Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1895-12-15

to hang it. Finally something struck
her fancy as suitable, and she began
nushing a heavy chair toward the man
! tel When it was near enough she
climbed upon it and hung the stocking
unon the "brave caduceus" of the bronze
Mercury that he had bought last year
in Rome, and for which he had palu
| such a price!
Presently she had jumped down and
was surveying the stocking with the
greatest 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 Mercury seemed to stand
/ there for no other purpose than to hold
up a 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 a tired sigh.
After a long while the Old gentleman
behind the screen ventured to move
! slightly. After a little longer he
moved again, and so gradually came out
of his hiding place.
was lLdL Olu MI. INObNlho NAPNSNAAAS
! across the room to keep from startling
the poor little waif sleeping on his
! hearth rug? Was that the sordid Old
man whom even his friends had come to
call a mere money machine, that man
| whose hands trembled as he unpinned
the little note and spread it out before
him?
Dear Santa Claus-When you come
tonight pleas look at me. I'll be down
on the rug. You've never seen me be
| fore. You needn't give me ennything,
but pleas fill the stocking with things
for mother; she's sick. l tied up the
toes so they wouldn't drop out. The
doctor says wine and things and nous
rent. MARJORIE HOLMES"
For a 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. II was the
first time a stocking had ever been hung
UP in his house-the first time!
Suddenly the old gentleman rose. He
Fitted the child gently and laid her on a
couch which had always been sacred to
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,
irritable old man, this man who went
from store to store ordering and buying
and spending money as had never spent
II before? Could this be the Mr.. Rob
erts that Mrs Murray knew, this man
who went into that sick room, followed
by great hamper filled with wine ann
things and house rent?" Was this the
man that all the charitable organ!Za-
lions stunned, this man who drove
about half the night, leaving behind
him a trail Of Christmas rejoicing. min
gled with such blessings as he had
never heard before?
And who was it that drove up the hilf
at last under the silent stars, with car
rage full of bundles and with a strange,
soft feeling tugg.ng at his heartstrings?
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 him.
And what strange figure was this in
I0t Sluul dl Ltl W al u Aulo hShAC Nhee
moved so stealthily and that was so busy
stuffing the stocking until It was ready
to burst. and p!nning things all over thu
outside of it until the bronze Mercury
seemed almost to stagger under his bur-
den? What had come over the old gen.
tleman 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.
"Ttn be sad time for her." she said.
Her mothers gone, and whatevers 10 |
become of the little thing don't know.
Il don't see why the child shouldn't |
stay here. Mrs. Murray said the old |
gentleman. with his face turned the
other way. 1T would be some extra
trouble for you, but dare say you would
not mind it,
"S-sirr Mrs. Murray managed to ar
ticulate.
Then the old gentleman turned around
and she saw what was shining on his
cheeks.
f do you see that stocking, Mrs. Muir
rave" he cried. in a voice that she had
never heard before That's the first
stocking that was ever hung up in my
house. It looks homelike, dosn't it? |
have decided that well have stockings
hung up every year. And here is child
that needs home and, thank heaven, l
have a home TO give her
The child sighed and stirred, and then
suddenly sat up.
Did he Gomez" she cried eagerly,
with a dazed look at the bursting stock
ing, and the old gentleman beside her
gathered her up in his arms and said:
yes, my little one, he came. Phil
adelphia Times.