hand and removed his disguise. Whisk went the whiskers and Santa Claus cloaks. Off came the Santa Claus bootsâ€"of all jokes! There in their natural shapes were revealed Plains Men of Business nowise concealed. Fathers and Uncles, Big Brothers and Cousins. Grandfathers also by thousands of dozens. (Any bright boy in that vast. congregation Surely would recognize some male Relation Who oft at Christmas in Santa clothes foxy Gave out the Santa Claus presents by proxy.) And there in the line, less than ten feet away, ‘Willie’s o'wn Father stood out plain as day. (Willie kept quiet and looked rather silly. Being invisibleâ€"lucky for Willie!) Standing full-height, ’ ifi_â€"â€"â€"-â€"â€"â€".â€"â€"_ Till into the Christmas Headquarters they passed." “Why? Tell me why." Quoth the Boy with a cry. “Why do a million Kris Kringles go by And why are they here?" Said the Gnome with a grin “Whiff! you’re invisibleâ€"follow them in l” 8 _. a“... m”"‘ :“uV Short ones an" ta]! ones, Fat ones and small ones, Rough Santas. bluff Santas, Tender and tough Santas. Onward they marched without rests. halts or pause: OE a million complejcs 83:13 Clayscs. --â€"â€"_. ~â€" Each giojg a cloaks 7 uch _a Santa C__laus. umaxs é . Each .e a sack uch g3: sag ant a Claus‘ 0:315! “â€"7“..â€" in Willie cowerczl backâ€"he was dazed, he was thrillcé. F-Tr cvcr thc ice. far as sight 0‘, the eye, Thousands and thousands of Grown Foiks trcoped by; and as Wiuic they fiearcd he cbserved something weirdâ€"- Each worl- g gmowy-whitc Santa Clam lggggg IV. ($223.“ .q fi*:% “Santa Claus picked out this losesent for mell’ Then came the giftâ€"and he found with a laugh. Just what he’d wanted-31 new phonograph! Mending his airship high up in the eaves Cheerup the gnome giggled deep in his sleeves. “Christmas. though Santa Claus nevercomes near it. Must be the same if he's there in the spiiit; 7 ' Lave will pen in through the chimney once more, SOrrow the “fell will slink out by the door; Stockings han heavy; so hearts should hang light.“ Cnuckled the inome. When it was Christmas and good Mr. Jones Draped in white whiskers stood dose to the Tm Willie excitedly felt in his bones. Snug as a guest 9n the Waldorfvdsgofia Willie aw?!“ in his bed in Peoria. First he said. “Where have I beech-Jet m! Then he named upward exclauung, “Whom! Don't you say. ‘Isn't‘ nn Santa’ to me! , Folks who thinklightly of Santa Claus baa Bcttcr pat interview Me or My Dad £" Puzzled a moment, then said. “Let me see!” Then very softly, that no one might hear. Whispered a word in the gentleman's ear. (Willie, with heart-beats ’most read to chokq Leaning far forward to hear what ey spoke. Almost dropped off his invisible cloak.) “Good !” winked his Father, and Santa. says be. “That we can find in Lot 6.000 B." And as they set forth down the corridors hollow Willie and Cheerup decided to follow. Onward they sped with invisible tread. Past stacks and stacks 0f pretty knick-knacks. . Candy in sacks and stacks of sweet smacks, Bright jumping-jacks. A Dolls of pink wax with hair golden flax. Books with bright backs And charming ko'daks Angling and dangling from tacky black racks. So onward and onward and onward they . While Mr. jones gawked and Santa Claus " Till finally Willie to Cheerup cried, “Learie! I’m awfully weary; My feet are quite heavy. my eyes are all Meaty.” So down they both sat on a Christmas box nighâ€" Willie lay back with a satisfied sight Dropped his wee head upon Cheerup's wee knee. » Sighed. “Wake me up when there’s something to De: Sank to deep breathing, quite glad to forego . Santa Claus, Christmas, the Pole and ..... ,. . .n-...... ~. A suitable present'for Willie would be?" Santa, surprised. Pursed_hi_s lips. closed his eyes. Therefore the Grown Follis who love their chick! (em) Must come to the Pole and report to me yearly. And on this condition Each one I commission , To act as my substitute fully disguisea And at twelve of the clock To ‘fill up each sock Of Well-Behaved Children with presents most prises. To slide, if ye will, down the chimneys soot-blanching. 0r up the dumb-waiter if chimneys be lacking. Yet always be sly in the tricks that ye’re- br ' ‘ That no Child on earth may suspect what you've W’ So." said the Saint, “since the midnight ismc‘j‘f Substitute Santas, I give you all greeting!” “Hurrah!" cried the Grandpas in hundreds of dam, “ ’Rah!” cried the Fathers and Uncles and CV05“; , And soon round the Hall sauntered nobles and W Talking together and picking out presents. Santa strolled with them responding to question. Hinting and helping and giving suggestions. “This book is charming for bright little men-â€" These are nice skates for a schoolboy of ten-â€" That Paris doll would just suit tiny Jen." _ \Vhile this occurred Willie 5 Father stepped out, Spoke to the Saint in a manner of doubt, ‘ Sir. if I may Ask it. what would you say And I think he_was rigiii. Pages 7 t6 .u. 0.0!:an