The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1876-12-07
The Peterkins' Christmas Tree.


Pretty early in the autumn the Peter
kins began to prepare for their Christ.
mas tree. Everything was done in
great privacy, as it was to be a surprise
to the neighbors, as we'll as to the rest
of tho family. Mr.. Peterkin had been
up to Mr.. Bromwich's wood lot, and,
with his consent, selected the tree.
Agamemnon went to look at it occa-
sionally after dark, and Solomon John
made frequent visits to it, mornings,
Just after eunrise. Mr.. Peterkin drove
Elizabeth Eliz, and her mother that
way, and pointed furtively to it with his
whip, but none Of them spoke of italoud
to each other. 1t was suspected that
the little boys had been to see it We'd
nesday and Saturday afternoons. But
they came home with their pockets full
of chestnuts and said nothing about it.
At length Mr.. Peterkin had it cut
down and brought secretly into the Lar
kins' barn. A week or two before
Christmas measurement was made Of
it, with Elizabeth Eliza yard measure
To Mr.. Peterkin's great dismay, it was
discovered that it was too high to stand
in the back parlor. This fact was
brought cut at secret council of Mr..
and Mrs. PBterkin, Elizabeth Eliza, aud
Agamemron.
Agamelrnou suggested that it might
bo set up slantirg, but Mrs. Peterkin
was very sure it would make her dizzy,
and the candles would drip.
Bat brilliant idea came to Mr.. Peter
kin. He proposed that the ceiling of
the parlor should be raised to make
room for the top of the tree.
Elizabeth Eliza thought the space
would need to be quite large. 1t must
not be like q small box, or you could not
see the tree.
eyes" eaid Mr.. Poterlin, 81 should
have lie cfiijpg lifted all across the
room; the effect Womb be finer"
Elizabeth Eliza objected to having
the whole ceiling raised, because her
room was over the back parlor, and she
would have 10 floor while tue alteration
was going on: which would be very
awkward. Besides, her room was not
very high now, and if the floor We're
raised, perhaps she could not walk in it
upright.
- Mr.. Peterkin explained that he didn't
propose altering the whole ceiling, but
to lift up ridge across the room at the
back part where the tree was to stand.
This would make hump, to be sure, in
Elizabeth Eliza's room; but it would go
across the whole room.
Elizabeth Eliza said she would not
mind that. 1t would be like the cuddy
thing that comes up on the deck of
ship, that you sit against, only hore you
would not have the seasickness. She
thought she should like it for rarity.
She might use it for divan.
Mrs. Peterkin thought it would como
in the worn place OF the carpet, and
might be a convenience in making the
carpet over.
Agamennon was afraid there would be
trouble in keeping the matter secret, for
it would be long piece of work for
carpenter; but Mr.. Peterkin proposed
having the carpenter for day or two,
for number of other jobs.
One of them was to make all the chairs
in the hou:e of the same height, for
Mrs. Peterkin had nearly broken her
spine by sitting down Ill chair that she
had supposed was her own rocking
chair, and it had proved to be two
inches lower. The little boys were now
largo enough to sit in any chair; so
medium was fixed upon to satisfy all the
family, and the chairs were made uni
formly of the same height.
On consulting the carpenter, however.
he insisted that the tree could be cut off
at the lower end to suit the height of
the parlor, and demurred at so great g
change as altering the ceiling. But Mr..
Peterkin had set his mind upon the
Improvement, and Elizabeth Eliza had
cut her carpet in preparation for it.
So the folding doors into the back
parlor were closed, aud for nearly
fortnight before Christmas there was
great litter of fallen plastering, and
Jaths, and chips, and shavings and
Elizabeth Eliza's carpet was taken up,
and the furniture had to be changed,
and one night she had to sleep at the
Bromwich's, for there was long hole
in her floor that might be dangerous.
All this delighted the little boys.
They could not understand what was
going on. Perhaps they suspected
Christmas tree, but they did not know
why Christmas tree should have so
many chips, and were still more aston
ished at the hump that appeared in
Elizabeth Eliza's room. 1t must be a
Christmas present, or else the tree in
box.
Some aunts and uncles, too, arrived
day or two before Christmas, with some
small cousins. These cousins occupied
the attention of the little boys, and
there was great deal of whispering and
mystery, behind the doors, and under
the stairs, and in the corners of the
entry.
Solomon John was busy, privately,
making some candles for the tree. He
had been collecting some bayberries, as
he understood they made very nice can.
dies, SO that it would not be necessary
to buy any.
The elders of the family never all
went into the back parlor together, and
II tried not to see what was going on.