Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-12-19

feed it, and as the ashes accumulate they
pack down from the weight of the logs,
and make wonderful nests, in which are
buried pots of beans, eaten never less
than three times day, and baked to just
the color and flavor given by our grand
mothers brick ovens.
In these same hot ashes the Indian boys
roast potatoes, snow-b birds with the teath-
ers on, and even rabbits; and in taking
lessons in all these accomplishments Har-
~ had till now almost forgotten to be
homesick. To-day one Of his old head
aches had kept him prisoner and given
him time for thinking. His father had
been gone for week, having left to over
see the sending up of more supplies: and,
though Harry had not yet quite settled
whether Father or Santa Claus had most
to do with stockings, it was certain they
held communication of some sort, and
were, on the whole, rather necessary to
each other.
With evening, which began about four
O'Clock, we gathered around the open fire:
and Harry looked critically at the mud
chimney, made, in Indian fashion, of a
framework of sticks, plastered over and
held together by clay.
Its shaky old thing" he said, "and
I don't believe Santa Claus could get
down there, if he tried. Besides, I'm sure
he never came up so far"
"Why. he starts from here" said I.
Don't you know he drives reindeer, and
they live further north than we are-close
up to Hudson's Bay"
"Well, but he has to drive down to
some town or city for his toys and things.
He has to see all our fathers and find out
hot Ia hn DON'T aithap I
don't believe there is Santa Claus. Any
way, he wouldn't come among Indians.
They don't hang up their stockings"
"Ah! but they would, if they had
any," | said. "And he always comes
wherever he knows he is wanted. You
must have more faith, or he will feel to
hurt to even look at your stocking"
Harry shook his head, but said no
more; and in the day or two afterward
seemed almostto have forgotten the whole
subject. But as the day before Christmas
passed l saw him in the afternoon at his
little carpet-bag, laying all his stockings
side by side, and finally taking up the
shortest one.
"I'd hang up pas, if | was home" he
said. But I'm sure there can't be
enough up here to fill even the toe of this
one. Shall you hang up yours, Mrs.
Weeks? ?"
"Why, of course, Harry. Itwould not
be Christmas without it. Mine has been
hung every time since was two years
old"
"How many times in all?" asked art
full Harry, at which attempt to find out
just how old [ was I remained silent.
Harry first laughed and then turned
red.
"Mother said I mustn't ask people how
old they were," he said. But l always
forget. | don't see why [ shouldn't,
though. I'd just as soon tell how old I
am; and I'd have to, any way, cause
everybody always asks me. don't see
why you've got to tell when you're small,
and haven't got to tell when you're big"
Here's one big person who will tell"
[ said, whispering in his ear. "Now give
me the stocking, and I'll sew loop on it,
so that you can hang it on one of those
knobs in the chimney. You can hang
the Doctors and mine, too"
Harry spent an hour hanging the three
stockings first on one rough knob and
then another; and finally went to bed,
thinking tomorrow would come more
quickly that way than any other. Then,
leaving him asleep, at last, we bundled
up and went out for little walk down
the road, to Leech Lake, we'll trodden
now by the lumbermen's feet. We looked
| in moment as we passed the logging
| camp, finding the "Deacon's seat" in front
| of the great fire filled with dozen men,
| listening to some story from Mr.. Lee, the
overseer, who started up as he saw us and
came to the door.
II was telling 'em bit about Christ
mas in the Old Country, ma'am, he said.
"I'm English born, you know, and many's
the time I've been out half the night,
singing Christmas waits. But that's long
ago. Most o. mine these years back have
been in the woods, and I allow we may as
well work tomorrow as lay off. Here's
something for the little chap, though. He
ought to have some sort o. Christmas.
| Goodnight to you, ma'am."
at does seem as if Santa Claus would
have wild time driving over these dark
pine-tops," the doctor said, as we turned
from the bright doorway to the night, and
| stood for moment watching the pale,
clear auroras, as they rose and fell in the
north. "What dense forest everywhere
| but in this little clearing, and how drear-
| lily, far away, home seems tonight. We
must do something lively. 1 think I'll
| SO up Ol Jul lOOl, dAo SCC uOW Jul CuIut-
ney looks at the top"
SOFTLY, then" | said, cor you may
waken Harry
And so we crept to the back of the
house, where the roof almost sloped to
the ground, and l watched as the ascent
was made.
The dress for that country is, on the
whole, not altogether civilized, and
| s,,1z dc Io, Il
a little before recognizing the couple who
stood there-Doctor especially, buried in
| a buffalo Overcoat, mighty many colored
scarf wound about his neck, fox-skin
cap with lappets tied over his ears, moe
casin boots and rabbitskin mittens. The
snow crunched as he stepped softly to.
ward the chimney and looked down !;
| starting back in moment, as if he had
been shot. The roof sloped suddenly;
and, forgetting where he was, he lost his
footing and rolled over and over to the
bottom, half burying himself in drift,
and laughing so it was impossible to help
him out.
"Hush!" he said. "That child was
looking straight up the chimney, and
such a pair of eyes [ never saw"
"I'll go in" said, listening for some
sound. "He may be terribly frightened. !"
mo, don't, unless he calls out" said
Doctor. "He didn't look frightened, only
wonderfully surprised Wait awhile
| No sound from within. And after a
time we walked on; coming back shortly,
to find Harry sound asleep, and smiling,
as if in the midst of pleasant dreams.
Long before daylight next morning he