Defective Santa Claus (by James Whitcomb Rile Illustrations by» Ap WZ x) ; Decorations by C.M.Relyea ad Will Vawter “x Ellsworth Young COPYRIGHT BY JAMES WHITCOMB RILEY g— — went LLUS when our Pa he's Wor TE 2 With Santy! -Wisht Pa'd be here, tool" YL = “Hush! Listen there! Hain't that a sleigh - ; - Ae Fh i away : EES? ils > ih BA Nen Uncle sigh at Ma, an’ she or 2 | An’ sleighbelis jinglin?” Trip go* Whoo!” s Nen Uncle Sidney : j Pat him again, an’ say to me I A : p i Like he hear bells an’ smell ‘em, t00. NC SOP. to stay ou . An' Etty,—“You take warming fairl ri 3 | Nen we all listen. An’ sir, shore [7 Avhur house here—s0 Don't talk too much, like Uncle there, : > | Enough, we hear bells—more and more (Ma an’ me Ner don't fergit, like him, my dears, : | Adinglin’ clos'ter—clos’ter still An Fry an’ Lee-Bob pos yt i won't be Afeard ef anything at night A / Ny Might happen t-like Ma That ‘little pitchers has big ears! Down the old crook-road roun’ the hill, a But Uncle say to her, “Clear outl— ; : 3 } i An’ Uncle he jumps up, an’ all Yer brother knows what he's about. pe a fo a | The chairs he jerks back by the wall You git your Chris’ mus-cookin’ done ? i AR p r | An’ thows a’ overcoat an’ pair Se au — r— we € =~ Er these pore children won't have none!” Ahh (ERE <0 8] {| © winder-curtains over there % fi 1 Hn pd f 3 rgomnet says it might. {Ef Trip wuz big, I bet yog 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 oe’ He'll ketch eight rabbits—mayby ning— To ‘tend a lawsuit—"An’ the snow ei all Ag Afore h Nen Trip wake up an’ raise, an’ nen f bl x | An’ says, “Hide quick, er you're too late) rid a TR Turn roun’ an’ nen lay down again. So lt Sd Them bells is stoppin’ at the gatel— wid es An' one time Uncle Sidney say, ~— oa - \ | Git back o' them-'air eHairs an’ hide, “When dogs is sleepin’ thataway, , v i | Cause I hear Sar yA voice outside!” Like Trip, an’ whimpers, it's a sign i Y ‘ § An’ Bar ng! bang! bang, Ve heerd the door < . iis fleas’ wake him-—-nen— Ist right fer Santy Claus!” Pa said, | ET ool | He'll bite hisse'f to sleep again As he clum in old Ayersuz’ sled, 0) I Yi ks ketgh ten.’ An’ said he’s sorry he can't be | RL A roll them old yl r= (5 ey: —— | Br . With us that night—*“'Cause,” he-says-ee, | 4 hs oT in Lae pict Ake | ¢ Le A 0 ee on =—11 | rs 19, a dai X - ra i ! 1’ openin’ doors “Old Santy might be comin’ here— | HS | Bo — 7 ll | A a Fy H sad” | An’ could hear Trip a 2 . : { 1 : i bes v Like he didn't know ist what to do Is go’ be here, sicighbelis an’ all, O42, 7.1L f { An’ tongs a 2 ow ‘ . An' here'come Trip a-waller'n’ roun | i L i It's got ice chin-whiskers all ' Uncle Sid!” An’ cluc edydn feant | An’ nen he send us to tell Ma As §4 hn x Ji 4 i i & Bir an io * y {purr knock the cloeshorss | i ! { An’ drippy-—An we it yet! Hh laughin’y-ar n}av vayjtiiey, went | Send two big "tafers in he saw 5 { ; " | ot {87 ' oes | 0 gi : bl I see it yet 5 x. . oy 74 Soh fr a | Tv . ‘ . { i Ake dawn! . : Ry | n' nen, scem-like, I hear some Ss I” ma ely Shik 3 | Pa’s ben a-keepin’ ‘cause they got - An E 5 D Bob ; 3 Ry pe : eid . tty grab Lae-Bob an’ prance £4 ae R= — The premium at the Fair. An’ what : YB ? i ’ All roun’ the room like it's a dance You think?