Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-12-29
lltmtestcr Daily Spn,
From Harper's Magazine for January.l
OUR CHRISTMAS PARTY.

CConcludedl
drought out my small dishes and all NV
treasures, but she yawned over them. | could
detect no expression OF interest in her face,
except when the fire blazed up little higher,
and her hands, which she held over the blaze
turned still redder with the heat No one had
ever told me that the poor girl was half de-
mented; but l had the feeling which chill
dren always have for that class of unfortu-
mates. She was repulsive to me but | did
my best to amuse her, although ! thought it
very hard on my mothers part to expect so
much of me.
was in despair, and on the point of crying,
when the thought struck me Of inviting George
Washington up stairs. | found him in the
barn-yard, whiting. He accepted my invita-
ton reluctantly. Jane bushed a little when
he came in he dropped his hat under his chair,
and gigged. He eyed my playtlings with
contempt and said, 'Them's for little girls"
He offered Jane red apple, but she shook her
head SO he took great bite from it and put
it back in his pocket He edged up to the fire
by degrees, and kicked the brands spitcfully,
and then grew laxative, and finally succeeded
in interesting Jane in an account of what he
called "blind bile" which he had had on his
arm, and which kept him from hunting rabbits
for month.
was glad when we were called down to din
ner. 1t was all arranged on the table at once
There was chicken stew and chicken pie.
roasted goose and spare rib The vegetables
were mashed and the sauce very strong and
sweet. We had for dessert, boiled custards,
apple-dumplings dried fruit stewed in sugar,
and currant and elderberry wine
Gran her Buck and Jane sat together Mrs.
Saunders sat as far back from the table as she
dared to without the fear Of topping from her
chair, and l00sing her dinner between the table
and her mouth. George Washington held up
his knife and fork, resting the handles on the
cloth. Mrs. Chandos and Miss Carter look
ed solemn and longing, and Miss Polly watch
ed my mother, eager to help her, as she was
the carver and waiter. 1t was pleasant to see
the hunger of the company. Grant Buck,
the edge Of whose appetite had been dulled
by his relish Of cheese and gingerbread was
very polite, and handed the dishes about I'M
remittingly, upsetting one now and then Mrs
ChandOs and Miss Carter, accepted every
thing, and Mrs Saunders refused every thing.
She had no occasion for any thing, she said
but she ate all that my mother quietly put on
her plate.
"Gran'ther," said Jane Buck, "the mills
going to-day; heard it."
"She's poor Creetur," said Gran Their apol-
ogetically, from behind a chicken leg.
Miss Polly made a hasty motion, and laid
her knife down but she caught my mothers
plying eye, and took it up again.
charm, said George Washington, "gimme
more cranberry sarse. I'm going to Nicker-
sons Swamp next week, and Eli fetch you
peck on EN-. And Marin, would you like
skunk Dad says they are better'n goose,
when they are stuffed with sage and unions,
and apple sarse goes along"
Mother said she would like the cranberries,
but declined the skunk
Mrs. Chandos asked mother if she had for
gotten how to make Iniun meal dumpngs
they ought to have been in the chicken stew
she said, instead Of flour dumplings Still
Mrs Chandos had eaten heartily of the light
crust which composed part of the stew.
81 am sure, Marin, you have got plenty of
ycller meal, said Gran'ther ''tor your Bill
took away ten bags yesterday from my mill
But corn amt what it used to be; it's only fit
for creeturs' feed"
The dinner was finished at last They all
rose together, and put their chairs against the
wall, and then looked at mother. She told
them that at five O'Clock tea would be ready;
in the mean time they must make themselves
comfortable.
Miss Polly, who, like most mercurial people,
needed a little nap, went up stairs to indulge
herself with one. Mrs Chandos went into the
parlor followed by Miss Carter they resumed
their knitting.
Gran ther and George strolled off somewhere
TO take nap-probably in the hay-mow-and
Mrs. Saunders went into the kitchen to help
wash the dishes. l begged mother to send for
one Of my schoOlmates to come and pass the
afternoon with me. She consented and when
Emma came, we went up stairs together with
Jane Buck, and our play amused the poor
girl. When we got tired Of playing, lit was
after four o'clock, and the shade Of evening
was creeping over the house, Jane Buck was
snoring in her chair, and Emma and went
down stairs Mrs Saunders was in the kitch-
en- tanning herself with a turkeys wing, and
mother was cutting out some garments for her
to take home and make up. | went into the
parlor. Miss Garter was by the window. She
nodded her head towards Mrs. Chandos, not
wishing me to disturb her. looked at Mrs.
Chandos, and felt impelled to go near her
Her eyes were wide open, and her hands were
clenched; her yarn was broken, and the ball
had rolled on the floor; the snuiboX had fall
en- from her lap, and the spilled snuff made me
sneeze violently. But Mrs. ChandOs did not
stir-she was dead! looked at Miss Carter
She caught my scared eyes and came forward
quickly The sight broke her heart but she
made no noise she only wrmg her witheTed
hands, and then she picked up the ball Of yarn
and tried to wind it again. called my moth
er She gently led Miss Garter from the room,
and all that could be done, was done for the
bereaved woman. She died before the next
Christmas, and the family, whose name was in
the "Memoria" became extinct.
Miss Polly hurried down stairs, full of COM
passion, but with a look which seemed to say
"What could we expect she was so very old y
But Miss Polly was only three years younger
than Mrs. Chandos.
Granther Buck wiped his forehead when
my mother told him Of Mrs. Chandos's sudden
death
"John Chandos was a good Christian man,
though he ,cdS fond of Hollands; but guess
Mrs. Chandos will meet him in the field be-
yond the flood "
Granther enjoyed his tea, drinking four
cups, scalding hot, and eating mnch sweet
cake. Poor Jane trembcd with fear, but she
frightened up when mother gave her new
bed blanket with a red rose in each corner
Mrs, Saunders went home crying with thank
tuness.
And so ended our Christmas Party. Before
went TO bed that night, mother asked me if ]
did not think it a happiness to be able to be.
stow pleasure on those poor friends of hers p
SAID was very tired Of Jane Buck, and ask
cd her when she thought Gran'ther Buck
would die Whereat she smiled, and sent
me to bed. And ! heard that night, the
Story Of cousin Nancy's marriage, and her
Polly.
BoNArAnTE AT MoNrEBELLo.--I found him
iather IN the center of Il brilliant court than at
ule headquarters Of general. The seyerest
euquetle reigned around him. his aidcs-de-