Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1882-12-22
FILLING THE STOCKINGS.

/ l. ALLl1Nh LID D1OOAINNIo,
Pussy 60! into the house somehow, Just az Che
/ least Little streak Of morning Ight was begin
ming 70 peep through Ore window curtains. and
stole mp Stairs. She jumped upon ,lo bed, and
/ rubbed har cold Dose against LIS face. and
+ EaAenod nor.
lii sprang up in bed, for it came 20 her Ike
{ fash, "Its Christmas daym
I "Blsao, wake Up M-riy Clrstanasi e. she
Z cried, and iu BALI e Iinu. four ld,o bare feet.
/ Wc:l P1t'2Has down Stairs Go the sitting-.oam.
after the ClrlstI6as stockings
They hadn't dcub. Of finding thom fun.
Santa Clans had never forgotten h-m yet
You can imagine, then, their d4may when
eaoh h'tic gil casped limp and empty
I s,ce.ing, with not 30 much az a eusar-plum %
I'll 1ut tho toe
They ran TO mammals bedroom 10 pour out
their complaints.
"santa Claus forgot US r. eriod Lii. with
starting tears.
" Tic didn't bring Us anything r. said Bessie.
throwing herself acrofs her mothers feet in an
agony Of grief.
- think its TOO bad !" said Lii
Hes real mean. IN never like him AGAIN rf
said Bessie
"Uh, 30 back % bed, saj mamma. "Youve
got up 100 early. How do you expect Santa
Iaus can aiway5 g-s round before day.ight2
There are suoh numbers uf little boys am girls
the wonder is tilat he ggts round At all lied
never forget you, I'm sure. Go back, ard curl
down lu bed til lts really light Then got no
ana dress yourselves nicely before yOO come
down. end youu what youl ID so1. ."
90 bed.
you needn't feel 50 bad. Bessie Bradley.
Haven't ycn found uut morc'n a hundred times
in,t u1nma Knows abou. Hings bettel'n We
dOf said Lii.
d" ] amt feelin' bad, any rnoron YOU areE and
SAnta Claus is = comm ia bout nine or eieh;
--iuutcs,' said Bessie.
While waiting for daylight they talked Of thu
prls n9 thcy hoped 70 have, and "a soon az the
sun popped above tie castorn horizon they we're
up, and putting on their clothes Us quickly as
possible, went down s.aira
There was nobody in the stting-ruom A
hfo WAS burning IN the grute, and tio stockings
hung against the mantei, but they still looked
limp.
Ihey were not near enough to he snre they
were empty when a loud "'footl toot! toot T.
sounded from somewhere with q Iinsling Of
bells and d tramping OF feet
He's coming Oh, Lii Bradley, old Santa's
a coming said Bcs5ic, cllnging to her sisters
A,lita- LIN h9id her breath, ana s9id nothing.
Tho door hew open, and in bounced santa
Claus, sure enoughl He wore a very furry
coat, and a rod cap, high and pointed at the
Top, and bound with fur. His eyes we're hidden
behind great silyer-rinnled spcctacles and bis
mar and beard were long, and white as snow
Mamma came out Of the bedroom Just then,
md Bessie and Lii Eidled up 10 her and cangbt
each one Of her hands, feeling half afraid Of
the queor, Jolly Old elf, and then stood.
silent and watching
The great pack upon Santa's back didn't seem
- be empty yet, and there was packages peep
Of la -
coat, and even out Of his Sleeves He seemed
IN tearing hurry
"Whew WheE n said he. ''This is the first
chance I've had TO take breath since I started
out ,,l!. last night 50 many youngsters TO visit
tins year thought I should never get round.
Whew how hot it il here. Well, let's see r'
Ho Whiried the pack from his back, down on
the rug, aud began rummaging vigorously
among the packages within it SONY two
stockings 20 fill here, and little ones al that
We lots OF presents left over"
He drew out package, held his head on one
side with funny little grimaoe as he peeped
into At, and then thrust it into ILLS red
stocking.
That's don, known whispered Lii,
squeezing her mothers hand.
similar package went into Bessies blue one.
Then other smaller packages, till the stockings
would hold no more
All the time he worked he kept Jerking out
Iunny little speeches about the children and
Lii and Bess were in state Of ioyful excite
nent Llu thought there was something
familiar about the voice, or Che motions, or
she couldn't tell what
Il believe I've seen him before Else I
dreamed did Else he's some like father"
she whispered.
Her mother laughed aloud at this. 1t made
old santa Claus look up from his work. and ne
seemed to espy the little group in the cornar
for tho first time.
Bless my stars r. he calculated, beginning
to gather up hastily from tho rug the parcels
shat had fallen out OF his pack.
a." Bless my stars and stripes Folks mustn't
sec me about this business !"
lie threw his pack over his back, and then
putting his hands deep in his side pockets, drew
them out full, and a shower Of sugar lums
peited the Little girls, as he hurried out Of the
room.
Just as he was going he threw big package
at their mother. saving
That's for the old lady, thore Came pretty
near forgetting her p
LIN knew the voice in which this WIS said.
and cried OUT
cts papa It's pspar'
They spIang after him, and led him back into
the ROOM in laughing triumph
they took of the pointed cap and tho blue
speolacIes. They brushed the flour from his
eyebrows, and rubbed the red from his checks.
Ihey robbed him Of the pillow that had made
MN look so chubby and plump, " and the gray
wig and beard that made him hook so venerable.
And when they came TO examine the contents
OF me stockings they werO more than ever
delighted TO have for Santa Claus their own
dear father.
On CHRISTIANS DAY.--Lot Us assemble about
tho festive board ON Christmas Day with Joy
and happiness. Let US enshIino the day in our
memories and make 1t another star In our sky
Nlle we enjoy the hospitality Of our own