Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-12-21

! llSCu SuCu II YlACG AIAC Ao"s tAAOu&A
they used to 90 about 4 great deal
when they were young. They must
have cared to see her to have taken
this trouble. She had had great
many jolly times at Christmas. And
she would have walks and frolics with
her cronies nearly all the year round.
And, after all, wouldn't dear Aunt
| Annie and Mamma and Papa be glad if
| she were unselfish about it. even If
they missed her. 1t wasn't 80 very
much matter if she did have one dull
Christmas Day.
And Patty ran upstairs and wrote
this note, though she had taken longer
to decide than have taken to tell
you:
"DEAR AUNT JANET:
81 think YOU and Aunt Katharine are very
kind to ask me to spend Christmas with you.
should like it very much"
She hesitated minute after she
had written this, for perhaps 1t was
not quite true. Then she said: 81 DO
wish to go, and am going to try to be
lust as nice as l possibly can
II will be there Wednesday afternoon.
Please don't mind if this letter is very short,
fer am in hurry to finish something | am
! making Thank you both for wishing
> ssYour loving PATTY"
Patty directed the letter and put on
| the stamp and then took it herself to
| the box on the lamp-post at the corner
| OF the street. When it was fairly in,
she longed with all her heart to take
| it ont again but that wish went away
| directly.
..Mr. Redington opened the library
door earlier than usual, and Patty
went in to have talk with him in the
twilight, as she often did.
1--WE written Aunt Janet that I'm
coming.," said she, with a little shake
in her voice. What if Papa should be
sorry, because he had wished she
would stay at home But he put
down the armful Of books which he
was replacing on the shelves and came
across the room to her.
"Why. my dear, unselfish little
gill?" said he, 81 think this is very
good of you. have been hoping you
would go, for something about that
letter made me sure they cared a
great deal about seeing you. | know
you will give them a real pleasure,
wish you to do just as you pleased;
but am 50 glad you pleased to do
this
Papa was always kind, but he rarely
praised Patty rs much rs this. and she
thought it made up for her sacrifice.
Mrs. Redington was glad, too, when
she came home early in the evening;
though she said they would all he lone
ly without Patty, and she could not
help saying there had never seemed to
! be so many reasons fer her being at
home. But she was very glad to have
| her 20 to Aunt Janet and Aunt katha.
| rine, and Patty thought her mother
| and father had never been 80 kind to
| her before. It was lucky Aune Annie
would not come until just after she
had gone, for it would have been so
hard if she had seem her only little
while and she then said goodbye.
Wednesday at twelve o'clock the
train started out of the station carry.
ing one sad little passenger, at least,
among all the crowd Of happy people
who were going away or going home
for Christmas. Almost every body had
baskets or bundles, and soon Patty
grew interested in watching the faces
around her, and some of the people
watched her. Our friend was a trig-
looking traveller ; and l know if you
had been sitting in the opposite seat
you would have wished you knew her
! and wondered who she was. She had
on sealskin cap and jacket,
| and a brown cashmere dress,
with such pretty silk petticoat to
match, and her favorite little Roman
cravat and the bits of scarlet and blue
in this looked so bright and pretty
against the dark browns. She had a
new book to read, if she choose; and
| her mothers Christmas presents had
been i new travelling bag and u silk
umbrella, Of which Patty was con.
scious, and which stood beside her, in
preference to having them put in the
lack overhead, where some one might
possibly think it belonged to the PEG.
pie in front. Though she felt dismal
enough during the first half.honr, she
did not look cross, only sorry. know
you would like Patty; her eyes were
so sweet and looked straight into yours.
The car was so full that every seat
was taken. Patty's companion was
a lady dressed in black with !, heavy
veil, 80 that one could hardly see her
face. After while she pushed it back;
and by and by Patty turned away from
the window and happened to look at
her. The lady did not notice her. She
was looking down and her eyes were
full of tears. "Why, she must be 20.
ing to have a worse time this Christ.
mas than I am,'' thought Patty, to
whom things were looking darker than
usual just then. And then she looked
round again. This time the lady look
ed up at her, with the kindest smile.
81 don't seem to be very merry. do
my DEAR" said she. '.And l think
that you are sad about something, too.
We mustn't forget that tomorrow is
Christmas Day." and she reached her
hand over for Patty s and held it close.
And then Patty said she had felt a lit.
tie lonely because her aunt Annie had
come by that time, and she was not
there to see her.
''Tell me about it dear, said the new
friend. And somehow Patty did not
mind it at all, though she was apt to
be little shy and reserved with Stran.
gers. At the end she said
"Please don't think that want to be
selfish, or that any of my aunts are
not just as kind as they can be but
Aunt Annie is younger, and I do love
her best. l know her so much better.
And all the girls are so sorry, for there
are to be such jolly times this vacation
and they said that they should miss
me. But I am so glad that I came away.
am truly
$50 am l dear child" said the lady,
it was very good of you; but I think
you don't care to lie praised for doing
right. The best thing is to know it in
ones own heart. am sure you will
have a happy Christmas. Why is it
that you care so much for your Aunt
Annie? = This was asked softly. And
Patty answered, drawing a little clos
er:
II think it is because she helps me
to be good. But everybody loves Aunt