, 1870-12-15
TIE THIRTEENTH,

TIE THIRTEEHTH.
A Chrsxrmas STORY.
IT PAUL BoF1M.
Nrit;sn for The Chicago Tribune.
Fos uncouu'ed genersticns tho Grenslves
vnro ha1d vprke1n They were alpo = very
respectable family. But ono Of them had
eTer held pubic efi.s; Ind he. black sheep
OF tho flock, D4d been allured into becoming
Town Clerk. Alter ho}dng thu Office for three
months. hu rtslgp.d. AID penitenla1ly ru-
turned to bis rs.ise heath to a.oue for that
error -of lis Lite. Stout, sturdy, md great
hsatts xere the nitu Ct the family; and tho
women healthy aud handsome, even to old
age. Ftabkiin Grcntise x1s no exception to
the -e1cel1e1ce OF his rxce-' He Was mAn
boysars' oio, port;y, jovisl, generous, and, In
ths Sullest meaning Of shs word, good; was
vorahipped *by his wife, and dear1y loved By
bis children, to nhoua he had been, and
was, trieEd ard playmate. As 4 merchant,
hs ntdo money, and gaye much in secret
charity. He vas \ ~opderful helper of Dis
nersing youugmen, Il <ays giving raors mater
i'll aseiktsncs. than gooa adr5ee. which costs
nothing. There qualities made him =
noted peranp, b. cauee, In fheae. days Of r1n-
stiated selathness. ynung people are regard
ed mora hk4 4.nferi.r benign than ~ genera-
fon to supe1sede the old heads, ard to be as
shorg, and ~lse, sid Underwriting as they
havo been- Ms. GrenslEe was alnays cheer
fuJ, out&atdls. That xas \ mius OF woaltt.
He xas honest in *ou1 and desd-znother
marked peeu,la1it5. He fought pereistently
his battle Of Ilfe, and Won hls victories, and
made the beat Ut existence, not aelfishlJ for
htnaeelf, but fer his children And friends.
Or Christmas Day. 1858, Mr. and MIA
are1sire bad their custc1nay' holiday dlnnss.
1twaa uos susll affair in the way Of num-
ban, becsuse that won1d have been too SOL
emn-and he ha'ed so1ezanity save =: church
1n1 funeraie. Waiting for this dinner wers:
Mr.. ard Mrs Greuaivc; and Mra. Grenatve's
mother, QrN dnaa F4nstSw, 5euure Old
lsdy Of 70; xnd Aunt Charity FanshaE, IN an
cieat epinster; ard Rosa Te&il, \ dashing lit
tic No1an II 20 year, tbs amauced Of John
Grrns.ve. the sasd of lis father, and tho
daughter Of poor caetain Tea1l, 1oat On tho
White Cloud. 10 ths I7dian 0cezn; and chs
xhree Grsn=tye giris-yourg 1kdiea; and =
queet looking ynuoR uan IRON Boston, with
letters Of INTRODUCTION, Recommendation,
etc, to Mr.. Gfenaive; c9untxy cousin
Agrcat, gawky fa!so7, in TOR holiday nghts,
and both, red eraty ulnuso With tho proper
diapoal Of his asma and legai aud, finally,
the dexzeat, dtiptie4t, fAuy creature thAt ever
Ahook cu.ls Or l.ughtd-AIlie Gtenaivs-sged
6Jeaz.~ What = no.sy crowd the{ Hcrei-atl
ssve tbs yopng maa from :Bostdn, bho had
nsve1 been boz, aud must have been born
Nithout .pn,lo in his body, ~ soue are boxn
H'shtess Of 1peerhles-so chilling was biz
dereanor, tis speech aud adss5es- Hon they
had ro1aped. and played all sorts Of games,
aud beaten The dust ont Of carpets and chairs,
and overturned Il lea, srd played tricks On
s..notheri'' Evsn Aunt Charity and Grandma
assisted II the geaefal confusion. Whlt 4
Hl1sndid bog uz- Mr. Gren.ive, The elders He
know III ecrss Of games and played them With
rplrit, 4nd pe,tet Allie ind teaaed nosa, and
1iksed Aunt 0esr ,, Aad was down On his
kneas one rninufe, q sliding down the bsnnis.
ter, Or hiding in c1osst the ne1t-as undIgni-
fed uzn as eveF lived to mako other people
happy. 1t was lazge honss, but they took
The echo out Of every room and left only the
Etchan free from their hilarious innpttonE,
Bat When everybody EAs tired-sAving the
youth from abroad-knd hungry, aad mother
c1us to the d1or and said "Dinner
isreidy, chlldten," how they hughed. And
toN lovingly hi. Gtsnsive put bis srua kround
her waist, N looked into her pieasant face
1cd led fef to her aeat-an ~ ga11artly ~ be
had treated her thirty Jears before. Then he
said grace With auch earueatueaa aud ferTos
that It thouod lis words came from tbs heart.
After that be toUk mp the great carving knife
and, closing o1o eys, he looked with tho othel
40 fesoeieusly 4. tic great, brown turkey lying
hzdy CD tas back, x.sh his 1egs, TT what WI
4e1t Of thew. sticking up toward heaven ap
petlHgEs. that Allie laughed hsraelf out Of he1
Lille eh1ir Ad unSee thu tablo, whence ahs
was hsAed Out, lanchicg harder than ever, b.
her aosher..
ahe tAkea a1tef me: eaggesta NJ: T.
Hlnk1ne ht1Hoy II a'e WIG Hn!en seuas "a
Itus gid 10 O smother Mt End ttckles the fAthe
Wonderfully. -
dtacdna fenda~ her sharp eyes roslnl
aronnd the table, and taJs to enc Cur Of tn
eoaes1s ceaetn' "ao IN ei''tne oefaae aes: :.
ihe1e are op!s e!oTen hete.' when l
lucky" Startled out OF his composurr,
turns 1cd tu The face, and, By IN Awkua<
motion. oretturna bss ssls-cellar, which make
him nose unctmsosta51e shan eror. Befor
b6 c1n reK1in his eslf. possession, Aunt Chart
Hhispefp In tht o,hex ear:
"Dssf ma don't Tou know Ths ssyfn' I
that when thirteen scts down to T. Chriatr,s
dinner one Of en- xiIt die 'fo1s the nez
chria.rnas7 no~ heard = En.n s.y-"
''Whetes John :" Nr. dscaslye as1Es. inte1
rnntipR her. and looking At 4 yacsnt chat ma
h4e uifa- :.
uHeu uals twelve" whispe1s Aunt Uhar
II. AaH In aneHer to Mr. drensive.s quo.
t3ou-tho front door u opeped and shut, stol
.ra tn,yf in the I.atl and in 4 pninufe i II
vounc man Of Is, with tEintlins oyes, IN
blond hafs and znsustache adca4 hishsad int
the room, and ssvs, softly,