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~ “haunts” and “conju
10
HEARTH AND HOME
The Stolen Stocking
~ By MARY MINOR LEWIS” aos
On a street-corner in Richmond, that
quaint old southern city, and facing the
Capitol Square, stands a red-brick house,
rrounded by a walled garden, Over this
wall dark-green magnelia-trees thrust their
ssnow-laden branches, and against it an old
negro warmed himself in the
rare Virginian snow had ‘talien, and lay
deep on the ground. It hung in great
feathery masses to the tops of the trees and,
from the nursery-window, Ned, the colored
and his little charge, Delia, could see
_flery brenze horse
lying heavy and cold on the
Chief Justice Marshall—scorn-
who stands, facing the south, in the trap-
pings of an Indian hunter, his coon- ¢al
in his han
Back of “the bronze group of Virginia’s
statesmen and beyond the av one of horse- crowds
chestnuts, the “Gow! ernor’s mansion”’ rose— _
y and snow- red.
-“What do you on think, Ned?” cried Delia,
“Mother says Governor Bland
lives in that big house all by his-self. He
has no little children. He must get dreadful
Jonesome at Christmas-time! Gran’ma
says that Jong ago the governor was friends
with our iy."
“He sho. is one nice gen’man,”” announced
Ned, with conviction. “Fle gi’ me a quarter
once for holdin’ his hoss. Me knows me
well — the governor do! vr
At this point in the conversation Delia’ ‘3
mother came into the room. She was tall
and slendef, and had marked distinction;
put her only claim to beauty lay in the mass
of soft bright hair which she wore like a ~
wn.
Scene. el undron she satd; “pe want to
show you something.” “She led the way into
the next room W' wher ‘© an ancient mahogany
desk with many ‘“‘pigeonholes” and draw-
ers stood against the wall. Pushing a Panel
aside she opened a secret drawer and s
“See what I found here. It has been locked
away and forgotten in this old desk for
eight years!”
She took from out the drawer a faded
aati made of ‘Turkey-red” calico and
id it up — bulging and mysterious—be-
fore tp. children’s eyes.
“Oh!” cried little Delia; “Santa Claus
must have forgotten and eft it theret””
“No,” answ! other, sadly, “‘'a
very foolish girl locked it fin this drawer on
purpose, because she was angry that Christ-
mas eve long ago. the boy that the
stocking belonged to tad a@ very sad te
mas indeed, and never knew what this
stocking held for him.
“Did he cry?” asked Delia, sympathet-
ically.
“«“T don’t know,” answered the woman,
shading | her eyes from the light; “but the
irl d
s Dasing this vonversation, Ned, the mee
colored boy, had been laboriously
out the name in faded characters worked in
the top of the stocking. Being/inordinately
proud of his learning, he presently an-
nounced:
“j-o-h-n B-La-n-d—Christmas 1895.”
It was years
"Yes," she a herself,
“John Bland; that was the boy’s name.’
Rather hurriedly she put the Seocine, back
into the desk and closed the top. "Now
children,” she said, pristy “ity you Fant to
see the Christmas shops, ave to
hurry and get your wraps on”
Ned, grinning and Toning even white’
teeth, ‘disappeared sly down the back
stairs — returning in an incredibly ‘short
time with his overcoat buttoned to his chin,
and a scarlet cap in his hand
Ned was the only son of Lucindy, the
cook. When not engaged in carrying wood
for the open fires, which was his chief duty
in life, he “took keer of” Delia, the five-
year-old daughter of the house.
‘his imperious young person adored Ned
with all her heart; and small wonder, for he
never wearied in his devoted service, and
besides, he could tell stories of wonderful
conversational animals, and knew all about
rs
Delia was considered by the family too
big to have a nurse, and too little to go about
alone; so Ned was her constant attendant.
The family called her “Dee” for short; but
Ned, possibly as a mark of respect, ‘called
her ‘‘Dee-Dec.”
She ordered him about like a small queen,
When she, with a stamp of her tiny foot,
flew into one of her sudden furies at som:
piece of stupidity or disobedience on his
part, he would roll upon the floor in parox-
ysms of uncontrollable Joughter and delight!
