"THIS TOMMY DESERVES SOMETHING SPECIAL, I THINK." (3)

TOMMY'S LETTER TO SANTA

Santa Claus, dressed in the loudest of vests,

Was reading his mail full of Christmas requests,

When he found Tommy's note (rather smudgy to see)

Which said, SANTA, PLEASE SEND A BONNET TO ME!

"A bonnet?" thought Santa.  The rest of the note

Said, SANTA, PLEASE BRING ME A SILK PETTICOAT!

AND PLEASE BRING A DRESS OF A COLOR NOT GLOOMY

A BABY IS COMING, SO PLEASE MAKE IT ROOMY.

Santa glanced at his wife and remarked with a wink,

"This Tommy deserves something special, I think!

He asks for some presents," he smilingly said,

But not for himself; for his mother, instead!"

Santa's wife reached for a jar on the table,

A jar which had "MAGIC" inscribed on its label.

She then found a box, sprinkled magic inside it,

And helped by old Santa, she carefully tied it.

When Christmas day dawned, very sparkling and pleasant,

Tommy discovered his gaily-wrapped present.

He opened it up and stared for a minute,

The box was quite empty!  Not one thing was in it!

Then he noticed a card, and surprised to his socks,

He read, "Merry Christmas, my lad!  Shake the box!"

Dazed and bewildered, he put on the lid,

And rattled the box just the way he was bid.

Well, I give you my word that he'd no sooner done it

Than out fell a stylish and flattering bonnet!

He shook it again, then he stared, goggle-eyed,

For out fell a dress that was seven yards wide.

Next came some rompers and booties so small,

They seemed to be made for a real baby doll!

But that wasn't all!  Came a jumping-jack toy

And a book and a sweater just right for a boy!

Far off, Santa Claus and his missus were sitting,

He with his corncob and she with her knitting.

Their magical radio brought them the joys

Of the lad still delightedly finding his toys.

“That's Tommy," said Santa Claus, beaming with pride,

"He's shaking our box with the magic inside!"