The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-12-25

His dish full, off he started, and after
sundry turns made his way to a vacant
lot, where, shielded by a pile of brick, lay,
tilted to one side, large crate, partially
stuffed with straw.
Hello, Johnny. Wake up!" shouted
Bob, at which little fellow, with the
bonniest of blue eyes and the sunniest of
curls, poked his head from out of the
straw in the crate, with:
"I'se here, Bob. Does us have break
fast ?"
"You bet," replied Bob, displaying
the treat, and continuing with: I'VE
are going to do things in style this
Christmas Nibble on that while | set
the table," and Bob tossed the little
chap cookie; then, gravely piling sew
eral bricks together, he placed thereon
the broken dish of molasees and the old
woman's donation, when, wedging him
self in beside Johnnie, and tucking the
straw snugly about them, he calculated:
"Ptch in little 'un. and say grace"
Folding his tiny hands, Johnnie lisped,
gravely
"For what us bout to 'ceive, Lord be
thankful Amen"
l. To which Bob subjoined:
Here's to the old lady's good health .
Merry Christmas Hurray :"
After this rather peculiar grace the
feast proceeded without interruption I'M
til Johnnie propounded
What's Sanity Claws :"
"Oh, he's a chap with a Jolly, red
face an white beard, wot goes round
Christmas with heaps OF toys and sich."
Will he come here :" cried Johnnie,
his eyes opening wide.
"No, don't blieve as how he'll visit
our establishment. | only hear tell of
him going to the nob>. as can buy plenty
for themselves, answered Bob, grin
ming
''Phaps-oh, Bob ,-p'haps Mrs. Sanity
Claws 'ull come t. US poor tolk,:' inter
rogated Johnnie, w>ttuliy
Mrs. Sanity Claws | never exactly
heard If SIGH, but hear say there's a wo-
man at the baton of everythn'; 50 |
guess there's a nice, Jolly old lady Sanity
Claws" replied Bob, assarinyly, as he no.
ted Johnnic'> .nAiou> little face.
Where's .nty Claws live 2" was
Johnnie's next query.
ooh, in swell house." and Bob, coolly
drawing upon his Imagination, added, ono
end of tip-top furniture, all gold and heaps
of pictures and blazing fires"
"Oh :" uttered Johnnie, with a wstful
sigh, and it 'ud be nice there, wouldn't
it p Then, nesting closer to his com
panon, he added: But It's nice here,
too, in this warm straw, an like being
with you, Bob. | does"
4 bu,c, e ;nrou, bolIc Aoo,nl t,,,,o,l
them on the crisp morning air. \ mel
ody of welcome to Gods house Of
prayer.
Johnnie" called out Bob, "how'd yer
like to 90 TO church %
''What's there :" questioned the little
fellow
ooh, they ses prayers, an plays the or
gin, an sings, an folks as wants to, take
a snooze"
SIS it 2" anxiouslv asked John
ME, cuddling into the straw.
WARN: You bet An 5 ,fys as soft
as-as mud"
"l'll go!' cried johnnie, crawling out
Of his nest
Sncn a quaint little figure as he looked
all rnutf1ed up in An old shawl, the ends
trailing on the ground as he marched
happily off, his hand in I5obs. Shortly
after these two children stood Watching
the handsomely dressed throng a. it en-
tered fashionable place Of worship, un-
till Bob, with now Johnnie, look alive,
or the cop'l nail US" pushed the child
before him into the crowd, and, y sure
enough, an alert policeman, spying Bob,
made a grab for him, which Bob dcftlv
elnded, but meanwhile Johnnie was car
rled on toward the baize door amid
swirl of silks and s4tins
The little fellow was triile awed at
The church's solemn grandeur; but as
Bob never failed to turn up all right,
Johnnie made for an empty pew .anl
curled himself up on a hassock to await
bis friends coming. Presently the or
"an pealed forth, aud Johnnie's eyes
grew round with astonishment as the
voices OF the unseen choir mingled with
its wondrous tones. Bnt soon the little
head dropped, and lulled by the sweet
strains and the unusual warmth AMI com
fort, the child slept. Nor Needed he the
advent OF plump, rosy ch ,ck"i lady,
whose white hair contraSte 80 pr4ttily
with her still young fac, AMI whose com
panion-l stout jolly, tlorii-!Accd grnrc-
man-possessed bushy head OF ,lr and
beard OF sllvery whltencss. \ faint cX-
clamatIon escaped the lady, then, turn
ing to the gentleman, she Whispered