The Marshall republican., 1913-01-17
HANGING UP STOCKING
ny oussiE NEssLER.

In hangin' up my stocking'f" repeated
the girl from the clock department.
well. I should say I dol IL all that
part Of II was taken out OF my kid life
there wouldn't be much left to smile
over. I'm not the only one who thinks
like that, eithec.
IF Santa Claus doesn't do another
thing on esfth, he keeps the kids
straight for q while. anyway. and that
helps a lot when there are several or
W more Of them and only one
mothsf and father. With most girls
Santa Claus IL good for q whole
months mindin' and dom al told, and
even the boys toe the line for a week
at least and the squally kids let them.
selves be shook still when they are
told II they don't stop they won't get
anything In their ~stockin's.
"Hangin' up your stockin'! Amt
that about the best that ever happens
TO Q poor kid7 Well. I should say yes,
and rich ones get something but Of II.
too. I suppose. The stockin' must be
the longest n In the house. not. be-
cause you r greedy but because you
want to give Santa Ciaus a chance to
be M generous as he wants to be.
Il must be hung right. Then II will
not be overlooked or hard to find.
You begin about six o'clock In the
evenin' to get your stockin' hung to
suit you. and you are spanked back to
bed ut midnight for sneaking out In
your bare feet for tho eighth time to
place II more conspicuously. Then
you CRY yourself to sleep. or what
passes for sleep on that night. 90
eventful and nerve rackin'. Real
sleeps out Of the question. 70 you
have been present all day at the din
ner Preparations and are 30 stuffed
with odds and ends of everything you
can scarcely waddle after you tumble
out Of bed to arrange and rearrange
the stockin'. They can hardly get .
whimper out Of you when you are
spanked-not too much. Just enough
to show you that ma 10 still on the Job.
Santa Claus or no Santa Claus. Final.
ly you fall asleep feelin' about n you
do when you are ridin' on the car
and are not undrcssed.
"At daylight or ea?lier you are
awake and. like . fash. II all comes to
you. ssanta Claus! The stockin'! You
are up with q spring on the Ice GOLD
floor and openin' the door to get q
peep ut your present.
Fl remember the FIRST Christmas
that game around after pa died. I
know now that ma didA't have any
moro money than was needed to get
along with. so II took some work and
nggerin' to get that stockin' filled.
But I'll bet you. for etery ounce she
put into II that time she has taken out
many q pound Of love since. She
never lost anything for what she
did. Al
1T was her own stockin', a. mine
wasn't considered big enough. and !
had been assured that Santa Claus
would not know the difference.
when I got the first glance of 1t on
!Christmas mornin' and saw II was
filled ALMOST to burstin' and that q
beautiful doll was beside II holdin' out
its arms to me. l was so frightened,
sufprised and happy that ! woke w
ma with my cryin'.
"'In mercy's name, child. what IL
it?' she asked All | could do was to
gasp and sob. He has been here!
Lookf'
Honest, IL l live TIL ! die Ill never
forget that mornin'. Nothin' would
make me touch the stockin' with the
mysterious gifts In 1t. Ma had to pile
out In the cold and hoist me and tbs
whole business into bed. where l could
examihe everything at my leisure. Al
Tor breakfast! The Idea Of any one
wantin' oatmeal on such q mornin'l
Il had to get acquainted with tina
doll and take a bite OF the cand,
cant and the candy dog. Who wants
bread and butter when there are al
ORANGE nuts, fgs. dates and bonbonl
to eatr Even dinner had no DRAWN
power against such attractions. for
was SO happy over what Santa Claul
had brought me that l haven't 60
over IT, yet.
.Kidss are kids, with kids mind
and kids thoughts In 'em, and kids
hopes and fears and Joys. too. an,
Santa Claus belongs to 'ein. and an,
! one who takes him away from then
couIdn,t AVER hava hung mn his OWl