Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-12-23
KITTY,s CHRISTMAS.


KITTY was crossing the park on her way
home from school. II was o delightful
winters day-cold, but not too cold, with
such bright sun sparkling In the frost
and iinging the boughs and tree-trunks
with lovely colors-reds ard pinks, and
golden brOwns--that one could hardly find
1t in his heart to miss the leaves. A sort of
frosty perfume came from the earth. AL
together, as Kitty sped along, kicking up
the ground with her copper.toed boots,
she felt herself TO be one of the happiest
little girls in the world.
And why shouldn't sheP In the first
place, she was twelve years old. All her
teeth were safely through, and she had got
over the measles, and whooping. cough,
and other troubles which babies have
while grown up troubles, such as head
aches and heart-aches, hadn't yet begun.
All the blood in her little body was like
fresh, sparkling soda-water, or cider, or
some such cool, bubbling drink, and dane
ed up and down in her veins, making her
cheeks pink and her eyes bright, and now
and then mounting into her brain with a
sort of fizs, which caused her to laugh at
nothing, and show the dimples which in
dented her cheeks like two cunning nicks
And, besides being so young, there were
lots of other things to make her happy.
There WIS her mother, in the first place
such nice one and baby brother year
and half old, and just able to say some
thing he meant for kitty" and pet her
face with his soft little hands. There was
home, in the second place not grand or
rich one, by any means, but very snug.
Only four rooms, to be sure; but with. al
ways bright fire, and clever contrivances
of all sorts to keep them comfortable.
These were mothers doings. She was such
a one for making house cosy. Then,
more still, Kitty was at the head of her
division in school, and had her "good-con
duct reward" in her pocket at that moment
There was to be two weeks vacation also
And, best of all, tomorrow was Christmas
day |, They were to have green wreaths
aud aSplun pudding, and to hang up stock
ings-her big one and baby's little sock.
There wouldn't be much in them, for
mother couldn't afford much but there
was always something to make merry sur
prise. And, altogether, it is no wonder
that Kitty felt happy, and that the copper
toes flashed in the sun like gold as she
danced along
Late as it was the swans were still swim
ming about the pond, like tiny ships with
all sails set; and it was such a pleasure to
watch, them that Kitty sat down for min
ute on q bench to do so. AS 1t happened,
two other little girls were sitting there, or,
rather, we should say, "little ladies'" for
they were so finely dressed aud wonderful
to look at that, after she once spied them,
Kitty could look at the birds no longer,
but looked only at them. They took no
notice of her-dear me, no but went on
talkipgcas if she were not there, and
feeding the swans with bits of sponge
cake. -sLf.
One of them, who was about ten, was
all blue velvet from top to toe, and had
long white plumes in her hat. She had
blue boots, too, and carried fuzzy white
muff; the most beautiful thing ever seen,
Kitty thought The other was mass of
splendiferous scarlet-scarlet coat, leg
gings, hat feathers; and the coat was
trimmed with gray fur, and so were her lit
tie scarlet gloves. Altogether, to look at
them was just like fairy tale, she
thought; they were so gorgeous, so full of
airs, so desperately unconscious of her ex-
istence. She stared and stared; she had
never seen anything like them before. All
at once her own clothes seemed to grow
pitiful. and shabby-the rough jacket and
alpaca froek, which had seemed so nice
only that morning, the warm cap mothers
own fingers had made.
"My DEAR" one of the little ladies was
big ladies'" my dear, what do you think ?
Ma says she has no objection"
"Obj ction about what?" replied the
other; or, Oh, yes, see. You mean the
BALI"
"Of course I do. It's to be Twelfth
Night, you know. Costumes and dancing.
You'll come, of course, darling; and what
will you wearl"
"Oh, I haven't consulted ma yet. What
will y0u wear? p
Ma says Marie Antoinnette dress (the
little lady pronounced it Maree) would be
lovely It's splendid. Pink silk petticoat
you know; and blue pannier, looped uI
with silver; and powder in my hair and
pink roses and diamond necklace. And
mas going to lend me her earrings"
But you haven't got any holes in you
ears, have your
"No; but Amalie can hang them on with
thread, she says. Shoe! shoe? Look al
that greedy swan. He's taking all the
cake. Go away sir, tell you! What are
you, going to have for Christmas, dear?"
"Well, told ma what wanted but, O
course, l don't know exactly what shell
decide. She was going to get me a chin
chlla mutf to match this suit; but / said
qoouI MT have it. Ermine's a great dea
prettier and goes with anything, l tolC
her. And she said, Very well, SHOULD
have ermine. And pas going to give mt
a writing desk, and grandma set of coral
and Aunt Bella velvet prayer book"
=" Is she? What color?"
"Scarlet, I guess; or else gray. dom
know which; but something to match thi
suit, anyhow. Then Uncle Jack has go
me malachite locket."
How do you know?"
"Amalie told me. She saw it in hi
drawer. What are you going to haveg"
We'll, the only thing know positively
is gloverbox full of gloves. One of thos,
lovely white morocco ones, you know
Brother Ned brought it from Paris, wher
he came; but haven't seen it yet. Ar,
you going to Josey Cruger's ball :"
Yes. just think! Ned Prime has en-
gagged me for the German all this winter
and he sends me the most perfectly spIendit
bouquet every time. What are you going
to wear? I'm going to wear my blue
silk.p
CHERRY and white tullo. It's a lovely
dress, ma says. Don't you wish (whisper
ingt ttiat common little girl would go away
She is just sitting there to listen"
81 think she's real impertinent," whis
pered back the other, ANY way, she has
no business in the park. Look at hel
boots."S
Kitty had been so absorbed in all this
gorgeous talk that she had quite forgotten
she was listening. 1t was like some won.
derful picture-all this chatter about pink
and blue, and parties and Christmas pres.
ents, and the two wonderful little objects
themselves. But now, when these unkind
whispers reached her ears, she walked up
suddenly, and blushing very much, she
rose and walked away. Her eyes were full
of tears, All at once the sun seemed less
bright and the day not so beautiful She
was the same Kitty still, and the dear
mamma and pleasant home and Christmas
were awaiting her; but somehow these
things had lost their value, and she felt
discontented and unhappy.
My dear children, there is little seed of
evil which gets into our hearts sometimes 4;
and 1t is called "Envy" 1t grows as fast