the life and adventures of santa clause-第18节

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rs　of　Santa　Claus　steadily　increased。　　The　fame　of　his　good　deeds　spread　to　every　household　where　children　dwelt。　　And　all　the　little　ones　loved　him　dearly；　and　the　fathers　and　mothers　honored　him　for　the　happiness　he　had　given　them　when　they　too　were　young；　and　the　aged　grandsires　and　granddames　remembered　him　with　tender　gratitude　and　blessed　his　name。



3。　　The　Deputies　of　Santa　Claus


However；　there　was　one　evil　following　in　the　path　of　civilization　that　caused　Santa　Claus　a　vast　amount　of　trouble　before　he　discovered　a　way　to　overcome　it。　　But；　fortunately；　it　was　the　last　trial　he　was　forced　to　undergo。

One　Christmas　Eve；　when　his　reindeer　had　leaped　to　the　top　of　a　new　building；　Santa　Claus　was　surprised　to　find　that　the　chimney　had　been　built　much　smaller　than　usual。　　But　he　had　no　time　to　think　about　it　just　then；　so　he　drew　in　his　breath　and　made　himself　as　small　as　possible　and　slid　down　the　chimney。

〃I　ought　to　be　at　the　bottom　by　this　time；〃　he　thought；　as　he　continued　to　slip　downward；　but　no　fireplace　of　any　sort　met　his　view；　and　by　and　by　he　reached　the　very　end　of　the　chimney；　which　was　in　the　cellar。

〃This　is　odd！〃　he　reflected；　much　puzzled　by　this　experience。　　〃If　there　is　no　fireplace；　what　on　earth　is　the　chimney　good　for？〃

Then　he　began　to　climb　out　again；　and　found　it　hard　workthe　space　being　so　small。　　And　on　his　way　up　he　noticed　a　thin；　round　pipe　sticking　through　the　side　of　the　chimney；　but　could　not　guess　what　it　was　for。

Finally　he　reached　the　roof　and　said　to　the　reindeer：

〃There　was　no　need　of　my　going　down　that　chimney；　for　I　could　find　no　fireplace　through　which　to　enter　the　house。　　I　fear　the　children　who　live　there　must　go　without　playthings　this　Christmas。〃

Then　he　drove　on；　but　soon　came　to　another　new　house　with　a　small　chimney。　　This　caused　Santa　Claus　to　shake　his　head　doubtfully；　but　he　tried　the　chimney；　nevertheless；　and　found　it　exactly　like　the　other。　Moreover；　he　nearly　stuck　fast　in　the　narrow　flue　and　tore　his　jacket　trying　to　get　out　again；　so；　although　he　came　to　several　such　chimneys　that　night；　he　did　not　venture　to　descend　any　more　of　them。

〃What　in　the　world　are　people　thinking　of；　to　build　such　useless　chimneys？〃　he　exclaimed。　　〃In　all　the　years　I　have　traveled　with　my　reindeer　I　have　never　seen　the　like　before。〃

True　enough；　but　Santa　Claus　had　not　then　discovered　that　stoves　had　been　invented　and　were　fast　coming　into　use。　　When　he　did　find　it　out　he　wondered　how　the　builders　of　those　houses　could　have　so　little　consideration　for　him；　when　they　knew　very　well　it　was　his　custom　to　climb　down　chimneys　and　enter　houses　by　way　of　the　fireplaces。　Perhaps　the　men　who　built　those　houses　had　outgrown　their　own　love　for　toys；　and　were　indifferent　whether　Santa　Claus　called　on　their　children　or　not。　　Whatever　the　explanation　might　be；　the　poor　children　were　forced　to　bear　the　burden　of　grief　and　disappointment。

The　following　year　Santa　Claus　found　more　and　more　of　the　new…fashioned　chimneys　that　had　no　fireplaces；　and　the　next　year　still　more。　　The　third　year；　so　numerous　had　the　narrow　chimneys　become；　he　even　had　a　few　toys　left　in　his　sledge　that　he　was　unable　to　give　away；　because　he　could　not　get　to　the　children。