“Ned!” she exclaimed, as y were pre-
paring to go out late on his afternoon of
Christmas eve to see the shop-windows,
“you have tied my bonnet on hind-part be-
fore, and buttoned my curls gown inside my
coat, Ned, you are such a trial
Having thus “eased her find," *? to the in-
finite amusement of her attendant, she took
his hand, and they started for Broad Street,,
determined to look into every one of the gay
window:
‘Be ‘sho’ you gits ‘pack here wid Miss Dee
pefo’ de street-lamps is lighted,”’ called
Lucindy after them. ‘And you, Ned, you
better take good keer of dat chile an’ don't,
let her get trompled under no hosses’ hoofs
or. yo’ mammy gwine break ‘yo’ neck soon
as yo’ git back!”
"These terrible, meaningless threats hardly
enetrated the consciousness of her son, so
eager was he to reach the street with the gay
and shops, so* intoxicated was he
with ota Christmas j
store-windows had boon gazed into
“SHE TURNED,
with wide-eyed wonder, and their joint
stock of exclamations was almost exhausted,
when they suddenly came upon Santa Claus
himself! He stood in front of the largest
toy-shop, a big, fat man with a long white
ard and snowy hair, Ile carried a pacl
on his back filled with gifts, and ettbeted
bright picture - card 3 to each child who
came near,
The black boy and his fair-haired charge
‘stood rapt, awestruck—gazing wide-eyed at
the apparition. Never before had either of
them seen Santa Claus! + And here he was,
chatting and laughing with the group of
children around him!
While they were trying to edge up a little
nearer, a rough-looking man came dp from
behind, and, with a rude jest, knocked
Santa Claus’ hat off and threw it down into
the muddy snow. Indignation and a sort
of wondering horror were written upon each
childish face! To think of any one being
rude to Santa Claus! . -
There were shouts, quick blows, and
Santa Claus sent his assailant sprawling in
Delta 8 2 tips trembled, and tears gathered
Mn he
“O. Neat” she cried; “Santa Claus is ar-
rested!” Then, trotting by his side, as he
jed her away, she wailed: “What shall we
‘do? What shall we do?”
alked on for some distance in
silence, ® broken only by Delia’s sobs — the
hearts of both children ready to break with
grief and BRappointment.
Suddenly | Ned stopped:
"he cried; “de. governor! I
had ieremerabere d him! De Governor of
Virginia kin do anything. He can pardon
folks even if dey is goin’ to git hung! Be
sides, he used to be a friend of our fambly.
You an’ me fs goin’ to run just as fast as we
kin thro’ de Cap’tol Square to his house,
an’ tell him about Mr. Santy Claus, 2 an’ ax
him. to make dat Lienert mn
quick,” he
cried, hurrying her
dark, an’ it mos’ time for ole Santy to go on
his rounds.”
‘The servant, answering the ring at the
governor's door, was to see a shiv-
amaz
ering, fair-haired little girl and an excited an
bla
ck
which the hall-lamp cast upon the piazza-
floor. They had both been crying, and de-
manded to see the governor, The servant
hesitated. -
earing a childish volce. the governor rx
came into the hall, and Delia, catching sight
STARTLED, AS HE STRODE INTO THE ROOM”?
of him, broke into smneontrllable weepin:
and rushed into his pnt
a why. little girl!’ ne exclaimed: “what
are you doing here, and crying? B
does this mean?” © ° ovr wha
Between sobs she could only‘
“Santa Claus is arrest * poli
took him away and locked him up tie i
And it’s Christmas eve! and ohy=the i t
aren verywhero\”
6 governor led the way into his
snes. Delia in his arms, the ‘colored boy
following on tiptoe, his cap in his hand.
‘There he heard the whole story, Dunctuated
y sobs from Delia, and indignant comments
and ejaculations from Ned.
¢ governor put Delia down on the ru
and hastily wrote a note at his desk, which
Re gispatehed by a servant with the order
e delivered at
tates once to the chief of
While the governor's back was t
jurned.
Ned, standing by the study-table, com-
menced to spell out — as was his habit —
whatever written words he found before
the mud. Then the crowd parted. <A po- him,
liceman pushed his way through, club in
and, and, catching each by the collar, he
marched both combatants off to the Police
station.
‘ed looked at Delia in speechless con-
ston two ashy-white spots coming
into each of his black checks,
an p unopened jetter | lay Fon tho table;
exp aie gi clone he eye
book, “John Bland.” Th on, as s heen aw the,
breathtesly to Dela hse he here
~ “Deli:
hand in his, ‘Delia Hin’
a
Dboy’s name! Dat boy what didn’t eit no
stockin’!”
