Year: 1872

tue SleeplnS lntant. '1OOr HGtlo LulnS! he said. "Some one has put you here to be picked up or to die. I can not leave you here to freeze" So saying, he took up the baby out of the basket and walked away with it under his arm. But he did not know what in the world he was going to do with it. He had eleven children of his own. and his wife was very severe; and as 10 bringing home another baby, he knew she would never allow that. While he was think ing this way and almost wishing he had left the child to be found by somebody else, he saw the hermit's great stocking hanging from tree. "That's just the thing p said he. "It'll be nice and warm in there. reckon that the her init has been hanging out his week s wash, and he'll know who to take the little thing to, when be finds it in the morning." And with this he slipped the baby down into the big woolen stocking, and tied the top up to keep out the cold night air, but not so closely as to smother the poor little child. Then with light heart ke went home to his eleven children and his severe wife.

 Bright and beautiful was the Christ mas morning when the boy, his pockets full of candy and nuts and his heart full of joy, ran gayly down the woods to sec what the hermit had in hls stocking. When he reached the cave, there sat the good man in the sun. On his face was an expression of uneasy amazement, and between his knees he held the big stocking, apparently full. The boy peeped in and then sprang back-'' a baby Y exclaimed he.

 II never expected this," sad the her init, mournfully.

 "It's just like real one," said the boy.

 It is a real one!" said the hermit i; "You ought to have heard it cry when I was bring it from the tree"

 '.s ss That was the time for catnip," grave ly remarked the boy.

 have no catnip," said the hermit : but there are good many other herbs that might give it. have plenty of plantain- leaves and boneset.

 @" I don't believe it wants them, said tho boy

 aIt's as bald as button, exclaimed the hermit. It may be that that makes it cry."

 "I wonder how it lost its hair," said the boy looking into the stocking.

 "I don't know" quickly responded the hermit |" but it is nothing that I've done. It had no hair left when l found it."

 Just then the baby began to cry in good earnest. What it had done before was but G mere trife to the screams which now filled the woods.

 Five heard 'em go on worse than that, cried the boy: shouting as if he was in q storm at sea. "You ought to warm some milk and feed it.''

 Haven't got any P yelled the hermit back. "Would corn-meal do ?'

 "How do you mean ?' shouted the boy. "In Ash-aakes ?'

 Yes l" howled the hermit.

 "No p screamed the boy.

 Nothing was now heard for minute or two but the wild cries of the baby, and then the boy shouted, '' Hallo |! I'd take it up to our house if I were you, and get it stepped P

 "All right P called out the hermit i; but how shall carry it ?''

 ".Hold fast to the stocking-top, and let it dang1e, replied the boy, and away they went.

 On the way the baby lulled little, and the boy, despite his nuts and can dies, began to feel hungry. "Hermit, sad he, "was there an apple in your stocking besides the baby?' The Her nat stopped and. carefully felt the stock ing all around the baby. .@

 "No," said he, s"t there was noapple"

 "Never mind," said the boy.

 The boy reached the house first, and told about the wonderful thing the her init had found in his stocking, and when the good man arrived, he and his baby had one of the warmest welcomes that ever was seen. The house was full of company, and everybody seemed wild with desire to do something for either the baby or the hermit. Ever so many ladies sized on the big stocking, and the sweet little cherub was quickly pulled out and tenderly cared for. All the people in the halls and parlors crowded around ! the hermit, and he had to tell his story over and over again. When the baby was quiet and comfortable and had been | dressed nicely, the hermit went up stairs to look at it, and he carried 1t down, cradle and all, and walked proudly around with it so that everybody could see what he had found in hls Christmas stocking. He had to stay to dinner, and then he stayed to see the games at night, and he never spent such delightful Christmas in all his life. 1 The hermit never went back to his cave. He would not hear of such thing as giving up his baby, and it would never do to keep such tender child in a cold hole in hill So he took a frame house in the village, and had cook stove and things, and a good woman to take care ot him and his child, and there he lived as happy as king. On any bright morning, in those days, he might be seen walking up and down his garden, the baby on one arm, and his heavy old book open on the other. He always said that the best thing he ever did in his life was to hang up his stocking on that blessed Christmas eve.

 ANECDOTES OF JOHN BUNYAN.--To pas away the gloomy hours in prison, Bunya,