Christmas in Rudeville part three

Hattie also found

A pencil and pad.

She wrote very slowly,

For Hattie was sad:

"Dear Santa," she wrote,

"I come with a problem,

And I have never been

A good one to solve them.

I live in a town, and well,

It's not a pleasant place,

To be honest, Santa,

It's quite a disgrace.

The people here,

My,

How can I say it?

–They stink.

That's a good word,

A good word I think.

And I'd like to know,

As my Christmas present,

Why you don't tell them,

For I'm just a peasant.

I thought you had a list..."

Hattie started to bawl.

"But every year,

You drop by

And you still give them all

Sweet presents,

And well,

They deserve lumps of coal."

She signed it

And sent it to the North Pole.

At first, Santa thought Hattie was rude,

Thought she was common,

Thought she was crude.

Then, he went to his list

And took quite a scan,

And could not find a spare man,

Or a woman,

Or a girl,

Or a boy,

Who deserved a present,

Or a chocolate,

Or a toy.

Not one had earned anything,

Save Hattie that is.

Last year's list was the same.

—How could he miss?

Something so simply spotless as this!

Santa himself decided

To write a brief note,

And it was to Hattie,

And this thing he wrote:

"Dear Hattie,"

He thought for a while,

Then Santa Claus started to smile.

"On Christmas Eve, please,

Meet me at your cave,

Together, perhaps,

A part of Christmas we can save."