Christmas 
99 
children like, and that he stopped at every house in 
the neighborhood except Eddie’s. 
Said I : “ May be that’s Santa Claus, that we 
hear so much about ; but they say he always travels 
in a sleigh.” 
Jack said he guessed not, unless there was snow 
on the ground. 
By this time we had reached his yard, and he in- 
vited me in and showed me his presents. He had 
a beautiful new brass collar with “ Jack Vandervere, 
ill Poplar Avenue” inscribed upon it. He also 
had a box of sardines which tasted perfectly deli- 
cious. 
Mistress sometimes gives us salmon and it is very 
good ; but I like sardines better because they are 
whole, and it is such fun to toss them around and 
play “ catch ” with them. If they would only wig- 
gle a little, it would be still more fun to play with 
them. 
Jack had many other presents, but the one that 
interested me most of all was a little box that sings 
when you pull a string. His mistress pulled the 
string for me, and the very first song that came out 
was one I have heard mistress sing, about an Owl 
and a Pussy Cat that went to sea and got married. 
L. of 0. 
