ABSTRACT

while Hardy was still engaged in writing The Return of the Native, he received an inquiry from No. 198, The Strand, where the Illustrated London News had its offices. Could Hardy supply a story for inclusion in a children's collection which the News was planning to publish shortly before the following Christmas? Remembering how he had succeeded in speedily turning out a short story for the New York Times three years ago, Hardy now agreed, in spite of his preoccupation with the Native, to write a Christmas story. He had never written anything for children, but he was willing to try. The story need not be long—in fact, it must not be long—if it was to be 'relished by boys and girls' as the editor hoped it would be. Hardy accordingly interrupted his work on the Native long enough to write 'The Thieves Who Couldn't Help Sneezing'. On Saturday, December 8, 1877, the Illustrated London News announced that 'a new claimant, entitled Father Christmas: Our Little Ones' Budget' would appear shortly. A week later, the contents of the new publication were announced: Hardy's story was to be given first place—pages 1–3. Father Christmas was published immediately thereafter and was almost as immediately forgotten, even by the author. He never mentioned his Christmas story. 'The Thieves' dropped out of sight for sixty-five years and nothing more was heard of it until 1942 when it was republished in America. 1