The　matter　had　now　become　so　serious　that　it　worried　the　good　man　greatly；　and　he　decided　to　talk　it　over　with　Kilter　and　Peter　and　Nuter　and　Wisk。

Kilter　already　knew　something　about　it；　for　it　had　been　his　duty　to　run　around　to　all　the　houses；　just　before　Christmas；　and　gather　up　the　notes　and　letters　to　Santa　Claus　that　the　children　had　written；　telling　what　they　wished　put　in　their　stockings　or　hung　on　their　Christmas　trees。　　But　Kilter　was　a　silent　fellow；　and　seldom　spoke　of　what　he　saw　in　the　cities　and　villages。　　The　others　were　very　indignant。

〃Those　people　act　as　if　they　do　not　wish　their　children　to　be　made　happy！〃　said　sensible　Peter；　in　a　vexed　tone。　　〃The　idea　of　shutting　out　such　a　generous　friend　to　their　little　ones！〃

〃But　it　is　my　intention　to　make　children　happy　whether　their　parents　wish　it　or　not；〃　returned　Santa　Claus。　　〃Years　ago；　when　I　first　began　making　toys；　children　were　even　more　neglected　by　their　parents　than　they　are　now；　so　I　have　learned　to　pay　no　attention　to　thoughtless　or　selfish　parents；　but　to　consider　only　the　longings　of　childhood。〃

〃You　are　right；　my　master；〃　said　Nuter；　the　Ryl；　〃many　children　would　lack　a　friend　if　you　did　not　consider　them；　and　try　to　make　them　happy。〃

〃Then；〃　declared　the　laughing　Wisk；　〃we　must　abandon　any　thought　of　using　these　new…fashioned　chimneys；　but　become　burglars；　and　break　into　the　houses　some　other　way。〃

〃What　way？〃　asked　Santa　Claus。

〃Why；　walls　of　brick　and　wood　and　plaster　are　nothing　to　Fairies。　I　can　easily　pass　through　them　whenever　I　wish；　and　so　can　Peter　and　Nuter　and　Kilter。　　Is　it　not　so；　comrades？〃

〃I　often　pass　through　the　walls　when　I　gather　up　the　letters；〃　said　Kilter；　and　that　was　a　long　speech　for　him；　and　so　surprised　Peter　and　Nuter　that　their　big　round　eyes　nearly　popped　out　of　their　heads。

〃Therefore；〃　continued　the　Fairy；　〃you　may　as　well　take　us　with　you　on　your　next　journey；　and　when　we　come　to　one　of　those　houses　with　stoves　instead　of　fireplaces　we　will　distribute　the　toys　to　the　children　without　the　need　of　using　a　chimney。〃

〃That　seems　to　me　a　good　plan；〃　replied　Santa　Claus；　well　pleased　at　having　solved　the　problem。　　〃We　will　try　it　next　year。〃

That　was　how　the　Fairy；　the　Pixie；　the　Knook　and　the　Ryl　all　rode　in　the　sledge　with　their　master　the　following　Christmas　Eve；　and　they　had　no　trouble　at　all　in　entering　the　new…fashioned　houses　and　leaving　toys　for　the　children　that　lived　in　them。

And　their　deft　services　not　only　relieved　Santa　Claus　of　much　labor；　but　enabled　him　to　complete　his　own　work　more　quickly　than　usual；　so　that　the　merry　party　found　themselves　at　home　with　an　empty　sledge　a　full　hour　before　daybreak。

The　only　drawback　to　the　journey　was　that　the　mischievous　Wisk　persisted　in　tickling　the　reindeer　with　a　long　feather；　to　see　them　jump；　and　Santa　Claus　found　it　necessary　to　watch　him　every　minute　and　to　tweak　his　long　ears　once　or　twice　to　make　him　behave　himself。

