[Illustration]
A Defective Santa Claus
[Illustration]
A Defective Santa Claus
JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY
_With Pictures by_
C. M. RELYEA
_and_
WILL VAWTER
INDIANAPOLIS THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY PUBLISHERS
Copyright 1904 James Whitcomb Riley
* * * * *
December
PRESS OF BRAUNWORTH & CO. BOOKBINDERS AND PRINTERS BROOKLYN, N. Y.
_DEDICATION_
_To_
HEWITT HANSON HOWLAND
WITH HALEST CHRISTMAS GREETINGS AND FRATERNAL
_Little Boy! Halloo!--halloo! Can't you hear me calling you?-- Little Boy that used to be, Come in here and play with me._
A Defective Santa Claus
[Illustration]
A Defective Santa Claus
Allus when our Pa he's away Nen Uncle Sidney comes to stay At our house here--so Ma an' me An' Etty an' Lee-Bob won't be Afeard ef anything at night Might happen--like Ma says it might.
(Ef _Trip_ wuz _big_, I bet you he 'Uz best watch-dog you ever see!) An' so last winter--ist before It's go' be Chris'mus-Day,--w'y, shore Enough, Pa had to haf to go To 'tend a lawsuit--"An' the snow Ist right fer Santy Claus!" Pa said, As he clumb in old Ayersuz' sled, An' said he's sorry _he_ can't be With us that night--"'Cause," he-says-ee, "Old Santy _might_ be comin' here-- This very night of all the year
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
_I'_ got to be away!--so all You kids must tell him--ef he call-- He's mighty welcome, an' yer Pa He left his love with you an' Ma
An' Uncle Sid!" An' clucked, an' leant Back, laughin'--an' away they went! An' Uncle wave' his hands an' yells "Yer old horse ort to have on bells!" But Pa yell back an' laugh an' say "I 'spect when _Santy_ come this way It's time enough fer sleighbells nen!" An' holler back "Good-by!" again, An' reach out with the driver's whip An' cut behind an' drive back Trip.
An' so all day it snowed an' snowed! An' Lee-Bob he ist watched the road,
[Illustration]