The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-12-24
THE LITTLE CHRISTMAS PIES.
story for Children.

Flor. shut mp her book and looked
at mamma Mamma, | wish we could
be- ,'prlscd Christmas
surprised" 1t was moment before
mamma understood. at is somewhat
difficult" she said then, ito surprise lit
tie Girls who feel ut liberty to 90 to
mammals drawers at any time, and to
unite all the packages when the delivery
man comes. In small house like this
people have to help surprise them
selves
who wants to help surprise their
sclvc,m exclaimed little Katy. you
ought to be cunning, mamma and hide
things; truly hIde-you know-and
not Just in bureau drawers
"IEafs not what | mean nj ALL Katy,
said Fiuris. mamma, mean sur
Ori,c, and not our Christmas presents.
/ Of course, Katy, and | know what
/ thcm'll be, or most know. It'll be our
new hats, or some aprons, or something
we'd had 10 have anyway, and Just on"
of the everyday Christmas presents be-
,ilr,; Il book, or horn of candy. |
most know minc'll be n silver thimbI"
this wear. cause lost my old one, and /
heard you tell papa that katyd better
! have "A wurkbOX, SOS To courage her TO
learn sewing more Now, see f'tain t So
Mamma sat before her little daughters,
the guilt confessed in her looks.
N Ut that We blame you, mamma
added Floris, kindly. "lm old 'nOugh
now to know that if Santa Klaus brings
Us anything, he comes round beforehand,
and gets every cent they cost out OF papa
great Santa Klaus, that Is"
"But what did you mean by surprise
floris?'
60. dino, quite answered Floris.
/ but thought | sh'd like to have some
/ thing happen that never had before
/ something planned for men Katy that
we didn't know u breath about, and there
was no chance of prying into, so that
| twould honestly s'prise us. l never
was s'prised in my life yet, mann
ma. always found out some way
I Mrs. Dewey smiled. She went out to
prepare dinner, and nothing more was
said; and Miss Floris took up her book
/ with sigh.
But ut might, while she was buttoning
| the two-whitc night-drcsscs, Mrs Dewey
returned to the subject. My little
/ daughters, if you will keep out of the
kitchen tomorrow, all day, think | can
promise that something very strange and
delightful shall happen on Christmas"
| -Four little feet jumped right up and
| down. two little faces flew up to her
own. four little hands caught hold of her,
four bright eyes trunsiiXed her-indecd,
they came pretty near having the secret
right out of her on the spot
40. mammal What is it,
you must be very anxious to be
truly -'pri>cd, remarked mamma.
Fiorl, saw the point. She subsidized at
once. She smiled at mamma with the
frs. cldrr-daughtcr smile that had ever
crossed the bright child-taccd,
81 guess sicH be truly s'prlscd' if
We arc s'prlscd, she SAID, with Iunny
little grimacr, as she laid her head on
the pillow,
"Now, remember, it is TO be truly
| keep out warned Mrs Dewey. "Iou
/ are not to enter the kitchen at alI-not
once all day Tomorrow
"Why sure Y, mamma Dewey. you are
not to do ANYTHING towads it before
breakfast" reasoned little Katy.
IL shall at least notice whether | am
obcycd"
"Wnncn happen il we don't?' in
/ Qurcd Katy.
"No,hinSn happen them said mann
ma, quietly
TnelittIc voices said no mnrcand mann
ma went down stairs They said nota
single word more, because the little Dew
eys were SO constructed that had there
not been Il standing command that they
should not speak after mamma closed the
door. their little pink tongues woold have
run all night; but they squeezed each
others hands very tightly, and also re
manned awake somewhat longer than
usual.
Mrs. Dewey smiled ncxt morning to
see her daughters seated at their lessons
in that part of the sitting room iurtheSt
from the door that opened into the hall
and thus into the Kitchen. They never
once directly referred to last nights con-
ycrsution; but they We're extremely civil
to her personally, most charmingly civil,
abcdjCnt and thoughtful. Indeed. Katy :
little round ,hiuglcd head would bob out
into the hail almost every time mammals
step was heard. "l"u must let me
bring YOU anything can, mamma-any-
thing can, 'thoul going into the kitchen,
mean
But. to Katys disappointment, mani
ma wis he'd no assistance. Florls offered
to 60 down towns if mamma needed
But mamma wished nothing. mat Fl"riS
could do However, to their delight, they
saw the drlycryman when he came, TAX
ing down lots of orders in his book.
Would it bo wong to listen in the
halI?' Katy whispered. "Cause |
could hear everything she told him, + l
WAS mind TO.
Floris told her ii would be very
wrong.
The elder little girl studied, and play
ed, and sang, and amused her doll all
the morning, and refused 10 listen to any
pleasant sound she heard from the kitch-
en-. She shut her little nose, also,