But Delia was too tired and excited to
vernor crosséa the room and, ta--
king the little girl up in his arms he com-
with the assurance that Santa
The governor ‘started, and a ete spasm
his carriage which
stood waiting at the door, he pressed his lips
in sudden tenderness to the shining fair hair
which lay against then turned
and went back into the house—the old ache,
the old emptiness, the old need as poignant
as if he had lost her but yesterday!
While these things were happening Della,
mother\of the fair-haired child, sat at cher
window overlooking the Capitol Square and
waited for the children to came home.
She was thinking of years long gone — of
er Christmas eve when, hurt and an-
gry, sho had sent for John Bland and told
him that their engagement was broken. She
remembered the bitter words—so sorely re-
pented—in which she had charged him with
Jack of Jove and joyalty; and distinctly she
‘ecalled ok on his face when, with the
harsh Sudgment of youth, she had refused
him forgiveness.
Ter eyes filled. “, wy
She thought of her marriage, of the death
of her husband, of all the empty, empty
years. .
Then her thoughts wandered to the
stocking which she had so lovingly prepared
for John Bland that Christmas eve so long
2808 and which she, aid not give hh .
About ten o "cloek ‘that "night there was a —
loud ring at the governor's door-bell,
once more a small colored boy stood within
the circle of light.
“J wants to see de Governor of Virginia,”
he, announced, grandly. The servant,
am , let him in, and he entered the Bov-
ernor’s. study unannounced, The whiteness
of his teeth and eyes ‘against the darkness
of the hall beyond made him look like a
Jack o’ Lantern, as he advanced toward the
governor's chair. ‘I done come back,” he.
aid.
“So T'see,” remarked the governor.
“an’ I done brought you somet’in’,” he *
added, as) he held out a parcel of long, inves *
ular shap
oA present?” asked the governor, smiling.
“Not exactly dat,” answered the boy,
* "cause it b'longs to you anyhow.”
“What are you talking about, Ned?”
asked the governor, stretching out his hand
for the package. “‘Did some one tell you to
bring this parcel to me?”
“No, sir—dat is,” stammered Ned, now
thoroughly frightened, “t's ke dis, sir, I
jes’ tuk it an’ brung it to you, "
“What ir + exclaimed the governor, rising
to his fee
‘as, ete sald the boy, trembling, but
holding his ground, “‘it’s your stockin'! Yo’
name is wrote out plain on de top. So I
says to myself—being as you done got Mis-
ter Santy Claus cut of jail tor ‘Dee-Dee?
and me—dat bring you yO stockin’
‘tn time to ee uD on Christmas
‘Then ‘he vanished, grinning vo y Snimeelt. r
Tie ran swiftly past the deep shadows in the
Capitol Square, one hand holding his cap,
the other caressing deep down in his cav-
emous pocket the. big silver dollar which
the governor had giv .
Left alone, the gc governor sat Joking at
his Christmas-present with eyes that were
hard to read. Overcome at last by a sort
of childish curiosity, he untied the scarlet
ribbons and unrolled the package from its
tissue-paper wrappings.
It contained a stocking made of “Turkey-
n red” calico, his name seyed on the top. Tae
king it by the toe he emptied the contents
upon the ‘s, manufactured
~ chieny by pee Tinton’ 's own deft fingers.
A pen-wiper, a linen handkerchief-case with
embroidered fnitials, and many other pretty
trifles and dainty symbols of the Christmas
season, fell out upon’ tho polished table..
Then, giving the stocking a final shake, he
felt something like a piece of paper sticking
in the toe. Ife thrust his hand in and
brought out a tiny scrap of paper on which
were written a few words in Delia’s well re-
membered chirography. Bendirig to tho
lamp re read
“I love you — now and always — more
han all ‘the world. ele
— at last — she had sent for him
a the jostling crowd which for dim the
Richmond streets that Christmas eve, many
a head turned to look after the tall young
governor as he hurried past, ‘a glad light on
his usually grave face, more than a Christ-
mas joy in his heart. .
He entered Delia’s home unannounced.
She stood on the step-ladder twisting run-- _
Concluded on page 29