The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1910-12-20

x,uzu1eu,xuu cent OF the stairs to
button i'm a button that
would not stay buttoned II required
much time and he sat down ON The
eVop ana with all his ten fat, wee fin
gers laoored. Then, "Das a doodle
BOY he objurgated himself as he
/ resumed his climb OF the stairs the
button outtoned; "Das darwin vittle
/ gentleman"
he shook the knob. Waited ing
ging on the toes OF him and discours.
Ing to Nicodemus.
The door remained closed
Two TAT palms smote It wrathfullv.
Open" he commanded; "pease
I open dis door"
! Nobody answered,
Poor yittle boy" he wheedled at
keynote; "zere amt nobody loves
I'M"
Nleodemus yapped and made feints
at desertion when a dog barkeJ ont.
side Fawned back, and licked the
nhgers where bread and honey aroma
fingered. Sat up and waved an affable
paw at him.
He sat down on the floor and gath.
cred his yellow dog into his ninefore
and Rugged.
'Cept Nitodemus an myssef." he
said.
Great-grand came up the hall
is you been bad boy, dreat-dran ?"
he said rs you all shutted out?"
Great.grand sighed.
seems like this horse lust will RIM
away" in doleful tone, "and I've got a
bone In my foot and can't run after
him"
In wink he was aiter the ramnapt
steed Captured and mounted. rode
II lordily hither and yon, and when
at last he came back from the breath.
less miles we had slipped down the
back way and at stairfoot waited.
Slowly, with dignity, he dismounted
put his steed In stall, came back TO
stair-head, and legs astride and head
thrown back, surveyed us from the
heights Of remembered injury. Be.
side him, perky, tongue lolling out.
Nicodemus squatted.
Long legs gathered 20 his chin
great-grani ranged himself on the ton
step and twinkled.
Yes, sirs,' quoth great-grand
"shutted us all OUT"
Our baby nodded confirmation and
Nicodemus yawned In our faces
Men mys Nitodemus an mys dreat-
dram" he said. "An mys dreat.dran
is dot bone in his foot an | needed
to kiss mys muvver"
But for three long days the library
ddoor remained locked.
And regularly. after each mornings
breakfast he mounted the stairs and
tried the knob and cogitated to Nico.
demus, and poked broom straws under
the door.
Christmas eve we sat about a great
open fire. Great grand loved to dig
and delve In the red-charred logs and
imprison the swarms Of rosy bees
Fascinated. l would watch tho snyiI
Ing upfed sparks NpI.aering what
phantasma oi youth he saw all-beauti-
ful IN them. what faces went past I'm
that rosy mirage that his own should
wear so tender an answering look
into eyes he alone was seeing Some
times our baby would come to stand
between his knees. head leaned
against his shoulder. and from within
the encircling arms watch Sometimes
he would straddle one OLD knee and
snug his head under the down.leaning
! 2ld chin. colo hair and white hair com.
mingled and hand over tho old hand
help the poker that prodded and piled
the embera. And the wide eyes seemed
20 be seeing with the old mans vision
ing. so united he would sit.
Christmas eve we sat about the
great open fireplace. Great-grand sort
ed and piled his red. charred lass
Grandmother was watching. lost i'm
idleness Crane father had gone down
cellar for apples and I'm my lap nv
baby was telling me secrets. We
listened beyond the singings OF tbs
flames; beyond the delicate soft sins.
Ing and the signing and the daughters
OF them. the wind I'm the chimney
/ From the end OF the new back.lop the
saps distilled, all the summers rains
and dews and green growlngs fin their
Wicker Wicker. We had hated to
shut out the skies. SO divinelv near
they closed I'm upon earth. with their
starry strands garlauding the rim OF
hills. Our baby had seen HIS FIRST mo
teor-a feathered trail of ethereal nre
and q soUoaless spiendor as the me.
teot hurst and biggened into globe
% slysion azure, and went out And
the black violet skies seemed vet
deeplier black with that blue glory
memoried against them. aud the stars
pailld and cold And my baby won.
derod n there might not be another
Christmas baby IA that blue glory. lie
wondered whether # we'd 20 out. we
might not find a few boys and girls
and babies that got left over. when
God forgot who had asked to have
some left at their houses lie wished
he'd been there that night at the OK.
en- inn, 70 see the little child eyo,g