Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 December 1895 — As in the Olden Time. [ARTICLE]

As in the Olden Time.

I saw an old. old man, and an old. old woman walking arm in arm on the street tile other day, and by and by they turned into a toy store and began making purchases as eagerly as other people of half their years. "You buy for your grand-children?” I whispered. “No; for our own,” replied the woman. “But you are so old that your children must be men and women grown.” “Ah! but they are not. The eldest is not yet 12 years of age, and we have four.” She had tears in her eyes as she answered me. and by and by she continued: “They are dead —all dead! Once there was but one stocking for Santa Claus to fill, and but one curly head to creep from his trundle bed at break of day and shout with gladness over the gifts bestowed. By and by there was a second —then a third —then four stockings hung in a row at Christmas time, and four children blessed me good-night, and said: “ ‘lf Santa Claus comes before you go to bed, tell him we have been good children.’ ” “But they are now dead.” “Yes —all dead. One week took them all from us —one grave holds them all. But on Christmas Eve four stockings will hang in a row again, and Santa Claus will come as of old. Every Christmas Eve since their voices were hushed in death the four stockings have been hung up. There are no glad voices—no soft kisses —no tender good-nights. Those have been unheard for almost a score of years. Father and I sit there and listen for footsteps, but'they do not come. We hearken to voices which can never speak again. Our hearts are heavy and our eyes full of tears, but before we sleep we fill the stockings as of old, and it seems as if the children come back from heaven for that one night. ■ “And so,” she said, as the tears came faster, “we buy for this Christmas Eve, and we shall sit down and call our children about us as in the olden time, and it will keep our hearts tender and help us to bear the burden of many years.”