and that they find it far more delightful to pull treasure after treasure from the stocking than to take them in a matter-of-fact way from the hands of their respected parents.
Some people use harsh language toward our old friend; they call him an impostor, and even accuse him of being, under false colors, an enemy of the little folk; they say he misleads them. Not he, indeed; he is just as far from desiring to deceive his little friends as Mother Goose, or the historian of Jack the Giant-killer, and little Red Riding Hood; such an idea never enters his head. Moreover, if he tried it, he would fail. Children are not so easily deceived as you think for; in all simple matters, all that comes within their own sphere of judgment, the little creatures have a remarkable instinct which guides them with the nicest tact in deciding upon the true and the false. They know, for instance, who loves them, and who only makes believe; they understand fully that this friend must be respected and obeyed, while that one can be trifled with all day long; they feel they can trust A——— with the whole confidence of their loving little hearts, and B——— is an individual of whom they have a very indifferent opinion, though they do not choose, perhaps, to express it in words. As for Santa Claus, they understand him well enough; they feel his kindness and they respect his reproofs, for these are always made with justice; they know he is a very great friend of children, and chief counsellor of papas and mammas; they are perfectly sure he will come to-night, and that their stockings will be filled by him. Tom is a little afraid he will bring a new birch twig with him, and Bessie has some fears of a great bitter pill to cure her of crying; still, they would not have him stay away for the world, and they go to sleep to dream of him. But at this very
