The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1878-12-28
Qw nonng falls.
UP VERY EARLY ON CHRIST
MS NORNlNG

doubt if a boy or q ri,l ever was in
Such distress as Miss Muslin endured, and her
The nigh, before Christmas. Il tell you what
Said NIiltiades in that assured way of his
As they went up to bed. We must get up my
dear,
Before anyone else in the whole house. this year!
And well just go around and make each one a
And give a good loud Merry Christmasr to all
Fer they're really awake. So l give you fair
shall knock al, your door Miss, by four in the
morning."
Then, except, a goodnight" nothing further
was said.
And each was before many minutes in bed
But Mlltiades thought, as he shut up his eyes,
Of very old saying that runs in this wise:
n you rant 10 1Cdke mp at certain time. keen
! Repeating the hour as you're railing asleep,
Aloud to yourself" And he thought he would
try it.
SO he kept saying - -Four" (all the while lying
-Four o'clock! That's the time! Four-Four-
Four! Four-our-ourrr"
Till at length he fell fast asleep, saying it DER.
Sometime later it was (although that seems to
state
Superauous fact, for of course it was later.
MIltIades all at once woke up with shock.
Why. criedG, he, starting up, 1T must be four
So he jumped out of bed-O, remarkably spry!
And ran to the window to look at the sky.
faint streak of light could be seen in the east
Which, even while he stood there, quite plainly
increased.
Ho! no! Merry Christmasr' he cried, - Mr.. Sun.
L hope you may have lots of presents and fun.'
Then he hurriedly dressed, and in two minutes
more
He was cautiously knocking at Miss Muslin's
door.
But finding himself quite unable to wake her,
He was finally forced to go right in and shake
Come! wake upy' cried he. Here it is four
How long dye expect me to stand there and
80, dear. sighed Miss Muslin, awaking and
yawning,
Why, it don't seem to me that it can yet be
morning.
Well, it isr,' cried her cousin. "'F you have
any doubt,
You can go to the window, and take look out"
When at length she was ready, Miss Muslin came
out.
And the two without further delay. set about
Their purpose. 1t being as yet far from light
They made their way rather by feeling than
To the end of the hall, when they gave loud
whack
At the door of the bedroom where John Henry
Jack
And BENJAMIN Fran kiln were quietly sleeping.
Wake up shouted they. Merry Christmas'
Along to the room where Abiather Ann
Was slumbering likewise they straightway began
Such a dancing and bowling and pounding and
screaming
That father who Glanced to be peacefully
dreaming
In the next room to that with one bound
reached the floor
And ran, in the greatest alarm, to the door,
To see what was the matter Merry Christmas
to allI'
Rang out in stentorian tones through the hall.
Then the two cousins, hand in hand, down the
backway
Darted quickly to wake up their Grandfather
Who, with Grandmother, had room on the first
floor,
So they ran down and pounded away at the door.
Bless me! What is the mattern' cried Grand
father GRAY
From within. GThe old gentleman had, by the
Been lying awake for an hour or so.
Although, being quite deaf, he'd not heard them
till nOw.)
Then, the door bursting open, he inquired in dis
Deary me! What is up?" "Ho! no! You are,
Cried our hero Merry Christmas! Merry Christ
mas. Dye near?
| told you that RI be the first up this year.
If you re going to get up, you had better begin.
Is day there's the sun shining in at this minuter'
That said Grandfather Gray-then he sud
denly broke
Into laughter. " Ha! ha, Well, now Mat's good
joke!
Ha. ha That is the moon, sir, Just rising. which
shows
That instead of being morning, as you two sup
pose,
1t is no; midnight yet!-and happen to know
That the hall clock struck ten but Il short time
ago'
Whereupon, as this dreadful announcement was
heard,
The two cousins turned, without saying one
word,
And went straight back upstairs, and got into
their beds,
And in deep shame and sorrow enveloped their
heads.
And they slept the next morning so sound and
well
That they didn't wake up till the third or fourth
bell.
John Browajohn in December WideAWdGe.