—He rake a grea'-big hole . Till Ma she come and march us ne In the hot ashes, an’ he roll ; Them old big "taters in the pli To dinner, where wf re still again An’ rake the coals backs an’ h But tickled so we isycan't eat : But pie, an’ ist the(hdt mir and i | |] 2, Wi ith ragans in 3 Pus ICH a lowed ful snow --that's first we saw, — An’ Ma An JApere, they get and set Till little /Lee-B Ad I A J » « 1 : + Py “a « i “There's Santy sus! 1 kndw him by : “ Sposin’ ‘we ry some, thataway!” wet a wettin"s0’s he purt'-nigh swear ! An’ when they're there y, he / 1S kK at Ma Ee JH * 0eYy with } His big white mufftash!’ —gn ist Cry ywe-led, while Etty's gon Ha al ‘ara . ad A t Li An laugh an’ squeal an’ dance ag” yeu-— i £ = sl & a 5 4 x » ! 5 4 ¢ ahs . a Aro Bh To get the salt, an’ butter, t00 : pra\i Fut Sid \ 57 4 : Till, when he quietigown & spell, AA 1:1 ¥ to db SN g or b we Olid Santy bowan thow a Kies % Ist like he sai d she haf to do, An’ shy, “W ¢ _ . p p ; v Jid Sant 3 Rd a Sm i an’ one to me an’ Sis Fy ~3 . r ost to Ma an’ stoop. = nen give a whoop fainted her!— Cause when he bent kiss her, he ist backed an’ Ww The candle’'s at Lee i An’ pore oid Ist kindo' sha or Y Bet Pa yell back \an'4tgh an’ say i y Bout forty “I ‘spect when Santy come this way | va 3 a . 0’ popcorn It's time enough fer sieighbells nen!” i pr NS : In Ma's 15% An’ holler back {Good-by!” An’ reach out with the driver's whip An’ behind §n drive back Trip. v basket opthe An’ 8 n' snowed! i i § * “ ; 1} Till purt’-nigh supper-time; nen we | Tell him be's got to fix the Tree he road, "Fore Santy gets here, like he said We go nen to the old woodshed All bundled up, through the deep sx enn : “An smowin yet, jee-rooshy-Ol , e beat Lt 3 aE - my Uncle he said, an’ he p us wade _§ «7 Eger w= . 3 | Bafk Wheres the Chrism font! ar made Le, 5% ! - wii 5 - 3 5 A 4 ryt hey’ re hard to beatis 44 An’ Trip "ud ist lay there an’ pant 3 3 He git down at the sawmill- shag 24 18 5 430 on 4 7 An’ Trip ‘ud run ahead, you know, i ‘Ad 1 J i Ww : Lie he'd laugh ol loud, vo he ean / : Fi An’ ‘tend like he ‘uz eatin’ snow J Nn Usch a 1a PS ye J / When we all waddle back with it; Ue hep lim UE". | oan pope An’ Ynele set it and git But mostly little Lee-Bob, ‘cause i 0 SL ge ° Wite up his oid whit “He's the best lighter ever wuzl” ho % { Come put, O id 5 - Er QUICK aboyt, An’ pét him. (Lee-Bob's ust to that— | £ } » . It—T'vd ist got to put you out!” JZe on 'Cause he's the littlest, you know, wi i Sai ! An out be sprawled him in the snow— Xan - / UMN 3 - y Ph oo | ; “Now rollt_ he saysg— wy roli-ece-O! rs Wh a An’ allus has b’ en Jiored sol) prea M watched the road _. FR toms Mm ‘ a Zi LR ids SE Fa “So Ma can’t hear,”’ he say: “You kriow U'd play with Uncle Sid an” mi , : , | Ist roll an’ roll fer all they is! at's oy An’ Trip he's out there, too,—I know, » 4 A ody » 7 % I . Yer Pa know’, when he Crived away, he nN Cause 1 could hear him yappin’ so— Like she wuz he'ppin’ feich in wo 7, An 1 heerd Santy, wunst er ICY, A An’ keepin’ old fire goin’ good, . rhs +? Higdon i 1s eo Wh P g . | Well, nen tonight,” he whisper, “see: ! ” ; | Say, as he's rollin,” “Drat Ug ARE ‘ ere Ma she wuz a-cookint’ Mitre ; E It's go’ be Chris’ mus-Eve,’’ says-ee, i 5 4 Ha An’ kitchen, too, an’ ever'wherel, : \ # RIT | “An. like yer Pa hint, when he weny/ An’ Uncle say, "'At’s ist the 2 i 5 : i x ‘ whe