The Portland daily press., 1874-12-22
The Tinkleberrys' Christ
.U6h0ke mas


1t was the morning before Christmas. The
Tinkleberrys had risen with smiling faces and
bounding hearts, full of blissful anticipations
OF coming good things AID festivities. %
But alas for human hope and expectation!
When Mrs. Tinkleberry, beaming with
pleasure and glowing all over with beneti-
cence went down before breakfast to consult
with the cook, that functionary was not to be
seen. She ran up stairs to the room of the
tardy domestic, raped at the door and re-
ceiving no answer, then tried it, 1t was fas-
tened.
She then knocked so loudly that all the
family came running up 10 see what the mat
ter was. Then each one in turn clamored
deafeningly against the door with no better
effect. Then they became alarmed. Mrs.
Tinkleberry was somewhat pale and Mr..
Tinkleberry was very much perpexed.
Charles Joseph advocated forcing the door.
Samantha Ann suggested first, murder, and
then suicide. The young twins were regard
ing the affair as something which would bring
upon them high distinction and were walk
the alarm at the least intimation of necessity,
while the disregarded infant below was prac-
ticihg with his lungs in manner to make
town crer hide his diminished head and
weep for his deficiency. E#
1t was fin ally resolved TO act upon Charles
Joseph's suggestion, and force the door.
A feeling of awe dread, and nervousness
fell upon the little group, and all drew away
from the door except the daring Mr.. Tinkle-
berry and the adventurous Charles Joseph.
These two leaned upon the door, and pushed
at il and fell against it until it unexpectedly
gave way and precipltated them confusedly
in to the dread apartment with mere expedi-
ton than they would have otherwise used.
Mrs. Tinkleberry cast shrinking glance in
to the room; Mr.. Tinkleberry and Charles
Joseph picked themselves up and looked
round. Instead of corpse, an unused bed,
bureau, a table, and two chairs met their
vlew.D 8TAe 3810aG GaAf
. Every one looked first, blank, and then
sheepish. Mrs. Tinkle6erry was the wisest
of the party. She few to the silver and linen
closets,-the mystery was solved. AS much
silver and linen as could be conveniently car
ried was gone, evidently in the care of the
recreant domestic. 9asro1 ha"
A council was held. Mr.. Tinkleberry said
he thought they had better not try to keep
Christmas this year, but this proposition met
with groans. eve must; it would be dread
full not to do it," said Mrs. Tinkleberry.
s'We ought not to miss a jolly time when it
only comes once year," said Charles
Joseph. " NJ
s'We'll have to, after I've asked Helen Pink
to come over for the day" said Samantha
Ann. s n
1--WE want good things to eat, Christmas
day, always shrieked the twins in roar,
1 while the babe, as if he knew something un-
toward had happened, added his voice to the
CONVERSATION in yells.
Even old Scion gave feeble hoot to show
that he joined in the general perturbation.
This was SO unusual that the attention was
for q moment distracted to him. Solon was a
venerable owl which many years ago, had
berry by friend who was leaving the city.
/ Time was beginning to be too much for So
Ion. He was still able to fly about, but it was
apparent that be would do so but little long
er. H IA &
- - siSoion's about done for" said Charles
Joseph, looking at him.
Mr.. Tinkleberry disliked the idea of the
old birds dying, for he was much, attached
to him. 0 ~
'sHe's good fora month yet," he said.
'rll be. 'V', he don't last two days long
err" said Charles Joseph. t1- LII
"Done!o cried Mr. Tinkleberry.
At this, the original topic of conversation
was resumed. tGS}Rl - .
S"There,l be enough linen and silver left TO
get along with. The pastry is already cooked,
and if new servant be secured to-day we
can do very well," said Mrs. Tinklebery.
It was therefore decided to celebrate the
day in spite Of disaster. Mr.. and Mrs. Tinkle-
berry went Immediately out in search of a
servant, and after calling on numerous ad
vertisers for that position, at length found
specimen of the Green Isle whom they con-
4cluded to take notwithstanding some dubious
scruples in the mind of that particular house
wife, Mrs. Tinkleberry.
On her own showing, however, the candi-
date was very paragon and beau iddl of
Z cooks and was as such duly installed in the
Tinkleberry kitchen. All necessary articles
for cooking were provided and the Tinkle-
berrys retired that night, with relieved hearts.
The next morning opened finely for Christ
maslday. Mrs. Tinkleberry went down to see if
all was well in the kitchen, where she found
Solon who, having fitted down in the night
was pc rched on the edge of the market bas-
ket in which lay a fat turkey almost covered
with royal stock of fruit and vegetables.
Mrs. Tinkeberry was in hurry to dress
for church, so she did not remove Solon, as
he was not likely to do harm and also because
he was tapping his wings, preparatory, as
she thought, to flying away Of his own accord.
Therefore Mrs. Iinkleberry went up stairs,
and gave directions about every thing to Bid
dy, the paragon, who, as the Tinkeberrys
kept one servant, had been attending to du-
ties all the morning up stairs. ~
There are times in the lives of men (and
women) when, if they could only be cogni-
zant OF near events fraught with concern to
themselves and just one iota beyond their
glance they could save themselves from mis-
haps afterwards irTetrievable.
If Mrs. Tinkleberry had but looked at
Solon an instant longer, or hadn't thought
he was going to fly, and had taken him
away what dreadful things might have been
prevented!
Solon had not flown away. He had given
two or three flaps to his wings, had then and
there died OF old age, and had toppled fiat
over into the basket.
The Tinkleberrys went to church. When
they returned dinner was already prepared.
They sat down 10 the table, and nothing was
very good. The paragon of cooks was evi-
dently delusion and a snare. She did not
know how to make soup. But hopes were
INDUCED in about the turkey which was to