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

" ~
to Miss Janet, Patty went out into the
kitchen. to have Il talk with Hannah
and Statira, while they washed the
china.
Haven't you 4 new dress Why,
it's just the color of mine." And Han.
nah said: s'There! to think of you
noticing that! Yes, I 'spose it is
new," and she pulled aside her great
apron" The dressmaker tried all
ways to make me have an oycrskirt;
but I wouldn't. I'm too old to foller
the fashions. l tell 'em: Statiry,
she's younger. She didn't get time to
dress up tonight but her dress is
trimmed considerable. Miss Janet
gave them to us Thanksgiving time"
Then Patty asked about Statira's new
gown, and heard the particulars with
great interest.
"There - said Hannah, when Patty
said she must 60 back to the parlor,
"1'm real pleased to see you, dear my.
self. And your growing to be just
such dear woman as your mother. I
do know but you will blame me when
tell you that perhaps was the means
Of fetching You down to spend Christ
m9a fhnnrhf pnr1,o,,o 1,o,,,H ,.ofho,
be with your mates, when I thought
about it afterward but heard your
aunts speaking about you kind of visit.
full spell ago, and how you didn't
come along O. your mother in the sum-
mer. and sayin' it wasn't natural you
should care about coming to stay with
two Old women. And I spoke right
| out. Perhaps you would like it better
ii they asked You special. And I says,
says l, why don't you ask her to come
here and keep Christmas with ye 2"
II am ever so glad / came. I am
truly. I didn't know you cared so
much about seeing me. l could have
come with Papa any time, but l never
thought Of it,
Patty was enjoying the visit more
and more. When she went back to
the parlor. the tall carcel lamp was
lighted and the newspaper was lying
on the table. Everything in that
room looked just as it did when Patty
was child. Even the dull.colored old
Turkey rugs were no nearer wearing
! out than when she could first remeem
Der. She looked up at the portraits.
and especially at her Grand.aunt Pat.
tvs, who had been a beautiful girl
and had died long ago. The eyes in
| the picture looked down with smile
at her na,aesake, and Patty smiled
| back again.
Miss Katharine was pleased because
she could hear Patty speak so easily
and she did not scream at her, as most
people did ,either. They had long
talk, and after while they spoke of it
being Christmas Eve; and Aunt Katha.
rine how pleasant it was to think how
many happy people there were in the
world that night.
TASK her If she will not read the
Christmas Hymn now" said Aunt
Janet. "That is, if you like to hear
it. We have read it a great many
years on Christmas Eve"
! And Patty said she would like to
hear it. Papa had read it to her, and
she thought some of the verses were
beautiful. Papa said she would like
it more and more. So Miss Janet
brought the book, and Miss Katharine,
who had not lost her gift of reading
aloud finely, began
| ut was the winter wild';
! and llv fhA fimo Sho ho6 hoor1
| "No war, nor battle-sound"
Patty found she cid like itbetter than
before. and it was so grand to hear it
On Christmas Eve. 1t made her think
OF the great organ in church and the
soleman, sweet notes that make one
shiver little.
The wind hal risen out.of.doors and
it walled little In the chimny. The
cinnamon r0se.bushes cliked against
the windows, and one could hear the
noise OF the great elms blowing about;
but indoors the freight flickered
round the room, the old pussy had
come in and sat on the rug close to
the fender, and it was not in the least
lonely or even ''poky."
! After the reading, and when they
had all been quiet a little while, Patty
happened to see the piano, and asked
J her aunts if she might play for them,
She had learned some new tunes lately.
do not think Patty had offered ia
play for any one before, She was shy
about it, though very good.natured if
she were asked. The aunts were more
pleased than ever; and Aunt Janet
whispered that she was so glad, for it
was one of Aunt Katherine's greatest
trials to give up her music. She could
hear the piano perfectly. Patty played
some of her tunes but, somehow, She
was not exactly in the mood for the
nocturnes and songs without words,
and she stopped and thought a minute.
and then struck some chords and SANG
the hymn her father liked SO much
flock by Night
eve always used to sing that on
Christmas Eve. Do you remember,
Janct!" said Miss Katharine.
Eyes; and all we boys and girls knew
every word of it. Mother and father
took great pride in our singing, said
Miss Janet; and they both thanked
Patty and said it was delightful to
hear her play without notes, She play.
ed wonderfully we'll.
.'Sing something else, my dear"
said Aunt Janet, "Another hymn, if
you choose; though we like any sweet
music. Then we must send you to
bed, or you will be too tired to enjoy
tomorrow though l am afraid there
will be little to enjoy. It's dull enough
for you in this quiet old house,"
"Why, I'm lust as happy as l can be,
Aunty," said Patty, without thought
of the Christmas party to which she
had been invited In Boston. And then
she sang ''Abide with Me- which