Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-12-24

was p4OhCO y, L1lScldDlC UCo anu all,
and in the twinkle of an eye sat down
I just as he was in his brother Ben's house.
How he knew it to be his brother Ben's
he could not tell, for surely he had never
been there before, but for all that he
was sure he was there now; and more,
for there before the fire sat Ben and his
wife, and the poor printer and his wife,
and viii, the artist, was there also, and
all the children, even his sister Mary's
little humped-backed boy, or " Humpy,"
as some called him.
And they were all eating apples and
drinking cider, and trying to be happy,
and were happy, even if the fire was
poor, for Goals were scarce with Ben, as
scarce as money with all Of them, and
heir clothes were old and patched here
and there, and they spoke of hard times
and the long, cold winter, and the little
work and the less pay; vet still they
ate their apples and drank their cider
and tried to be happy, and were happy;
and they spoke of Old Allen, but they
did not call him Old Allen, but brother
Tom, and wished che only would come
and join them once more on Christmas
Eve, and at least they hoped he was
happy anyhow"
This made Old Allen vince little, but
he made up his mind that he didn't or
wouldn't care.
By and by the apples were all ate up,
and the cider all drank up, and the chill
dren were getting sleepy; in fact, the
baby asleep: so they pinned up
stocking for each one on the mantel
piece, not forgetting even the baby; and
then Ben took down an old, well-worn
family Bible that Old Allen did recog-
nize, for it had once been his mothers,
and they read of the Christ-child of
Bethlehem, and then one and all knelt in
prayer; and here, too, brother Tom"
was remembered, and a blessing asked
on him; and again Old Allen WINGED,
this time worse than before; and when
the prayer was finished, kisses and good
nights were exchanged. and all were eff
to bed, leaving Old Allen alone in his
misery.
Then he thought in his dream that he
dropped off to sleep again, and then he
was again awakened by a most ire
mendous CHATTER, and had only time to
rub his eyes open when he was aston.
ished to see a real veritable St. Nicholas
drop down the chimney and out into the
room. Old Allen knew him in a mo-
ment; there was no mistaking him; in
fact, old Allen would have sworn to him
had he met him at Fourth of July cele-
bratiOn, which he never would, of course;
but that makes no difference; at least it
did not with st. Nick, for he was out on
business, and to work he went, all the
time talking to himself like this: "Ben
Aliens stocking-good fellow, this Ben
works hard-honest-good husband
good father-must give him something
nice and serviceable-thi pair of fur
glovesll do him"
"Ben's wife-good woman-good wife
good mOther-new dress for her"-and
so on till he came to "Humpy's"
stocking.
Hump" said St. Nick-' poor little
boy, Humpy shall be happy for once
anyhow" = and then poured into
Humpy's" stocking such quantities of
sugar plums and candies and nuts and
such odd-looking toys and Noah's ark
with a whole menagerie of animals, and
finished off with drum as large as
Humpy" himself.
Old Allen wondered how in the world
one little stocking could hold so much,
never for a moment thinking it was
dream-stOcking-nO had he time to
think much about it either, for just then
St. Nick turned around, and for the first
time saw Old Allen on his miserable bed,
and he was so startled by that sight that
he crushed the stem of his pipe in his
teeth and the pipe itself went rafting
over the floor
What" roared St. Nick, "y0u here?
you miserable old miser here? Where
is your miserable old stocking? on your
miserable old foot, I dare say! And
that's all you deserve in it, too, you
miserable old"
Here ST. Nick fairly choked with rage.
Come, get out of this; 1t is no place
for you; get out, | say"
i won'tm said Old Allen.
You won't, eh? Well see about that"
said st. Nick, sticking his head up the
chimney and giving a whistle; "we1l see
about that, said St. Nick, and in less
than no time pop! down came the rein
deer, but they didn't look like reindeer
either to Old Allen, but sort of cross
between reindeer and ahobgoblin, and
Blixen had face just like little Humpy,
and sort of camers hump on his back,
and all the rest of them were equally
mixed up with faces and persons Old
Allen had known
But he hadn't much time to examine
! them.
He says he won't get up" screamed
st. Nick.