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e Daily' rg Weeds, in the Number of Magazine. By Eugene Christmas Everybody's say to a little, in- remember the-deer we saw when we Docent, trusting child: "Aw, there | went to thie park? Well, they're ain't.no Santa Claus! It's just your | wild deer---" ~~ © father and your mother," is some-| "Do they bite?" thing so brutal, so revolting to the "No, they don't bite. They're got moral sense that I often find myself | big horne, big, sprangly horns, and earnestly trying to jmagine it taking ' they hook with them. Old Santy's place, sh fl | deer he ean drive with reins; that's It isn't morbid of me. Really. why they are called reindeer." It's no more miorbid than for a, "Does his deer hook?" mother to say: "What if Ueorgie!| "Well, 1 s'pect they might * hook should find the razor, and try to|somebody they didn't know, but not whittle with it, and -cut his hand [old Santy. He just goes right up to off at the wrist, and bleed to death?" | 'vm and slaps 'em on the flank, and . You wouldn't call that morbid. says: 'Hyste over there, you! Hyste You'd undérstand at once why she | over!" And they mind him. They was doing it. Fate "is-P> contrary a don't think of hooking him." Creature that she cannot endure to! "Would they hook . good little have anyone say: "There! I knew |boys?" A pregnant question! Granted that would be the way of it." Fate | that unwelcome rain falls both upon cannot stand it that we should have| the just and the unjust, isn't it more even that much satisfaction. So|satisfactory for our piirposes that it when she hears a mother say, with|should barely sprinkle a weenty- sucked-in lower lip: "What if Geor-|teenty mite upon the righteous while gle should' --whatever the horrible| the wicked come home soakin' wet ? calamity is--why, Fate immediately | I think so. crosses that calamity off the list of | "No, indeed, they possibilities, and tries to find some-' good little Hoys. They like good thing else, equally dreadful, which little boys who brush their teeth is not at all difficult when there's |every morning without being told, a boy about the house. ' and run errands for their mama to So all the mother has to do, d'ye|the grocery, and go get their papa's see? is to think up all the horrible | slippers when he--" calamities that might occur, scaring "What else does Santy Claus de?" herself blue with agonizing details, "He opens the stable-dcor on and then Fate, just to be mulish, | Christmas Eve when it begins to get won't let the things occur. But omit| dark and hooks the door back so's nothing in the harrowing category; |it won't slam, and he takes down it is the unforeseen that happens. the harness from the peg, and says: It is for this reason that I try 80 | 'Here, Blixen! Come get into your hard to imagine a grown person | place, hecaunse tonight we're going saying to a child: "There ain't any to i" Santa Claus," I'm doing all I can | to avert such a misfortune. Why! This wouldn't be any kind of a country at all, and the heroes of our history, from George Wash ington down, would have fought, bled, and run for office all in vain! if, every evening, from now on until | the 25th inst, the father did not take little Georgie on his knee and begin the wondrous tals: "And just as soon as it begins to get dark. on Christmas Eve, old Santy takes the harness down off the peg and starts to hitch up the rein deer---" "Why don't he have snow-deer?" "No, homey, that isn't what it means, You see, there's three kinds of rain. There's the rain where you have te take an umbrella, and there's reign, like, now, supposing there was a kin N *"There's a boy named Harry King | that goes to my kindergarten. Har-| ry Adolphus King, and---" "Yes, dear, and then there's rein like what you drive horses with. You wouldn't hook 'Is that their names--'Blixen'? Oh, 1 know "Cause they can go like the very blixens." "That's «= one of their { Blixen is the nigh leader "What's a 'leader'?" "Why, Georgie, I_told you all that last night." "Tell me again." "The two reindeer that run front are the leaders. Blixen is nigh leader and ' "What's 'nigh'? "Why, you see, Georgie, old Santy sits on the left-hand side the sleigh-seat " "What does he sit there for?" "Because, when you're driving a team, the left-hand side is the right side 4 "How is it the right side?" Here is where mama, busy with her list, who's to get just a Christ- mas card and who's really