*+*+*+	Santa's Best-Kept Secret  +*+*+*

Santa doesn't really want it that way, but Mrs. Santa is his best-kept secret.
She's the one who makes things happen right up at the North Pole, and Santa
knows it.

One evening Santa and I were having a quiet conversation by the fireplace
while Mrs. Santa bustled around fixing us some hot cider and buttered scones.
(They were absolutely the very best I've ever tasted!)  "She's my best-kept
secret," Santa said softly.  "What do you mean, Santa?"  I asked.

"She literally runs this place,"  Santa answered.  "I'm great at designing
and making toys, and I get a real kick out of delivering them around the
world.	But I'm a lousy organizer.  If Mrs. Santa weren't helping me out,
I'm afraid no much would get done."  "What about the elves?"  I asked.

"Oh, they're horrible!" Santa said.  "They like to help out and all, and
I've never seen such hard workers anywhere else in the world -- but you have
to really watch them t keep them on the Christmas schedule.  And it's
Mrs. Santa who's able to do that.

"But she does so much more than that," he continued.  "She takes care of us
when we're sick.  She makes us happy when we're blue.  She keeps the whole
place clean and livable.  She even gives the elf hall a good cleaning after
they wake up from their winter's naps.

Then Mrs. Santa brought in our late-night snack.  "I hear you're pretty
importan`t around here," I said.  "Sounds like the place would fall apart
without you."

Santa grinned broadly, and Mrs. Santa blushed.	"You know it's true, Mama,"
Santa said, and he pulle her down onto his lap.  "In fact, she's so vital to
my work that if there were no Mrs. Santa, I'm afraid there wouldn't be a
Santa either.  Well, I guess the secret is out now!  There's only one reason
why Santa Claus is famous.  Because Mrs. Santa helped him get that way!"