South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-12-23
New Series, Vol. XVI No 81

Grandfather vrooman had had
ly been gone from the house an
hour, but here he was, back again.
Jingle, jingle, jingle. How the
sleigh-be:ls did dance az that great
load OF young folks came down the
roai, and what racket they made
q. the gate, and how Bush and
Liph, and grandmother, and the
rsst did help themi
Hes caught 'em all said BIZ
jsh; but they amt scared blt.'
No one wonld have thought so il
they had seen Mrs. Prue Hopkins
and her husband and her six chill
dren foll,w Grandfather vrooman
into the house.
They were hardly there, and
some Of them had their things Oh
jet, when there came another great
jingle, and ever so much talking
and laughter down the other road.
Hes caught some more. Some
ere little and some are big. won
der who'll get the baby?'
Bush was making himself hoarse,
and had to be spoken to by Mr..
Hardy, while Mrs. Simpson tried
to unmix her children from the
Hopkinsss long enough to be sure
mono OF them had dropped out of
the sleigh on the road.
Then Liph went to work to in
troduco his cousins to Bijah, and
Bush came and stood by his new
friend in gray, to see that it was
properly docc.
'Where'd you come from?' asked
Joe Simpson.
''Sylum,' said Bijah. eWhere'd
he catch COUP
Catch what? said Joe, but Liph
managed to choke off the chuctle
he was goirg into, and to shout
out:
Why, Joe, we found him in the
road to-day. lie thinks grandfath-
er's old Santa Claus, and this house
is Christmas
so l am-so it is said Grand
father Vrooman. We'll make him
hang mp his stocking with the rest
tonight
Bijah could not feel scared at all
with so many children around him,
and he was used to being among a
crowd of them; still it was hard to
feel at home after SUPPER, and he
might have had blue time os it if
it hadn't been for Liph and Bush.
1t had somehow got into Basins
mind that tho dot in gray was un-
der his protection, and he followed
Bijah from one corner to another.
a the doors in the dark room
were open, and it was the lightest
room In the house, with its big fire
on the hearth and all the lamps
that were taken in after supper;
but there was not one thing hang
ing on the Christmas-tree until
Grand father Vrooman exclaimed:
Now for the stockingsl It's get.
ting late, children; 1 must have you
all in bed before long
'Stockingsp
They all knew what that meant,
and so did Bijah, but it was won
derful how many that tree had to
carry. Bob Hopkins insisted on
hanging two pairs for himself, and
Thad Simpson was begging his
mother for a second pair when Liph
Hardy came in from the kitchen
with a great, long, empty grain
bag.
What in the world is that for?'
asked grandmother, perfectly as
tonished. why, child, what do
you mean by bringing that thing
in here?'
One big stocking for grandfath-
or. Let's hang it up, boys. May
be Santa Claus'll come and ill it,
There was no end of fun over
Grandfather Vrooman's grain bag
stocking that was all leg and no
foot but Uncle Hiram Simpson
took and fastened it strongly to q
branch in the middle of the tree
II was close to the trunk, and was
almost hidden but Liph saw I'm.
Gle Hiram wink at Aunt Ellen, ard |
ne knew there was fun of some kind |
that he had not thought Of.
Grandmother Yrooman had been 1
90 busy with all thse children from !
the moment tLey cane into the
house that she had almost lost her
anxiety but it came back to her
now, al Of q sudden.
'Sakes alive : Jane she said TO /
Mrs. Hardy, every last one Of ems
got to be in bed before we can do q
thing with tbe stocklngs.'
BijIh heard ber, for he vas Just
beyond tho dining room door, with
, croller in each hand, and it made
him shiYer all over.
4 wish ] Wss in che 'syIum. No, (
don't either but I kind o wish
Wai.'
Bijah war a very small boy. and
l0 bad not seen much Of the world,
but his ideas we're aim ost az clear
is those OF the other children and ,
GRANDMOTHER Vrooman for tho next
ifteen minutes. The way the Simp-
Ton and Hopkins family got mixed
up, with Liph and Sue Hardy to
lelp them, was something wonder
al. Old Bush wandered from room
70 room after them wagging bic tail Z
I'D whining.