“Well,” said he, after a while, “I dunno ez I bin close to ole Sandy Claus as what you is, Sis Crissy, but I bin mighty close, an' 'tain't bin so mighty long ago needer. One night des 'fo' Chris'mas I wuz gwine'long thoo de woods close by de Ward place. I wuz gwine'long, I wuz, sorter studyin' wid myse'f 'bout whedder I ought ter hang up my stockin's wid de res' er de folks, when, fus news I know, look like I kin year de win' blowin'. Hit soun' so loud dat I stop right in my tracks an ax mysef what de name er goodness is de matter. I ain't feel no win' an' I ain't see no bush shakin', but up dar in de top er de trees hit look like dey wuz a reg'lar hurrycane a blowin'. Man, sir! she fair roared up dar, yit I ain't see no win', an' I ain't see no bush a shakin'. Hit make me feel so quare dat ef a hick'y-nut had a drapped any-whar nigh me, I'd a broke an' run fum dar like de Ole Boy wuz atter me. Hit make me feel so funny dat I ain't know whedder it wuz ole man Harbert out dar, or some yuther nigger dat done got los' in some new country. I stood dar, I did, en des waited fer sump'n ner ter happen, but bimeby de noise all quit, an' de roarin' died down, twel you could a yeard a pin drop. I kotch my bref, I did, an' I'low ter myself dat all dat racket up in de a'r dar mus' sholy a-bin ole Sandy Claus agwine sailin' by. Dat what I had in my min', yit I ain't stop dar fer ter make no inquirements. I des put out, I did, an' I went a polin' home, an' it make me feel mighty good when I got dar.” The children visited Harbert's house every night for several nights before Christmas, but somehow they didn't seem to enjoy themselves. Harbert was so busy with one thing and another that they felt themselves in the way. They had the ardor and the hope of childhood, however, and they continued their visits with persistent regularity. They were very patient, comparatively speaking, and their patience was finally rewarded. The night before Christmas, when their interests and expectations were on the point of culmination, they found Harbert sitting in front of the fire, his head thrown back and his hands folded in his lap; and before the little ones could fix themselves comfortably, Aunt Crissy walked in and flung herself into a chair.