to get something, and about how much she ought to spend on each, considering what each did last year--here is where mama should interpose with: names in the of New industries are locating here, new residences are being built, street pavements laid, new street lights--'the White Way"'-- installed, a fine, new bridge is being erected across the Cataraqui River--everywhere there are evidences of a distinct civic im- provement. Unexcelled transportation facilities are afforded by Lake Ontario, River St. Law- rence and the Rideau Lakes and Rivers. Kingston's schools 'and University make the city an ideal home for the man who wishes to give his children an advanced education. ei ONTARIO, SATURDAY. "Georgie dear, if you want papa to tell you about Santa Claus, you must keep still and let him tell you. ~And listen! Santa Claus doesn't like for little boys to ask too many questions. When they sk too many, he doesn't leave them any nice toys or any- thing; he puts an old potato- or a lump of coal into their stockings." "What does he do that for?" "Ah-ah! That's just it. What for? They want what-for, and they get what-for?" (So Santa Claus is in the Tonkpir- acy too, is he? 1 declare I den't see how the human race has man- aged to get along as far as it has It isn't only when we are children; it's till we die. 1s isn't only people who get tired of hearing it, papa and mama and Aunt Susie; it's all the powers, natural and supernatural-- All of them! perpetually scolding: "Don't ask £0 many questions!" Why, dad-blame il all, we are, thrown neck and crop inio the midst of the worst mix-up mess of mysteries you almost ever saw, and our only 'salvation, -apparently, be- ing to find out "Why?" and "What for?" and What makes it so. that way?" and yet they're always jaw- ing, "Don't ask so many questions!" It's the strangest thing! What are we here for, anyways, if not to pry into things and twist her secrets out of old Dame Nature's stingy, tight- shut fist?) . "Well," says papa, taking up his burden, "Donder and Blixen are the two léaders, and the wheel reindeer are . . . Let me see . . ." And papa gives a fine imitation of a total loss of memory "Dancer!" re "Why to what's his now?" "Prancer!" "Prancer, Dancer and And how many's that? Count 'em on -your fingers. Donder . . and Blixen . and Dancer . . .and Pran- cer How many's that?" "All but my thumb," replies the first class in elementary arithmetic "Yes, I know, but how many?" Count em. Donder-- that's one, and Blixen--that's two and Dancer's three, and Prancer-is--how many? "Oh, papa! You been tellin' stor- jes! Hee-ee! You been tellin' stor- i There's a white spot on your finger-nail where you told a story!" Four reindeer all going to be hitched up to the sleigh to carry Christmas presents to all the little boys and girls! So when Santy calls to them to come d be hitched up they come a-runy And he takes the harness, and throws it on their | backs, ker-jing!" { "What makes it 'Ker-jing'?"" | 'Because it's all over little bells. | And all the time he's hitching then here shouts Georgie eagerly be . sure. Dancer! 'And partner's name, again, Prancer, £0 up, they're so impatient and in such! ax a hurry to get away that they stamp their feet, and fuss and fidget, aud i wentieth Century -- every time they move the bells go jingle-jongle, jingle-jongle! "And the boys are helping him-- old Santa's boys. There's young Santa, he's 'most as big as his Pop now, and there's Adolf, and Fritzie, and Hanslein, and" "Ain't he got any little boy named Georgie?" "Well, sir, if he hasn't, I s'pec' he wishes he had, The boys are run- ning back and forth with their arms full of Christmas presents all wWrap- ped up in paper and the names writ- ten on them,. who they're to go to and all, and-----" "Is the little. boys mama there?" "Who? Old Sis Claus? You betehy. She's always on hand Christmas Eve. She's helping, too-- carrying things out to the sleigh-- dolls--oh, the cutest dolls you ever saw! My! My! The sweetest golden hair, all "curly and eyes that shut when they go by-by, and doll-wagons to ride them in, and doll-dishes, and doll-houses, and--What's the matter, mister? What are you looking so glum about?' "Aln't they boys?' "Why, didn't I just tell you? Dolls and doll-wagons and doll----" "Boys don't play with dolls!" "Oh, don't they? I thought they did." "Well then, my lord, if it was you helping carry out the Christmas pres- ents what would you ¢hoose?" anything for little (Here is where pap gets a line, on Master Georgie's preferences.) "Revolvers!" cries Master Geor- gie; thoroughly interested. 