Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1884-12-20

clothes, cap and all, close by his bed; or
the floor, and he putsthem on faster
than he ever hsd doneit before!
''Where's my other stookingp"
He searched and searched, but it was
of no use, and he said, II can't run
away in the snow with a bare foot"
He had been getting Drawer and bray
er, now he was wide awake, and he
crawled forward aud looked down the
scuttle-hole. He knew that room in 9
minute, but he had to look twice be-
fore he'knew the tree. "
Ever so many. stockingsl And
they're all full. Look at those sleds'
Oh myr
Whichever way he looked he saw
something wonderful, and he began to
q. can elimb:doAsy just: like 60,
ing downstairs
It was just about as. safe sud,sasy,
with all those branches under him, and
all he had to do was to sit on one, and
get ready to sit on the next one below
him. He got about half way down, and
there was the grain. bag, with its
mouth wide open. HJust beyond it on
the same bough, but further out, there
hung a very small stocking indeed.
"That's miner' exclaimed. Bijah.
''1t's cram full. too. They've borrow.
ed it, after all! theirs were full. I want
it to put on now,. butI can't reach it
out there"
just then he began. to. hear noises up
stairs, and other noises in the rooms be-
low-shouts and stamping, and people
calling to one another-and. he could
not make out, what they were saying.
cl. .soh IS ;d sa%in shsy' w. bsom Fl So,S Santa
Bijah was scared; but there was the
wide mouth Of Grandfather Vrooman's
grain-bag, stocking" and almost be-
fore Bijah knew; what. be was, doing he
had slipped in.
Poor Bijah! The moment he was in
he discovered that he could not climb
out. He tried hard, but there. was
nothing on the. sides, of the. bag for his
feet to climb on. Next moment, too,
he wanted't to crouch down as low as he
could, for all the noise seemed to be
coming nearer.
So it was, indeed, and at the head Of
1t were grandfather and grandmother
and the other grown-up people, trying
to keep back the. boys and girls until
they should all be gathered.
where's BijahP" asked grandfather,
after he had counted twice around, and
was sur about the rest.
''Bijah!" exclaimed Liph. "Why, I
looked! in, the store-room; he isn't
there"
"Hope the little chap didn't get
scared and run away"
Dear 'me-through the snow!" ex-
claimed grandmother
"Of course not" said Aunt Jane.
"He's around somewhere. Let's let
the children in. They're, all here"
"Steady, now!'' said grandfather, as
he SWING open the door into the, dark
room" ~'Don't touch anything till we
Il! get in. Stand around the tree"
he himself stepped right in front Of
1t, and he looked more like q great tall,
old Santa Claus than ever rs he stood
there. The children's eyes were open
ing wider and wider as they slipped
around In a sort of very impatient cir
ole; but grandfather own v 9 shut
for a moment, as they had a habit OF
doing sometimes, and his white beard
was all of q tremble. It was only for g
moment, but when he looked ,round
again he said:
"Now, children, wait. Which of you
a tell me what child it was that came
into the world on the first Chri stma.
morningP"
They had not been. quite ready to an
swer a question that came 30 sudt lenly
and before any of them could spe ak,
clear, sweet little voice came righ on,
of the middle of the tree:
81 know. And the shepherds f.,und
Him IN a manger, and His mother wal
with Him. He sent down after my
mother last summer"
"Bijah!' exclaimed grandfather, but
! grandmother was already pushing aside
the boughs, and now they all could see
him. Only his curly head and his lit
tie shoulders showed above the grain
bag, and Uncle Hiram shouted:
"Father Vrooman, he is In your
stocking! Who could have put him
thereP'"
II think l know" said grandfathe,
In a very low, husky kind Of voice; but
all the Simpsons and H%opkinses and
Hardys broke loose at that very mo.
ment, and 1t took them till breakfast.
time to complre. with each ot her the
things they found in their stockings
and all the other wonderful fruits Of
that splendid, Christmas tree.
Bijah was lifted out of, the bag, and
he got his stocking on, after it was
empty. For some reason he couldn't
guess. why all the grown-up people
kissed him, and grandfather m AIDE hin
sit next to him at breakfast
That was a great breakfast, and i
took ever 60 long to eat it, but it wa
hardly over before grandmother follow
ed grandfather into the hall, Q nd the,
heard her say:
snow, husband, what are you wrap
ping up so for, just to 60 to the barnf'
Barn! Why, my dear, I'm .goingt Il
town. l told Pat to have tile team
ready"
ITO town? Why, husband"
"Mother, there'll be stores open to
day. l can buy cords of toys and can
dy and things. When l get to the Or
phan Asylum, to tell EN- W hat has be.
come of Bijah, and why he won't come
back there again, I'm going to have
enough to go around among the rest o.
'em-1 am, if it takes the price of
cow"
Give 'em something for me,"
Uncle Hiram heard It, and l,e shout.
ed, "And for me-" and Uncle q John fol.
lowed, and all the rest, till the shildrer
caught it up, and there was a G. ,ntribu.
ton made by every stocking VIII ich had
hung on that Christmas tree. E I hey all
gave just. as fast. as they unde rstood
what it was for, and the last n to