different; Santa Claus _used_ to think a great deal of me when I was
a boy. Ah! Christmas nowadays ain't what it was in the good old
time--no, not what it used to be."

As Joel was absorbed in his distressing thoughts he became aware very
suddenly that somebody was entering or trying to enter the room. First
came a draught of cold air, then a scraping, grating sound, then a
strange shuffling, and then,--yes, then, all at once, Joel saw a pair
of fat legs and a still fatter body dangle down the chimney, followed
presently by a long white beard, above which appeared a jolly red nose
and two bright twinkling eyes, while over the head and forehead was
drawn a fur cap, white with snowflakes.

"Ha, ha," chuckled the fat, jolly stranger, emerging from the chimney
and standing well to one side of the hearth-stone; "ha, ha, they don't
have the big, wide chimneys they used to build, but they can't keep
Santa Claus out--no, they can't keep Santa Claus out! Ha, ha, ha.
Though the chimney were no bigger than a gas pipe, Santa Claus would
slide down it!"

It didn't require a second glance to assure Joel that the new-comer
was indeed Santa Claus. Joel knew the good old saint--oh, yes--and he
had seen him once before, and, although that was when Joel was a
little boy, he had never forgotten how Santa Claus looked.

Nor had Santa Claus forgotten Joel, although Joel thought he had; for
now Santa Claus looked kindly at Joel and smiled and said: "Merry
Christmas to you, Joel!"

"Thank you, old Santa Claus," replied Joel, "but I don't believe it's