Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-12-24
A Merry Christmas.
BY EMILY HUNTINGTON MILLER.

| wood lot to the little tumble-down LOG
house by the tour corners. But the
children dad not mind the cold, or the
work either; they were 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 pinchlng the baby's fingers and
toes as she sat in her cradle.
"rlere," said Ted, taking off his
mittens TO blow the cold, red fingers,
''lf we don't have anything else for
Christmas, we've got lots of wood, and
| mean to ill the old fire place chock
tall to morrow"
81 wish we did have something else,
though" said Matte, gravely; "some
thing nice for mother and baby; but
you mustn't speak about il, Ted, not
before mother, because it makes her
feel bad"
"I've got something for baby" said
Ted, mysteriously. "Miss Spriggins
gave it to me when / took her work
home yesterday" and he drew from
his pocket little round block on
which ribbon had been rolled. 1t was
papered on the ends with pink paper,
and both Ted and Matte admired it
very much.
Glow pleased she'll be" said Mat
tie. care You going to hang up your
stocking, Ted?"
"Course | am,' said Ted. "Some-
thing might happen, you know; and
anyhow Ike to pretend I'm expect
ing lots of things"
The two children went into the
house, where their mother was sew
ing by the light of the short winter
day, while the baby sat in the cradle
playing with string of spools. The
mother was pale and thin, and looked
oh! so bad and tired; but the baby was
as fat, and round, and rosy as nice
pump 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 opened her wondering
eyes to the world.
"The wood is all in the shed, moth
err" said Matte, "a nice, big pile Of it;
and when that is gone Deacon Tur
ner is going to draw us load himself;
he said so this afternoon"
"And to morrow'll be Christmas"
said Ted, ''and / suppose I'd better
catch that turkey before dark"
The mother smiled at merry Ted,
and Matte drew ont the small table
spy smSt. nsa'P'~ ouFpNa ~
brown bread and milk. The children
ate with hearty appetites; and tho
they sometimes felt little dissatisfied
with their plain fare, yet the milk was
sweet and rich, and the bread whole
some, SO they were in no danger OF
suffering.
After supper the lamp was lighted,
the small room made as neat as could
be, fresh wood heaped upon the fire,
and, after Il frolic with the 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
sad thoughts for company that Christ
mas eve, and she sighed a good deal
rs she piled her needle, glancing
sometimes at the baby in the cradle,
and sometimes at the three little
stockings hanging there by the chin
uey. They were good deal worn,
those little stockings, and Matte s
careful fingers had darned them here
and there. Dear, patient, helpful lit
tie fingers how ready they had been
10 take up tie burden Of life how the
mothers heart longed to fill them with
good gifts this blesst d Christmas; but
alasl 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 al
ready the baby was stirring uneasily
in her cradle, and once or twice the
mothers heart was startled into a
quick throb of terror at hearing her
hoarse, threatening cough.
"Dear heart SAID the mother, anx-
iously running to the cradle, "if she
should have the Group again, and not
a thing in the house 10 give her."
Half on hour more, and the little
creature was gasping and struggling
with dark rings about her pretty blue
eyes and an ashy whiteness around
her mouth.
"Run for the DOCTOR" called the
mother, and Matte never stopped to
think of the night or the cold, as she
tied on the old blue hood, and wrap
ped herself in her thin, worn shawl
and battered away down the lone
some road, just as the clock struck II
| dare say the doctor was tired and
sleepy, and | do suppose that doctors
need rest as much as other mortals;
but Matte never could have guessed,
by any word or look of DR.. Ashley's
that il was not the most delightful
thing in the world to him to get up at
midnight and 60 half a mile to see a
sick baby, with no earthly prospect OF
any fee. / said no earthly prospect
| but | make no doubt that good many
| of DR. Ashley's bills were kept safely
| tor settlement by and-by, when the
great Paymaster up in heaven calls
| His stewards to account,
Hadn't you some simple thing &c
give her,? said the doctor, examining
the baby.
"Notding, DOCTOR" said the mother,
sadly.
"No sweet oil, butter, molassesf
even lard would have done"
"Nothing, DOCTOR" SAID the mother
again, her lip quivering little now;
"no butter, moasses, or even. lard"
The doctor bent pitiful face over
the baby, and he gave his directions
in a low voice; but he stayed patent
~ by her until he saw the difficu
breathing relieved at last, and the lii
tie creature sleeping safely in her era
die He had found time to note tn,
| fhran eapty atocEinos hv tho chime,