MAMMA'S LETTER TO SANTA CLAUS 53

all and then land 'em all safe on top of a want lots of candy, mamma; all kinds
hill! Willie has a sofa, for a hill, up to but you know that kind I like best,
his house, and he pours water out of a mamma. S'pose you send a piece of it
old waterin' pot and it is such fun Only to Santa, so he'll know."
nurse don't like it velly well, 'cause it Mamma laughed and said she thought
gets Willie all wetted over, sometimes he would know, without her doing that.
And, one day, all the animals tipped over "What shall you send for, mamma ? "
and got soppin' wet and nurse had to asked Susie, when Freddie had finished
wipe 'em all dry-Noah's wife and all of his list of wants.
em-and she was just as cross at Willie "I had not thought much about it,
and me, as anything; and it wasn't our dear," replied mamma. What do you
fault at all, mamma; only that old waterin' think I need ? "
"pot would drop! "Why, I should think you'd know,
 "I think Willie's nurse needs a mamma!" said Freddie. "I always
good deal of patience," said Freddie's know so many things! and Freddie
mamma, whose face could hardly become seemed to think that being grown up"
" straight," after hearing his description, was not much fun after all.
" I'm not sure you'd better have an ark. "I'll tell you what to send for,
my dear, if all that performance has to mamma," said Susie, eagerly. It's just
be gone through with. I shall have to splendid and I know you'd like it. Just
tell Santa Claus about it and see if he ask him to bring a little baby sister for
thinks it is best." Freddie and me-just like Aunt Hattie's,
 0 mamma, do ask him to bring it," only it must have curly hair! I do want
exclaimed Freddie, in dismay at the effect a baby sister so much And, if you're
of his account of his and Willie's "fun ;" not particular, I wish you'd send for that.
" I'll be real good, mamma, and take 'em Won't you, please ? "
out into the shed, or somewhere, when Mamma laughed and said that she was
we play 'flood.' Do please ask him!" afraid Susie did not know that a baby
said Freddie. I do want a narkk' more'n sister would be a good deal of care and
anything!" would cry sometimes, just as she and
 So mamma said she would tell him all Freddie used to do, and, besides that,
about it, and then she asked : Susie herself would have to help take
 "But what else did Freddie want so care of it.
badly ? 0, that's just what I wan't so much !"
 O, I want a ball and a whip and a said Susie. "I do love little babies so,
splendid, great top like Johnnie Fay's. and if I could only have that, I wouldn't
It is such a pretty top and sometimes care half so much about the dolly. I'll
Johnnie lets me spin it, but not often," give up the dolly, truly, mamma, if you'll
said Freddie, regretfully. "And then I only let the baby come!"