The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-12-26
THE NATIONAL ERA.
WASHINGTON, DECEMBER %, 1880.
For the National Era.
CHRISTMAS, OR THE GOOD FAIRY.
BY MRS. u. b. STOWE.


and have got to think up presents for every
b,dyp said young Ellen Stuart, as she leaned
,,nguidly back in her chair. "Dear me! it's so
tadiousi Everybody has got everything that can
he thought Of"
ooh. no ~ said her confidential adviser, Miss
Lester, in soothing tone. "You have means OF
buying everything you can fancy, and, when
every shop and store is glitterng with all manner
Of splendOrs, you cannot surely be at loss"
DWELL, now, just listen. To begin with, there's
mamma! what can get for her have thought
Of ever so many things. She has three card cases,
four gold thimbles, two or three gold chains, two
writing desks Of different patterns; and then, as
"a rings brooches, boxes, and all other things,
should think she might be sick of the sight OF
them. | am sure am said she, languidly gaz-
ing on her white and jewelled fingers.
This view of the czsp str-oea rather pngaling to
the adviser, and there was silence for few mo-
nsats when SScs=-, IS 81 7-ssT,-99ssts-,s,
And then there's cousins Ellen and Mary
suppose they will be coming down on me with
whole load Of presents; and Mrs B. will send me
something-she did last year; and then there's
cousins William and Toni must get them
something, and would like to do it well enough,
if only knew what to getp
HWell,p said Elesnor's aunt who had been
sitting quietly rafting her knitting needles dur
ing this speech, ats pity that you had not such
= subject to practice on as | was when | was a
prl-presents did not fly about in those days as
tbey do now. | remember when l was ten years
old nv father gave sister Mary and me q most
maryelously ugly sugar dog for Christmas
gift and we were perfectly delighted with 1.-THE
very idea of present was 80 new to US"
aDear aunt, how delighted should be if had
suy such fresh, unsophsticated body to get pres
euts for but to get aud get for people that have
more than they know what to do with now-to
add pictures books, and gliding, when the centre
tables are loaded with them now-sud rings and
levels, when they are perfect drug wish
myself that | were not sick and stated and tired
with having everything in the world given me"
well Eleanor said her aunt, "if you really
do want unsophisticated subjects to practice on,
can put you in the way of it. / can show you
more than one family to whom you might seem to
he very good fairy, and where such gifts as you
coula Wv. ,I.h all case would seem like Q magic
dream"
Why, that would really beworth while, aunt
"Look right across the way" said her aunt
"You see that building"
"That miserable combination Of shanties
Yesw
We'll, have several acquaintances there who
have never been tired of Christmas gifts, or gifts
Of any other kind. assure you, you could make
quite a sensation over there.
well, who is there Let us know p
"Do you remember Owen, that used to make
your shoes7"
eyes. remember something about him.
"Well, he has fallen into q consumption, and
cannot work any more, and he and his wife and
three little children live in one of the rooms over
theren
How 10 they get along ~
ellis wife takes in sewing sometimes, and some.
times goes out washing Poor Owen | was over
there yesterday; he looks thin and wistful, and
his wife was saying that he was parched with con-
slant fever, and had very little appetite She had
with great self-denal, and by restricting herself
almost of necessary food, got him two or three
oranges and the poor fellow seemed so eager after
them
Poor fellow " said Eleanor, involuntarily.
Now, said her aunt, suppose Owens wife
should get up on Christmas morning and find OF
the door a couple of dozen Of oranges and some OF
those nice white grapes, such as you had at your
party last week, don't you think it would make o
sensation ~
Why, yes, think very likely it might but
who else, aunt You spoke of a great many"
"Well, on the lower floor there is neat littl,
room, that is always kept perfectly trim and tidy
il belongs to young couple who have nothinJ
beyond the husbands day wages to liveon They
are nevertheless, as cheerful and clipper as
couple of wrens, and she is up and down half
dozen times day, to help poor Mrs. Owen Sh
has baby of her own about FIVE months old an,
of course does all the cooking, washing, and iron
ing for herself and husband and yet, when Mrs
Owen goes out to wash, she takes her baby an,
keeps it whole days for her"
I'm sure she deserves that the good fairie
should smile on her." said Eleanor; zone bah,
e1hausts my stock Of virtue very rapidly"
But you ought to see her baby !" said aun
r. " plump so rosy, and good natured, and al
ways clean as lily. This baby is a sort ofhouse
mold shrine nothing is too sacred and too goo
Ior 1t and lbelieve the little, thrifty woman feel
only one temptation to be extravagant, and tina
o. nFna - a.. = f:kslo
yinityD
Why, did she ever tell you so 7"
No but one day when was coming dow
stairs the door of their room was partly open, an
J saw pedlar there with open box. John, tn
husband, was standing with little purple cap o.
his hand, which he was regarding with mystifet
shmiring air. as if he didn't quite comprehend 4
and trim little Mary gazing at it with longin
eyeso
think We might get it, said John.
Oh, no." said she, regretfuly "yet | wis
We could, IFS so praty~
Say no more, aunt see the good fairy mui
pop cap into the window on Christmas morr
rug Indeed, II shall be done. How they wi
wonder where it came from, and talk about il "a
months TO Gomez
well then" continued her aunt "in th
n'A' street to ours there Is n miserable buildinI
."a' looks as II IL were just going to topple over
"a away up in the third story, In little rool
just under the eaves, live two poor, lonely Of
"O@en They are both nearly on to ninety.
was was IN there day before yesterday One Of the
constantly confined to her bed with rheuu,
n The other, weak and feeble, with fsilin
sn' and trembling hands, totters about, her onl