Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-12-24

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by gone days. All mel things were so
different from what they are now. 1t
would scarcely have seemed like Christ
mas with no great stuffed turkey and
plum pudding to grace the board, nor
Dear meln Miss NARROW cried, abruptly,
breaking off with her tempting remjnis-
cences, and concentrating her attention
for a moment on her present occupation.
Here are two white hairs" she added,
with little laugh, that had Just the faint
est suggestion of sigh init g How does
the. adage go? -
Fl One gray hair, asi IS sd iaes
DON'T despair;
Two gray hairs, ~
Nought but cares. stA-sstE
/, / need no longer hope, then, /" she con-
tinued, ssif the saying is to berelied upon.
Well, well it will not go so very hard.
with me, after all. | do not build many
eair castles nowadays. How fend father
them" She unused, her thoughts revert
ing to the prospective dinner. " Indeed,
I must once more try my skill, and dis
its cunning in their preparation. John
was so fond of Them" ~ q e9ls.9 !.
Her eyes instinctively wandered to
not far from the mirror before which she
stood. 1t was a badly taken likeness OF a
very good looking young fellow, with
broad shoulders and pleasant honest
face.
s'Poor john" said Miss NARROW, ten
DERBY, g I have often wondered what was
your fate in that far West to which you
went so long ago, and if death has caused
this silence for years. Bless my hearth
she exclaimed, brushing away the tears
that were dimming her eyes, and briskly
arranging her hair into becoming COLL
on her shapelyf head. 6 Here | am drift
ing away back to my old life, and forget
ting entirely that tomorrow is Christmas
and that, if I am to celebrate it by a suit
able dinner, it is high time was Begin
ming my preparations The remainder
of her toilet was made in haste, and by
the time it was concluded she had mental
" arranged the whole course of the con
templated repast and. on the absorbing
question as to whether the fowl was to
have stuffing of bread crumbs or Of oys-
tiers, decided at length, after much delib-
Grafton, in favor of the latter notwith-
standing the additional drain it would oc
casion to her finances.
Her plans having been carefully and
systematically arranged, she repaired to
the snug kitchen, where the little maid-of-
all-work was busily engaged in putting to
rights the utensils which had been re-
quired in the preparation of their morn
ing's meal, and to her confided the man
ner in which she intended the morrow to
be passed. a
90 my!" calculated the little maid, in
open -mouthed establishment, and enticing
visions Of the promised delicacies already
fitted through her imaginative brain. =
and now that my Christmas dinner is
determined upon" added Miss MARROW,
sotto goce, 6 [ must cast about for some
body to enjoy it with me. 1t will never
do to eat it l0 Robinson Crusoe. That
would cause it to be a very dreary affair,
which / am trying to avoid. There is old
Mrs. Williams, who shall have her share
without fail; but she is too feeble to leave
her room, and therefore cannot dine with
me. Who else then, is there, to whom a
good dinner would be a treat?" Miss
NARROW paused, on the way to her sitting
room, and began to run over the list of
her acquaintances. Jenny Dent; poor
little Jenny; she shall be one," said Miss
MARROW, with the kindest expression creep
ing into her gray eyes. "She has neither
father nor mother, and fear they. do not
treat her very kindly at her aunt's. She
is the best scholar j have, and gives me
the least trouble / ain sure she would
be delighted to spend the day with
me.o b3@ fsp6 Pr - HEy 49,
Miss NARROW went to her writing desk
and soon had produced the following note
in her, clear chirOgraphy: s nj sifets III
g Miss Grace MARROW requests the
pleasure of Miss, Jenny Dents company
for tomorrow, to partake of "a Christ |
mas dinner. Vine Cottage, December
Oath. 81
/" Nothing must be left undone,p said |
Miss NARROW to the little maid-of-all-
work g So the first thingyou mustdo is to
get me some mistletoe and hollyberries."
When these were obtained, a portion. of
them was reserved to decorate the table,
the plum pudding. Of the re-
mainder, some were hung over the mir
FOR, and sprays of the dark-leaved mis-
tletoe .interspersed with scarlet berries |
adorned the. picture of the broad shoul-
dered young fellow with a pleasant face.
."Ah me!' she sighed, chow it recalls
old times, What merry Christmases
they were in those happy days. And to
think they will come no MORE She
turned away with suspicious dimness in
her eyes. at is so hard to forget. she
said. ..s---.-----ee--s
Christmas morning dawned bleak and
sunless. A keen wind blew from the
nerth and the sky was leaden.
cit is very fortunate that one can be
comfortable within doors during. such /
cherries weather." said Miss NARROW.
6 Were it otherwise, life would prove a
very deso1ate affair until spring once more
came'' OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. ...,-.-..-.-. F.
/. The preparations for the day began. |
The little maid-of- all work was perpetual |
motion itself, and The vim with which she !
disposed of her various household duties
was truly astonishing to witness. i
Throughout. the previous night she had
partaken of the most wonderful repasts in |
dreamland that would quite have dumb. |
founded the most fastidious of epicures, |
and was only consoled on awakening and |
discovering it was all a delusive dream,
bv the appetizing thought that the charm
ing reality of q Christmas dinner was yet |
to be experienced.
g Everything, so far, gives fair prom
Use of success, . said Miss NARROW, as she
scrutinized, with the eye of a connoisseur,
the tender fowl, yerging almost on to cor
pulency with its savory stufing.
Z" That it do,' answered the little maid
of-all-work, regarding the deceased with
longing eyes. ....
cit is about time our company was
putting in an appearance" MISS MAJ loW
sid Short time after as she turned from
window that commanded view Of the
front gate. ~
moment turning into the mill road from
lane whose outlet to the pike was some
three-quarters of mile from the neat cot
tage where the alluring Christmas dam
ties were being prepared.
All the {. cOmpanY,Sn available ward |