rgo.

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 work--the 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. Th