Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1872-12-19
SELECTED STORY.
AXERRy CHRISTMAS.
By EMILY HUNTINGTON MILLER.

BIZ EMILY HUNTINGTON MILLER
Ted and Matte. had finished their
work. It was hard, cold work, drag
ging dead wood on the old broken hand
sled, clear from Deacon Turner's wood
lot to the little tumble down log house
by the four corners But the children
did not mind the cold, or the work
either; they were 80 glad to have plenty
Of wood to fill up the great yawning
fireplace, and keep the frost from
curdling the air in the one room, and
pinching the baby's fingers and toes as
she sat in her cradle.
''There," said led, taking off his nit
tens to blow his cold, red fingers, ''if we
don't have anything else Tor Christmas
we've got lots of wood, and | mean to
fill the old fireplace chock full to-
morrow"
81 wish we did have something nice
for mother and the baby; but you must
not speak about it, Ted, not before
mother, because it makes her feel bad"
Give got something for baby" said
Ted, mysteriously. "Aliss Spriggins
gave it to me when I took her work
home yesterday" and he drew from his
pocket little round block on which
ribbon had been rolled. 1t was paper,
and both Ted and Matte admired it
very much.
GLOW pleased she'll be-" said Matte.
care you going to hang up your stock
ing, Ted? ?"
"Course am" said Ted. "Some-
thing might happen, you know; anyhow
like to pretend I'm expecting lots OF
things"
The two children went into the house,
where their mother was sewing by the
last light of the short winter day, while
the baby sat in her cradle playing with
string Of spools. The mother was
pale and thin and looked, oh !! so sad
and tired but the baby was as fat, and
round, and rosy as nice plump apple,
and didn't look as if she knew anything
about the hard times that had come to
the little log house when the father
died, Just about the time she first open
ed her wondering eyes on the world.
ssThe wood is all in the shed, mother"
said Matte, "a nice big pie Of it; and
when that is gone, Deacon Turner is
going to draw us a load himself; he
said so this afternoon. u IN,
"And to-morrow''l be Christmas" said
Ted, "and l 'spo:ed I'd better catch
that turkey before dark" d..
The mother smiled at merry Ted, and
Matte drew out the small table and
spread their simple supper Of brown
bread and milk. The children ate with
hearty appetites; and though they some
times felt little dissatisfied with their
plain fare; yet the mi k was sweet and
rich, and the bread wholesome, 80 they
were in no danger Of suffering.
After supper the amp 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 thoughts for
company, that Christmas eye; and she
sighed good deal as she piled her
needle, glancing sometimes at the rosy
baby in her cradle, and sometimes at the
three little stockings hanging there by
the chimney. They were good deal
worn. those little stockings, and Matties
careful fingers had darned them here
and there. Dear, patient, helpful little
fngers-how ready they had been to
take I'D the burden of life-how the
mothers heart longed to fill them with
good gifts this blessed Christmas; but,
alas! she had nothing to give. She
was not even so rich as little Ted, who
had squeezed his precious 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 uneasily in the cradle,
and once or twice the mothers heart
was startled into quick throb OF terror
at hearing her hoarse, threatening
cough.
"Dear heart" said the mother, anxious
", running to the cradle, eff she should
have the Group again and not 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
month. ~. j NJ. ~
"Run for the doctor, Matte, called
the mother, and Matte never stopped
to think Of the night or the cold, as she
t;od on the old blue hood, and wrapped
herself in her thin worn shawl, land
battered away down the lonesome road,
lust as the clock struck twelve. | dare
saw the doctor was tired and sleepy, and
| do. suppose that doctors need rest as
much as other mortalsi; but. Mattles
never would have guessed, by any VOID
or look of Ashleys, that it was not the
e - :. ! z,,ueld IA