The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-12-24

! as sOlne uOOr Opcleu. one cNcH "ciiI W
the well, and brought hard water for her
room, because the rain water would have
! taken her near the forbidden regions.
But little Katy was as restless as a bee.
/ She had thousand errands through the
hall. When Floris reprmanded her,
/ she said she didn't tend to go a-near the
kitchen door. Floris looked out often;
but at last the little one settled on the
hall stairs with her paint box, and the
elder sister felt at rest.
But even to her it finally grew Ii long
forenoon. Before ten o'clock she found
herself infected with the same restless
ness. Then the various sounds which
she heard distracted her, such busy
sounds-she would, at last, have given
almost anything to know what was going
on out there.
The mantel clock was just striking
eleven when the hall door unclosed, and
Katy's plump little person partially APP
peared.
"Come here, quick, quick or she'll be
back. Zee tou3td out, Eo,y"
80, hare you- Why, Katy Dewey"
Floris overturned the music stool rs she
ran. Katy, her head turned listeningly
toward the kitchen door, blindly crowded
Il spoonful of something into her mouth.
There isn't that licious good? .,
Floris, such things as | have seen out
therel-the box OF ralsins Is down on tho
table. and all her extract Lubln bottles
| wouldn't stay to look much; but, Floris,
there's twelve of the most beautiful
mince patties %, the most beautiful! all
iced, aud Merry Christmas" in pink
sanu, on every one, and there's twelve
more i'll the iron ready to till-waSat that
| gave YOU cydrpmsd with raisinsY
floris' eyes danced. Kit Dewey, I'll
bet we're going TO have Christmas party
"a party of little boys and girls! Hhat
else was there, do tell me-?
so, dino! there was heaps of raisins
and meJjc there was ice cream sud-
denly remembering FlOrls's fondness for
that detachable.
Floris knew better than that; but still
her eye danced. Suddenly they heard
the back kitchen door, and rs suddenly,
Floris turned white. 1.-THE mince-spoon,
Kutyl You've brought the mince.spoon
Mamma Il know.
Katy little mouth dropped open.
"Qnlcb She's coming this way"
Floris softly got into the sittlng-room,
50 did Katy.
Where is the spo-n?' hurricdly whis-
pered the elder girl
II stuffed it under the stair carpet
whore that rod was up
They could near mamma coming
through the hall. But she came only
part way. After pause she returned
TO the kitchen.
"kuty, what if she's found it?'
'She couldn't
They stole out in the hall. The spoon
was gone.
80, Katy! I'll bet you left it sticking
out! sand FIoris, and burst into tears,
Katy did the same. With one accord
they assembled the stairs to their room.
When with red eyes, they came dcwn
to dinner, they found mamma in the
dning-room Ms placid as usual. The
kitchen door was wide open. After din
ncr Floris was requested to wipe the
dishes. Her work took her into every
part OF the kitchen domains, and her red
eyes pcercd about sharply; but nothing
unusual WAS TO be seen--not one trace of
the beautiful pattlcs, not raisIn- stem,
even
Christmas day came aud went. Floris
had her silver thimb.c, and haly her
work.box. The dinner table WAS in the
usual holiday trim. But the little frosted
pies, with tue pink greetings, were not
brought forwarding not one word WAS
said concerning them, not even ny mann
ma eyes.
At night they cried softly in their little
white bed after mamma had gone down.
"And. Floris, | member now, there was
something else, under II white cloth, like
q plate of kisses, thought" sobbed
! KATY, her wet little face pressed into the
pillows; land | shall always think she
was going to make fruit cake, for there
was cltron all cut up, and there was
almonds"
Don't, Katy! don't want to hear it
| cunt hear it," SAID FIoris, in H thick
voice; land don't let us disobcy mamma
more by taking
But what did become of the beautiful,
frosted. plnk-lettered little pies-would
you like to know?
Floris and Katy cannot tel YOU for
never yet have mamma and her little
daughters exchanged word on the sub
icct- but think / can. At least | was
told that u factory weaver's family, where
there we've several little girls, had the
most lovely Of patties, and kisses, and
sugar-plums sent them for their Christ
mas dinner last year.-H'ae Arakc for
J0U0ry.