DECEMBER 26: Santa’s Telescope
“Did you ever hear of Santa Claus’ telescope?” asked daddy. The children shook their heads.
“He has the most wonderful telescope—more wonderful than any other, and he can see through it miles and miles and miles.
“Every Christmas morning he sits at the window at the extreme end of his toy-shop and looks through the telescope. He sees into the different homes and he watches the children as they take their presents and open them, and empty their stockings.
“‘There,’ he said to himself last Christmas, ‘it is just as I thought; little girls will never grow tired of dolls and boys will always like trains.
“‘And they enjoy a good game, too, for the winter evenings. And, ah, I see that boy at his skates! He asked for a pair in his letter to me—that is, he asked for them in six different letters he wrote me. He really can hardly wait to start using them. I do believe he would like it if the floor were suddenly covered with ice!
“‘And how that little girl is hugging her doll! I thought the one I made with the golden curls and the eyes that opened and shut would just about suit her. She told me the kind she wanted in her letter. What a help those letters are! They tell me what they want, and they tell me so many more nice things, too. They tell me how much they are looking forward to my visit, and that they hope I’ll have a Merry Christmas, too. The dear little people! As if I could help but have a Merry Christmas when I look through this telescope and see their smiles! How happy they do look! How their eyes sparkle.
“‘And if ever I see a child scowl or look cross—oh, dear—how sad it does make me! There! I just saw a little girl look very cross because she thinks her brother’s set of soldiers are better than her paper dolls. Oh, that makes me very unhappy!’
“But Santa’s faithful dog, Boy of the North, put his head in Santa’s lap and licked his hands.
“‘Oh, Boy of the North, you will not see me unhappy! I feel happy again. The little girl is not scowling now. Something or some one must have whispered in her ear that it was making me sad!
“‘Now I see a little girl who has been so sick this fall. She has that nice white lamb with the blue ribbon around its neck that I gave her. And how she does love him. What joy it is to have this telescope!’ And again this year Santa will look through his telescope!”