Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1886-12-23
CHAPTER III.

as whisper on the stairs.
CHAPTER III
| Oh. how beautiful the country was
when the gray dawn came next morn
ing'-white and still in the dim and
growing light
So still! But the stillest place was
the one Bijah woke up in. He could
not guess where he was at first, but he
lay awhile and remembered.
Santa Claus house, and they're all
real good. He's going to give me to
somebody as soon as it's Christmas.
He got up very quickly and looked
around him. 1t was not dark in the
store-room, for there was great
square hole in the middle of the floor,
and a glow of dull red light came up
through it which almost made Biiah
feel afraid
There was his little gray suit Of
clothes, cap and all, close by his bed on
the floor, and he put them on faster
| than he ever had done it before.
where's my other stocking?"
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
err now he was wide awake, and he
crawled forward and looked down the
scuttle-hole. He knew that room in a
minute, but he had to look twice be-
fore he knew the tree.
Ever so many stockings And
they're all full. Look at those sleds!
Oh my!n
Whichever way he looked he saw
something wonderful, and he began to
get excited.
II can climb down. It's just like go
ing downstairs.
1t was just about as safe and easy,
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. Just beyond it on
the same bough, but further out, there
hung very small stocking indeed,
That's miner' exclaimed Biiah.
'It's cram full, too. THEY'VE borrow
ed it, after all theirs were full. want
it to put on now, but | 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.
ooh, dearl they're coming. Santa
Claus is coming. What II doP"
Biiah was scared; but there was the
wide mouth of Grandfather Vrooman' S
grain-bag stocking" and almost be-
fore Bijah knew what he 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 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
it were grandfather and grandmother
and the other grown-up people, trying
to keep back the boys and girls until
they should all be gathered.
"Wherc's Bijah?" asked grandfather,
| after he mad counted twice around, and
was sure about the rest.
"Biiaht' exclaimed Liph. "Why, /
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.
Hes around somewhere. Let's let
the children in. They're all here"
STEADY, nown' said grandfather, rs
he swung open the door into the dark
! room. - Don't touch anything till we
| all ret in. Stand around the tree. ="
He himself stepped right in front of
| it. and he looked more like a great tall,
old Santa Claus than ever as he stood
there. The children's eyes were open
ing wider and wider as they slipped
| Gle; but grandfather S own eyes shut
| for moment, as they had habit OF
| doing sometimes, and his white beard
was all of trembe 1t was only for a
moment. but when he looked around
| again he said:
.'Now. children, wait. Which ofyou
can tell me what child it was that came
! into the world on the first Christmas
morning."
They had not been quite ready to an.
! swer d question that came so suddenly,
! and before any of them could speak,
clear, sweet little voice came right out
| of the middle of the tree;
II know. And the shepherds found
Him in manger, and His mother was
with Him He sent down after my
/ mother last summer,
"Biiahr' exclaimed grandfather, but
grandmother was already pushing aside
4 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
there?"
Il think know" said grandfather
in a very low, husky kind OF voice; but
all the Simpsons and Hopkinses and
Hardvs broke loose ut that very
! ment. and il took them till breakt
time to comp re with each other
! thiu,rs they fouul in their stock