1.

"Halloo, children! halloo all round! Bless your little hearts, how do you do? Did they tell you Santa wasn't coming, my dears? Did your grandpas and grandmas say 'Humph!'

2. "My love to the old people-tell them they'll have to give it up now." Here Santa

Claus made a low bow. Every body laughed and clapped; but Prudy whispered, "He'll drop it off, I'm afraid!" meaning the pack.

3. "Yes, my dears, here I am, as jolly as ever; but bless your sweet little eyes, I've had a terrible time getting here!

The wind

has been blowing me up, and I've been shaken round like a kernel of corn in a popper!

4. "I've been ducked up to the chin in some great snow-banks, away up by the North Pole! And I was cruising round all last night -didn't sleep a wink-got so broken up, there's nothing left of me but pieces!

5. "Oh, oh! don't you make fun of me, children! If you love me as I love you, you won't mind the looks! I set out to fix up a little, and then, thought I, I'll come just as I am. I patted myself on the shoulder, and said, 'Santa Claus, don't you fret, if growing old.'

you are

6. "You see, father Adam and I were about of an age, but somehow I never grew up. I always thought big folks were well enough in their place, but give me the children! Hurrah for the children!

7. "I tell you, darlings, I haven't forgot one

of you! My pockets are running over! Here's a doll for the Prudy girl, and she may have it for nothing, and they're cheaper than if you take a lot of them!

8. "I've got more nuts than you can shake a hammer at; but I think there's more bark to them than there is bite! Oh, oh! I can't crack them with my teeth as I used to a few hundred

years ago.

9. "But, my dear, cunning, sweet little midgets, I must be going! Queen Vic said to me, 'Now, Santa, my love, do you get back to fill my children's pockets before the clock strikes twelve!'

66

10. Good night, dears! A Merry Christmas to you all, and a Happy New Year!"

11. So saying, Santa Claus suddenly disappeared at the hall-door, dropping his heavy pack, which fell to pieces with a bang, scattering its contents over the floor, causing Prudy to exclaim, "I s'posed he'd drop it! I s'posed 'twould break!"

12. In another minute the lively old gentleman was in the front parlor without any mask, and of course it was nobody but cousin Arthur "with his face off,"

13. Then they all went to work sorting out

presents. It would not do to name many of them; it would take too long.

14. Prudy seized her fur tippet and put it on at once. "Oh, how pretty I look!" said she, "just like a little cat! Isn't it cunning?”

15. Then she had a wax doll, which "would be alive if it could talk;" to say nothing of new gaiters, a hood, and a scarf.

16. Susie had no end of pretty things, too; and though she did not talk quite so much as Prudy, she was just as happy. She had what she had never dreamed was possible for a little girl to have a bottle of "Jockey Club”— "just like a young lady!"

17. This was really a great delight to Susie; but Prudy, sniffing it, said coolly, "Oh, ho! it smells as if it didn't cost more than a cent! 'Tisn't half so sweet as pep'mint!"

18. I should like to tell a great deal more about the evening; what they did and said; how they ate Santa Claus's nuts, candy and figs; and how they played what Prudy called "blind man's buffalo," with no fear of being told it was bedtime, but I can not now.

QUESTIONS ON LESSON LVIII.-What time in the year does Christmas come? Do you know why it is called Christmas? What does Santa Claus do? Did you ever see him? Who is Santa Claus ?

PUTTING A COAL ON HIS HEAD.

1. Joe's small feet clattered vigorously down to the little cave where his boat was hidden. But as he neared the place, an exclamation of surprise escaped him, for there were signs of some intruder, and the big stone before the cave had been rolled away.

2. Hastily drawing forth his treasure, he burst into loud cries of dismay, for there was the beautiful little boat, which cousin Herbert had given him, with its gay sails split in a hundred shreds, and a large hole bored in the bottom.

3. Joe stood for a moment motionless with grief and surprise; then, with a face as red as a peony, he burst forth, "I know who did it the mean scamp! It was Fritz Brown; and he was mad because I didn't ask him to come to the launch.

4. "But I'll pay him for this caper," said