The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-12-22
CHRISTMAS JANE.

cember evening, sat David and Martha
Rowley. They were Il mildle-aged couple,
genial in spirits. prosperous in circum-
stances and their home was bright,
warm and cheerful.
David said Mrs. Rowley, this is
going to be the Quietest Christmas we
have ever spent together; none of your
nephews, none of my nieces: just us two
for the Christmas dinner and all that
comes before and after it. 1t seems to
me that it is scarcely worth while for us
to have home Christmas. Or course,
we can 80 to church. but as to-
NO, no, no, Martha, that will never
DO, interrupted David. I'VE are not
going to give up any of the joys of our
lives simply because there are no young
people, or any kind of people, to enjoy
them with us. We'il keep Christmas
JUST as we have always kept it,"
And hang up our stockings, sup
pose?' remarked Martha.
David turned quickly toward her, his
eyes Frightening. of course we will do
that said he Ever since we have lived
in this house there have been stockings
hung up in it on Christmas eve, and they
shaH pc hung up this year just the
same"
And you think Santa Claus will fill
them, do you?' asked his wife,
"Think!' said David; Il am sure of it.
Anyway, we will try him.
Day after day, when David Rowley
came home from his business early in
the afternoon, he found his wife sitting
before the cheerful fire, husily darning
that as he entered the room he saw
Martha hastily stuff something under the
pile of stockings in her basket. This ap-
peared odd to him, for Martha very sell
dom did anything hastily.
One afternoon, soon after David came
nome, his wife was summoned down
stairs. to see a caller, and hurriedly ris-
ing she put down her work basket and
left the room: The basket was so near
the. edge of the table that Mr. Rowley,
noticing that it was in danger of falling
on the floor. rose to set it back. As he
did so his eyes fell upon something ex-
tremely bright and gay which lay with
i'll it. Impelled by curiosity and having
no conscientious scruples about looking
gay object and raised it that he might ex-
anime it. He raised and raised and
raised-there seemed to be no end to it,
At last he held up the gaudy thing at
arms length; it was Il stocking, made up
Of horizontal stripes of black and red and
yellow. 1t was not finished, for a great
part of the foot was wanting.
'Heayens!' thought David Rowley,
What: can that be for? Not for me,
self. Oh. no, that could never be!'
With both hands he held the stocking
by the two upper corners and gazed at it.
Ten inches wide"' said he. 1T is all
Of that! And if it were finished it would
be-yes it would be a yard long! Who
IN Orf n q Of n q Z
that!'
AS he stood staring at the exaggerated
hose an idea struck him. He was on the
point of bursting out into laugh, but
he pulled it into chuckle.
Its like herr he said. Its just like
her! I have told her she is as young
as any of them. l believe she is younger
She is going to hang up this stocking for
me to fill! That is what she has been
trying to hide from me! l thought she
had an unusual number of stockings to
darn: Lord! What a stocking"' he
said, as he held it up once more.
''All right, Mrs. Rowley," said he,
"Santa Claus will attend to you!'
And, as properly as he knew how, he
rolled up the stocking and put it careful
ly under the other articles in the work.
basket.
1t was early on Christmas morning
y
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
scundly; the more soundly, perhaps, be-
cause she had sat up the previous even
ing until her husband was in bed and
asleep.
Mr.. Rowley was not asleep; he was
very wide awake-awake with his eyes
and awake with his ears. There was
light enough for him to see his stocking
which hung ON the left side of the man.
telpiece. and he perceived that it looked
very full and bulged out III many places
A lively curiosity burned within him, but
he did not get up to examine his stock.
he saw an enormous stocking, gay even
in the duskiness of the room. and hang
ing 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 at the sound he quietly slipped out
of bed and dressed himself, with the ex.
slippers in his hands, he stole down the
softly-carpeted stairs. In the hall he nut
on his slippers, struck wax match and
made his way to the kitchen, where he
lit IL lantern. Very careful to make nc
noise with bolt or key he went down
into the cellar and opened the drafts OF
the furnace, an hour at least before the
| time at which this Office was generally
performed by the servant.
When he came upstairs again Mr.
| ROWley went into the library with his
| lantern: then he walked noiselessly into
| the parlor. There he stood by the regis
ter a few minutes, and then he went
listened. Several times he took his Ian
tern and looked at the clock. It seemed
to him it took a long time for the hands
to move to a quarter of I.
Before the minute hand touched 9 Mr.
Rowley rose and went into the hall
Very quietly he drew back the bolt tc
the front door, unfastened the chain and
Then he listened intently.
Very soon he heard feet ascending the
stone steps. He gently opened the door
and admitted two nOiseleSS figures. They
were women. Without word Mr.. Row.
ley conducted them into the library and
shut the door.
After some minutes of whispered con-
versation the three came into the hall
One woman held the lantern so as to
light the stairs, and the other, with Mr.
Rowley, quietly assembled. She carried i,
:'undle, and when they reached the cham
Der .!oor they stopped and listened
Finding that Mrs. Rowlcy was still
asleep, they entered and approached the
right-hand side of the fireplace. The
woman gazed at the great stocking which
hung there and as she did so her mouth
widened and her eyes sparkled, but she
made no sound. Then she turned to Mr..
Rowley and shook her head as if she
said: "This will not do" He gazed
back at her and raised his eyebrows, as
if he would ask: "Why will it not do ?
What is the matter with itY' She shook
her head again and stood for moment
thinking. She looked about her, and,
seeing Il cushion on lounge, she mo,
toned to Mr. Rowley to put it on the
floor. When this had been done, she
gently laid her bundles on the cushion.
Now she approached Mr.. Rowley and
whispered in his ear the word Scissors -
He looked at her in surprise, but soon