Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-12-04

anu aunt AndTy lett tnelr young HepneWS
and neices in possession of the house, and
drove away to the city. The children
suspected the trip might lave some CON
nection with Christmas, and wisely asked
very few questions about it; but they
guessed and %speculated not a little when
they were left alone. Right in the midst
c ftheir wonderings and supposings Tom
Scott suddenly appeared.
"Work for the League" he called out,
hurriedly.
WHAT Where?" asked Gerty and
Charlie together, and Rob sprang to his
feet, and advised him to
Speak out like a man,
Fling oul the banners and marshal the clan"
Lizzie looked up with eager interest, and
Tom, pleased with the impression he had
produced, exclaimed:
why, you know that little mission
school up at the Ridge? Poor as
can be they are, all of 'em-the
children, | mean. Well, they wanted
some kind of a treat, or celebra-
three teachers there were trying to get it
up all alone. Mr.. Brady heard about it,
and he said u school ought to help 'em.
SO he's been round to see some of the
folks, and has got some pies and cakes
promised and now he wants sOme of our
scholars to go up there and help fix
things-getevergreens, and make wreaths,
and build tables, you know. | tell you,
he was glad when | told him | could
bring half "a dozen to help. Get ready,
quick"
Rob and Charlie were drawing on their
boots before he was through; but Gerty
looked the picture of perplexity.
"Oh, dear, it would be so nice, and it's
just the thing. But then
"Well, what then? What's the mat
ter ?"
Why, there's Little Tad and Baby
Jenny"
Let Nancy take care ofthem," said Rob,
tying on his tippet.
"She can't. She's too busy to-day. Aunt
Mary couldn't have gone away if we
haId't been here. She said So"
"S~omebody'll have to stay, then, / ex-
pect," said Tom, regretfully. But the
rest had better hurry. Annie Cole will
be here pretty soon, for | stopped and told
our house as quick as we can, for Mr..
Brady is to stop with his big wagon and
take US over"
The brothers and sisters hesitated and
looked at each other. Annie Cole came
in and said ooh, dearl' and it was
too bad" But that did not help to de-
eide the case. Nobody wanted to be left
behind.
II think maybe I'd better stay" said
Lizzie, slowly, at last.
Gerty's face frightened.
"But you want to go as much as he
rest of u.s. she said.
Eyes, I'd like to go; but then the boys
are stronger and can cut evergreens, and
you make wreaths better than | do. You
and Annie are so quick and can make
such pretty festoons and notices. | ex-
pect you'd be more use"
Baby is real good with YOU" an
swered Gerty, still a little h~esitatingly, but
beginning to put on her cloak.
1t did occur to Annie that she might of
rer to stay with Lizzie. But she wanted
so much to go, and then this was league
work and the first chance she had; SO she
said nothing about it, and in a few min
utes the party were off, h%urrying, chatting,
and laughing merrily. Lizzie watched
them until they were out of sight, and
then turned away from the window to q
room that had grown very lonely. Baby
Jenny awakened from her nap, cried to
be taken up; and Lizzie carried her about
the room, trying to amuse her. But Baby
didn't like the sober face that looked into
hers, and when they paused before the
mirror, Lizzie didn't like it, either.
ut has no curls around it like Gerty's,
and the eyes don't flash like Annie's. [
wish it had something real nice and pref
ty, all its own; but it hasn't. It's only
Lizzier" she said, and the tears were be-
ginning to gather in the eyes that wouldn't
flash, when wee Tad called out:
81 loves Lizzie free Dozen"
Tad must nave a block house built as O.
reward for that; and SO Lizzie forgot her
self in taking care of the two and keeping
them out of Nancy's way.
1t was a busy day for the others-hard
work, but pleasant work, with SO many
willing hands to assist, and the bright
thought of what a delightful surprise they
were preparing for the poor mission
children. They accomplished a great
deal in a few hours, and the plain room,
frightened up with graceful green trim
mings, and holding long tables, as a.
promise of the mOrrow's feast, wore a
very different aspect from that of the
morning. Then just at twilight when they
were preparing to depart, the minister
stepped in for a moment, to admire their
arrangements, and spoke a few loving,
earnest words, about the blessedness Of
SuCu "oih, tildG SSlI SNC11 Dody away
with warm, glad hearts.
The children reached home a few min
utes after Uncle Jack and Aunt Mary ar
rived, and were too full of the days do
ings to think of anything else all supper
time. After tea, Annie Cole ran in, and
presently Tom and Joe Scott came too,
to talk it over. Uncle Jack and Aunt
Mary took a deep interest in the project,
and Auntie declared she must have a fin
ger in the pie, or, at least, a cake on the
table.
"And so the League has been on its
mission? Now, if l could find which one
of the heroes had been most heroic, l
think | would bestow a media" said Uncle
Jack, opening his pocketbook. "See!
Here is a silver dollar, saved ever since
the days of coin, before the war"
at was real hard work, and everybody
did the best they could; that was all. [
guess there was nothing special about it."
answered Rob.
Gerty had twined evergreens for wreaths
and sewed them for notices until her
fingers were blistered. She didn't mind
that, though, since the work was done,
she said. Lizzie looked at her admiring-
ly, for Gerty was usually very careful of
those pretty white hands. Annie's fingers
were o in much better condition; and
the boys had been out in the cold, gather
ing pine, running brands, and bringing
wood for fires, until fingers, toes, and noses
-r4-o I ~~o-l- -~-