davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20
HANGING UP STOCKING
BY eussIE NessLER.


'sOh, ! believe in Santa Claus and
in hangin' up my stocking'?' repeated
the girl from the clock department
well. should say do! If all that
part of 1t 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, either.
III Santa Claus doesn't do another
thing on earth. he keeps the kids
straight for while. anyway. and that
helps lot when there are several or
even more of them and only one
mother and father. With most girls
Santa Claus Is good for a whole
months mindin' and doin' as told, and
even the boys toe the line for week
at least and the squally kids let them
selves be shook still when they are
told If 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 poor kid? Well, should say yes,
and rich ones get something out CT 1t.
too, / suppose. The stockin' must be
the longest one In the house. not be-
cause you are greedy but because you
want to give Santa Claus chance to
DO as generous as he wants to be.
1t must be hung right. Then it will
not be overlooked or hard to find.
You begin about six O'Clock in the
eyenin' to get your stockin' hung to
suit you, and you are spanked back to
bed at midnight for sneaking out in
your bare feet for the eighth time to
place it more conspicuously. Then
you cry yourself to sleep. or what
passes for sleep on that night, so
eventful and nerve rackin'. Real
sleeps out of the question, as you
have been present all day at the din
ner preparations and are SO stuffed
with odds and ends of everything you
can scarcely waddle after you tumble
out of bed to arrange and rcarrange
the stockin'. They can hardly get q
whimper out OF you when you are
spanked-not too much. Just enough
to show you that ma Is still on the job.
Santa Claus or no Santa Claus. Final
~ you fall asleep feelin' about as you
do when you are ridin' on the cars
and are not undressed
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20

AT daylight or earlier you are
awake and. like flash, it all comes to
you. Santa Claus! The stockin't You
are up with a spring on the ice cold
floor and openin' the door to get
peep at your present.
II remember the first Christmas
that came around after pa died.
know now that ma didn't have any
more money than was needed to get
along with, SO it took some work and
fggerin' to get that stockin' filled.
But I'll bet you. for every ounce she
put into 1t that time she has taken out
many a pound of love since. She
never lost anything for what she
did.
1T was her own stockin', as mine
wasn't considered big enough, and
had been assured that Santa Claus
would not know the difference.
When l got the first glance of 1t on
Christmas mornin' and saw 1t was
filled almost to burstin' and that a
beautiful doll was beside it holdin' out
its arms to me, was so frightened.
surprised and happy that l woke up
ma with my cryin'.
SIN mercy's name, child, what is
it?' she asked. All l could do was to
gasp and sob. He has been here!
Looki'
Honest, IL live till die I'll 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 the
whole business into bed. where could
examine everything at my leisure As
for breakfast! The idea Of any one
wantin' oatmeal on such mornin'l
Il had to get acquainted with that
doll and take a bite on the candy
cane and the candy dog. Who wants
bread and butter when there are an
orange, nuts, figs, dates and bonbons
to eat? Even dinner had no DRAWN
power against such attractions. for I
was SO happy over what Santa Claus
had brought me that ! haven't got
over it yet.
Kids are kids. with kids minds
and kids thoughts in 'em. and kids
hopes and fears and Joys, too, and
Santa Claus belongs to ''em. and any
one who takes him away from them
couldn't ever have hung up his own
stockin'."
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20
TO BE A TIME
OF JOY FOR HIM
This Little Story Slows Just What
a Lot Of Good Things the
Bachelor Misses at Merry
Christmas Time

my wife has been questioning me
for the past three weeks about what
/ would like for Christmas"
well, suppose you told herr"
Yes. The first thing thought Of
was an umbrella really need an
umbrella. because 1t Is quite a dis
lance from my house to the train.
and have to walk 1t. A nice umbrel-
II would come in handy ON rainy
days. Then there are some books I
would like very much. / gave her q
list of them as nearly as ! could at the
start. and have been adding to 1t day
by day as / happened to think of
something else in that line ! men,
toned cuff-buttons and studs for full
dress occasions. and gave her to un-
derstand that IL she didn't feel like
troubling herself over the matter !
would be glad to take the money she
had set aside for me and buy myself
some cigars. Last night had occa-
sion to look into a closet we don't use
much. and there found my present.
all ready to be placed before me on
Christmas morning"
''Of course. then, she hadn't adopt
ed your suggestion as to the cigars"
NO. I'm going to be made glad
with beautifully worked sofa pillow. .
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20
Wants Fred Grace Put Under Arrest.
BATON Rnnpe La Dec 12-

