The Lake County star. [volume] (Chase, Mich.) 1873-current, 1875-01-14

understand it. She heard folks tall
about the Old Year "going out" and tn,
New Year coming in" and she won
dered to herself where the Old Year wen
to, and if any one ever saw him 60, anC
where the New Year came from, and i
anybody ever saw him come. 1t was {
puzzle. She determined, however, thai
she would watch this season and see fol
herself the Old Year ego out" with hel
own eyes. Therefore, when she over
heard mamma say to Aunt Josie one
night, as she undressed the Children
"When Nelly goes to sleep we'll 60 down
to Trinity matchmaking and see the
Old Year out" Nelly just made up hel
mind she wouldn't go right to sleep" a.
mamma babe her, but she would stay
wide awake ever so long instead, and
then, maybe, she would see the Old Year
go too.
But after mamma and aunty had kissed
her good night, and she heard mamma
say to papa, "You sit up for us, the girls
are tired, and look at the children once
in WHILE" Nelly felt very sleepy. Her
eyelids felt so heavy they wouldn't stay
open at all, not even when she tried to
hold them apart with her fat little fingers
and it wasn't very long before Nelly was
away off in that beautiful country OF
childhood's dreamland. She must have
been there some time, for she had been
having some real good times with her
dollies, who always cOnversed with her
in real voices in that happy land, when
suddenly with little start Nelly opened
her eyes, and, sure enough, there stood
the Old Year right by mammals bureau.
He was dark, cross-looking old man, to
be sure, and he seemed to be moving
around very cautiously. Nelly saw him
open the top-drawer and take out NAM
mas new watch that papa had given her
Christmas. She supposed, in a sleepy
sort of way, that must be Time he was
taking along with him. She did not stir
or make any noise, but just watched him
put things into bag he held in his hand,
and waited to see where he'd ego" to, so
as she could Dollie Deane and Susy Sill
yer all about it next day. She lay very
still until she saw him move over toward
the crib, where Baby Bum lay sleeping.
Oh, no; she couldn't let him take the
baby too. Why, the New Year only
brought him to them last winter; and
no, no, the Old Year should not ego OUT
with their BABY
Just then very shrill, piercing scream
sRrtled papa. "No, mop it shrieked f;
"you shan't have my baby brother! I"
From the library to the nursery was but
a step, and papa rushed wildly over to
discover the cause of the outcry. On the
stairs he met figure which pushed past
him swiftly and rushed rapidly down the
stairs and out of the door, dropping a
package as he ran.
What is it, Nelly? Speak my darling!
are you hurt % cried papa with pale lips
As he came toward the little white-robed
figure that stood beside the crib.
No, papa,-but he was going to take
Bum too, and wouldn't let him-and
] hate him, and I'll never watch to see
another Old Year go out" and Nelly
burst into passion of tears.
Papa understood now, and, seeing his
little ones were unframed, he babe Nelly
take care of baby, who opened his brown
eyes and seemed to quite enjoy the ex-
element and dissipation of the hour,
while he should 60 down stairs to see if
there were any traces left of the bur-
glars.
~ was wv idoc, uoWcNcI, W CdCCn the
thief, but all his spoils were secured, for
the bundle he had dropped in his haste
TO escape contained all the valuable booty
he had selected.
Mamma Rugged her darlings close to
her bosom when she came home and
heard the story, and declared she would
never leave them again to go.to swatch
meeting" Nelly felt herself quite
heroine when papa told everybody next
day how brave she had been to give the
alarm and Brighten off the burglar. But
Nelly still declares when she tells the
story to her playmates that it was the
Old Year she saw ego out !"-HearM and
Home.
FoX-FIRE.-When / was a boy, nv
father was farmer, and / had three
brothers older than myself. They were
full of their pranks, and seldom allowed
an opportunity to pass unimproved, to |
play off some joke on one another. / re-
one night, while / lay in my
in lower room, the brother |
next above me went up to his chamber
10 60 to bed, but presently he hallooed |
md screamed in great fright, and came
rushing down stairs with all possible
'peed. The older boys had prepared
right for him in this wise: One of them
lad been blowing that day in stumpy
OF, and many decaying roots were
brought up by the pillow, and they ascer-
aimed in the evening that many pieces
we're phosphorescent.
Phosphorescence is the quality of emit
ing light without heat. There are many
INSTANCES that possess this quality, and
lmong others, decaying fish and wood.
Under favorable circumstances, they will
'e nearly as luminous in the dark as a
i've coal. Decayed wood in this con-
ition is commonly called for.fe.
They brought their pockets full of for
ire TO the house, and slipped up to his
hamber unobserved; they cut it into
uitable pieces and strips, and then ar
anged them in the form of skeleton
n the top of his bed. The head was
cry large, with an enormous mouth and
rightful teeth; and in general outline
he whole resembled the human form.
{ was dark night, and brother William
he was the scared one-approached his |
ed unsuspectingly, and, as was his wont. !
'ithout light. He was naturally rather
owardly in the night, and then in those
avs we believed in witches, COLLINS, and
books. Young people nowadays are
lore correctly instructed, and scarcely
ne can be found simple enough to cher {
h such false and superstitious notions.
Suddenly the fiery picture fell upon
IS sight, and he turned around the large
Kinney TO approach his bed. His ex-
ted imagination filed out what may
ave been imperfect in the image, and It
emed to him like a veritable ghost,
hich he declared it to be upon recover /
q his speech after he came down stairs. e
here was great uproar in the family for I
few minutes, but of course IL was soon C
! made plain, and William crept under o
IS comfortables, vexed at himself that 4
, should be so frightened by 20 familiar Z
thing as (orJfre, or pook-cood as we a
ed to call it. r
If he had exercised presepos of mind be n