The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1872-12-13

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they were in no danger of suffering.
After supper the lamp was lighted,
the small room made as neat as could
be, fresh wood heaped upon the fire,
and after frolic with baby, Ted and
Matte crept up the ladder to their bed
in the loft, while their mother sat down
again to her sewing. She had sad
thoughts for company that Christmas
eve, and she sighed good deal as she
piled her needle, glancing sometimes at
the rosy baby in her cradle, and some
times at the three little stockings hang
ing there by the chimney. They were
a good deal worm. those title stockings
and Mattie's careful fingers had darned
them here and there. Dear patient,
helpful little fngers-how ready they
had been to take up the burden of life
how the mothers heart longed to
I'LL them with good gifts this blessed
Christmas; but, alas she had nothing
to give. She was not even 50 rich as
little Ted, who had squeezed his prec-
ious block into the baby's stocking, and
gone to bed happy. 1t was almost
midnight before the work was finished,
and already the baby was stirring UNI
easily in her cradle, and once or twice
the mothers heart was startled into a
quick throb Of terror at hearing her
hoarsc, threatening cough.
"Dear heart" said the mother, anx-
iously, running to the cradle, eff she
should have the Group again, and not
a thing in the house to give her!"
Half an hour more, and the little
creature was gasping and struggling,
with dark rings about her pretty blue
eyes, and an ashy whiteness around
her mouth.
"Run for the doctor, Mattie,' cal
led the mother, and Matte never STOP
ped to Think Of the night or the cold,
as she tied On the old blue hood, and
wrapped herself in her thin worn shawl,
and battered away down the lonesome
road, just as the clock struck twelve.
l dare say the doctor was tired and
sleepy, and l do suppose that doctors
need rest as much as other mortals; but
Matte never would have guessed; by
any word or look Of DR.. Ashley's, that
it was not the most delightful thing in
the world to him to get up at midnight
and 60 half a mile to see a sick baby,
with no earthly prospect of any fee. 1
said no earthly prospect, but make
no doubt that a good many of Doctor
Ashley's bills were kept safely for set
Element by and 10y, when the great
Paymaster up in Heaven calls His
stewards to account.
"Haln't you some simple thing to
give her? said the doctor, examining
the baby.
Nothing, DOCTOR" said the mother,
sally.
"No sweet oil, butter, molasses ?
even lard would have done"
"Nothing, doctor,' said the mother
again, her liz quivering little now;
"no butter, molasses, or even lard"
The doctor bent a ritiful face over
the baby, and he gave his directions in
a low voice; but he stayed patiently by
her until he saw the difficult breathing
relieved at last, and the little creature
sleeping safely in her cradle. lie had
found time to note the three empty
stockings by the chimney before he
went: and he rightly guessed that in a
house 50 poor there was nothing to fill
them. But whatever he thought about
it, he made no remarks, and when the
baby was out Of danger he went away.
The tired mother slept late into the
next morning, with her rosy little treas
ure folded close in her arms, and the
womauly little daughter came quietly
down the ladder and began to build up
the fire from the Goals that still smoul-
dered in the white ashes. She saw the
stockings, empty still, but she had not
the heart to take them down. Her
fingers were cold and stiff, and some,
how she found it hard to open the door,
but when it did come open, there was
a big basket fastened to the latch,
heaped with bundles great and small.
She took it down, half doubling if she
really were awake, and read upon the
top IN big letters,
Merry Christmas from Santa
Claus to Ted and Mattie."
l cannot tell you half there was in
it, but even the turkey had been re-
membxed, and though there was not
word to make one suspect anybody
but Santa Clause, yet l happen to
know that DR.. Ashley had no turkey
for his Christmas dinner, though he
certainly bought nice one the day
beforehand; but one thing do not
know. and that is, where they had the
merriest Christmas, at the white house
on the hill, or the little log house at
the four corners Little Corporal.