The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1883-12-28
NED'S STOCKING

his bed. ANY one bUt Stutd N-2HS
wnuld have been dismayed at the yawn-
ING gulf which might once have been the
toe, where only q narrow bridge Scpara'
tel it from the gazing heel; but the
iollv little man only laughed in his
sleeve. thinking what asharp fellow Ned
was to select this one; for such a sock
inc wouldn't hoii trihes anyway. BIT
o and | know that Ned could 10 no
better, and It's companion was in Il vet
more hopeless condition. II any one
asks us who Ned is, | am afraid We shall
have 70 confess that he is only Il little
Arab. and if he duasen't silently steal
away it is not owing to any
defect in his street education.
Suck training is not usually conducive
10 either mental, mora or pAT>s'1!
health, in the latter item Ned did not
bach anything, for he was heactyand -,
bust a a. young EslCInauX; quite too
hearty. he felt sometimes, when his
breakfast OF supper had been 7canty tol
often tine suon:v wa not e4Ual 70 tAc
tenant. Morally be was not like other
bows of his class; tenacious or ms "
rights, and | am sorry TO say, somewhat
inclined 10 be tenacious OF the rights OF
others: for be had no very clear idea OF
the relative position Of meum aud jeUol.
His code 0f.N0nor was short and C0mpre'
icusiye: An eye for an eye, AMI TIVE
teeth for one"
Mentally Ned was not an imAeu.ie;
lie possessed q large share OF native
ghrewdness, which perhaps stood hlm
IN place of a liberal education. Net
could read a little, ofWbich requirement
ne was very proud, and delighted TO Get
acrowd OF boys around him tl0r!0rn IT.
tie objects ike himself and read to
them the news OF TO-DAY, OF even sever
III DAYS ago, it mattered not TO him or
them-spelling his words painfully as he
went along making The most ridiculous
blunders, which, however, were re-
ceiyed with unmoved gravity by ms
hearers. Ned lived with his father, O7
rather took care Of him, for be, poor
man, was such a slave TO appetite, he
was seldom seen in a condition TO take
care Of himself. On rare days be would
keep sober and work diligently ut his
trade, fof he was an excellent mechanic;
those days were rare, in another sense,
10 Ills lI&ti4lltSc. sllgLL-tf lNSS 5JON 4"l
then they would have a grand supper
together. and this father wouId sit beside
him in the evening. smoking his pipe,
and telling sweet stories Of the old home
and the times when they we're all 50
happy-the time before lie had been
bound by the CALLING chain which the
drunkard bears, the lear old times be.
fore his wife died Of q broken heart.
Tha - mas n r,,zAG,1 &c l;t&l1 1unuAEr-
out one by one they had gone to join the
left alone. Best 0fall, Ned liked TO hear
was too young to remember the nice
dinner, the ehurch-going, the merry
games, the hanging OF the little stock
lngs, and once a Christmas tree. 1t was
Ike a fairy tale to Ned, or something
which had occurred in some other stage
Of existence. Thinking Of these things. |
he resolved that not another Christmas
v should pass without giving his stock |
ing 4 chance.
Most anything would come handy"
he s~ollloQuized, looking obviously at his
ragged clothing and torn shoes; II amt
always IN iait dress now, owing to the
pressure, an ] cau't afford to wear pat |
ent leather boots mi times is a little
easier"
So it happened that the clad Christ.
mas came again and poor ragged Ned.
although he had no part in the gladness
and good cheer, could stand afar off
shiyering and looking on, happy as a
king, and, ike a true philosopher, get
ting bis share in seeing the endowment |
OF others.
That night after he had hung that
'once-upon-a-time" stocking and gone
contentedly off TO the land of dreams.
the landlords agent opened the door
and stepped in. Some matter Oh busi-
ness which he had forgotten during the
day, brought him up TO the third floor |
OF the tenement house whore Ned and
Inc father lived or rather stayed. Mr. |
Henry cav his blunder and saw some |
thing else OF the same time. He knew
who the boy was, having sole times |
employed him 70 do errands. Now he
stepped saftiy forward and surveyed the
place. There was brown haired Nad |
enrled mp N bis rags. sleeping quietly,
with a flush of red g~lintlEg through the
brownies of his cheeks" there was
the wretcaed stockings, and the ragged
shoes stood side by side upon the floor.
Dir. Henry was a soft-hearted man. too
much 50, perhaps, for a landlords agent
ami ne wIaRed very fast as he stood |
iooklng at them, while something be. /
Eides a smile shone OF. his face.
ioor little fellowI' he said to him.
sell, and, obeying a 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 on this
particular occasions no affair OF ours; we
Will only remark in passing, that he had
q boy who wa a year or two older than
Ned who would outgrow bis jackets.
When Ned opened his eyes the next
morning he looked toward the stocking
and-well ,as he expresselit, she hadn't |
any fault to find with Santa Claus way
o. dom thingi,D but ae laughed q glee-
f1l. hannY lannh of the nicfnrn hnfnrn |