Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-12-25


hour before this that Bob's father.
going sullenly through the street, |
had come in front of the house. Ev-
erything combined to make him more
angry with the world than usual.
tie had been discharged from work
that day, because there was no more
work to do; and in his despair he had
been so foolish and wicked as to
waste 10 drink the few shillings be
had laid by to give his boy, "for
once in his life, bit of Christmas.
He wasn't drunk, but he ment to be
so, next day; and he carried jug in
his hand, which contained, as he said
to himself, all he had got in the world.
lie did not know who lived in Ar
thurs house; bat the lights and mer-
ry voices attracted him, and hiding
in the shadow OF the porch, he peer
ed through the blinds, and saw the
children, after q good night kiss all
around, go off to bed.
Then he saw the grown folks dis
playing and arranging the presents;
he saw the stockings filled and label
led, and chung up by the chimney
with care" he saw the larger pres
ents, beautiful books and toys, and
shining jewelry, shown about, wrap
ped up again, and laid away in their
proper heaps; and as he watched
everything with absorbed interest,
his thoughts grew even harder and
more stern, until he cursed the happy
people who could show their mutual
love in so many happy ways, while
he and his boy "might starve, for all
these rich folks care" He was
miserable, and, in some respects, a
bad man, but he was not a thief-not
yet; only he had let into his heart
the evil spirits of Envy and Covet-
BUSINESS and Hate, out ofwhich comes
every sin.
After all was quiet in the house,
he stood for long time in dark
meditation, and then turned to go.
but his foot struck the jug which he
had set down by his side, and the jug
struck the long window, which came,
like door, down to the floor, and
the window flew wide open. Amid
the busle of Christmas preparation,
every body must have forgotten to
lock up. In another instant Bob's
t Their was in the parlor, without
knowing exactly why be had enter
cd.
Shining is hike sliding down hill;
at first you go slow, and sometimes
have to push the sled little with
your rudder-leg; but you get started,
and go faster and faster, till at last
you cannot stop if you want to.
Bob's father had got good way
down the hill, and now he hesitatod
no more, but, NUT. ering to himself
that his boy had as good a right to
some of these fine gimcraks as any,
body else, he stole softly to the fire.
place, and took down one of the
stockings.
But he did not hear the fall of lit
tie bare feet on the stairs, nor across
the carpeted floor; and terrible
tremor Sc re upon him when he felt
q gentle pull at his shaggy coat.
Turning in fear, he saw what he
thought an apparaLion. There stood
a bright faced fellow in white night
gown, holding in his hand lutte tin
savings bank, The fire jumped up
into fresh flame, and. threw its light
upon the gloomy man and the fair
child.
80 Santa Claus" said Arthur, ca
gerly, "l'm so glad you've comel
I've had hard time to keep awake
for you; but ! lc0uLd do it, and did.
you got in easy, | know; for | fixed
the window for you when nobody
was looking; 80 you didn't have to
come down the chimney. And now
you see you owe me q favor, don't
you ? You needn't turn away; | am
not going to peek at the stockings
| We know what's in some of them,
though, you and me-don't we 2
Father gave you that-you know
what-tor mothers stocking, hey 2
And the rest Of the things are all
right, OF course. But that isn't what
| want to ask you. You see there's
u boy arc und at our school; he hasn't
got any slate, or anything, and he
fools bad about it, ! know. He be-
HAYES awful sometimes, and / don't
like him bit; but mean to like
him, if he will let me; for he only be.
HAYES bad because be feels so, you
know. didn't think of that at first;
and mother pitied him, and that
made me think. And I've got ten
cents left in my saving. bank: you
Just turn it upside down and rattle it,
and they will come out of the chin
ney-only not here, for it makes a
dreadful racket to draw money out
of my saving-bank, and we might
wake somebody Now Santa Claus,
| want You TO take this and buy
slate-ten cents buys bully slate;
there's man in Main street, he gives
slate pencil to boot-and give that
slate to him. When he has got
slate Of his own he won't rub out
other fellows states, | guess. His
name is Bob Manning; don't you
make any mistake"
All this time Santa Claus said
nothing, but looked first at the fire,
then at tho floor, and then at eager
Arthur. In fact, if he had waited
ever so much to talk, he couldn't
have got a word in edgewse; for Ar
th1r's tongue went rafting or, as
young folks tongues are apt to do, at
hours when they ought to be in bed
but are not. But the boy expected
no reply; he continued.
"You won't say anything, | know
that. Don't | know your ways ?"
"He spoke not ,cord, bit trent
straight 10 his ,corkr But you can
nod, can't your Just lay your fin
ger aside OF your nose and give nod
and I'I knovv IL - oil r;,xhf :.