Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1872-12-26
MnLERBuRe, HOLMES COUNTY, O., THURSDAY 2e
SEE, SsE Vol. III, No. l9.

f..H-
. for loving eompanionship in vain, o
] Christmas eve. thought of hundre
! little kindnesses Aunt Jane had show
me-. The pretty blue mcrino frock tha
hung across the foot of the bed, read,
, for my evening toilet, seemed to re
proach me with my selfishness; for hac
not Aunt Jane diligently sewed on i
that l might be happy in it,, gt,.
"If you'll send some of the boys af
ter me, mother" 1 said, "I'll go ant
stay with Aunt Jane till supper time. ,
| My mother agreed to this, and I put or
my hooded cape, and fastened to the
cottage. Aunt Jane sat by her bright
fire, knitting, as l. put my head in al
the sitting-roOm door. -.. .
! "Bless the dear child" she exclaimed
in pleased voice; adid she think SC
much of Aunt Jane as to leave the
cousins, and the tree, and the nice
Christmas supper, to cheer the old wo-
mans lonely fireside? Bless your sweet
face, you shall have a nice supper, and
shall hang up your stockings at Aunt
James chimney, and won't we be hap
| py, dearief"- ...,-. .....
"She thought had come to pass the
night with her. How could 1 tell her
otherwise, and disappoint her loving
heart? believe it to have been the
purest and noblest act of my whole life,
that hung up my cloak, and said, as if
no dear pleasure lay cold and dead in
my young bosom, "We'll have fine times,
Aunt Jane; and I'll be sure to wake up
first in the morning, and wish you a
merry Christmas She looked at me
with such sweet content beaming
from her face, and said, fa- .a...f
Not merry Christmas, dear, but
blessed Christmas. Yes, Madge, if you're
waking first, kiss me, and wish me
blessed Christmas" And then she babe
me lay the small, round table for our
supper--she knew it used to give me
such pleasure to do this for her; and
she directed me how to make chocolate !;
and where to find the dainties; and to
toast the slices, and poach the eggs; and
last of all, gave me hekey of her treas
ure chest, and sent me for her silver
cream jug and sugar tongs. When L re-
turned with these, she had adorned the
table with loaf of frosted cake, and a
glass dish of sliced oranges. Oh, what
a feast it was! The boys came for me
just as we were sitting down to the
table. They brought pail of hot oys-
ter soup and some celery for Aunt Jane.
1 was adroit enough to prevent them
from betraying my intention of return
ing with them, and managed to give
Ben to understand that he must tel,
mother and the cousins that ought to
stay with Aunt Jane; she was not well
enough to be left entirely alone, and
that she wanted me to stay. How re-
lieved felt when had fairly disposed
Of those boys! Such happy time as
Aunt Jane and had at our little feast!
do not remember that Aunt Jane talk
I'll or ate much; know that l did both.
Then 1 washed and wiped the tea things
md brought pail of water, tidied the
hearth, and filled the Fireplace with
round sticks, and found the
,lace in the large Bible. Then we sat
lown to prayers. Aunt Jane and l read
verse by turn, of the lovely Christmas
.hapter, and we knelt together as she
prayed the Lord of Christmas to come
nd live i'm our hearts. |,
"She kissed me "good night" and
ucked me in the soft, warm bed and /
ell asleep, while she yet fingered at the
iresidc, reading the pages of the blessed
book. 1 woke once in the night, and
aw her still sitting at the table. She
fas singing i'm low, clear voice, a verse
Il OAt Ah' ! .
Firm as 4 rock, His promise stands,
And he can well secure s
What Pve committed to His hands, . Il,
Till the decisive hour"
"Is it blessed Christmas yet, Aunt ]
ane ?'' asked. She turned towards me 3
nth smile, and answered, blessed l
christmas and then she bowed her |
cad upon the table, | supposed to
reathe a agood night" prayer; and
gain dropped into the sound sleep Of
hildheOd. When awoke, the sun was t
Inning full in the window. Aunt Jane c
'as sitting with bowed head at the lit i
e table. sprang out of bed and called t
ut gleefully, blessed Christmas, Aunt e
ane. l wish you blessed Christmas |
nd ran and touched gently her 5
and. 1t was icy cold! started back |
! alarm. As | did so. my eyes fell on {
" stockings. They were full, and from t
ne of them a little slip Of paper was {
apending. "Aunt Jane cried, wake /
p! See my stockings. They are brim e
Ill" But there was no response or n
Iovement. In terror ran to the street s
GRAND cried to the neighbors across d
he way. They came in answer to my e
lmmons. One of the women emptied
" stockings upon the tea tray, and :
rev them on my chilled feet, and has
ly dressed me and sent me home for
y mother. ...
/" Aunt Jane is with the Lord" she v
i'd as she tried to soothe me, for | was
ying bitterly. at is, indeed, a blessed N
" for her. Do not cry, Madge. Here a
note she has left for you. 1t was e,
nned on your stocking. l will take 81
re of your presents for you, and one ii
your brothers can come for them."
"I ran home with the sad tidings, and a
y mother, taking Ben with her, went W
once to the cottage. 1 remember h
at cried almost all the morning, and v
uld not listen to the boys account. of ii
e merry-making of the night before. Al
hen my mother returnedshome to as n,
1t at the spreading of the Christmas Y,
nner table, wondered that she could fr
about so cheerfully. Ben brought II
e the little covered basket-"Aunt to
mes Christmas gifts to you," he said. nj
opened it and drew forth ITS now, to nj
g, sacred contents. A lovely white n
ron, with rallied pockets; soft, warm W
ittens, stockings, and comfort of Aunt j,
mes own knitting; few yards of m
re old lace, marked, "For Madge's II,
,fldino pown',-I have it yet-siN sill