Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1885-01-02


with saw and axe. and then there was
sharp bit of work for him and Liph
10 get that christmas tree slowed
safely on the top of the sleigh load.
Now for home. Liph. Your grand
mother II cut into one of them new
pies for you when YOU get there"
Look shouted Liph, that little
fellows waiting for us at the top of the
/ hill"
, The hill was not high one, and the
! road led right over it, and there on the
! summit stood Bijah.
LIN so tired and hungry" he said
to himself. land there comes old Santa
Claus, sleigh and all"
He was getting colder, too, now he
was standing still. and when Grand
father Nrooman came along the road,
walking in front of the sleigh, while
Liph pcrched among the evergreens
and drove, there seemed to be, some
thing warm about him.
1t was not so much his high fur hat,
or his tremendous overcoat. or his long
white beard. or tho way he smiled. but
something in the sound of his voice
almost drove the frost out of Biiah's
nose.
We'll my little man. don't YOU want
To come to my house and get some pie?'
Yes. sir.
Bijah could not think of one other
word he wanted to say, and he mus
tered all the courage he had not TO cry
when Grandfather Vrooman picked
him up, a. If he had been kitten. and
perched him by the side OF Liph among
the evergreens.
On he went, and Bijah did not an
>wer single one of Liph's questions
Tor five long minutes. Then he turned
his black eyes full on hi. driver and
asked. do Won live with Santa Claus
in his own housc?''
Yes. stree" responded Liph, with
great chuckle of fun; but all he had
to do the rest Of the way home was to
spin yarns for Bijah about the way they
lived IT the house where all the Christ
nIas came from,
When they got there. Liph's father
and the hired man and Grandfather
Nrooman were ready to lift off that
Christmas tree and carry it through the
front door and hall. and set il up in the
dark room at the end OF the hall
hat ought to have been the incest
room IN the house. for il was right in
the middle. hut there were no windows
in It. There were doors in every direc-
ton. however, aud in the center Of the
ceiling was 4 ''-cuttle hole" more than /
two feet square, with wooden lid on /
il.
John, said Grandfather Vroomau /
10 Mr.. Hardy. well hoist the top of |
she tree through the hole. You go up
and open the scui;!e. Hitch the top
good and strong. There'lI be- lots OF
things To hang on them branches.
Liph's father hurried u.stairs tn open
the scuisle. and .h.. gar, Grandfather
- sI-l rs~
-soh. he all right Grsfnamo,ar.
81. him. She aad mother caught him
before he go, into the hoas.. He tried
. run away. too.
Bijah's short legs had bc.,n too tired
- carry him very fast. and Grand
mother Nrooman and Mrs. Hardy had
caught him before he got back 10 the
gate,
The way they laughed about il gave
him great deal OF courage. and he
never erred when they took him by his
rel little hands. one on each side, aud
walked him into the house.
jane. said grandmother. what
will we do with him9 The house'll be
choke. jam, packed full, and there isn't
an extra bed. -
Father found him in the snow some
where. Just Ike him But what
rosy little dot he iss'
Are you Santa Claus wivcs?" asked
Rilah. with quiver of his lip in spite
ot himself.
How they did ehuckle when they
tried 10 answer that question: All they
made clear To Bijah was that the place
for him Was in hig chair before the
sit,ing-room fireplace. with plate of
minee-pie in his lap, and Bash, the big
hou>e-dog. sitting beside him.
hts Santa Claus dog" said Bijah
to himself; but his house isn't a. big
as the sylum.