The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-12-23
GRANDMA ToMpKINss PARTY.
BY FAITH HARPER.

The day before Christmas always
seems the very longest in the whole year
to little Nellie Tompkins She has even
been known to slyly turn the hands of
the clock forward an hour or two in order
"to hurry up Santa Claus, cause its SO
dreadful to be kept in suspension" as
she said in self-defense when the trick
was discovered. 1t must be confessed
that Nellie's uueasiness is generally not
little increased by the fear that the
Miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With little old driver so lively and qeer,''
may pass her by altogether; for has she
not been told, time and again, that
"Santa Claus loves good children ?" and
Nellie is very well aware that goodness is
not one of her strong points. So, as
Christmas draws near, all her greatest
deeds of naughtiness during the year are
pretty sure to stalk in black array before
her mind while, at the same time, she
has the uncomfortable feeling that there
are probably many peccadilloes recorded
against her which she has entirely forgot
ten. However, on the particular twenty
fourth of December of which | am writ
ing, she is tolerably certain of visit
from st. Nicholas when he shall make
his round at night; for it has been gen.
orally acknowledged in the family of
late that Nellie is improving" and she
has very vivid recollection of several
painful efforts to be good. But the last
day is a grievous trial. She has con-
structed all sorts of remarkable edifces
with her building dressed and
undressed dolly Mabel at least dozen
times, and finally put her to bed in dis
grace. She has tried her best to help in
the kitchen where grandma is busy
with preparations for the Christmas
dinner; but having been several times
detected in picking raisins from the
mince pies that mamma is making, she
was politely requested to leave. Then
betaking herself to the shop where Frank,
the hired man, is making bee-hives, sho
is allowed to follow the devices of her
own heart for an hour or two unmo-
Tested until Frank, looking around, dis
covers all his nicely planed boards dec
Grated with wonderful pictures in red
chalk.
"Clear out 1 won't have you both
erin round here no longer. Now git
quickerp exclaimed that young man, in
dignantly.
Nellie departs with the sad feeling
that she9s one too many everywhere |;
and after soothing her wounded spirits
by a good swing in the wood-house
chamber, makes her way to the sitting
room where Aunt Faith is quietly knit
ting by the window while she watches
the sunset glow in the western sky.
Auntie please tell me story" says
the little girl, in her softest, most be-
seeching tones.
-Auntie is in what grandma calls one
of her " faraway fits" and for a moment
or two looks into the gray eyes raised so
pleadingly to hers without seeming to
hear the meek request until it is re-
peated.
was just thinking" she says at last,
"of something that happened on Christ
mas time great many years ago."
How many 2" asks Nellie, who al
ways wants to know all the particulars.
. " 1t was in 1892; that was Just eighty
two years ago."
"Were you there, Auntie?"
"Not exactly, but my grandmother
was and I've heard her tell the story a
great many times"
Nellie settles herself with much salts
faction to listen, for there are no stories
she likes SO well to hear as those about
the old days when the country was all a
wilderness. ......
1t was late in the fall when grandpa
and grandma Tompkins, with their three
little children, started from the valley oi
the Susquehanna, where they had been
living, to come to their new home in the
lake country as this part of New York
State was then called. The journey
would seem very short in these days
but then it was long and tedious, fol
there were no railroads or roads of any
kind. They were obliged to cut way
for the wagon in many places through
the woods. 1t took them nine days t.
come about one hundred miles, tn,
mother and children generally riding il
the wagon, which was drawn by oxen
while grandpa and his brother Charlie
drove the few cattle they brought will
them. I've heard grandma say tina
every morning before starting they woul'
milk the cows and put the milk in tn
churn, and at night would find the but
ter all nicely gathered by the joltin
of the wagon over the rough ground.
"Why, Auntie, what nice way t
churnW exclaimed Nellie, whose bus,
little brain Immediately conceived
, plan by which great deal of drudger
, might be turned into pleasure.
, "I'm afraid you wouldn't think 50