Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1874-01-03

thcr the trouble of it will all be yours,
after all"
Indeed it will not p said Mrs.
Laurie you'll have to do every bit of
your own planning, and make all your
own presents ; I'll only have to wait on
you, and obey orders, and everybody
knows that isn't very nard."
"Well, said Hope, laughing, " the
first order | give is that after breakfast
you send Phil to me-I've got to have
his help-while You go up to the asylum
and get Il list of the children, names
and ages, and if there's anything
special they like, such as dolls, or books,
or candies, you know.
Well, I'll do that, " said Mrs. Laurie,
who began to take an interest in the
plan herself.
After breakfast Hope sat up in bed
and was dressed, us usual, in n soft,
quilted scarlet sack. Her night things
were taken away, the bedmade upfresh,
the pillows piled up behind her, and
she was ready for company. Mrs.
Laurie started for the asylum, and
| Hope proceeded to try and interest Phil
in her plan Phil was her brother, and
one year older than herself, and it WAS
through his carelessness that she had
fallen and hurt her knee. Feeling re-
sponsble, therefore, and suffering
pangs of self-reproach, he had been her
most devoted servant since that day :
and when the new plan was lnfoldcd to
| him, he entered into it with zeal.
mot that / care fig for the little
bcggars,' he said carclessly " but if
you've set your heart on it, Sis, I'm
bound to help you through
81 have setmy heart omit, said Hope !;
"and | want you to make every
thing you can think of that's nice
for boys-its hardest to make things
for thcm-carts, and tops, and whips,
and jumping jacks. Oh, isn't it
nice? you can white so beautiful,
and ] can paint them, you know. Dear,
how we shall muss up mothers nice
| bedroom" and she fairly laughed in
| glee.
The doctor just coming i'll heard that
laugh, and at once decided that getting
up Christmas tree was the very best
medicine she could take.
| Mrs. Laurie handed over the money
and the list of names, and business be-
gan that very day, with the purchase of
dolls, gilt and silver paper, glue, and
SO forth, and the searching of the piece
trunk for bits of silk and ribbon. Hope
was busy and eager from morning to
night, and Phil spent every evening at
her side, whiting and hammering and
glucing. and gradually getting together
goodly array of strong, practical toys.
At every odd moment Hope puzzled
over her list of names, and wrote after
each the special present designed for it.
And rapidly the holidays drew near !;
the large trunk placed at the side Of
Hopes bed was about full of completed
presents and Phil was looking out for a
tree.
Word of what was going on had some
how got out, and by the efforts of few
sympathetic ladies every child at the
asylum was provided with dress suitable
to the occasion, collected from the out
grown garments of the children of the
village. Not only Aunt Jane, but other
friends, came in to help about supper :;
and when the night arrived, Mr.. Brown,
the livery stable man, offered to send
his long sleigh up to bring the whole
troop down.
| 1t was really beautiful entertain
ment that awaited them. A very pretty
tree, loaded with nicely dressed dolls !;
cradles, made OF cigar-boX wood, fur
nishcd with comfortable bedding sets
of dolls furniture, made Of pasteboard ;
dogs of rough gray flannel tops, jump
ing jacks, elephants of gray Canton han-
mel, rabbits and ducks of white Canton
flannel, soft yarn balls, covered with
crochct-work, sets of grace. hoops and
sticks, to play in the long halls, small
wagons, with button-molds for wheels,
trains of cars made of blocks, and dozens
of other things, and for each child a
cornucopia of candies, and fancy box of
nuts and raisins.
The supper-already spread out in the
dining-room-was nice enough for any
body, Hope said, and provided with
special reference to young tastes.
Plenty of tarts, and cakes, and fruit,
and ice-cream, with milk to drink; and
seats, that they might eat at their ease
and last of all, an orange and package
of goodies for each to take home.
The party was grand success. The
| children-most of whom had never seen
anything so beautiful-werein raptures,
and Hope, lying on the sofa looking at
them, was almost too happy 10 speak.
| During all these weeks her knee had
been getting well, and the doctor had
reserved for her Christmas present the
news that she might begin to use it,
and not lie another day on the bed.
And though no presents We're received
by the family-for Mrs. Laurie and
Phil insisted on contributing theirs to
the general entertainment-they all
agreed when it was over and the chill
drcn had gone home, they had never
spent SO delightful IL Christmas Eve
LITTLE Corporal.