Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-12-24
The He R AID .
THE HERMIT's STOCKING.
RyYRANK R, STOCKTON.

the woods, but it was particularly
unpleasant down by the hermlt's
cave. The icy brook was there, tor
one thing, and there seemed always
to be draught through the little
valley. But the hermit tat 10
patch of wintry afternoon sunshine
that lay on the brown grass like q
sprinkling of frozen cream, and READ
ont OF a heavy old book. He SILVER
ed in all his bones, and was far from
happy. Then through the woods
there came q child, bright and
bounding boy, gathering long wreaths
of ground-iyy, and the branches OF
the red.berrled holly.
80 boy r the hermit cried, shut
ting up his book with a bang.
"What are you going to do with all
those stickery leaves2'
The boy stopped and laid down
his bundle of evergreens. "Why,
don't YOU know p said he. "These
are for Christmas. They are to go
over the big parlor-door, which is to
be opened tonight when the Christ
mas-tree is all ready. Isn't it
splendid thing to think that to-mor-
row'll be Christmas 2"
eyes," said the hermit, "certainly,
certainly. But, somehow or other,
am never very happy on Christ
mas. For one thing, it seems to me
that it's always the coolest day in the
year"
sand if you eat water-cresses,
inst the same as other days" said the
boy, "it must make you feel very
coli indeed"
"Water-cressesl exclain ed the
hermit. eve don't have them in
winter"
"Oh 7" said the boy. 81 thought
perhaps there was some evergreen
kinds. But," he added, looking into
the hermit's eyes, "you don't seem
to think much about Christmas.
Were you born hermit?"
A cold smile, like crack in the
ice, spread over the hermit's face as
he replied, "wby, child, l have the
greatest regard for Christmas, but
don't keep it in your way"
$50 | should think" said the boy.
"You couldn't have o very good
Chris: mas in a cold hole in hill. 1t
NAV be very good hole, but IL don't
seem to me that it would do very
we'll for Christmas. Do you ever
hang up your stocking ?"
The hermit laughed. 1t was the
first time be had laughed in eighteen
months.
Hang up nay stocking! You
must be crazy, child"
"Oh no, I'm not" cried the boy
"Anu / believe that if you would
hang up your stocking you'd be ever
so much happier of Christmas.
And if Santa Claus did not put an
apple in first. you'd find it just splen-
did II
San apple in frstl" exclaimed the
hermit
EYES," said the boy, "thats always
the very worst thing that can hap
pen, for then the apple sticks fast
before it gets down very far, and
there isn't much room for the other
things. But guess" said he, glanc-
ing down at the PERMITS feet, shat
an apple wouldn't stick fast in your
stocking until it got down to the
very toe."
off they were going to put in any,
thing of that sort" said the hermit
thoughtfully, 81 think [ should pre-
fer potatoes"
'.Hal hal hal" laughed the boy.
"Who ever heard of potatoes in a
Christmas stocking? But l must
hurry home, for they are waiting for
these green's"
otis not late" said the hermit
with weary look at his big book
"Must you go so soon ?"
ooh yes; said the boy, 4 can
stay no longer now. But l will
come and see you tomorrow if you
will promise to hang up your stock
ing tonight"
VERY well, said the hermit. I'll
hang it up Aud then through
the woods, with his trailing load of
green leaves and glsncing berries,
went the happy boy.
The hermit always kept his prom
ses. IT he had promised the mean
est cat to meet her at Miohaelmas,
on the top of bill forty miles
away, Miohaelmas would have found
him there, whether the meanest cat
came or not. So, that night he hung
up his stocking on tree. Ho Was
stout man, and his wooden stockings,
which came up over his knees, We're
larger than those we generally see in
the shops.
If they will fill that with pota-
toes" said the hermit to himself,
"they will do WE'LL" Aud then he
went to his hard and doleful bed.
Late that night poor wood-cutter
was hurrying home through the
forest. The moon was shining bright.
~ through the trees, and he was still
far from his home, when by the side
of the path he saw basket. Stoop-
ing he lifted up the lid, and there
was little bit of baby, of hardly
any age at all ! The good wood-cut-
ter gazed with compassion on the
sleeping infant. Poor little thingr
he said. Some one has put you here
to bs picked up or to die. cannot
leave you in the woods TO freeze
So saying, he took up the baby out
of the basket and walked away with
it in bis arms. But be did not know
what in the world be was going to
do with it. He had eleven children
of his own, and his wife was very
severe; and as to bringing home an
other baby, he knew that she would
never allow that. While he was
thinking of all this, and almost wish
ing that he had left the child to be
found by somebody else, he saw the
hermit's great stocking hanging from