Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-12-17
SNIPSTITCHET'S GOOSE.
A Christmas story.

Mr.. SNIPsTITCHET was tailor; month
in and month out he sat stitch, stitch,
stitching on his low table in his little
shop. l am sorry to say that for some
reason, perhaps because he had sat cross
legged so long over his coats and pants
and vests, he had got cross in his mind;
and as fast as he smoothed wrinkles out
of his cloths others furrowed up in his
face. 1t was dingy shop without much
sunshine. Snipstitchet did not like sun
shine; he seemed not to like any bright or
pleasant thing. You would know it by
the frowns upon his face and the snarl in
his voice. Indeed, people said he shipped
off his words as short and savagely as he
did his thread, and partly from that, part
ly because of his name, everybody called
him Snip"
You would know that something was
wrong by his sad faced, patient wife, who
lirod Ia She rooms beck of the shop, and
by his little daughter Maggie, she was so
pensive and quiet, and her great wistful
eyes with such longing in them it made
your heart ache. You never heard her
shouting and laughing and frolicking as
you happy children love to do. No.
Maggie and her mother did not knew
much about bright or pleasant things,
either. They just lived on in the small
back rooms, where there was always
work, work, work, and never any sun
shine, save the dear love between them,
and never any play. Maggie's little
hands had learned very early to help
mother, and her feet to save her steps.
They just lived on and never anything
happened to them; only sometimes when
they were alone and the shop-door was
shut they would smile dear, loving smiles
Inf onh thns otNH fnr 4n,,l l.,,,
You see, Snipstitchet "did not believe in
lieve in petting and babying great girl
| like Mag-six years DID," Toys were all
trash, /" dolls were forbidden as " silly"
and-would you believe it?-there never
was any christmas in his house,
never any Santa Claus for Maggie or her
mother, for Snip thought "that kind of
thing all follde-rol." He had way of
calling everything that makes people
bright and sunshiny and happy "nOn-
sense" So am afraid it was very,
very dreary life in the little rooms back of
the shop. 1t always is dreary life when
the father is surly.
All the blessed Christmas days when
the whole world beside seemed gay as
larks they worked away just as usual, only
there were more sadder smiles between
mother and child when the shop-door was
shut. Snip always very obstinately
stitched away the whole day. Maggie
had tender, motherlY heart, and the one
great longing of all her.little life had been
for dolly, and this she had never had.
What do you think of that, little girls
with dozen, and a new darling every
year? Once when she was very tiny her
mamma made her baby, a poor lit
tie affair, but she loved it dearly. One
sad day her father found her petting it,
just as you do your own dollies, and he
threw it on the fire and said: I" Let me
see no more such foolishness." Mag gave
a great cry when she saw it all in flames
and finally sobbed herself to sleep in hel
mother ssNrms. After that she had moth.
ing to play with but clothes.pin dressed
up, or her little shawl pinned round and
mammals apron tied on for dress. But
the want in heart was there Just the same
and she often thought how very, very
happy must the little girls be who wen
skipping by with their great beauties il
their arms, all so cunningly dressed; an(
how satisfied would she be with Just
: my, cheap one, so it was her very own
poor little dearl Her father did not at al
, understand the needs of little girls. 70,
J think of your dear, loving father and can
uOl luldBluc SuCll u Ollc ds llldl, can you
r Before the last Christmas her mammi
had told her if she would be very gooC
, she would ask for her to have doll. Oh
, how hopeful the dear child was, how gooC
3 and obedient how busy were the Willing
hands Just the night before Christina
, mamma timiGly asked Snipstitchet to ge
J the coveted treasure, and Maggie, al
3 trembling, heard the harsh reply "No
l tell you it is all nonsense, and ! won
have it," Poor Mag And now tn
5 blessed time had come again; tomorrow
( would be Christmas, dear old Christmas
r come for everybody but the Snipstitchets
D There wasnever any stockings hung b.
: their chimney, never any "merTy Christ
. mas" shouiings in the morning. Alread,
5 were shops and stores glittering witt
, beautiful things. You would know tn
e glad time was near by the bright face
a and big bundles, by the happy ring of tn
g childrens voices, by the spicy greener
4 here, there and everywhere. Little Ma
c sat on the shop doOr-stone or stood wit
F.: her face pressed against the windo'
Y watching ii all with a sad face. Once sh
v turned to her mamma and asked, 81
!. there Christmas in all the world 7"
5 " Yes, dear"
e "And not any for us" There was
Q great choke in her throat, but she say
S the pain in mammals eyes, and like
brave girl she put on a smile and wei