Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1869-01-07
[oRIeINAL.1
THE FAMILY
That Could Not Get Warm
[oRIeINAL..
A STORY FOR CHRISTMAS TIME.

great trouble because none of them could get
warm. Perhaps you think they were very
poor and had not enough clothes to keep
them comfortable, or not enough coal to
make good brisk fire that should drive Jack
Frost out of doors and keep him from doing
any more harm than just breathing on the
window-panes. But 1t was not that. They
lived in Hne large house with two heaters
in the cellar, and with beautiful low-down
CRATES in the parlor, and the dining-room,
and the library, and the sitting room, be-
side.
Heavy curtains hung at the windows SO
that if breath of air did manage to get in,
he was caught in the warm folds and not al
lowed to get out, struggle as he might. So
then pretty soon he died, and If you went
close to the curtains you might smell the
ghosts of great many dead breaths who
had perished there. Furthermore, there
we're somebody's patent weather-strips ap-
piled to every door and window, and every
apartment was as nearly air-tight as possible.
Still the great trouble remalned-none OF
the family were ever really warm. Old Mr..
Coldchisel sat by the library fire all day,
wrapped up in magnificent dressing gown,
padded and quilted throughout, with his
feet in richly embroidered slippers, and often
| with silk bandanna handkerchief thrown
over his head. His hair was not very thick
| and he felt the need of warm covering.
But he was never comfortable and never sat
isfied. Ii anybody came into the room, the
first thing the old gentleman said was ''shut
the doors" never waiting to see whether the
incomer would do so. Then if anybody was
going out of the room, he would say "be
sure and shut the door after you. like to
be warm"
Mrs. Coldchisel was sight to see. She was
not very stout lady, but she was so bundled
In phnwls and mufflers that it was hard lc
tell which were tic clothes and which was
the person. Her place was by tho sitting
room fire, and she had set of screens tina
ferced her all in. She seemed like sort o
slack in the Box" all pressed down togeth
er, but ready to spring up the moment tn
lid is taken off. But there was no spring i
her. She Just sat in her cushioned chaii
caring for nothing but to keep warm. G
course, she had to have the doctor. Wher
ever he came,-which was very often, for I'll
) old lady liked to have him visit her,-h
! would say swell, Mrs. Coldchisel, how d
y you feel to-day?" and she would answe
"The old trouble, Doctor. can't get warm
ssThen he would say, "Where do you ha,
. the most trouble?" and her reply would b
# .About the heart. 1t does seem as If the
was lump of ice In my BOSOM" No me
! icine ever helped her she always had u
e same complaint.
}. Miss Euphrasia Coldchisel name W
], really Nancy, but as she grew up she thoug
10 that was too homely and had herself call
of by the finer name-Miss Euphrasia suffer-
"a in much the same way. She did not lo'
y, yery sick, for she was not particularly th
= or pale. Her eyes were bright, too, but
of was with a kind of frosty brightness th
q, made you feel as If an iceberg was saili
n by, and the chilly breeze from it was blo'
ing upon you. Her hpa were red enoug
in, but their lines were firm and unchang,ns
!, if they had been carved in coral. Gu
~ tell YOU whether they were really cold,
10 nobody ever kissed them, but they TOOK
in, cold, and it seemed as if they would cl
,on ANYBODY who should venture upon the
49, periment. Her hand was not an ugly ha
~, by any means, but when she offered it
~ any one 1t seemed so icy that the per-
;no was glad to let 60 of it as soon as politen
,n- allowed
Tho Miss Euphrasia played the piano bea
he fully, but whatever piece she perform
,es seemed to have been put away in a refrit
-, ator and kept until wanted. If you s
we your eyes while she played you would th
I;no Of frosty night, with the stars shining
y;l1 a hard, clear, sharp light like diamonds,
M the snow lying white and deep and fro
,ho, over all the earth. You would not
,he either as though you were with M
oroo sleighing party dashing along under pit
= =. of buffalo and wSlf-skin robes, with jing
bells and cheerful songs. II would ra
seem that you were all alone in that b
night, with nobody to care for you, and
~ ;e warm nest-like home in which to take re
mss. and find rest.
i we This young lady did not sit by the fiji
,ook much as her parents did, because, of CO.
a or she had calls to make, and shopping
i, Tho and dresses to have fitted. But there
dica- gooa many nou's' a''ei "'' "ne sil
no company, and was not out and ha
,rson very pressing business with the dress-m
,s and then she felt very cold indeed. |
,b;s did not expect anybody to call, she
n,,od have a sofa wheeled up near the pl
nv ,o CRATE, and the lap-robes and afghans br'
jthh, in, and there she would lie, looking
,re mn handsome under the rich furs and gle
retai, eQlors, but still chilled to the very heal
:, no, Mr.. Tom, her brother, had the fami
49, = culiarity. He was in motion good
MIA but there was never any glow about
o,,, He rode horseback often, but it
:, hn warmed him up. He danced superbly
~, spent hours in crowded bathrooms.
a.a,, when it was almost morning out of
! ,,,o, and he had been waltzing all
lille if nc was Jus. as 'oo. % ~ spoeen ana =
,oy M as Wnen ne DeBan. Ills coihpihehts
!, ~ a;s best were like waterloo, just frozen
favor with squeeze of orange in it. The,
pleasant for while, but there was n
30 a. substantial OF heartening, about ev
in,ton kindest speeches. And he did not
aas of trouble himself to say kind things
nra. ~ seemed as if he was all over full of
grow sharp and bright, but not very com
= ond or agreeable. These icicles grew out
Il com. heart, too. They were not merely o
eost n frozen on his garments, as It were.
Il, a,d root was deep in his nature.
,s;st 10 So all this family we're miserable, al
or snoh they were very rich, and seemed
nothing that money could buy. The
here 10 had any pleasant talks together at
They were polite, but cold-for .
they could not get warm. So
the in cheerless, desolate winter ruled
'srchants grand house, and oyer all their ex
'ne STATE surroundings. And although they h
l nnny whenever they wanted II,