Evening star., 1896-12-12

Day after day. when David Rowley came
home from his business, early in the after
noon. he found his wife sitting before the
cheerful fire. busily darning stockings.
once OF twice he fanc!ed that he en-
tered the room he saw Martha hastily stuff
something under the pile of stockings In
her basket This appeared odd to him, for
Martha very seldom did anything hastily
One afternoon. soon after David came
home. his wife was summoned down stairs
10 see caller. and, hurriedly rising, she
put down her work basket and left the
room. The basket was so near the edge of
the table that Mr- Rowiey. noticing that II
was In danger of falling on the floor, rose
TO set il back. AS he did so. his eyes fell
upon something extremely bright and gay
which lay within 1t. Impelled by curiosity
and having conscientious scruples about
looking at his wife's work, he took hold Of
the gay object and raised It that he might
examine 1t. He raised and raised and
raised-there seemed to be no end TO 1t.
At last he held up the gaudy thing ct arms
length; II was a stocking, made up of hori-
zontal stripes of black and red and yellow
1t was not finished for a great part of the
foot wanting.
"Heavens,' thought David Rowley-
What can that be for? Not for me, Sure
ly, for / wear socks: and not for herself.
Oh, no. that could never bei''
With both hands he held the stocking by
the two upper corners and gazed at It.
Ten inches wideI'' said he. 1T is al of
that Ard II 1t were finished, 1t would be
yes. ii would be yard long! Who on
earth could wear a stocking as big as
that?
As he stood staring at the exaggerated
hose, an idea struck him. He was on the
% mt of bursting out into laugh, but he
pulled 1t into chuckle
It's like herr he said. It's Just Ike
her, i have told her she is young
any of them. i believe she is younger.
She is going TO hang up his stocking for
to mn That IS what she has been try
ing TO hide from mel l thought she had
unusual number Of stockings 10 darn,
Lord What a stocking!" he said he
held IL up once more.
"An right. Mrs. Rowey. saii ne. Santa
Claus Will attend TO your'
And. properly he knew how, he
rolled up the stocking and put 1t carcfUlly
under the other articles In the work basket.
II early Christmas morning.
everything was quiet indoors and out
everything dark outdoors and in. except
for the dim light given out by night lamp
in the chamber OF Mr.. and Mrs. Rowley.
The good lady was sleeping soundly: the
more souEdly, perhaps, because she had
sat up the previous evening until her hus-
band in bed and asleep.
Mr.. Rowley was not asleep. he very
wide-awake-awake with his eyes and
awake with his ears. There was light
enough for him TO see his stocking. which
hung the left side OF the mantelpiece
and he perceived that it looked very full
and bulged out in many places. A lively
curiosity burned within him. but he did not
get up to examine his stocking. on the
other side OF the fireplace ne saw an enor-
nous stocking, gay even In the duskiness
of the room. and hanging faccid and
empty. His wife had had faith that Santa
Claus would come around again early in the
morning.
Presently he heard a clock strike G. and
al the sound he quietly slipped out OF bed
and dressed himself. with the exception of
his shoes. Then, with hts slippers in his
hands he stole down the softly carpeted
stairs. In the hall he put on his slippers,
struck a wax match. and made his way to
the kitchen. where he lit a lantern Very
careful TO make no noise with bolt or kew
he went down into the cellar and opened
the drafts of the furnace. an hour at lea at
before the time at which this Office was
generally performed by the servant
When he came upstairs again, Mr.. Row
ley went into the library with his lantern:
then he walked noiselessly into the parlor
There he stood by the register a few min
utes. and thsn he went back to the library.