The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-13

and gloves hts short cloak, and his or
i Large comforter. Is
4 The stout gentleman first shook the
STOW from, Ills cloak, on the shoulder OF
/ which in,iollN snow had collected and he
! tnada 1t nv ab1lt on oil sides rs lie shook
himself After this. he began to stamp
\ Will, his feet to wnrtn them and II,
\ looked like d clumsy dance IN little cir
| cle which nade all the children laugh.
1.-The next thing lie did Eas TO give hin.
Maclt d good rubbing on tic breast. and
!, he did 1t In 50 awkward way that It
Had nll the appearance OF a great clnin-
sy paw OF some creature giving itself
scratch: and though the children thought,
81 course, that this cllinslness was only
| In consequence OF thc.Very thick sleeves
Of the rough COAT which would not allow
| the gentcman's arms and hands to move
with case and grace still It looked SO
funny that the children laughed louder
would hcar.it through the windows. The
next thing the shut gentleman did was
IL draw forth an immense pocket hand-
| lerchief OF bright era So green. with a
crimson border. and With this he bcgn,i
| To dust his nose, to knock off the sect
and frostWork, and also tsto warm lits
/ nosc, which seemed to $bsfSery large and
When the childrali saw the gentleman,
)! do this, they could cortalh Themselves I'd
! longer, But all burst out Into loud
4 shout Of laughter.
. Tho stodt gentleman Instantly stopped,
! and begun TO look around him III al&di.
! rections, to see where the laug hing came
j from, The children all $ceased laughing,
/ and became suddenly DUET The stout
Eentle,nat II turned round and round. look
| inR in and down al the windows OF every
| house near him; til at last his eyes rest.
ed Upon the three parlor windows OF pr.
I.ttlepump's house. which were crowd
ed with faces. No sooner had he done
THIS than be advanced towaTas the house
In an Instant all the children ra away
from the window, crying out; Here ne
comes! Here ne comes!"
Presently scraping was heard upon
i the steps OF the dooro and then q loud
knock! u The chldrenf|all% iran to their
seats and sat quite silent Hooking at At each
across the room with q SERIOUS face and
then stood still, looking down upon the
floor Not a word was spoken. Gretchen.
covered her face with her handkerchief.
and Lydia, porothea end Wallis, who
/ were sitting almost huddled up behind
/ the iron pipe OF the stove. all pretended
to be " warming their hands None W OF
them liked 70 go to open the door 40, me
have heard feather fall Now came
4 louder knock! Then anotherl And
then ringing the bell.
~ am sorry,''- observed Mrs. Little
pump. ,'that the stout gentleman ls 80
; much Offended. IL \: re, M III Is.
1 II don't know very well what to say
to him" said pr. Littlepnmp. 81,
/ Again came the ringing 3at the bell
/ LYDIA, said pr, Llttlepump. you
must open the door fancy"
4 nDorotheu,' said Lydia, looking affec,
4 t!onately at.tho cook, do Just so TO the
door:n Vi VI VII
rWallis,' said Dorothea. i looking affuo-
! tlonatclytat the gardener" you know now
1 you, before and after dinner 40 Just open
/ the door, Wallis took OF his spectal--
! cIes, and sat with his mouth open. Il
i Again came the ringing at the bell. and
| a knocking at the same time I
Somebody" exclaimed Pr, Little
| pump. extending both hands. as 4 IN the
act Of addressing a large ass assembly ably
| "sap1ebody must go 81 .1 s
/ Upon Gretchen rose. -
'Oh, don't you 60, Gretchen, dearest"
/ cried little Val; "let Wallis go.
/ But Gretchen promised to run away as
4 soon as she had opened the door. and
i With this assurance sherwas allowed to
i 60; both Nancy and Valentine continu-
/ ing to call after her.y"B BE sure to run pacK'
4 to. US, as asst as ever; ,yOu ga 1Iit tr
tTo Be- Continued,
4 The Night After Christmas
| twas the night after Christmas, e
And an through the street,
Came the prance and the patter
or many small feet
For up at, the hall
Was a great Christmas tree. /.
And present was given
TO each child SO wee,