Baton Rouge, La, Dec. IL. =
A petition to show cause why
an order for the arrest of Fred
Grace, Register of the State Land
Office, should not be issued was
filed to-day by A. R. Albritton,
attorney for w. H. Perkins, and
the petition was set for hearing
by Judge Brunot before his court
on Dec. 20.
Perkins, through Mr.. Albrit-
, ton in 1908, before the new land
law went into effect, made a ten
der to the land Office to purchase
1000 acres of dried lake land in
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20

Sending bricks through the mails
may yet come to have certain sig
nifcance-for instance, In answer to
the letter Of a dun.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20

A Pittsburgh woman says her hus-
band has not given her q cent in
thirty-eight years. No wonder Pitts
burgh is full Of millionaires.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20

Nature intended woman to be supe-
rior to man. says viennese anthro-
pologist, who adds that nature carried
out her intention.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20
A Psris banker who lifted" s3c.-
100000 again showed financial dexter
ity by jumping $4,000 bail bond.

Can you brace yourself for ter
rible shock? Pharaoh, says an Eng
fish professor. was only fat. old man
after all.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20

A pretty young matron of New Jer-
sey fractured an arm and two ribs
trying to kiss youth of fourteen
years. Callow youth!
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20

Mr.. Edison plans moving pictures
that will talk. somebody having told
him that we do not have talk enough
already.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20

A New York artist has discovered
living Mona Lisa. StiIl. many viii
fail to zee that as a compliment to
her beauty.
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20

II this country Is too noisy how did
the lady ever manage to. live through
all thess years 10 Il:
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20

The German emperor has composed
the music for a ballet He ought to
stage It,
The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1913-12-20

The weather man may well be proud
Of himself.
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-09-11
Walked Out With II

There came into the ONCE Of q
western lawyer a man who was ex'
cited because his wife had left him.
and he feared she would run him into
debt all over the country.
in that case" said the lawyer.
you had better post her"
His client, not knowing what post
ing meant, said he did not know where
she had gone. and besides, abe was
fully as strong as he, and he did not
believe he was able to post her. Tho
attorney explained that he meant put
ting q notice In the newspapers say
ing: Whereas. my wife Helan has
left my bed and board without any
just"
But that amt trus,- interrupted
the client. -sho didn't leave ny ood.
shs. took Il VITA hsE.--sunday 1ag
aEina.
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-09-11

was enough light in the room. early
as It undoubtedly was, for me to de-
tect q letter lying on the carpet just
inside the door.
Instantly was on my feet. Catch
ing the letter up, ] carried 1t to the
window. Our two names we're on II
MIR. and Mrs. George Anderson: the
writing. Mr.. Slater's.
glanced over at George. He was
sleeping peacefully. It was too early
to wake him. but l could not lay
that letter down unread; was not my
name on It? Tearing 1t open. I de-
voured its contents.-the exclamation
I made on reading It, waking George.
The writing was In Mr.. Skaters
hand, and the words were:
Il must request, at the instance OF
Coroner Heath and such Of the police
as listened to your adventure, that
you make no further mention Of
what you saw in the street under our
windows last night. The doctors find
no bullet in the wound. This clears
Mr. Brotherson."
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-09-11
CHAPTER ~.
The Man.

The Man.
you know the man."
Il do; or rather, know a man who
answers to this description. He comes
here once In a while.
His name"
"Brotherson. A very uncommon per
son in many respects; quite capable
Of such an eccentricity, but incapable,
I should say, OF crime. He's q gifted
talker and so we'll read that he can
hold ones attention for hours. OF
his tastes, can only say that they
appear to be mainly scientific. But
he is not averse to society. and Is
always very we'll dressed"
Meanwhile, George had advanced to
speak to a man who had beckoned
to him from the other side OF the
room, and with whom in another
moment / saw him step out. Thus
deserted, sank into chair near one
Of the windows.
Where was he? The man who had
carried him of was the youngest in
the group What had be wanted Of
George? Those who remained showed
no interest in the matter. They had
enough to say among themselves. But
was interested-naturally so, and,
in my uneasiness, glanced restlessly
from the window, the shade Of which
was UP. The outlook was a very
peaceful one. This room faced a side
street, and, as my eyes fell upon the
whitened pavements, / received an
answer to one, and that the most
anxious, OF my queries. This was the
street into which we had turned. In
the wake of the handsome stranger
they were trying at this very moment
to identity with Brotherson. George
had evidently been asked to point out
the exact spot where the man had
stopped, for / could see from my
vantage point two figures bending
near the curb, and even paving at
the snow which lay there. II gave
me a slight turn when one Of them
l do not think It was George-began
to rub his hands together in much
the way the unknown gentleman had
dono. and, in my excitement, I prob
ably uttered some sort Of an ejacula-
ton, for was suddenly conscious Of
a silence in the room. and when I
turned saw all the men about me
looking my way.
They are initiating the man." I
cried; my husband and-and the
person he went out with. Il looked
dreadful to me; that II all"
Meanwhile, Mr. Slater had ex-
changed some words with the two Of.
fcials. and now approached me- with
an expression Of extreme consider
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-09-11

