Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1867-06-01
in A SORE STRAIT.
.IEson Ratlsdgs,s Christian 1, Annu.l. ]

Ga From Rutledge's Christian Annual 81 .
'sWe must have a lemon or two, Sam,
she says I and so, though I'd Just set down
to my pipe and drop of beer, i got up again,
and / says, IN ow, 1 tell you what it is, lass,
it's just two miles to the town, and it SHOWS
like fury, so if you can think of anything
else you want, just say so,2 and I'll get it
same time.nlif 9si 10 ,THhhaEa. IL - H1
30, tits MT worth while to 90 if.it snows.''
she says; 'never mind, and I'll make shift
without. But, or" she cried all at once,
fathers coming tomorrow, and you've
no tobacco .r7l ,.-,.,,- istf :,
Well, I'd never thought about that, for
when I'd had my fingers in the little Jar
there, seemed enough for me, even if the
next. day was Christmas day; but with
company-why,u there would not be halt
enough So that settled it. and 7 got my
stick and hat; when Polly declared /
| couldn't go out a. night like that without
something round my neck, SO she tied a
comforter round twice, close up to my nose
and ears q -ZsK ~ 80
Now, don't be silly, Sam" she says. .-q
tt..Why, wot's silly,p' I says.iII r. i5H.,Fi
| stWhy, your being such an old goose, and
making so much fuss after being married
all these montbs.s Now, let GO, do" she
says. But didn't t, of course, but held her
for just a few moments while looked
down IN her laughing eyes that seemed to
have grown brighter since we'd married;
and then smoothed-no didn't, for no
hair could have been smoother,---I passed
my rough, chopped-abouti old hand down
the bright shiny hair that 1 felt so proud
OF, and then kissed both her pink cheeks,
and felt somehow hall, glad, half SORROW
full, for it seemed to me that was too hap
py for it to last. itef a;7t,t et-.rlyOL
.rhere now,'i she says, at last, 'smake
haste, there's a DEAR good boy! and get
back; perhaps L shall be done by that
time: and then swe'1 have asnug bit of sup
per."9f HfriH = = - 30 ~ u t1 y =,
But ], couldn't get away, somehow, but
watched her busy fingers getting ready the
things for the next days dinner,-chop-
ping suet, stoning plums,r mincing9 peel,---
aud all in such a nice, neat, clean way,
that it was quite enj njoyahle. sl.5 ,e q. '' -, ~
Now, do go, Sam, She says, pretending
to pout. .for do want you back so bad"
So L made a start of it; Unmatched the
door, when the wind came roaring in, laden
with flakes of snow; the sparks rushed up
the chimney, the candle fiickered, while
Polly gave me just one: bright look and
nod, and!then shut the door. But there
II couldn't get away even then, but went
and stood, by the window minute, where
the little branches of holly were stuck,
glistening green, and with scarlet berries
amongst the prickly leaves; and there L
stood looking in at the snug, bright, warm
kitchen, with Polly making it look ten
times more warm and bright. 1t wasn't
that it was a handsome place, or well fur
nished-for those sort of things don't al
ways make happy home-but plain. hum
BILE, and poor as it was, it seemed to me
like palace; and after watching my lass
for few minutes as she was buster than
ever7-now frowning, now making a little
face at her work-now. with bright light
in her eye, as something seemed to please
II,<,- . Io1I N1,1 Il. -
what's more. 1 says to myself, "Sam. Oar.
rell," l says, why what a donkey you
are, not to get what you want, and make
haste back!' which,, when you consider
that it was showing hard, blowing harder,
and that where stood the snow drift was
over my knees, while inside there was eve-
rything. a reasonable workingman could
wish Tor, you'll say was just about the
truth. -.-.....g ~. p
So gives myself pull together, bitches
| up my shoulders, sets my head down to
face the wind and the binding snow, and
then, with my hands rightat the bottom of
my pockets, off / goes. n-7 .iif - D. Zas1.oa
Now, we'd been together into the town
that night to bring home a good basketful
OF Christmas cheer; for even if you do live
In the black country, amongst the coal
mines and furnaces, and work as pit car
penter at making brattices and the differ
ent Woodwork wanted, that's no reason
why yon shouldn't spend a merry Christ
mas and afhappy one. But now there was
this tobacco and the lemons to get; and
from where we lived right across the
heath TO the town, being two miles, and we
being alone, / made up my mind to cut off
a corner, SO as to get back sooner SO I
turned out of the road as soon as / was out
of the-colliery village, makes sure of the
town lights, and then, taking my stick un-
der my arm, set off at a trot to, the LETT of
the old, pits, r