The Mineral argus., 1884-01-03
NED'S STOCKING

wsuId have been dismayed at the yawn
ing gulf which might once have been the
toe, where only a narrow bridge separa-
TED it from tue gaping heel; but the
jolly little man only laughed in his
sleeve, thinking what asharp fellow Ned
was TO select this one; for such a stock,
ing wouldn't hold trihes anyway. But
you and / know that Ned could do no
better, and its companion was in a yet
more hopeless condition. II any one
asks Us who Ned is, l am afraid we shall
have TO confess that he is only a little
Arab, and If he descent SILENTLY steal
away" it is not owing to any
defect in his street education.
Such training is not usually conducive
to either mental, moral or physical
health; in the latter item Ned did not
lack anything, for he was hearty and rO-
bust a as young Esquimaux; quite too
hearty, he felt sometimes, wh4n his
breakfast or supper had been acanty for
often the supply was not eoual to the
demand. Morally he was not like other
boys OF his class; tenacious of his own
rights, and | am sorry to say, somewhat
inclined TO be tenacious of the rights of
others; for he had no very clear idea of
the relative position of meum and teum.
His code ofhonor was short and compre-
hensive: IAN eye for an eye, and two
teeth for one"
Mentally Ned was not an imbecile;
he possessed a large share of native
shrewdness, which perhaps stood HIM
IN place of a liberal education. Ned
could read a little, of which requirement
he was very proud, and delighted 10 get
a crowd OF boys around him t~lorlorn lit
ne objects like himself) and read TO
them b news of to-day, r even sever
al 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-
ceived with unmoved gravity by his
Ned lived with his father, or
rather took care of him, for he, poor
man, was such a slave to appetite, he
was seldom seen in a condition to take
of himself. On reTe days he would
keep sober and work diligently at his |
trade, for he was an excellent mechanic; |
those days were rare, in another sense,
10 his friendless, motherless boy; for
they would have a grand supper
0hNkANA AAhA bAio AallCL NOIIu cit uEHIUH l
him in the evening, smoking his pipe.
and telling sweet stories of the old home
and the times when they we're all so
happy-the time before he had been
by the CALLING chain which the
Irunkard bears, the Gear old times be.
lore his wife died of a broken heart.
There was a nestful of little ones then, |
out one by one they had gone to Join the
mother, and Ned and his father were
eft alone. Best of all, Ned liked to hear
II their Christmas festivities, while he
vas too young to remember the nice
the church-going, the merry
the hanging of the little stock
ngs, and once a Christmas tree. It was
a fairy tale to Ned, or something
which had occurred in some other stage
# existence. Thinking of these things,
10 resolved that not another Christmas
We should pass without giving his stock
ng a chance.
Most anything would come handy"
e soliloQuized, looking obviously at his
aged clothing and torn shoes; II amt
ways IN full dress now, owing to the
ressure, an l cau't afford to wear pat
Mt leather boots till times is a little
So it happened that the glad Christ
las came again and poor ragged Ned.
Though he had no part in the gladness
nd good cheer, could stand afar off.
and looking on, happy as a
and, like a true philosopher, get
NC his share in seeing the enjoyment
{ others.
That night after he had hung that
onee-upon-a-time" stocking and gone
off to the land of dreams.
he landlords agent opened the door
stepped in. Some matter OF bust
ess which he had forgotten during the
ny, brought him up to the third floor
the tenement house where Ned and
10 father lived or rather stayed. Mr..
enry saw his blunder and saw some.
ling else OF the anne time. He knew
the boy was, having some times /;
nployed him to do errands. Now he
softly forward and surveyed the
There was brown-haired Ned
Irled up In his rags, sleeping quietly.
it'll a flush of red g~lintlne through tine
provinces of his cheeks" there was
e wretched stockings, and the ragged
ices stood side by side upon the floor.
+. Henry was a s~oft-hearted man, too
UGH so, perhaps, for a landlords agent ,
~ he wlnked very fast, as he stood q,
oklng at them, while something he I
des a smile shone OH his face.
Poor little fellow!" he said to him. .
III, and, obeving a sudden impulse, he {
tut the door gently, went swiftly down {
stairs, and hurried away to his hap !
7, comfortable home. I
What he said and did there on this I
occasions no affair OF ours; we
i'll only remark in passing, that he had J
boy who was a year or two older than
who would outgrow his jackets. {
When Ned opened his eyes the next
orning he looked toward the stocking 8
dwell, as he expressed it, che hadn't {
~ fault To find with Santa CIaus' WOW u