The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1861-12-18

to kiss their little cousins under ia pro
ceeding which affords both the boys an,
the old gentlemen unlimited salts action
but which rather outrages grandmamma'
ideas Of decOfum, until grandpapa says
that when he was Just thirteen years an,
three months old, he kissed grandmamm,
under miseltoe too, on which the children
clap their hands and laugh very heartily
as DO aunt George and uncle George; anc
grandmamma looks pleased and says, viii
benevolent smile, that grandpapa Away.
was an impudent dog, on which the chill
dren laugh very heartily again and grand
papa more heartily than of them But al
these diversions are nothing to the subse
quent excitement when grandmatnnia in a
high cap and slate-colored silk gown, and
grandpapa with beautiful plated shirt.
frill. and white neckerchief, seat themselves
on one side Of the drawing room fire, with
uncle Georges children and little cousins
lnnumerable, seated in the front, waiting
the arrival Of the anxiously expected visi.
tors. Suddenly a hackney coach is heard
to stop, and uncle George. who has been
looking out Of the window, exclaims-
Here's Jane on which the children rush
to the door, and heller. skelter down stairs !;
and uncle Robert and aunt Jane, and the
dear little baby, and the nurse, and the
whole party, are ushered up stairs amidst
tumultuous shouts OF oh, myr from the
children, and frequently repeated warnings
not to hurt baby from is nurse and
grandpapa takes the child, and grand
mamma kisses her daughter, and the con.
fusion Of this first entry has scarcely sub
sided when some other aunts and uncles
with more cousins arrive, and the grown
up cousins tirt with each other, and so do
the little cousins, TOO, for that matter, and
nothing is to bs heard but confused din
OF talking, laughing, and merriment
A hestating double knock at the street
door, heard during momentary pause in
the conversation, excites a general inquiry
OF who's that ? and two or three children,
who have been standing at the window, an
nounce in low voice that it's poor aunt
Margaret Upon which aunt George leaves
the room to welcome the new conner, and
guantanamo draws herself up rather stiff
and stately, for Margaret married a poor
nan without her consent, poverty not being
a sufficiently weighty punishment for her
offrnse, has been discarded by her friends,
and debarred the society Of her dearest
relatives. But Christmas has come round.
and the unkind feelings that have struggled
against better dispositions during the year.
have melted away before its genial influ-
ence, like half formed ice beneath the
morning sun. 1t is not difficult in mo
ment OF angry feeling for parent to de
n"nnce disonedient child but to Danish
her at period Of general good will aud hi
iarltv, from the hearth round which she
has sat on many anniversaries Of the same
lay, expanding by slow degrees from in
fancy to girlhood, and then bursting almost
imperceptbly into the h gh->pirited and
beautiful woman, is widely different. The
'lr Of conscious recttudc and cold for
:iveness, which the old lady has assumed.
sits vi upon her; and when the poor girl
Is led IN by her sister, pale in looks. and
broken in spirit-not from poverty, for
that she could bear, but rom the conscious
ness Of undeserved neglect and unmerited
unk'ndness- it is easy to see how much OF
It is assumed. A momentary pause sue
ceedS the girl breaks suddenly from her
sister and throws herself, sobbing, on her
mothers neck. The father steps hastily
forward and grasps her husbands hand. -
Friends crowd round to offer their hearty
consra, ulati"ns, and happiness and harmo-
ny again prevail
As to the dinner, it is perfectly delight
lul-n"thing goes wrong, and e, ervbody is
In The best way Of spirits, and disposed 70
please aud be pleased. Grantipapa relates
a clrcum >tantal account Of the purchase Of
previous turkeys on former Christina, DAYS
which grandmamma corroborates in the
m,nntcst particular. Uncle George tells |
stories aud carves poultry, and takes wine
and j.kes with the children Mt the side
table, and winks at the cousins that are
making love, or being made love to, and |
everybody with his good hu,noi
and hospitality; and when at last a stout
servant staggers in with gigantic pudding
with spr'g Of holly IN the top, there is
such Laughing. and shouting. and clappins
OF little chubby hands, and kicking Of fat
dumpy legs, as can only be equalel by the
applause with which the \ tonshing feat oi
pouring lighted brandy into ,nincc pies, i,
received by the younger visitors. Then thc
desert !-xnd the fun! Such beautiful
speeches, and such songs from aunt Mar.
garet's husband, who turns out to be such
a nice man. and so attentive to grand
mamma! Even grandpapa not only sings
his annual song with unprecedented vigor,
""S osa "e'''S uoacSeu Win unanimous
encrs, according to annual custom. actually
comes out with new one which nobody
but grandmamma had ever heard before;
aud young scape grace Of cousin, who
has been in some disgrace with the old pe.,-
pie for certain hrnio,ls sins of omission and
comnis>i'n-neglcc:ing to call. persisting
IL drinking Burton al.-nstonishes every
body into c"nvulsi ms Of laughter, by vol
,'ntcering the mnst extraordinary comic
songs that were ever heard. Aud thus the
evening passes. in strain of rational good
will and cheerfulness. doing more to awaken
tn. sympathits OF every member Of the par
ty in behalf Of his neighbor. and to perpet-
uate their good feeling during the ensuing
year, than al the honilivs that have ever
been written by all the divines that have
ever lived. ~ @