A second bag should be procured, in which all the presents have been placed; each present should be carefully covered with enough paper to protect it from injury, as well as to conceal and make a mystery of the contents of the package. When All is Ready have a curtain or screen set up before Santa Claus, turn down the lights and invite the company into the room, then make them keep very quiet and listen for Santa Claus. In an adjoining room some one in the secret has a set of sleigh-bells, which are jingled very softly at first, gradually growing louder and louder, as if the sleigh was approaching nearer; when they stop a stamping of feet is heard. This last is The Signal for Legs, who cries out, in his deepest bass, “A pretty Christmas this! Company here, and all hiding behind a screen. What, ho! are ye afraid of Santa Claus?” At that the master of ceremonies removes the screen, and there before the eyes of the delighted company is a real live Santa Claus, who can move his legs and arms, and talk! The entertainment is Concluded by the old saint fishing the presents out of the bag and handing them to the master of ceremonies, who calls out the name found on each bundle and presents it to the claimant. During the time devoted to the distribution of presents Santa Claus can make plenty of fun, for as the arms belong to one boy and the legs and head to another, the legs and head never know exactly what the arms are about to do next, and if the arms take a handkerchief out of a pocket to wipe the face, there is always a mirth-provoking incident, and the face does not look happy until the handkerchief is put away. CHAPTER XXII. A CIRCUS IN THE ATTIC. How to Make the Horses and Other Animals, and How to Make the Costumes. In all mimic circus performances the boys of a generation ago were sadly handicapped by the want of horses; sometimes goats and dogs were pressed into service, but these animals flatly refused to allow the youthful circus riders to mount their backs, and as substitutes for horses proved good for nothing but the creation of confusion. When The Goat was supposed to canter around the ring, he had a way of standing on his hind legs and coming down head-first, which utterly demoralized our ring-master, and even caused the clown to do many “stunts” not down on the programme. The dog would wag his tail and bark in a manner very unlike a true circus horse. It sometimes happened that one of the performers was the proud owner of a real live pony. Alas! even a pony had its objectionable features, for however willing the animal might be to climb the stairs, for reasons unaccountable to us, our parents put forth such strong objections that the pony had to be left out of the show. Since the Writer’s Circus Days