eny motive for such deed. She had
been the victim of some mistake, his
lovely and ever kindly disposed
daughter. and while the loss was ire
parable he would never make 1t unen-
durable by thinking otherwise.
Such was the fathers way OF look
ing at the matter, and l own that 1t
made our duty a trihe hard. But
Georges mind, when once made up,
was persistent TO the point OF OBJ
stinacy, and while he was yet talk
ing he led me out Of the room and
down the hall to the elevator.
Mr. Slater knows We have some
thing to say, and will manage the
interview before us in the very best
manner" he confided to me now with
an encouraging air. I'VE are to go
to the blue reception room on the
parlor floor"
Mr.. Slater was there according to
his promise. and after introducing us,
briefly stated that we had some evil
dence to give regarding the terrible
occurrence which had just taken place
in the house.
George bowed, and the chief
spokesman am sure he was q po-
lice-officer OF some kind-aEked him
to tell what It was.
Then my husband spoke up, and re-
lated our little experience. II 1t did
not create q sensation. It was be-
cause these men were we'll accus-
toned to surprises Of all kinds.
Washed his hands, gentleman
out there in the snow-just after the
alarm was raised here?" repeated one.
And you saw him come out OF this
house," another put in.
Yes, sir; We noticed him particu'
larly."
Can you describe him.?
It was Mr.. Salter who put this Ques-
ton; he had less control over him
self, and considerable eagerness
could be heard in his voice.
He was a very fine.looking man;
unusually tall and unusually strik'
ing both in his dress and appearance.
What could see OF his face was bare
Of beard, and very expressive. He
walked with the swing Of an athlete.
and only looked mean and small
when he was STOPPING and dabhling
in the snow"
His clothes. Describe his clothes"
There was an odd sound In MIR.
Slater's voice.
He wore q silk hat and there was
fur on his overcoat. / think the fur
was black"
Mr.. Slater stepped back, then NOV
ed forward again with determined
air.
81 know the man." said he.
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-09-11
DIVING sOOrrlrrt~ NuOOsv

possession OF one who feels himself
so secure, or is so well-satished with
himself, that he Is no longer con-
scious Of other emotions"
Poor fellow" ! commented aloud.
as folded up these words; he
reckoned without you, George. BY
tomorrow he will be in the hands Of
the police"
And with this sentence ringing In
my mind, 1 lay down and endeavored
to sleep. But II was not till very
late that rest came.
At last I slept but 1t was only to
rouse again with the same quick real
ization Of my surroundings, which /
had experienced on my recovery from
my fainting at Of hours before. Some
one had stopped at our door before
hurrying by down the hall. Who was
that someone? / rose on my elbow
ana endeavored to peer through the
dark. OF course, could see nothing
But when Woks = second tina here
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-09-11

anxious expectation. remember the
face Of one gray haired old man.
shall never forget It He was prob
ably her father. Later, ! knew him
to be SO. Miss Challoner was stretch
cd out upon the couch. She was
dressed as she came from dinner, In
a gown of ivory-tinted satin. re-
lIeved at the breast by a large bou-
Quet of scarlet polnsettias. The doc
ter was pointing at these poinsettias
in horror and with awful meaning.
and though we could not hear his
words, we knew almost instinctlvely,
both from his attitude and the cries
which burst from the lips Of those
about him. that something more than
broken petals and dlSordered leaves
had met his eyes; that blood was
thsrs-sl0Wly oozing DROPS from the
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-09-11

