Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-19

hand, and sat down by the window 20 think
the matter over. At first he felt hurt, and
would have liked TO cry. br.. he was too
brave boy for that. He looked rather
scornfuliy at the potato, as hethought Of the
many pret v things he had hoped to get,
and he had half mind to pitch his present
through the window. But be reeolleeted
that it came from Santa Claus, and that he
must never do or say anything disrespectful
toward him. Perhaps this was had year
with Santa Claus, and the old fellow had
really done the best he could for him; and
then il was rather pleasant TO know that he
had not been overlooked altogether, as he
might have been. So he sat there thinking
it over, good deal puzzled, when his grand
mother appeared.
See. granny" he said, ''this is my Christ
mas present from Santa Claus; and laying
it in her hand be turned away to make his
fire and begin his morning ta ks. He did not
ieel able G. say any more about the matter
just then, and did not want his grandmother
to see his disappointment.
We'll. Tony" said she, after q little while,
''at least we will have your potato roasted
for dinner. | am sure there never was o finer
one. And will melt some butter to go with
it. You know how fond you are of roasted
potatoes and butter gravy"
Granny" said Tony, what does this
IlNdh Dpht JDfYtt utt SluUuty. never
heard OF a stuffed potato before"
1T is a curious message" she replied
Perhaps we shall understand it better by
and by"
She went on with her work, and Tony sat a
long time at the window, watching her and
thinking. He saw her wash the big potato
carefully and place it in the oven. Presently
she began setting the table, and as she
moved about very quietly, Tony, with his
head leaning against the window, fell asleep,
as he had been awake so much the night be-
before. And now he dreamed, not of Santa
Claus, but OF his big potato. He sawit lying
on its back upon the table, in size like an
enormous pumpkin; and it's stomach was
plumper and its face roster than before, while
its pink eyes twnkled at him SO fast he could
hardly watch their motion. And then, as he
dreamed. his grandmother cut the potato
open and great cloud of steam arose, and
through the steam he saw q great number of
objects, such as he had thought about the
night before. He saw pair of skates and
some red woolen mittens and Chinese puz-
zle and q shawl for grandmother and book
and Tam O'Shanter cap and
Come, Tony! wake up! Dinner is all
ready" called grandmother. Tony sprang
up, dashed some cold water over his face and
hands, and was quickly seated at the table,
with good appetite. There was his Christ
mas potato, roasted to a rich brown and
smokinghot. Tony's spirits rose as hecaught
the delicious smell. His grandmother took
q knie and cut the big potato in two pieces,
one for each Of them. As she did so the knife
struck against something hard which, as she
pressed it, rolled out upon the table. Tony
looked at his grandmother in astonishment,
and noticed that her eyes were twinkling
faster even than the jolly pototo's had
done
Then he sprang from his chair and caught
up the object that had rolled out of the
potato.
"Hurrah!" he cried. "Dont forget the
shtfing!"
1T was $40 gold piece.
Tony fairly danced around the table, wav-
ing the money in the air as though it were
flag Then he threw his arms around his
grandmothPr's neck and kissed her, seized
his cap and flew out of the room. Grand
mother smiled and laid the big potato care
fully back in the oven to keep it hot, for she
knew he would soon return.
Tony ran down the street till he reached
bakers shop which was still open. 81 want
some things for our Christmas dinner" said
he. He quickly chose fine meat pie with
richly Drowned top crust, some lovely cram
berry tarts and package Of the most de-
licious cakes the shop afforded. Then he ran
into a grocer's and bought basket of rosy
checked apples, and hurried home with his
treasures.
"See. granny he exclaimed, "this is for
our Christmas dinner, to go with our potato.
All these things were in the stuffing. And see
all the money have left enough to buy all
the things l wanted, and some nice presents
for you, too, dear granny"
That evening when Mr.. Dogood their kind
neghbor, came in to see them, Tony could
talk of nothing but his good fortune. ~
don't believe that in all this town." said he,
"there's single boy who got a better present
than my Christmas potato"
"You are a good and brave boy, and de-
serve it," said Mr.. DoCood, as he looked
pleasantly at the old grandmother.