Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-12-26


touch, and she was writing slowly and IA.
uoriously. Could presumption 70 farther
.hhn that' What would these people be
trying TO do nextf
" took her long time To writo Tim io,.
Ter but at last II was finished, and she laid
inc pom down with weary sigh. Then
she unrollcd little bundle that had been
ying beside her and shook out--could The
watcher believe his eycsf--a stocking, q
poor ioriorn, ragged little stockingl Now
what could sho want with thats
ehe stood on tiptoc md pcerod around
,he corners OF tho mantcl for a place 10
hang u. Finally something struck hcr
fancy as suitable, and she began pushing
heaVy chair toward tho mhntcl Whom
IL was near enough, she climbed upon 10
anu hung tho stocking upon the brave
chunccps OF the bronco Mercury that 10
hnd bought last year In Rome and Tor
which he had paid such prleel
presently She had jumped down and
was surveying the stocking with tho Qrcnt.
est pride. Then tho motto was carefully
folded and she climbed upon the obnir
again and pinned the folded paper Ia tho
toe so oonsnlcuousiy that the winged Mcr-
curry seemed 10 stand there Tor no other
purpose than TO held up ragged stocking
for all tho world to SEQ.
And then-why, thon she was living
down upon tho rug with hor thin cheek
on hcr THU little hand, and the listener
hUnrd tired sigh.
After u long while the old gentleman
behind the screen ycnturcd toinnvo slight
ly. Aitcr little longer he moved again
aud so gradually came out Of his hiding
place
Was that old Mr.. Roberts tiptoelns
aoruss the room to keep from startling tho
poor llttlo wnlf sleeping Gu his hearth rngi
Was TINT tho sordld old man whom eyon
his friends Ind come to call mere money
machine that man whose hauds trcmhlod
as ho uupinncd the little motto and spread
II out before himi
DEAN SANTA cLAusr-w Whom you come TO.
night pleas look OF me- IN DO down on tho rug
You've never seen mo before. You incident
give mo ennything, but pleas I'll the stocking
WIN things for mother shes sick. tied up
the toes 20 they wouldont drop out The doc
ter says wine and things and housrent.
MARJORIE HoIMEs
For long time the old man sat In the
chair before tho fire Something within
him was breaking the cold and selfish crust
that years had helped 20 form. lilo sat
hhNAN aNhhAhE iAhAAi INV tAtFHAuE NnAAN ~
tho forlOrn llttl0 stocking aud from the
stocking TO tho child IL was the first time
stocking had ever been hung up In his
bonse-tho first tlmoi
Suddenly tho old gentleman rose. He
lifted the child gently md laid her on n
couch which had always been sacred to
his own use and covered hor with rugs
Thon no went softly ont and astonshcd
tho transporting servants by appearing
among thnn and ordering the carriage.
Could this bo old Theodore Roberts, the
money machine tho selfish, brusquc, irri.
table old man. this man who went from
store to store, ordering HDd buying md
spending money ns ho had never spent II
bOforeY Could this DO tho Mr. Roberts
that Mrs Murray know, this man who
went into that slckroon, followed by
grent hamper fllled with "wlno and things
and house runtP Was this the man that
all tho charitable organizations Stunned,
this man who drove about half tho night,
leaving behind him trail Of Christmas
rejoicing. mingled with such blessings as
he had mover heard beforeP
And who was II that drove up tho hill
at last under the eilunt stars, with a chr
rlngo full OF bundles and with strange
soft feeling Juggling at his hcartstrinRs'
He smiled as he went and yet ho had TO
keep wiping his eyes. lilo was glad ~ was
dark, SO thnt no ono could soc.
And whit strange figure was this In tho
study afiorward, this figure that moved so
stealthlly and that was so busy stutfing
tho stocking until II was ready TO burst,
and pinning things NIL over the outside OF
1t until the bronze Mercury seemed al.
most to stHggor under his hurdonl What
had come over the old gentleman whom so
many people onyiod and whom nobody
loycdY
Just before day Mrs. Murray, coming
softly IN, found him sitting by tho fire,
watching the sleeping child
"It'll be n sad timo for her. " she snid
"Hor mothers COMO. and whatovcrs 20
become OF tho little thing don't know"
al don't sco why tho child shouldn't
stay here, Mrs, Murray" said the old Pun-
tloinnn, with his face turned tho other
way ut would bo some extra trouble for
you, but dare say you would not mind It."
"S-slrl" Mrs. Murray managed to artlc-
ulate.
Then tho old gontlomnn turned around.
and she saw what was shining ON his
checks.
"Do You SEQ that stocking, Mrs Muir
rayY" he criud In voice that sho had
never heard before. "Thats tho first stock
ing that was ever hung up Ia my house.
IL looks homelll,e. doesn't III l hayo do.
oldod that wen have stockings hung up
every yenr. And here's child that needs
a home, aud, thank heaven, I've home
to give her"
The child sighed and stirred and then
suddenly sat up.
"Did ho comoi" sic cried eagerly, with
n dazed look at the bursting stocking, and
tho old Gentleman beside her gathered her
up In his arms and said;
ayes, my little one. he camoi'-Phila-
delphia Tunes