Show MD BAD CHILDRENS ff CHRISTMAS cook mat i I 1 31 a it INS HIS Is ft a story of last christmas day and I 1 will tell iou right awny that it t J ended cut but it bers y gins sadly yit was christ cy mas day up at the north pole and as usual on the day before christmas st nicholas had been hurried and rather grumpy only this time mother nicholas thought to herself that lie was just a bit grum gr than she had ever known now him and at suppertime she found that she was right lie ile came into the kitchen closing his workshop door with a bang and sat down with all the little Nicho 10 lases to his porridge I 1 well ive said it before lie he growled but this time lime I 1 mean I 1 it the children down there in the world will get nothing from my pack this night its time lime they were taught a lesson all the little Nicho lases gasped but mother nicholas only asked calmly V hy alint Is the matter now father after youve been working tor for them the whole year you go and disappoint the poor dears would aou ou yes I 1 would declared st nicholas swallowing liis his porridge in great gulps and pretending that he was not a saint at all halt of them go around saving that there any st nicholas poking fun at me and laughing in their sleeves and the other half think it makes no difference whether they tire are good children or not ill fill 1111 their stockings just the same its a 0 thankless job I 1 tell you and im too old a man for it so sol P come said mother nicholas soothingly here is a plate of griddle cakes when you have eaten you will see things differently no alien I 1 have eaten I 1 shall go to bed where an old fellow like me belongs an old fellow who children dont believe in mother saw that lie he was determined arid and that there was nothing to do for it since griddle cakes help so slie she put her finger to her lips to motion the children silent and went on quietly about her work and when st nicholas Nici lellas had finished his supper he did roll away to bed only telling the little Nicho lases to be sure to hang their stockings for they had bad been good children all tile the year ear and still believed in him the minute the door closed behind him the little Nicho lases burst into excited chatter oil oh what a pital those poor children surely there must he be some good ones oh oft dear what fun will christmas bo be to us it if all it the children in the world down there are unhappy what indeed mother other nicholas shook her head and looked often at it f k yes I 1 would declared st nicholas the closed door behind which st nicholas could already bl heard snoring and the reindeer cried the oldest boy cihat aliat liat will nill they do without their yearly exercise it seems as though father might have gone it only for their sakes mother nicholas thought so too and at that minute they heard the reindeers rein deers little hoofs beating on the hard snow crust at the door wise little littie beasts st nicholas had neer delaca lelii ed the Christina sEve journey so long before and so hero here they were to save him the trouble of going for them the nicholas children felt that they never could face the poor little rein reindeers deers disappointment but what was mother nicholas doing so busily over there by the cut cup hoard the children looked in amazement it was seldom eliat mother left eft the nt at any time of day and here she was after dark and christmas hristeas lve eve too putting on her hood and cape and pulling ou on her gauntlett gauntlets gaunt aunt lets I 1 are you going to drive the rein leer back to the stables asked the oldest idest boy bo oil oh please let me inc father always lets me you know mother shook her lead lad ill not bill b driving them back to the stables until this alila nights work Is done she said it youre oure awake when we get back you may do it as aa always ilow tile the children stared I 1 was little old mother going all alone on that hint long lc ng wild drive over towns and forests and oceans find and vp bp and down clown chlone chimneys s ird anil goodness goodne knows where without asking ask drig st nicholas it if slie she might yes that was just what she was going to dot dol for when a rood thin tie needs eds doing she said brightly no Is needed keep the fire going ile be sure that the baby has bus tit the c fir rug well up tip around aro u d ills c clien 1 il n a and give 5 your 0 u r father 1 r aad nitten birc esart li a g good breakfast k f a s t w when he e w wakes a 1 she i called over her shoulder and was n way away out of the door almost before they had realized reali sed that slie she was going they heard the scampering of the reindeer er hoofs faster tho the dimmer they got landd then just the stillness of the north pole that was last christmas eve ant and it if you ask any child who mile lay jay awake to see st nicholas Nichol ns and peeped out with one eye all the time pretending to be fast asleep lie he will tell you that it st nicholas lie he saw at all it was just a tiny sprightly old lady hidy with frosty white curls and a red hood who ubo filled naughty Wll lles stocking just as full as good marguerites Margue rites and 11 st nicholas nichola welcomed her back affectionately left many more bon bons in both than was usual that peeping child will also tell you stat before she went back up the chimney site she gave baby a kiss on his pink check a thing st nicholas who Is as afraid of babies as a burglar Is and for the same reason has never been known to do and mother will you believe me in spite of having stopped to kiss all the babies was back at the north pole a whole hour earlier than st nicholas had ever been uble able to make it eien in hla his younger days iler her work was well done too tool I 1 but in spite of the early hour site she found the mildr and her husband waiting for lier her st nicholas welcomed herback her back more affectionately than the children 1 I woke in tile the middle of tile the night lie a said out of such a horrid dream all about crying children and sad mothers bless iou good wife for not letting that dream come coine trie oh dont mention it said mother nicholas it was nu no trouble at all indeed it did me good I 1 think father since you are getting so old I 1 will take over this jou job myself from now on st nicholas looked thoughtful at that t lie ile paced up tip and down the bittor then lie he cattle came and stood in front of mother nicholas straighten ing up and looking almost as oung us as in his early days no mother lie said firmly A omans place Is in the home ill attend to the business hereafter thank you and mother who vilio after all ant only wanted ever body to be happy made him han some home griddle griddl e cakes for lila his breakfast lint but that was last year tile the year you got a stocking full even thourl gl jou been so very goot this lear you had better watch out for it is old st niholas nicholas hini himself belf you on have to deal with |