years.’
“‘What do you mean, grandfather?’ said the boy softly.
“‘Sixty years ago, my dear,’ said Squire Darlington, ‘there was just
such a Yule Clog as that burning in this very fire-place. And the
windows, and picture frames—there were not quite so many then—were
trimmed with holly berries and yew from the same trees from which these
wreaths have come to-day. And this old chair stood here, and everything
in this old hall looked just as it does now.’
“‘Well, grandfather?’ said Edric catching his breath a little,—and the
wind gave one of its lone sighs through the keyhole.
“‘Well my dear—Instead of one dear little couple on the floor’—and the
old man drew the boy closer to him—‘there were six,—as merry-eyed and
light-footed little beings as ever trod this green earth. At the head
I stood with your grandmother, Edric—a dear little thing she was!’
said Squire Darlington with a kindly look towards my lady, whose eyes
were cast down now for a wonder, and her lips trembling a little.
‘Her two brothers and my two, and the orphan boy that we loved like
a brother; his sister, and my four little sisters—precious children!
that they were—made up the rest. Light feet, and soft voices, and sweet
laughter—they went through this old hall like a troop of fairies, I was
going to say,—more like a ray of pure human happiness.
“‘My father sat here, and my mother opposite—her picture watches the
very spot now; and of these good friends at the other end of the
hall—Ay! old Cuthbert remembers it—there were two or three; but many
others that bore their names.
“‘My child—that is sixty years ago.’
“‘And where are they now, grandfather?’ said Edric under his breath.
“‘In heaven—the most of them,’ said the old man solemnly. ‘But one
couple remains of the six.—Of those other dear children not one is
left—and not one but gave good hope in his death that he was going to
be with Jesus. They remember yet that he came to earth, but they sing
another song from ours—their hearts swell with a different joy. We
shall know, one day—if we are faithful. They are exceeding fair to my
remembrance,—they are fairer now in reality.’
“The old Squire was silent for a few minutes, with his eyes turned
again towards the fire, while Edric looked up at the sweet portrait to
which his grandfather had referred, and wondered how it was that those
eyes always met his. Then Squire Darlington spoke again, and with a
different manner.
“‘Everybody that has money makes Christmas a time of feasting and
rejoicing, Edric,’ he said. ‘What does Christmas day celebrate?’
“‘The birth of Christ,’ said Edric gravely.
“‘Yes’—said Squire Darlington. ‘The birth of Christ. ‘Who though he was
rich, yet for our sakes became poor; that we through his poverty might
be made rich.’ There is a motto for Christmas-day!—ay—for one’s whole
life.’
“‘Grandfather,’ said Edric, ‘does everybody that loves Christ love all
the poor disagreeable people?’
“‘This is what the Bible says, Edric. ‘For if any man seeth that his
brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him,
how dwelleth the love of Christ in him?’’
“‘Grandfather,’ said Edric thoughtfully, ‘when I am a man I will take a
great deal of care of poor people.’
“It was rather a sad smile that the old man gave him, and yet it was
very tender.
“‘My dear Edric,’ he said, ‘never say, _when I am a man_ I will do
good. There is hardly any kind of good work that a child may not help
forward, or help to keep back. Will you wait till you are a man, Edric,
before you begin to love Christ?’
“‘I think I do love him now, grandfather,’ said Edric. ‘I should think
everybody would—he has done so much for us.’
“There was the same look of love and sadness for a moment in the old
man’s face before he answered.
“‘My motto has another bearing, dear boy, and one which should be first
in the heart of every man and every child in this world which Christ
died to save,—‘_If ye love me_, keep my commandments.’’
“And when the Christmas eve was almost ended, Squire Darlington kissed
and blessed his little grandson, and Edric went up-stairs to bed.
“And the wind sighed no more that night.”
“And did he do as he said he would, when he got to be a man?” inquired
Carl.
“I don’t know”—said the stocking: “I never heard.”
THE END OF THE STOCKING.
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Transcriber’s Notes:
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
Frontispiece, “Rosewald” changed to “Roswald” (chicken!—Oh,
Roswald!—How)
Page 115, illustration, “Pegg” changed to “Peg” (had Mr. Peg got the)
Page 188, word “a” added to text (would be a fine thing)
“THE STOCKING’S STORY” had songs that were quoted and the quotation
marks were retained as printed as no clear correction was ascertained.
Page 4, One Shilling Books, the case of the author’s name on number 15,
The Boy Guardian, was changed to match the format of the rest of the
titles and authors.