I were not alone. Two or three ladies
stood near, watching me, and one had
evidently been using some restora'
tive, for she held a small vinaigrette
in her hand. To this lady, George
made haste to introduce me, and from
her / presently learned the cause oil
the disturbance in the hotel.
Edith, the we'll known daughter OF
Moses Challoner, had fallen suddenly
dead on the floor Of the mezzanine'
She was not known to have been In
poor health, still less In danger OF a
fatal attack, and the shock was conse-
quently great to her friends, several
OF whom were in the building.
WAS she alone when she fell"
asked.
Virtually alone. Some persons sat
on the other side OF the room, reading
at the big round table. They did not
even hear her fall. They say that the
band was playing unusually loud in
the musicians gallery"
Are you feeling quite well. now?'
quite myself" gratefully replied
as | rose slowly from the sofa.
In the hall we encountered Mr..
Slater, whom have before mentioned.
He was trying to maintain order while
himself in a state of great agitation.
Seeing US, no could not refrain from
whispering a few words into my hus'
bands ear.
The doctor has just gone up-her
doctor. l mean. He's simply dumb
founded. Says that she was the
healthiest woman in New York yester-
day. think-don't mention It. that
he suspects something quite differ
ent from heart failure"
What do you mean?" asked George.
following the assistant manager down
the broad flight Of steps leading to
the office. Then, as pressed up close
to Mr.. Slaters other side, she was
by herself, wasn't she, in the half
floor above?"
Yes. and had been writing a let
ter. She fell with 1t still in her hand"
Have they carried her to her
room?" eagerly inquired. glancing
fearfully up at the large semi'circular
openings overlooking us from the
place where she had fallen.
Not yet. Mr.. Hammond insists
upon waiting for the coroner" (Mr.
Hammond was the proprietor OF the
hotel.) She is lying on one Of the
big couches near which she fell. II
you like, can give you glimpse of
her. She looks beautiful. It's terri
BILE to think that she Is dead"
II don't know why We consented.
We we're under q spell, think. At
all events, we accepted his offer and
followed him up a narrow staircase
open to very few that night At the
top, he turned upon US with warning
gesture which / hardly think we need
ed, and led us down a narrow hall
fianked by openings corresponding to
those we had noted from below. At
the furthest one he paused and,
beckoning US to his side, pointed
across the lobby into the large writ
ing.room which occupied the better
part OF the mezzanine floor.
We saw people standing in vari-
GUS attitudes of grief and dismay
about a couch, one end of which only
was visible to US at the moment.
The doctor had just Joined them, and
every head was turned towards him
and every body bent forward in
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-09-11

alton. They were about to excuse me
from further participation In this In
formal inquiry. This saw before he
spoke. or course they were right. But
l should greatly have preferred to
stay where | was till George came
back.
was greatly interested. Of course,
and had plenty to think Of till saw
George again and learned the result
of the latest investigations.
Miss Challoner had been shot, not
stabbed. No other deduction was pos
sible from such facts az were now
known. though the physicians had not
yet handed In their report, or even
intimated what that report would be.
No assailant could have approached
or left her, without attracting the no
tice Of some one, II not all Of the
persons seated at a table In the same
room. She could only have been
reached by bullet sent from a point
near the head Of a small winding
staircase connecting the mezzanine
floor with a courtroom adjacent to the
front door. This has already been in
sisted on, as you will remember, and
II you will glance at the diagram
which George hastily scrawled for
me, you will see why.
A. B., as we'll as c. D.. are half
circular openings into the Office lobby.
e. F. are windows giving upon Broad
way, and G. and party wall. necessari-
" unbroken by window. door or any
other opening. It follows then that
the only possible means Of approach
to this room lies through the archway
H., or from the elevator door. But
the elevator made no stop at the mez-
canine on or near the time Of the at
tack upon Miss Challoner; nor did any
one leave the table or pass by 1t In
either direction till after the alarm
given by her fall.
But a bullet calls for no approach.
A man at X. might raise and fire his
pistol without attracting any attention
to himself The music, which all
acknowledge was at its full climax at
this moment, would drown the noise
Of the explosion, and the stair case,
out of view Of all but the victim. at
ford the same means Of immediate es-
cape, which 1t must have given Of
secret and unseen approach. The coat
room into which It descended COM
municated with the lobby very near
the main entrance, and II Mr.. Brother
son were the man. his sudden appear
ance there would thus be accounted
for.
It began to look bad for this man. II
indeed he were the one we had seen
under the street-lamp; and, as George
and / reviewed the situation, we felt
our position to be serious enough for
us severally to set down our impress
sions OF this man before we lost our
first vivid idea. do not know what
George wrote, for he sealed his words
up as soon as he had finished writing,
but this is what put on paper while
my memory was still fresh and my ex-
element unabatod:
He had the look Of man Of power
full intellect and determined will, who
shudders while he triumphs; who
outwardly washes his hands Of deed
over which he inwardly gloats. This
was when he first rose from the
snow. Afterwards he had a moment
of fear; plain, human, everyday fear.
But this was evanescent. Before he
had turned to go, he showed the self
Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-09-11

heart-which for some reason had
escaped all eyes till now.
Miss Challoner was dead. not from
unsupported disease, but from the
violent attack Of some murderous
weapon. AS the realization OF this
brought fresh panic and bowed the
old fathers head with emotions even
more bitter than those Of grief. /
turned a questioning look up at
Georges face.
II was fixed with a purpose l had
no trouble in understanding.