A Defective Santa Claus

_Little Boy! Halloo!--halloo!
Can't you hear me calling you?--
Little Boy that used to be,
Come in here and play with me._

A Defective Santa Claus

[Illustration]

A Defective Santa Claus

Allus when our Pa he's away
Nen Uncle Sidney comes to stay
At our house here--so Ma an' me
An' Etty an' Lee-Bob won't be
Afeard ef anything at night
Might happen--like Ma says it might.

(Ef _Trip_ wuz _big_, I bet you he
'Uz best watch-dog you ever see!)
An' so last winter--ist before
It's go' be Chris'mus-Day,--w'y, shore
Enough, Pa had to haf to go
To 'tend a lawsuit--"An' the snow
Ist right fer Santy Claus!" Pa said,
As he clumb in old Ayersuz' sled,
An' said he's sorry _he_ can't be
With us that night--"'Cause," he-says-ee,
"Old Santy _might_ b