St. Nicholas/Volume 40/Number 3/Stray Letter

3961645St. Nicholas, Volume 40, Number 3 — A Stray LetterMrs. John T. Van Sant

BY MRS JOHN T. VAN SANT

I did n’t want a story-book; I did n’t want a doll;
I did n’t want a thimble or a satin parasol.
I did n’t want a bonnet
With a curly feather on it,
And everything that Santa brought I did n’t want at all!

I put a letter in the mail, and told him what to bring;
I told him not to worry about a bracelet or a ring.
I thought I would n’t bother
My mother or my father,
So wrote direct to Santa Claus, and asked for just one thing.

I said: “Dear Santa, all I need is one small pussy-cat,
A little furry puss that I can love and pet and pat.”
I wanted just a kitty,
And I think it is a pity
He brought me all these other things and did n't think of that.

And Father said it was a shame, and he would write the gent
A line or two or three or four, and ask him what he meant.
He said that Santa ought to
Have a lesson, and be taught to
Pay a little more attention to the orders that are sent.

And so, to-night I got a note from Mr. Santa Claus
Explaining how it happened; and he said it was because
He never got the letter.
And that little girls had better
Have all their mail at Christmas posted by their
Pa’s and Ma’s.