The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1865-12-20
9ts ana Sciences q5Satation gritnnre aAss a,nssn &c


a handful of the "mixture" into Ally's
sock, when soft tap at the door startled
her. 1t was Ellen, and she bore plate,
covered with a napkin, in her hand.
''If you place, mem-Biddy hopes..you
won't be offended, me m--but the children
were SO disappointed to-day, mem; and
when told her you were going to give
them Christmas, she made SO bold as to
fry them few dough-nuts. She wouldn't t
have taken the privilege, only, seeing
Christmas comes but once a year, and it's
good children they are, mem" -
"They are, Elienl Tell Biddy that
am much obliged to her. These are very
nice, indeed.
Yet she cried over them, when the girl
was gone. Her very servants pitied the
cruelly-oppressed little ones!
II have been hard, unsympathizing
mother' she thought, sobbingly. "God
forgive me this, my sin!" She wiped
away the tears, and resumed her task
'sWilliam will think have lost my SEN
ses!'' she ruminated, cramming an orange
into the leg of the tightly stuffed sock,
."ButI can't help it, if he does!' And,
as if invoked by her unspoken thought,
her, husband, accoutered as have de-
scribed, stood before her.
"Williamp sd fo a14
ssEmilyl'' @ aa -
The detected culprits stared at one
another for an instant, in unuttered, be-
cause unuttera5le amazement; then,as the
truth dawned upon their minds, they
b,,r-f ;ofo Hf Of that fbraot
ened to awake the dreamers.
"Hush-sh- shF' said Mrs. Dryden, wip-
ing away the teaIs of mirth that now hung
where bitterer tears had trickled, awhile
ago, and pointing to the beds, i"Let me
see what you have been doing?" The
prudent economist could not repress sim
gle exclamation of gentle reproof, as she
examined the store. civilian Dryden!
And in these hard times. my dear!'
wife | and then l had to make up for lost
time, you know FL tell you how it
happened, and then you won't blame me.
I felt badly after tea, and came up to say
kind word to them m"-nodding towards
the brother and sister-sbefore they went
to sleep, and, that door ajar, heard them
talking"- -.
"And listened, as I did at that one u
cried Mrs. Dryden, throwing her arms
around his neck. and beginning to cry
afresh 80 husband | have been SC
miserable ever since have felt so guilty
Only to think, that was teaching my
children to hate nae aud to hate theil
home-making their lives wretched p
'Don't think of it, dear! After this
there will be peace and goodwill among
us l'' soothed the husband, his own eyes
shining suspiciously. "If we made ,
| mistake we are ready to correct it. Now
let us see what disposition can be made
of this cargo Of valuables. And / left ;
lot Of jimcracks-sweet things, you know
down stairs" tbAs a9eEi
| Christmas morning came, clear ant
brilliant, with frosty sunlight, and Mrs
Dryden, as was her custom, tapped at th'
children's door, having beforehand care
fully Enclosed it far enough to allow her
self and her accomplice view of the in
terror of the domitory.
"Come, little birds, it is time you wer'
out of your nests !"
The CHEEKY, loving voice aroused tn,
sleepers more thoroughly than sterne
accents would have done. The mo.he
was spared the pain of knowing the nov
city of the address made it so efica
cious.
"Yes, mammal" answered Nettie, start
| ing up in bed.
Gail right!s' responded Ally, and b
turned over.
Thus it happened that the eyes of bot
rested simultaneously upon an object i
the center of the apartment, and a ring
ing cry of JOY escaped them.
/ "Nettie, Santa Claus did come r
| 'Ally' don't you know what | praye'
for pr
i They were upon the floor before tn
words had left their lips. The next fe'
moments were passed in speechless admi
ration of the miraculous edifce that ha
arisen during the hours of unconscious
ness. Mr.. Dryden had made secon
trip to the street, the night before, to blu
} a Christmas tree. A broad, fat boz
covered with white cloth, formed tn
base upon which this was set. The lal
. ger toys were placed around the truhl
: and smaller ones hung among the gui
, balls, flags, and flowers. that decked th
} boughs. Miss Dolly sat at the root upo
! one of her new chairs, her foot upon th
) rocker of the new cradle, and, perehe
: up in the topmost branches, was Sant
Claus--white beard, pipe, pack, and all
4 smiling broadly upon his enrapturcd d.
, votees.
J Nettie broke the spell of ecstatic S
} lence- ''Dear mamma papa, darling
she screamed. "Come and see 1t
f just like a fairy land E' And flying
the door, her curls streaming back. an
, her face fairly luminous with delight, st
ran directly into her parents arms.
Theft and Accountability.
> aPatrick, the widow Maloney tells n
that Won have stolen one of her fines