Life — December 3, 1898 — page 13: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

453 “1 don’t know, sir,” sobbed the little woman; “ bat I do know that bé hasn't been about here since last May.” “ But his business? The boys and the children—" He gave that up, sir—that 1s, he’s sold out.” “Sold out?" T echoed, aghust. “+ Santa Claus sold out? To whom, pray?" “Some syndicate, 1 belleve, sir; a Trust with a very long CHRISTMAS EVE, “ AUNTIE, DEAR, MAY I BORROW ONE OF YOUR STOCKINGS?” The Latest News About Santa Claus. ] CUAMBERED up through the sooty fue of the chimney, and knocked at the door of Santa Claus’s house, A little woman with a kindly face, bat with red eyelids, as though she had been weeping, opened the door and inquired as to my business. +1 wish to see Santa Claus,” I sald. “Well,” she answered, with asigh, "I wouldn't mind seeing him myself. I am Mrs. Claus, sir, aud I haven't laid eyes on him tn six months.” “What!” Leried. He surely 1s not lost? e “SECOND COUSIN ONCE REMOVED.” name, which I don’t quite remember, though 1 think it was something like the Standard Yule Company. They patd him handsomely for tt, and I know be was glad to sell out, because children ain't lke they used to be, and he couldn't stand the expense of giving them dia- monds, and palaces, and railways, It used to be an easy business to handle when Mr, Claus could sit down and make a lot of cheap dolls, and please the little girls with things like that; but when it came to bullding railroads to satisfy ‘em, and searching the world for diamonds, and Keeping a Shetland pony stock farm to furnish them with live horses instead of the tte woolly ones they used to Itke, he found the work too hard and expensive.” 5 “Tot still,” I persteted, “I don't see how a syndicate which goes Inte business only for profit could make anything out of an investment of this kind.” “That's what I sald to Mr. Claus when he told me about It, sir,” observed Mrs. Claus; “ but he explained it. It was worth all the money the ayndicate could raise to buy the good-will of my husband's business, He says to me, says he, +My dear, these Trusts have got money to burn and no good-will from anybody, while I've got good-will to burn and an ingrowing tncome.’” “AnI” 1 sald, “I see. There ts, after all, good deal in that; but I must say 1 shonld think he'd be miserable without anything to do.” “Oh, as for that,” sald xhe, * he's got plenty to do, and I guess he's happy. He's taken up golf; that's why he isn’t home any more.” * And you?" I sald, looking at her sadly, comicbooks.com