Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1863-12-30
MR.. BLIEiI's CHRISTMlS DlNNGR.


with thin, harp flakes of snow which whirled
up in feathery looking sprays of drift around
the corners and smote one vlclously III the
face encountering the blast A night
when Instinctively cooked their heads to
windward as they passed cross streets where
the wild wind was holding its malicious irolic.
Mr.. Blueit had been all through the geltings
Of the pitiless storm that day, had faithfully
attended to his business, eaten huge dinner,
and now on the edge of bedtime sat, with
evening paper in one hand ana glass of hot
punch at his elbow, toasted bis slippered feet
before a glowing IRE, reposing them OF course
upon a supplementary chair. He had that
day cleared out a large order, which had paid
very we'll , he had lately nloyed into his hand
some brown stone front, in Nhiteoak Ave
nue.: his wife was amiabie; his furnace ope-
rated well his cook was shiiltui and amena-
bic to reasou-could mortal man ask more
To be sure Mrs Blleit was not the sest wo-
nan IN the world, but she knew enough to
appreciate the advantages Of her present
comfortable position. She had not always
been wealthy, consequently she despised poor
people with al junction. refreshing 10 behold.
On the present occasion the lady had retired
early, being overcome of the drowsy god,
leaving Der lord in undisturbed possession OF
the coy lounging room, with its cheerful
fire and lights. Mr. Blueit sat there under
the impression that he reading, bus his
studies alternated with mods until at last his
burly head fairly dropped into his capacious
breast, and Mr. Blueit slept.
Then crash "a if all the hardware in the
house BY common consent were holding high
carnival below stairs, d sort of exaggerated
DonnYbrook it seemed MIR. Blueit started
TO his feet, out of the room down stairs.
The kitchen was ablaze with lights, and the
range glowed with intense hospitality, IS from
its cleaning orihces assembled savory odors of
daintiest yiands-oi baking and roasting, iiz-
zling ami frying, turning splits, and the ten
defest nursing of the ough and sly had not
been withheld from that sacrihce-whiic eager
cooks iostled about the clumsy sculIoHs, while
delicate Ariels compounded iairy-likc confcc-
tons, and joliiest Pucks reishinglv basted
the crisping fowls while the brown bread sent
forth its sweet and nourishi1g fragrance and
infaEtile pigs were crying their eyes out - be
eaten with their own grdyies, while high upon
the rack of the sideboard, within the dining
room, yet in full view of all the complicated
operations sat the ruler Of the storm. Burly
of figure, huge OF limb, rubieund OF nyse,
sha ygv OF beard, and ioyial of wink and leer,
with long iccles. despite the tropical heat of
the kitchen. depending from capeInd beard,
sat Saint Nicholas issuing his orders and mar
sbaling hi, forces n ii he had been command
er OF all the cooks Il wa Paris TO the Fcciee
Islands. and Minister Plenipotentiary OF the
larders from here 10 Abyssluia- And while
the astonisAed Blu:t stood surveying the pc
markabIa scene displayed To his bcWilGered
vision, this fat ioIIity laughed, and shouted,
and nodded, and winked, and lu lily, with "a
blow Of III, stout hand on Biueit's shoulder
q ,ated him more suddenly than c0urteOUslv Id
one 81 Ibis own leather-cushioncd chairs.
Glad 10 see you, BIueit, at last :" cried the
Saint; we've been busy here for some time,
and began to fear you weren't coming down
at all. Cold Tor the scason-don YOU think
50, Blueit2
Mr. Blueit muttered something about the
peculiar GOODNESS OF taking possession o. a
I,ran's basement story TO raise the dash in, and
limited something about turning the whole
pack out OF doors.
Turn US out of doors That's 81 good
Joke, Why, we've only made beginning
here. This Is going 10 be Il CAristulus-eyc 90
he remembered IN the annals of Blueit a Co.
When the poor and desoiate Of CentrevIlie
shall rise up aud call You blessed, B.ueit.'
; sNr. Blueit WAS convinced that the gentle
man N f4rs. with whom he was holding this
extraordinary conversation, was extremely
drunk
I've i deal ou hand to do, you see, about
this time OF yeat, remarked LHe Saint.
.,lyhat NTH taking boxes To the soldiers With
seein. that an tile Christmas books and $40
rics are properly written, wIth filling stock
iugs, aid furnishing trees, and seeing that
mothers and sisters, and aunts and cousins,
do their duty by the little folks, nd having
general overs shG tlst poor children are not
forgotten, I've all can attend to. But this
big supper OF Biueit \ Co
W hat -
,.Why. YES. YOU see Blucit y 60. are go
ing to entertain all their employees Christ
mas day, and conclude that, With such "a
splendid range a. this, We might do part ot
tin. work here. Don't bc concerned about
the cook IN the morning, I've battalion of
brownies waiting 70 clean up ami leave
everything in the best Of order An excel !
lentlv-appoiuted kitchen, Blucit; very few
ranges y orb ~ sell-nearly as good as my
own ia Hecla-thouzh we rather excel YOU oh |
tile hot-water arrangements. BIaztuS
4 tall, thin why creature, in cooks cap
ana apron. whom Bluelt had watched with
much interest for some time, as DE- whirlea
the roast fowls out OF the range and into plat
tiers wita a celebrity that dehcd calculation,
now approached the joyial Saint.
Is your. work finished, BlagiuS 2?
at i; there only remains what tie brow
MES can easily finish
Tnee ,..ke care Of MIR. BlUeit while ne
yoeS to give out his invitation: and don let
one be forgotten, Mr.. Bucit. YOU viii ac-
companv Blazius III be glad 10 bc of the
marty. Nuf nave a it!2t tttiAAlN "a 't-tllttttA
TOYS 70 look over. and must be excused
80 there was no choice but for Mr.. B!ueit
"a clasp the brown. leathery hand OF his COB
III. Guide. and follow him out into the EUsty
night. lie did take time to catch his heavy
coat from its pes in the basement entry ana
his wiae-4wake hat, and fTanticalir sl'ttcalug
on / huge pain ST boots which stood there,
and dragging them on, stood ready TO accom-
panv Blazius, Who now appeared IN the EuiSe
IF i thin. gentemaniy fellow, in a brown
overroat anu soft hat, and led the stout but
nos trembling MISUNDERSTANDING merchant
out Of the street-uJor.
The long plumv shirls of snow came dan
cling down the street like ghosts, but the gas
lights were still bright; for the waning moon
had net yet risen, and the shops were gay
with holiday goods and gear, and the side
walks ere stlu fail of busy people, their
backs sparkling with the povdery snow, and
the sleigh-beiss we're tillingtue frosty air with
their Iiugling c1dences, at all tBe Jhron-
Mr.. Biueit became aware that tLcv were fol-
lowing only two 4 woman and boy. who
hurried along. hand in hand, taking iittle heed
~of the busy shops with their tempting wares
so Iayishlv displayed, and intent only on gain
mo shelter from the biting wind. Into the
dark alley ,tad up the creaAing stars they
followed Blueit and Lis phantom Eade. The