THE STOCKING’S STORY.
“It’s too bad!” said Carl. “I’ve heard six stories and a little piece, and now there’s nothing left but this old stocking!”
“I believe I will not tell you my story at all,” said the stocking.
“But you shall,” said Carl, “or else I will cut you all up into little pieces.”
“Then you certainly will never hear it,” said the stocking.
“Well now”—said Carl. “What a disagreeable old stocking you are. Why don’t you begin at once?”
“I am tired of being always at the foot”—said the stocking;—“as one may say, at the fag end. And besides your way of speaking is not proper. I suppose you have been told as much before. This is not the way little boys used to speak when I was knit.”
“You are only a stocking,” said Carl.
“Everything that is worth speaking to at all, is worth speaking to politely,” replied the stocking.