'Big, beeg shootin' revolvers! Bang- bang! Old burglar come, bang, bang, ---ba-ang! Kill him dead. And his blood run out on the floor and--on the wall, and --on the chairs, and-- on the, now, table, and--on the ..." His eyes dilate sas he tries to think of more objects for the burglar's blood to stop its crimson tide upon. "For Lord's sakes!" "gasps his father, half-whispering to himself in awe. Is this fweet, innocent, little Georgie? Or is that angel-face only a mask out of whose eye-holes glare the dead-and-gone? A long, long, line of them there is, all who drop- ped the dull, prosaic tasks of peace to follow gladly the thumping drum and whistling fife; a long, long line of them through the backward cen- turies, Indian-fighters, peadants who thrilled at the chance to become food for cannon, away back to conquer- ing pprmans, ravening Danes. blood- drinking Celts, and Britons blue with woad, 'screeching at Caesar's legion- farther back and further back as far back as ever they could called men at all, who mited with fierce joy when could give the killing stroke, wildly exulted to see the vie- n topple over and lie sprawling d loose-jointed! A-ah! That's be ng a man! When you kill some- body. aries; and DE CEMBER 19, "Well," says papa, "I Kardly think there will be any revolvers in old Santy's sleigh, but I'm pretty sure there are boxes of soldiers and bullding-blocks for forts and spring- cannons to bombard them with. And there will be Noah's Arks and plec- ture-books apd jumping-jacks, and --ob, all" kinds-of toys for little boys." "The old burglar'd- cry, wouldn't he, when he got shot, and the blood'd come out and. " "And old Santy," says papa, rais- ing his voice so as to override Geor- gle, 'old Santy looks at his- watch (and says: 'My goodness me! Is it as late as that?' And he says to Mrs. Claus, "You'll have to get a move on, old lady An : " 'You'll have to shake a leg, old lady,' " corrects Georgie, who is let- ter-perfect in the dialogue and can prompt his father when he "goes up' in his lines. '" 'You'll have to shake a leg, old lady," papa accepts the phrase-eag- erly--anything to get away from the bleeding burglar-- *" 'you'll have to shake a leg, because I've got lots of places to go to to-night, and I must make an early start. Jump, you young rascals!" And you better believe they jump. Oh, they just fly around, and finally they get ev- erything in, and old Sis Claus, she brings him his overcoat, and his fur cap; and his mittens, and he kisses them all good-by i > "And the dog, too?" "Yes, he says good-by to the dog, tqo. Pats him on the head and tells him, 'Not this time, Rover You can't go with me now." And Mrs. Claus asks him when he'll be home, and he says along toward morning sometime and for her to look for him when she sees him. And he climbs into the sleigh. and kisses his mouth at the reindeer, 'Pwsp! Pwsy! Ck-ck-ck-ck! Gitty up, there, Donder! Co on, Blixen!' And away they go, like they were shot out of a gun, jing-ling, jing- jing, jingle-jingle, jing-Jing." Papa hesitates and little Georgie has to ask: "Nen what does Santy Claus do?" Ah, but it is hard to take it up from there! And it gets harder ev- ery year: Every year the world gets bigger. I don't suppose there are so many more children than there used to be, but we are more aware of them. There are such multitudes for whom engines must puff and tug to drag the long trains up the grades, and ships splash through the seas, all laden chock-a-block with toys. And they must start away in hot weather to get there in time. And to have one little sleigh set out after dark that evening---It is too much The imagination gives a groan and its knees double up under it. Georgie must prod at it and prod at it be- fore it can staggep 8 and | The sicighbells jing : 3 dn mim, reindeer's hoofs patter, and the fat- and jolly saint clucks at them as mer-piece over they leap--Uppp' you go--from the | how ground to the roof of the summer- | kitchen, thence to the kitchen roof--- | Hi, there! Upppp! you go!