Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-12-23

was not q sound from any room. and
the older people went to bed on tiptoe,
and they had tried hard to not so much
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 a great
square hole in the middle of the floor,
and glow of dull red light came up
through it which almost made Bijah
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, 81 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 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 myr
Whichever way he looked he saw
something wonderful, and he began to
get excited.
81 can climb down. It'siust like go
ing downstairs
1t was just about as safe and easy,
with all those branches under him, and
all be 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 mine!' exclaimed Biiah.
s'It's cram full, too. They've borrow
ed it, after all theirs were full. l 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.
''Oh, dear! they're coming. Santa
Claus is coming. What II [ do?"
Biiah was scared; but there was the
wide mouth of Grandfather Vrooman's
grain-bag stocking" and almost be-
fore Biiah 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
''Where's Bijah?" asked grandfather,
after he had counted twice around, and
was sure about the rest.
''Biiah!' 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 snown' 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 swung open the door into the clark
room. p" Don't touch anything till we
all get 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
around in sort of very impatient cir
Gle; but grandfather S own eyes shut
for q moment, as they had habit Of
doing sometimes, and his white beard
was all Of tremble. 1t was only for
moment, but when he looked around
again he said:
'sNow, children, wait Which Of you
can tell me what child it was that came
into the world on the first Christmas
morning?n
They had not been quite ready to an
swer question that came so suddenly,
and before any of them could speak, 9
clear, sweet little voice came right out
of the middle of the tree:
Il know. And the shepherds found
Him in a manger, and His mother was
with Him. He sent down after my
mother last summer.
'sBJah!" 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 Froeman, he is in your
stocking! Who could have put him
there?"
II think I know said grandfather
in very low, husky kind of voice; but
all the Simpsons and Hopkinses and
Hardys broke loose At that very no
ment. and it took them till breaN
time to comp re with each other
things thes found Ill their Stock