South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1892-12-23

sleigh, while Liph was perched
among the evergreens aud drove,
there seemed to be something warm
about him.
1t was not so much his high fur
hat or his tremendous overcast, )r
his long white beard, or the way he
smiled. but something IN the sound
OF his voice almost dreve the frost
out of Bijah's nose.
We'll, little man, don't.you want
to come to my house aud get some
pie?'
Yes, sir
Bijah could not think OF one
other word he wanted to say, and
he mustered all the courage he had
not to cry when Grandfather Vroo-
man picked him up as IL he had
been a kitten. and perched him By
the side Of Liph among the ever
green's.
'On he vent, and Bijsh did not
answer single ono of Liph' ques-
tons for Ave long minutes. Then
he turned his black eyes full on his
driver, and asked, DO you live
with Santa Claus in his own house?'
Yes, sir e, responded Liph, with
a great chuckle OF fun; but all he
had to do the rest of the way was
to spin yarns for Bijah about the
way they lived at the house where
all the Christmas came from.
When they got there, Liph's faith
er and the hired man and Grand.
father Vrooman were ready to lift
off that Christmas tree, and carry
it through the front door and hall,
and set it up in the dark room at
tho end of the hall. That ought
to have been the incest room in the
house, for it was right In the Md
die, but there were no windows in
IL. There were doors in every d.
rection, however, aud In the centre
OF the ceiling was 'Scuttle hole
more than two feet square, with a
wooden lid on it,
I John said Grandfather Vroo-
man to Mr.. Hardy, well hoist the
top OF the tree through the hole.
You go up and open the scuttle.
Hitch the top good and strong.
Therell be lots of things to hang
Oh them branches
Llph's father hurried up airs to
open the scuttle, and that gave
Grandfather Vrooman chance to
think of Bijah. where is he Llph?'
ooh, he's all right. Grandmotb-
er's got him. She and mother
caught him before he got into the
house. He tried to run away, too.
Bijah's short legs had been too
tired to carry him very fast, and
Grandmother Vrooman and Mrs.
Hardy had caught him before he
had got back to the gate.
Jane said grandmother, what
/ will we do with him? The house'll
be choke, jam, packed full. and
there Isn't an extra bed
Father found him in the snow
somewhere. Just like him. But
what a rosy little dot he lisp
Are you Santa Claus wives?'
asked Bijab, with a culver of his
lips in spite of himself.
How they did chuckle while they
tried to answer that question! All
they made clear to Bijah was that
the place for him was in big chair
before the sittIng-room Fireplace,
with plato OF mince pie in his lap,
and Bush, the big house-dog sit
ting beside him.
There were fire places in every
room on the ground floor Of Grand
father Vrooms1's house and some
kind of stove in more than half
the rooms upstairs.
There we're blazing fires on every
hearth downstairs, and Liph got
hold OF Bijah sitter a while, and
made him and Bush 90 around
with him to help poke them up.
Bijah had never seen fireplace be-
fore, and it was great wonder to
him, but Bush sat down in front of
each Ere and bsrked At It.
1t WAS getting dark when they
70 sched the great front parlor, and
the firep ace there was wonderful.
Wool, wool, wool, 'barked Bush.
Bijah stood still in the door
while Liph went near eno~gh to
give that fire a poke, and he could
hear Grandfather Vrooman away
back IN the sitting room:
Now, my dear, we'll stick him
away somewhere. Put him IN one |
Of the stockings and hang him up /
That's me- groanod Bitah. /
He's going TO make q present Of 4
me to somebody. Oh, dearl / !
wish ] could run away.
But he could not, for there was
Liph aud there was Bush, and it
was getting dark.
Now, my dear went on grand.
father, 'PH just light up and
then I'll 20 and meet that train.
III bring home Prue and her folks,
and Pat II meet tho other, and
bring Ellen and hers. Won't the
old house be full this timep
He's caught some more some
where whispered Bjah to himself.
Il wonder who'll get 'em? Who'll /
get me"
That was an awful question, but
Liph and Bash all but ran against
him Just then, and he heard grand
MOI Ha~ oows