The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1883-12-28
NED's STOCKING

l
ing gulf which might once have been the
.oe' where only narrow bridge scpara-
.ea 1t iroru the gaping heel; but the
ply little man only laughed in his
sleeve, thinking what sharp fellow Ned
was to select this one; for such a stock
ing wouldn't hold trifles anyway. But
you and know that Ned could do no
oetter, and its companion was in yet
more hopeless condition. 1t any one
asks us who Ned is, am afraid we shall
nave to confess that he is only little
Arab, and if he doesen't silently steal
away" it is not owing to any
defect iu his street education.
sacA training is not usually conducive
70 either, mental, moral or physical
health; i'll the latter item Ned did not
lack anything, for he was hearty and ro.
oust as young Esquinaux; quite too
hearty, he felt sometimes, when his
breakfast or supper had been scanty for
often the supply was not equal to the
demand. Morally he was not like other
noys OF his class; tenacious of his own
fignts, and am sorry to say, somewhat
inclined to be tenacious of the rights OF;
others; Tor he had no very clear idea of
tne relative position of meum and teum,
his code ofhonor WAS short and compre-
hcnslve: IAN eye for an eye, and two
teeth for one."
Mentally Ned was not au imbecile;
ne possessed large share of native
snreWdness, which perhaps stood HIM
IN place of liberal education. Ned
could read little, ofwh hich requirement
ne was very proud, and delighted to get
acrowd OF boys around him uororn lit
tie objects like himselD and read to
them the news of to- day, or even sever
al days ago, it mattered not to him or
them-spelling his words painfully as he
went along making the most ridiculous
plumbers, which, however, were re-
ceiyed with unmoved gravity by his
hearers. Ned lived with his father, or
rather took care of him, for he, poor
man, was such q slave to appetite, he
was seldom seen in a condition to take
care of himself. On rare days he would
Keep sober and work diligently at his
trade, Tor he was IN excellent mechanic;
those days were rare, in another sense,
to his friendless, :notherIess boy; for
then they would have a grand supper
together, and this father would sit beside
him in the evening, smoking his pipe,
and telling sweet stories of the old home
and the times when they were all SO
happy--the time before he had been
bound by thu CALLING chain which the
drunkard bears, the dear old times be.
fore his wife died of a broken heart.
There was a nestIul of little ones then,
but one by one they had gone to Join the
mother, and Ned aud his father were
left alone. Best all, Ned liked to hear
of their Christmas festivities, while he
was too young to remember the nice
dinner, the church-going, the merry
games, the hanging of the little stock
ings, and once. a Christmas tree. 1t was
like a fairy tale to Ned, or something
which had occurred in some other stage
of existence. Thinking of these thugs,
he resolved that rot another Christmas
eve should pass without giving his stock
ing chance.
Most anything would come handy"
he soiloquized, looking obviously at his
ragged clothing and torn shoes; II amt
always in full dress now, owing to the
pressure, an / cau't afford to wear pat.
ent leather boots till times is little
easier"
So it happened that the glad Christ
mas came again and poor ragged Ned,
although he had no part in the gladness
and good cheer, could stand afar off,
shSering and looking on, happy as n
king, and, like true philosopher, get
ting his share in seeing the enjoyment
Of others.
That night after he had hung that
"once-upon-a-time" stocking and gone
con.entedly off to the land of dreams,
the landlords agent opened the door
and stepped in. Some matter OF busi-
ness which he had forgotten during the
day, brought him up to the third floor
of the tenement house where Ned and
his father lived or rather stayed. MIR.
Henry saw his blunder and saw some
thing else OF the same time. He knew
who the boy was. having some times
employed him to do errands. Now he
stepped softly forward and surveyed the
place. There was brown-haired Ned
curled up in his rags, sleeping quietly,
with a flush of red glintlns through the
sbrowness of his cheeks::' there was
the wretched stockings, and the ragged
shoes stood side by side upon the floor.
Mr. Henry was soft hearted man, too
much so, perhaps, fora landlords agent
md he winked very, fast as he stood
looking at them, while something be-
sides smile shone OH his face.
.'Poor little fellown' he said to him
self, and, obesing sudden impulse, he
shut the door gently, went swiftly down
the stairs, and hurried away to his hap
py, comfortable home.
What ne said and did there or this
particular OCCASIONS no affair OF ours; we
will only remark in passing, that he had
a bov who was year or two older than
Ned who would outgrow his jackets.
When Ned opened his eyes the next
morning he looked toward the stocking
and-well,as he expresse,tit; "he hadn't
anv fault to find with Santa Claus way
of doin' thing - hut he laughed glee-
full, happy laugh at tho picture before
him. There, underneath the stocking,
reposed against the wall, with its hat
drawn over his face, a.somethlng which
represented a boy about his own size.
IT'S limp arms were pinned abouta pie
(which might be q mince pie) and nice
roasted chicken, wrapped IN clean
cloth. Inside this suit of clothes there
Whole and c.ean; pair of half-worn
f00LH~StOOu. NUcol0O fAahu1S "uA tAAC
stoGking was running over. Filling the
awfAf rents we're other socks, soft and
warm: then came few apples and or
anges, @ like the red and gold of sunsets;
a top. a pocket-knife and wonderful +,
wonderful picture book, the like OF
which he had never dreamed of pos
sessing; " " last but not least, a cake Of
toilet Soap. Ned looked at it curiously
and said to himself with arch; gravity:
Il guess FIJI put that away for Sundays"
Mr.. Henry had his own ua way y1ad o. dolng ing
gave him em1l6y ment. More than this
he looked after the wretched f.ther
With VII such an energy and k,ndhess that
he really had to reform. waat to say,
for fear It may not be clearly understood,
there is q moral in this story.