The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1895-12-27

homeland sit here before the fire till
come back I'll take John and go down
| and see your rs1sher."
In another minute the sound of her re-
treating footsteps had died away, and the
old gentleman, peeping from behind the
screen, saw little figure sitting before
the fire, gazing intently into the glowing
Goals.
Dusk was settling down over the city.
He had not been conscious of it until the
electric burner above his table flashed into
sudden radiance. The flash startled the
child, and he heard her moving softly
about. What was she doingp Preparing
to steal something probably. These chill
dren from the tenement districts were all
thieves.
But, mol When he ventured to look
again, she was at the study table-his ia
ble-writing. She had his sacred pen,
which no other mortal had ever dared to
touch, and she was writing slowly and Ia
boriously. Could presumption go farther
than thatP What would these people be
trying to do nextP
1t took her long time to write the let
ter, but at last it was finished, and she laid
the pen down with a weary sigh. Then
she unrolled little bundle that had been
lying beside her and shook out-could the
watcher believe his eyes2--a stocking, a
poor, forlorn, ragged little stockingl Now
WI It could she want with thatp
she stood on tiptoe and peered around
the corners of the mantel for a place to
hang it. Finally something struck her
fancy as suitable, and she began pushing
heavy chair toward the mantel. When
1t was near enough, she climbed upon 1t
and hung the stocking upon the "brave
caduoeus' of the bronze Mercury that he
had bought last year in Rome and for
which he had paid such price
Presently she had jumped down and
was surveying the stocking with the great
est pride. Then the note was carefully
folded, and she climbed upon the chair
again and pinned the folded paper to the
toe SO conspicuously that the winged Mer
curry seemed to stand there for no other
purpose than to hold up ragged stocking
for all the world to see.
And then--why, then she was lying
down upon the rug with her thin cheek
on her thin little hand, and the listener
heard tired sigh.
After long while the old gentleman
behind the screen ventured to move slight
ly. After little longer he moved again
and so gradually came out Of his hiding
place.
Was that old Mr.. Roberts tiptoeing
across the room to keep from startling the
poor little waif sleeping en- his hearth rugp
Was that the sordid old man whom even
his friends had come to call mere money
machine, that man whose hands trembled
as he unpinned the little note and spread
it out before himP
DEAR SANTA CLAUsE-When you come to-
night pleas look at me. I'll be down on the rug.
You've never seen me before. You incident
give me ennything, but pleas fill the stocking
with things for mother shes sick tied up
the toes so they wouldent drop out. The doc
ter says wine and things and housrent.
MARJORIE HOLMES.
For long time the old man sat in the
chair before the fire. Something within
him was breaking the cold and selfish crust
that years had helped to form. He sat
there looking from the sleeping child to
the forlorn little stocking and from the
stocking to the child.' 1t was the first time
a stocking had ever been hung up in his
house-the first time!
Suddenly the old gentleman rose. He
lifted the child gently and laid her on
couch which had always been sacred 81
his own use and covered her with rugs.
Then he went softly out and astonished
the unsuspecting servants by appearing
among them and ordering the carriage.
Could this be old Theodore Roberts, the
money machine, the selfish, brusque irri-
table old man, this man who went from
store to store, ordering and buying and
spending money as he had never spent it
before? Could this be the Mr.. Roberts
that Mrs. Murray knew, this man who
went into that sickroon, followed by
great hamper filled with "wine and things
and house rentP" Was this the man that
all the charitable organizations Stunned,
this man who drove about half the night,
leaving behind him trail of Christmas
rejoicing, mingled with such blessings as
he had never heard before?
And who was it that drove up the hill
at last under the silent stars, with a car
riage full of bundles and with a strange,
soft feeling Juggling at his heartstringsf
He smiled as he went, and yet he had to
keep wiping his eyes. He was glad it was
dark, so that no one could see.
And what strange figure was this in the
study afterward, this figure that moved so
stealthily and that was SO busy stuffing
the stocking until it was ready to burst,
and pinning things all over the outside of
it until the bronze Mercury seemed al
most to stagger under his burdenp What
had come over the old gentleman whom so
many people envied and whom nobody
loved?
Just before day Mrs. Murray, coming
softly in, found him sitting by the fire,
watching the sleeping child.
"It'll be a sad time for her." she said
"Her mothers gone and whatever's to
become of the little thing don't know"
81 don't see why the child shouldn't
stay here Mrs. Murray" said the old gen.
tleman, with his face turned the other
way sit would be some extra trouble for
you, but dare say you would not mind it,"
"S-sirW Mrs Murray managed to artic-
ulate.
Then the old gentleman turned around,
and she saw what was shining on his
cheeks.
edo you see that stocking, Mrs. Muir
ray?" he cried, in a voice that she had
never heard before. "That's the first stock
ing that was ever hung up in my house.
1t looks homelike, doesn't it? L have de-
oided that We'll have stockings hung up
every year And here's child that needs
home, and, thank heaven, I've a home
to give her"
The child sighed and stirred and then
suddenly sat up.