nta Claus, "a toddling little boy with blue eyes--"

"Like his mother," interrupted Joel; "an' he _was_ like her, too--so
gentle an' lovin', only we called him Joel, for that was my father's
name and it kind o' run in the fam'ly. He wa'n't more'n three years
old when you came with your Chris'mas presents for him, Santa Claus.
We had told him about you, and he used to go to the chimney every
night and make a little prayer about what he wanted you to bring him.
And you brought 'em, too--a stick-horse, an' a picture-book, an' some
blocks, an' a drum--they're on the shelf in the closet there, and his
little Chris'mas stockin' with 'em--I've saved 'em all, an' I've taken
'em down an' held 'em in my hands, oh, so many times!"

"But when I came again," said Santa Claus--

"His little bed was empty, an' I was alone. It killed his
mother--Marthy was so tender-hearted; she kind o' drooped an' pined
after that. So now they've been asleep side by side in the
buryin'-ground these thirty years.

"That's why I'm so sad-like whenever Chris'mas comes," said Joel,
after a pause. "The thinkin' of long ago makes me bitter almost. It's
so different now from what it used to be."

"No, Joel, oh, no," said Santa Claus. "'Tis the same world, and human
nature is the same and always will be. But Christmas is for the little
folks, and you, who are old and grizzled now, must know it and love it
only through the gladness it brings the little ones."

"True," groaned Joel; "but how may I know and feel this gladness when
I have no little stocking hanging in my chimney corner--no child to
please me with his prattle? See, I am alone."

"No, you're not alone, Joel," said Santa Claus. "There are children in
this great city who would love and bless you for your goodness if you
but touched their hearts. Make them happy, Joel; send by me this night
some gift to the little boy in the old house yonder--he is poor and
sick; a simple toy will fill his Christmas with gladness."

"His little sister, too--take _her_ some presents," said Joel; "make
them happy for me, Santa Claus--you are right--make them happy for
me."

How sweetly Joel slept! When he awoke, the sunlight streamed in
through the window and seemed to bid him a merry Christmas. How
contented and happy Joel felt! It must have been the talk with Santa
Claus that did it all; he had never known a sweeter sense of peace. A
little girl came out of the house over the way. She had a new doll in
her