Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-12-24

hermit, very mournfnlly, shaking MS
head over the stocking.
rs it alive?' asked the boy, in q
whisper.
At this moment the baby doubled
up it's shriveled little fists, and rub
bing them against it's funny little
dab of pink nose, began TO cry
like q good fellow. The hermit
wriggled the stocking about, and
then il was still again.
It's just like real one said the
boy.
1T is real onel' exclaimed the
hermit. You ought to have heard
it cry when l was bringing it from
the tree. 1t frightened me 80 that |
wonder didn't let it fall and break
it,
THAT was the time for catnip,
eravely remarked the boy.
Il have no catuip,' said the hermit ;
but there are a good many other
herbs that l might give it. | have
plenty of plantain-leaves and BONE
set.
Il don't believe it wants them,
said the boy.
Its as bald as a BUTTON exclaim
ed the hermit. 1t may be that that
makes it cry
Il wonder how it lost it's hair said
the boy, looking into the stocking.
4 don't know quickly replied the
hermit; but it's nothing that I've
done. 1t had no hair loft when |
found it,
just then the baby began to cry
in good earnest. What it had done
before was q mere trife to the screams
which now filled the woods. The
hermit did not know what in the
world to do. He swung the stocking
vigorously around, but the baby Kept
on with steadily increasing violence
1--we heard EN- go on worse than
that cried the boy, shouting as il
he were 10 a storm at sea You
ought TO warm some milk and feed
is.
sHaven'6 got anyl' yelled the her.
nit back. 'Wculd corn-meal dor
How do you mean ? shouted the
boy. In ash cakes p
:Yesp howled the hermit.
MOP screamed the boy.
Nothing was now heard for a min
ute or two but the will clam)r OF
the baby, and then the boy shouted,
halo I'd take it up to our house,
if l were you, and get it stopped 7
'AIl rightl' called out the hermit !;
but how shall carry 1t 2
Hold fast to the stocking-top, and
lot it dangle,' replied the boy, and
away they went.
On the way the baby lulled little
and the boy, despite his nuts
and candy, began to feel hungry.
Hermit said he, 'was there an apple
in your stocking besides the baby 2
The III ,rmit stopped and carefully
felt the stocking all around the baby.
NO." laid he, "there was no ap-
ple."
"Never mind" said the boy, 81 can
get one at home" and they kept on
their way.
The boy reached the house first
and told about the wonderful thing
the hermit had found in his stocking,
AMI when the good man arrived he
and his baby had one of the warmest
welcomes that ever was seen. The
house was full of company, and every
body seemed wild with desire TO do
something for either the baby or the
hermit. Ever so many ladies seized
On the big stocking, and the sweet
little cherub was quickly pulled out
and tenderIy cared for. All the peo-
pie in the halls and parlors crowded
around the hermit, and he had to tell
his story over and over again, and
everybody who heard it wanted him
to warm himself and have something
to eat and drink. The children, too,
pressed around him, and be had to
tell everything to them, while they
chartered all the time like so many
birds, and they took him to see the
Christmas tree, and he had to exam
inc every present.
When the baby was quiet and COM
fortavle and had been dressed nicely,
the hermit went up stairs to look at
it, and he carried it down, cradle aud
all, and walked proudly around with
it so that everybody could see what
he had found in his Christmas stock
ing. Hs bad to stay to dinner, and
then staid to see the games at night.
and he never spent such delightful
Christmas in all his life.
The hermit never went back to his
cave. He would not hear Of such a
thing as giving up his baby, and ii
wouli never do to keep such ten
der little child in cold hole in hill.
So he took frame house in the vii
lage, and had a cook-stove and
things, and a good woman to take
care of him and the child, and there
be lived as happy as a king. Gu
any bright morning, In those days,
you might have seen him walking
slowly up and down his garden, the
baby on one arm. and bis heavy old
book open on the other. He always
said that the best thing he ever did
in his life was TO hang up his stock
ing on that blessed Christmas eve.
Christmas.
Three of the Eyanpelists give an