Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1869-01-01
From the Prairie Farmer.
story f0r the Holidays.
Aunt Hattio's Christmas yree.

/ Mrs. Eastman was stirring. prac-
tical kind OF woman; she never in
duiged IN amusement which had no
further object than mere pleasure.
You would wonder, when you look
ed upon her flrmly-knit eyebrows
and rough exterior, il she ever saw
any beauty In the golden clouds at
sunset, aud you would suspect that
the rainbow had no charms for her,
except the encouraging thought that
she might get her large washing Of
clothes dry tomorrow.
But her children, dear pete, could
appreciate tie beautiful. They loved
flowers, birds and butterflies with the
pure delight of their unbiased nu-
lures. They were the children of
Aunt Hattie's only brother, and she
regarded them with more than ordi-
nary fondness aud as her visit wns
TO be protracted through the holidays,
she planned for them pleasant sur
prize on Christmas. AS her utiiita.
rian sister (in-lawj would closely
criticise and condemn anything
which tended to frivoiity aud over.
Indulgence, she was particularly
guarded on this point. ####'#
The children had been accustomed
to their annual ioasts-- lolasses candy
usually played havoc with their teeth
and aprons at such times. They had
often been allowed to shape dough
into miniaturs girls and boys. horses
aud dogs, and fry them in lard. This
their mother winked at, for who
would question the utility of any
thing to eat? Aunt Hattie saw that
the children would be expecting
something, aud thought she could
make an Improvement OH the lard
and molasscs fixings. Early In No
veinber she commenced her plan.
The mother had prepared yarn with
ir uch care, and c0iored it beautifully.
lt was To be manipulated into stock
ings and inittens for winter wear,
ana she was very anxious that the
girls, Luella aud Mira, should learn
To knit and crochet while their aunt
remained and would take pains To
teucil them. Consequently IL was
not difficult for Aunt Hattie to pro-
cure an appointed time each day
when the girls should meet her in
her room; and she preferred that
they should come one ut u time, civ.
Ing rs reason that it would leave
the other one ut liberty TO assist her
mother. Aunt Hattie confided only
SD much OF her scheme 10 each one
separately as was necessary to- hs
completion. She told them that she
had two objects la view; one was to
teach them these useful arts, and the
other was to make q surprise for the
fsmiiy ut Christmas.
She proposed that whatever they
chose To make should be II holiday
present FOR some one else. For la.
stance, Luelia might knit u pair o.
stockings for Charley and crochet q
hood for Mira; or Mira knit purse
for Luelia and crochet mittens for
Willie. This was all To be kept q
profound secret. No one was to
know anything Of the affair bot tie
one engaged Ia the work and Aunt
Hattie herself. To make the ruse
more complete, there was a pair or
two Of stockings commenced for each
to work upon when they mixed pro.
miscuously with the family. But this
public work progressed very slowly,
for each virl was more interested 20
be or alone compietin. ,,rr par, or
.no cnrIstmas presents. "Stolen
pleasures arc sweetest you know.
Aunt Hattie had never seen pupils
learn 50 easily before. Various arti-
cles, beautiful and convenient. and
neatly finished. Cuts and descrip-
tions OF pen-wipers, needle. books,
etc., in magazines long since put
away and forgotten, were now
brought to light and initiated.
II would be puzziing TO make selec-
onsfrom such variety, Auntic began
TO think, as things, both ornamental
aud useful multiplied On her hands.
She must procure larger tree than
she had al first contemplated, and
her next step was TO consult her
brother, and see IL q tree could be
spared frola his nursery IL not, SHE
must devise some plan for an artificial
one.
20, yes, !" said Mr.. Eastman, nyou
can have your choice of pine, ari,or
vitse, cedar, spruce, hemlock and fir.n
Spruce was selected, because Of the
convenience Its many branches
afforded to hang articles upon. She
set IL i'm her room, its roots nicely
protected In q vase OF earth.
Early, Christmas morning, the
children ran to and fro, and the house
resounded with q confusion Of voices.
singing Merry !hristn,as!n Christ
mas giftv' and "I worder III Santa
Claus has beer here!n Yes, he had,
and o, such a beautiful tree was
growing In the center of the parlor,
hanging full, and loaded down with
nil manner of beautiful thiugs.
What wonderful man was this. He
had labeled everything, 80 that no
mistake should be made In owner.
ship. Each member OF the family
had pair Of stockings or socks; the
small ones each had pair Of nit
tens. Willie had new coat, Charley
cap, and mother break fast shawl.
Here 10 q chair tidy. for papa.
"Ha! ba! That was done TO make
= NOV D said supsie, after little
hands had clap with ovsrfiowing Joy
aud merriment, "here Is basket OF
fruit" and she threw aside the cover
which had concealed an alum bask ct
filled with wax fruit. This she
continued, ''is to be distributed
arnOug all tlioAe who have In any
way contributed to furnish material
for the Christmas tree
At hrst the children were surprised.
The articles were SO beautiful, con-
trGsting their bright coI0rs with the
green, that they scarcely recognized
their own articles OF home nsanuf1c-
tuTe.
Willie was the fret to identify his
IL was an attractive
Juvenile monthly whicii he had with
money from his own little bank.
oldered sent to his brothers address.
II was MS present, then, 70 Charley.
Cbarley's black eyes sparkled q
thank you," and the two boys sat
down together to look at tire con rents.
Meantime, Lue!la and Mira selected
the work of their hands from the