Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-01-01

| nOW many times In allg" asked art
full Harry, at which attempt to find out
just how old was remained silent.
Harry first laughed and then turned
red
Mother said I mustn't ask people how
old they were," he said. But / always
forget. / don't see why | shouldn't
though. I'd just as soon tell how old
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 y
Here's one big person who will tel"
said, whispering in his ear. "Now give
me the stocking, and I'll sew a 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, well trodden
now by the lumbermen's feet. Welooked
in a moment as we passed the logging
camp, finding the "Deacon's seat" in front
of the great fire filed with dozen men,
listening to some story from Mr.. Lee, the
overseer, who started up as he saw us and
came to the door.
81 was telling 'em bit about Christ
mas in the Old Country, ma 'am," he said.
SIN 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 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. / think I'll
go up on our roof, and see how our Chin
ney looks at the top"
''Softly, them" l 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 / watched as the ascent
was made.
The dress for that country is, on the
whole, not altogether civilized, and |
think our best friends would have studied
little before recognizing the couple who
stood there-Doctor especially, buried in
buffalo overcoat, mighty many. colored
scarf wound about his neck, fox-sk in
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.
looking straight up the chimney, and
such pair of eyes 1 never saw
"I'll go in," / said, listening for some
sound. "He may be terribly frightened. y
mo, don't, unless he calls out" said
Doctor. "He didn't look frightened, only
| wonderfully surprised Wait awhile"
NO SOuHu lIoln Wltulu. hhu ditCl q
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
had reused us with his EXPLANATIONS over
| the fat and bullying stockings. And, as
we threw on some wraps and come out to
| look with him, he met us triumphantly
Nobody need ever tell me again there
isn't Santa Claus. Why, saw him my
| own self''
"What an idea, Harryi"
"Ohl but | did. 1t was when you had
gone to walk. I heard little crunch
crunch, on the roof; and | was bound to
peek, an | wasn't bit frightened, either
/ looked right up, an he looked right
down an he laughed, soft | could see his
teeth. An just look at my stocking! Did
you ever? CrackeyW
Harry sat down to his, and we to ours
all of them most astonishingly full, and
| giving plenty to talk about the whole day
| long. And toward evening Harry wrote
or, rather, printed letter to his mother
copy Of which you shall see, spelling
and all
RED LAKE, CHRISTMAS.
Sandy Claws did come. did not think he would
| I saw him looking down the Gimme, and he saw
| me- | was not afrade one speck He gave me
| big knife mister Lee says he knows about thai
| knife, but guess not. There was candy and nuts
and razans. and book, and cake. gess misses
| weeks put inn the cake, II tasted like hers tel
Pole Ilove her. | want to see you all Yours
| truley, HARRY MoRHlLL
IN. Y. Independent.