Lili hesitated. “No, not if you don’t want I should. But there is Rose Schneider an’ she says there ain’t any real Santa Claus. It was through her saying that I found you in the directory. She said there wasn’t no such name there”—
There was a silence.
“I’ve got it,” he announced suddenly. “Just why don’t Rose believe in Santa Claus—because he never brought her any presents or what?”
“I think it’s because you’ve forgot her mostly,” returned Lili. “I says to her you forgot me, too—but you didn’t know about us maybe.”
He thought.
“Where do you two kids live?” he questioned.
She told him.
“I’ll tell you what I’ll do,” said he. “I don’t want the other children to find it out that I am the real Santa Claus, so you’d better not tell them. You run home now an’ you keep it quiet. Wait till real Santa Claus time at Christmas! THEN, Rose will believe!”
Ah, yes. And she did! It was a wonderful, wonderful Christmas for Lili and Rose. It was better even than Rose’s cousin’s Christmas, for they shared together a little tree that was left on Christmas Eve “From Santa Claus,” and each little girl had a doll, and some candy, and a game. “It’s from the real Santa Claus an’ I know him but you don’t, Rosie Schneider!” Lili beamed.
And Rose retorted, “I do too believe in the real Santa Claus!”