The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1902-01-18

the mornin' whin he wakes up an
finds it impty!"
'Stop rambling and tell me what
you expect me to do" Mr.. Gennister
said, grimly.
"Nothin' in the world, sir, for he's
abed an asleep, till in the mornin'
he wakes an finds stockin' Imply an
his granny gone! Then he may cry
bit, but not for long. He can dress
hisself-he's a smart little bye-an'
if yen give him jist bite of bread
an sup o. milk, he'll be all right till
Ellen gifts over, an then she'll know
what to do, an yen niver dream, sir,
there's little bye in yer house. An
/ humbly hope, sir, ye'I pardon me,
an"
.sYes, yes, goodnight said MIR.
Gennister, impatiently, cutting her
short and turning on his heel.
He went up to his room to remove
the stains of travel. And before he
came down again he had heard the
back door shut and wagon drive
away, and he knew he was alone in
his house-alone, with the exception
of strange child!
Certainly Mr.. Gennister was much
annoyed, yet he was just enough to
see that Jane was really not to blame.
She could no more have foreseen be-
! ing called away by her daughters
sudden illness than that he would
telegraph her at the last moment be-
fore starting, instead of on the day
before, as hitherto he had done.
He put on his comfortable lounging
robe and went downstairs to find a
bountiful supper spread out on neat
table before the open fire. Short as
her time had been Jane had provided
amply for his comfort. She had not
neglected one thing which she knew
he liked, although she had found no
| time to run to the village store for a
top for her grandchild's stocking!
By the way, where was the boy? 1t
might be as well to know in what
part of the house he was sleeping in
case anything should happen in the
night.
So when Mr.. Gennister had finished
his supper he arose, feeling of an
noyance again coming over him, and
because the back part of the house
was usually cold, he put on cap be
fore he took up the lamp and started
upon his quest.
II He had poked his head into three
empty bedrooms before he came t.
, James. in the middle of whose ample
: featherbed a wee figure was curlet
/ up, fast asleep. At the beds foot
r limp little stocking hung empty ant
e forlorn.
/. While Mr.. Gennister was looking a
e it the little figure squirmed and sud
: denly sat up. Two little fists rubbe
s open two sleepy eyes and then tn
; small boy crept rapidly on all four
10 the foot of the bed and felt tn
stocking
e There was surprised and pitifr
d culver on the lip. Then the chill
r raised his head and caught sight c
d Mr.. Gennister's short, stout fgur'
v clad in long lounging robe and cal
d and the boy no longer felt either gris
or doubt.
IL 20 Santa Claus, fill up my tool
# ing!- he cried, tossing up his arm
Ie willie been good boy!"
t Instantly-for some unknown rel
1T son-Mr. Gennister blew out IL
N lamp. The silence was broken by
re sleepy chuckle from the bcd as II
lie child Struggled back among the war
st coverings. Then there was mike
D. up murmur of "Santa Claus-'tockir
IL good boy followed by contente
ID sleepy sigh, after which, with nois
{? less step, Mr.. Gennister withdrew.
in Back again in his warm sittin
a room he sat staring at the fire. He
ke he of all men on earth-had been mi
e. taken for Santa Clausi He laugh
grimly-it was so strange a jok
n Queer that even child could belle
at such nonsense. What fools grow
wv people were to teach them such ru
DIV bish--or to countenance it! He
many children would be disappoint
he in the morning, how many heartael