The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-12-21
3Misccll ancnus.
FILLING THE STOCKINGS.

the least little streak of morning light was
| beginning to Peep through the window cur.
tains, and stole up stairs. She jumped upon
the bed, and rubbed her cold nose against
LiI's face, and Weakened her.
Lii sprang up in bed, for it came to heI
like flash, ATS Christmas dayw
Bessie, wake up Merry Christmasw she
cried, and in half a minute four little bare
feet were pattering down stairs to the sitting
room, after the Christmas stockings.
They hadn't a doubt of finding them full
Santa Claus had never forgotten them yet
You can imagine, then, their dsmay when
each little girl casped Il limp and empty
stocking, with not so much as sugar-pum
to nil out the toe.
They ran to mammals bedroom 10 pour
out their complaints
Santa Claus forgot us !" cried Lii with
starting tears.
He didn't bring us anything" said Bes.
sic, throwing herself across her mothers feet
in m agony of grief.
81 think it's too bad !" said Llll.
Hes real mean. lllneycr like Him again p
said Bessie.
'Oh, go back to bed" said mamma you've
got up too early. How do you expect Santa
Claus can always get round before daylight ?
There are such numbers of little boys and
girls, the wonder is that he gets round at all.
He'd never forget you, I'm sure. Go bGck,
and curl down in bed till it's really light
Then get up and dress yourselves nicely, be.
fore you come down, and you'll see what
you'll see"
Rather disconsolate, the little girls went
back to bed.
You needn't feel SO bad, Bessie Bradley.
Haven't you found out moren' II hundred
times, that mamma knows about things
belter'n we do? o. said Lii.
81 amt feclin' bad, any more'n you are
and Santa Claus is comm in bout nine or
eight minutes" said Bessie.
While waiting for daylight they talked of
the picscnts.they hoped TO have and MS soon
as the sun pecpcd above the eastern horizon
they were up, and putting on their clothes
rs quickly MS possible, went down stairs.
There was nobody in the sitting-room. A
fire was burning in the crate, and stockings
hung against the mantcl, but they still look
ed limp.
They were not near enough 10 he sure
they were empty, when loud "toot tOot |"
sounded from somewhere with a iingling of
bells, and a trampllnE of feet.
He's coming Oh, Lii Bradley, old Santa s
a coming" said Bessie, cIinging to her sis
ter's skirt. Lii held her breath and said
nothing
The door flew open, and in bounced Santa
Claus, sure enough! lie wore a furry coat,
and red cap, high and pointed at the top
and bound with fur. His eyes were hidden
behind great silver-rmmed spcctacles and
his hair and beard were long, and white as
snow.
Mamma came out of the bedroom Just
then, and Bessie and Lii sided up to her,
caught each one of her hands, feeling half
afraid of the queer, "jolly old elf" and then
stood, silent ana watching.
The great pack upon Santa's back didn't
seem to be empty yet, and there were pack
ages peeping out of every pocket, out of the
breast of his coat and even out OF his sleeves
He seemed in n tearing hurry.
"Whew Whew This is the first chance
I've had to take breath since | started out
last nigh. So many youngsters to visit this
year thought should never get around
Whew ! how hot il is here. Well let's see -
lie wlirled the pack from his back, down
on the rug, and began rummaging vigorously
among the packages within. Only Two
stockings 30 fiji here, and little ores at that
I've lots of presents left over"
lie drew out package, held his head on
one side with funny little grimace rs he
red stocking,
That's doll, | know" whispered Lii,
squeezing her mothers hand.
A similar package went into Besse's blue
one. Then other similar packages, till the
stockings would hold no more.
All the time he worked he kept jerking out
funny speeches about the children and their
wants, us if he knew all about them
Lii and Bess were in state of joyful ex-
citement. Lii thought there was something
familiar about the voice, or the motions or
something she couldn't tell what.
II believe I've seen him before! Else
dreamed did! Else he's some like father r
she whispered.
Her mother laughed aloud at this. 1t made
old Santa Claus look up from his work, aud
he seemed to espy the little group in the cor
ner for the first time
BLESS my stars" he calculated, beginning
TO gather up hastily from the rug the parcels
that had fallen out of bis pack.
"Bless my stars and stripes Folks must
not see me about this businessW
He threw his pack over his back, and then
putting his hands deep in his side pockets,
he drew them out full, and n shower OF sugar
plums pelted the little girls, and he hurried
out the room
Just as he was going he threw big pack
age at mother, saying
"That's for the old lady, there! Came pref
ty near forgetting hertz
Lii knew the voice in which this was said
and cried out
otis papa It's papa"
They sprang after him. and led him back
into the room, in laughing triumph.
They took of the pointed cap and the blue
spcctacles. They brushed the flour from his
eyebrows and rubbed the red from his cheeks.
They robbed him of the pillow that had made
him look so chubby and plump, and the
gray wig and beard that made him look so
venerable
And when they came to examine the con-
tents of the stockings they were more than
ever delighted TO have for Santa Clans their
own dear father.
Wild Dogs of Assam