But；　taken　all　together；　the　trip　was　a　great　success；　and　to　this　day　the　four　little　folk　always　accompany　Santa　Claus　on　his　yearly　ride　and　help　him　in　the　distribution　of　his　gifts。

But　the　indifference　of　parents；　which　had　so　annoyed　the　good　Saint；　did　not　continue　very　long；　and　Santa　Claus　soon　found　they　were　really　anxious　he　should　visit　their　homes　on　Christmas　Eve　and　leave　presents　for　their　children。

So；　to　lighten　his　task；　which　was　fast　becoming　very　difficult　indeed；　old　Santa　decided　to　ask　the　parents　to　assist　him。

〃Get　your　Christmas　trees　all　ready　for　my　coming；〃　he　said　to　them；　〃and　then　I　shall　be　able　to　leave　the　presents　without　loss　of　time；　and　you　can　put　them　on　the　trees　when　I　am　gone。〃

And　to　others　he　said：　〃See　that　the　children's　stockings　are　hung　up　in　readiness　for　my　coming；　and　then　I　can　fill　them　as　quick　as　a　wink。〃

And　often；　when　parents　were　kind　and　good…natured；　Santa　Claus　would　simply　fling　down　his　package　of　gifts　and　leave　the　fathers　and　mothers　to　fill　the　stockings　after　he　had　darted　away　in　his　sledge。

〃I　will　make　all　loving　parents　my　deputies！〃　cried　the　jolly　old　fellow；　〃and　they　shall　help　me　do　my　work。　　For　in　this　way　I　shall　save　many　precious　minutes　and　few　children　need　be　neglected　for　lack　of　time　to　visit　them。〃

Besides　carrying　around　the　big　packs　in　his　swift…flying　sledge　old　Santa　began　to　send　great　heaps　of　toys　to　the　toy…shops；　so　that　if　parents　wanted　larger　supplies　for　their　children　they　could　easily　get　them；　and　if　any　children　were；　by　chance；　missed　by　Santa　Claus　on　his　yearly　rounds；　they　could　go　to　the　toy…shops　and　get　enough　to　make　them　happy　and　contented。　　For　the　loving　friend　of　the　little　ones　decided　that　no　child；　if　he　could　help　it；　should　long　for　toys　in　vain。　　And　the　toy…shops　also　proved　convenient　whenever　a　child　fell　ill；　and　needed　a　new　toy　to　amuse　it；　and　sometimes；　on　birthdays；　the　fathers　and　mothers　go　to　the　toy…shops　and　get　pretty　gifts　for　their　children　in　honor　of　the　happy　event。

Perhaps　you　will　now　understand　how；　in　spite　of　the　bigness　of　the　world；　Santa　Claus　is　able　to　supply　all　the　children　with　beautiful　gifts。　　To　be　sure；　the　old　gentleman　is　rarely　seen　in　these　days；　but　it　is　not　because　he　tries　to　keep　out　of　sight；　I　assure　you。　Santa　Claus　is　the　same　loving　friend　of　children　that　in　the　old　days　used　to　play　and　romp　with　them　by　the　hour；　and　I　know　he　would　love　to　do　the　same　now；　if　he　had　the　time。　　But；　you　see；　he　is　so　busy　all　the　year　making　toys；　and　so　hurried　on　that　one　night　when　he　visits　our　homes　with　his　packs；　that　he　comes　and　goes　among　us　like　a　flash；　and　it　is　almost　impossible　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　him。

And；　although　there　are　millions　and　millions　more　children　in　the　world　than　there　used　to　be；　Santa　Claus　has　never　been　known　to　complain　of　their　increasing　numbers。

〃The　more　the　merrier！〃　he　cries；　with　his　jolly　laugh；　and　the　only　difference　to　him　is　the　fact　that　his　little　workmen　have　to　mak