re down-stairs, ~ Old Santy Claus (now hush) he 3 R { He hain't hurt none!” An’ nen he said, ~~ bo, 4 ari Yer Ma's b'en workin’, night an’ nr Yer Pa a postul card, an’ write 7 tre enotyg! ; Sence she hain't big as Etty is He's shorely go’ be here p ed a Ne ? | “You youngsters hist up-stairs to bed! Pa's nose is fo== na salve an stuft/ Er Lee-Bob in that chair of his!” 4 ; } Here! kiss ver Ma ‘Good-night,’ an’ me,—— 1 \ y): a 3 Xs Why ye wr Pi ne Sored to be Faint that a oleigh an’ AS 9) All on it—an one handy froze, too, Nen Ma she'd laugh 't what _ : ' . . : An’ all yer whistley/ higrns an’ drums Mitt on it—"An e's frosP some more eleiah balls jinglin' 201 We Il he'p oid Santy fix the Tree— An’ got a old yam red-knd-blue An’ smack an’ smoove his old bald, " in front the fireplace c no DO] | I'll he'p yop boxSfun moming comes! Acrost his chist, an xindo’ sorg 4 Tomorry's go’ be Chris’ mus-Day;— Nen Uncle come back in, an’ hake, Ma up, an’ say, “Fer mercy sdkel= when An’ say “Clear out the way till L" x ¥ 3 Te i A Son ; Can keep that pot from pilin’ dryl” \ ot a i He says “ Taint so at Santy Claus ¢ We, & ”~ All roun’ his dy-fram.”’ Unciq say PL a Ky wate cb : “Co : 4 Comes down all chimblies,- feast, fonig It's long while “fore we go to sleep, — “But Pa he'd ort a-scen the way lr gt | { : | | Has comin in this house all right— | ‘Cause down stairs, all-time somepin keep Santy bear up last night when thie; : Eo ‘ ) 18 4 "| By'the from as ort to bel—\_ : a - 4 Air fire broke out, an’ quicker n scat “2 of Te . po n | We'llnii-be hid whire we can seel™ / oh He's all a-blazin’, an’ them air Tn’ old tiree- leqgud : | Nen he look up, an’ he see Ma , a : Gun-cottin whiskers that he wear ak illut ~ Sth ; | An sdy, “It's ist too bad. their Pa Ma Ist flashint—till 1 bum a hole Nen Bis 5. gits the flat-arn out, hn} ] gt | Can't be here, 50's to see the fun } 1 / In the snow with him, and he rdll An} fwhile he's tellin’ us all ‘bout 3 fa ! | H Q | The childern will have, ever one! BF % / ] The front yard dry as Chris'mug Old [Chris'mus-times when he's # kid, f° ! : | Well, wel “We hardly couldfit weit dr g y Old parents plays on little folks! ~ He fst cracked hickernuts, he did, 4 of | Til it wuz dusk, an’ dark ary late — . ” nl But. long’s a smell 0 tow er wool, Till they’ s.a.crockful, mighty nigh; : ll” | | Enough to light the lampl-{An’ Lee- 1 i Ne. wo Jy | Tkept’ him rollin’ beautifull 1 0 2 Bob light a candle on the yed={£g NE SV axsY Till 1 wuz sure 1 shorely see “Ist one ‘cause I'm “The Lighter! — Nea \ 3 oh 3 He'ssquenched! W'y, hadn't b'en fer me. He clumb on Uncle's ieee again oo That old man might a-burnt clear down An’ hug us bofe;—an’ Etty git ss : Clean —phum-—leve! with the groun'l™ Her little chist an seton it ~~ i] AR) Nen Ma say, “There. Sid: that ll dol— Wite clos't while Uncle telled some more ag . ’ Breakfast is ready —Chris mus 100. Bout Santy Claus, an’ cloes hé\wore ; ul : Your voice ‘ud soun’ best, sayin’ Grace — When me an’ Samy Cit ry | | “All maked o furs, an’ trimmed a Iie OO abi | | Say An Uncle ow in face On Pap's old place in Tinotset sy, oy | Aa cotton is, er snow at hight’ p An’ say 0 long a Blessing nen, An’ your Pa, t00, wuz chums, all Uirough, =O { 4A Aun, ull sudBe-Bie, he Say, Trip bark two times ore it's “Amen!” ’