--itill at! last they stand pawing the shingles | of the comb of the house while old | Santa drops down the chimney to {Down through the chimney with good deliver the presents he carries; for | Saint Nick? : the little folks who llve there; they, The path of duty seems to be ardu- stand there pauring and shorting { ods. It always is. But then we've steam out of their nostrils till he got to tread it, arduous or not. And crawls up and out again, takes the | you'd better tell the tale while yet round, Ker-oumbl na" then oo Touma Maybe trl be your. only . - ! =. chance. Maybe by 8s time =n "Upppp! you go!" to the roof of | year the sixteenth century, so to on the world. Around. ui the. she | Shik; vil Rave dawhed for Georgie . y |and he who listened wi wide-ex- lightens in the east--dipping to the ground and then sizing to the house- enchanting narrative of the old saint tops. pping to the ground, rising to the housetops, like a little sail- | scooting straight up the side of a boat in a heavy sea. all night long, | héuse--maybe he will look at you 38d home again at the Norta Pole | next year with a smile pinched tight Y Sun-up---- | between his lips, and out from un- It gets Bander and harder. every, der one cornering eye-brow, as whe year. e North Pole end of it|should say: "Go wan! You can isn't £0 bad; it's the local end of | stuff me with that any longer!" the story that taxes papa's strength. | They slip away from us so imper- When my grandpa was a little boy | ceptibly. A little while ago and the size of Georgie here, Santa! they were all ours; a little while to ClRuge ly there had Deen. any in is soue aid they, will be all thels own. ay--cou lave come down the he mind seeks a definite moment chimney like a mouse. All he's have | when the change occurs--and seeks had to look out for would have been |in vain, unless that be the moment that when he set his foot on the|when for their own account they swinging crane it didn't let him |boldly say: "Ah, it's just your father down into the fire. When that chim- | and: your mother!" ney was built my grandpa's pa didn't Don't "hurry it. Let him find out say 10 my grandma's ma, evenings|for himself who brings the presents after supper: "Well, Anna, which'll| Christmas Eve. Let him find out for it be? Shall we go to the theatre | himself that the best test of truth or have a wood fire? Costs about | we have is not who tells it to us but the same either way." When 'that! its probability. Disillusionize him, if chimney was built, there were 7.1] you will, as to other myths: let him those black walnut légs from the | have the dismal Jeu from you that no amount of faithful eating of the upper "dead-nin'"" to be got rid of some way. crust will ever put the faintest wave No difficulty at all then for old|into his paintbrush hair; explain to him, if you mhust, that it is the moon Santa to get down the chimney: hardly any when they began to burn] that makes the tides and pot the steamers show Wa soft coal in grates, But when you go to putting in base burners, how |them in andy ong: is Santa going to crawl out into the|the myth of MRE room without getting teetotally | sacred, some burned up alive? And when you And yet, go to building steam heated apart-|isn't ancient. ment houses ten and twelve storics (Contin a sham fireplace, is papa to be convincing when he sings: v Ho! Ho! He! Who wouldn't go? Ho! Ho! Ho! Who wouldn't go? Up on the house-top, - click; click, click! > AAA Ae st bs Ain ern aA ir een The Limestone City, the most important in East: ity LL A Kingston has direct connection with three great railway trunk lines, the C.P.R., the G.T.R., and the C.N.R., and regular fer- ry service connection with the New York Central Lines. Kingston offers the best obtainable to the family seeking a home, to the wage- earner seeking steady employment, or to the industry seeking a suitable location. Its educational advantages are among the best in the world; its shipping facilities by rail and water are unexcelled; its climate is de- lightful, its location one of natural beauty. ern Ontario, has started out on a new career, fraught with great and glowing possibilities how being appreciated. The iron, silver and lead smelters draw \ ) their raw material from this district, while the -¢ and Tile Company was induced, to a larg. extent, to locate here The greasinineral resources of the country to the north are just { Frontenac Floor { because of the large quantity of feldspar mined a few miles from Kingston; they require vonsiderable of this mineral in the man- ufaeture of their product: COME AND GROW WITH - Be a0 rip ee | panded eyes and drying mouth to the urging his fleet reindeer as they go x [high with not so much as a swm- |