The transcriber modified the original book cover and placedthe modified version in the public domain.

Who Ate the Pink Sweetmeat?

By SUSAN COOLIDGE

AND OTHER CHRISTMAS STORIES

Illustrations from Original Drawings by Smedley, Lungren,
and other artists

BOSTON

D LOTHROP COMPANY

FRANKLIN AND HAWLEY STREETS

Copyright by

D. Lothrop and Company

1884

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Only three pairs of stockings were left inthe shop. It was a very little shop indeed,scarcely larger than a stall. Job Tuke, to whom itbelonged, was not rich enough to indulge in thebuying of any superfluous wares. Every spring helaid in a dozen dozen of thin stockings, a bale ofcheap handkerchiefs, a gross of black buttons, agross of white, a little stationery, and a few othersmall commodities. In the autumn he addeda dozen dozen of thick stockings, and a box fullof mittens and knitted comforters. Beside thesehe sold penny papers, and home-made yeast madeby Mrs. Tuke. If the stock of wearables grewscant toward midwinter, Job rejoiced in his heart,but by no means made haste to replenish it. Hejust laid aside the money needed for the spring[8]outfit, and lived on what remained. Thus it wentyear after year. Trade was sometimes a littlebetter, sometimes a little worse, but whicheverway it was, Job grew no richer. He and his oldwife lived along somehow without coming on theparish for support, and with this very moderateamount of prosperity they were content.

This year of which I write, the supply of winterstockings had given out earlier than usual. Theweather had been uncommonly cold since October,which may have been the reason. Certain it is,that here at Michaelmas, with December not yetcome in, only three pairs of stockings were left inthe little shop. Job Tuke had told his wifeonly the week before that he almost thoughthe should be forced to lay in a few dozenmore, folks seemed so eager to get ’em. Butsince he said that, no one had asked for stockings,as it happened, and Job thinking that trade was,after all, pretty well over for the season, had givenup the idea of replenishing his stock.

One of the three pairs of stockings was a big

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