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

Ing alOHe IN the large gueSC-chambor {;
but it was not bad after all. The door
was to be open into the hall, and she
could hear the old ladies' voices down.
stairs. How pleasant and old.fashion.
ed everything was. And she thought
of her friend in the cars; and won.
dered what they were doing at home
and If Aunt Annie missed her. But by
the time Statira came in to put out the
lights she was fast asleep. And Aunt
Janet came in softly by and by. Pat
tvs curly hair was shaken out over the
pillow, and she had fallen asleep smil.
ing.
IDEAL little SOUL" said the old lady,
with sudden feeling Of great tender
ness.
Christmas morning was bright and
sun.shiny. When Patty walked, she
heard her aunts talking together so
she hurried out of bed and ran in to
say ''Merry Christmas" They were
both dressed but they were meaning
to let her sleep until the last minute.
81 don't know when have felt so
well as I do today, learie," said Aunt
Katharine. II think it must be your
coming"
And then Patty went back to dress
herself and ask God to help her to be
good that day. Soon she followed the
old ladies down to the brcakfast.room,
with her arms full of presents, which,
of course, had to be given before any.
thing else could he thought of for
minute. There was soft. pretty
shawl for Aunt Katharine to throw
round her shoulders, which was exactly
what she had been wishing for and
for Aunt Janet, who scorned shawl,
as she preferred to call them. She had
a fancy for caps, and was very critical !;
but these were exactly what she want
ed. Then there were some little things
some delicious candy in a remarka.
BILE box, and a new photograph of Pat.
ty herself in a Russian frame-these
were her own presents to them. The
others were from Mrs. Redington. and
Mr.. Redington has sent some books.
There were some kid mittens, with
fur wristers. for Hannah and Statira-
one plain black and one brown, 80 they
would know them apart-and some
Observation-Disclosures for Jacob. Every.
body was so pleased, and they brought
Patty their own gifts to her, which
were unexpected. Statira had made
her needle-book, and Hannah had
baked a nice round Christmas cake.
Such plum-cake, with such fros:ing
one of her very best, which our
friend felt to be great honor. Jacob
offered basket of superior walnuts and
said she must eat as many as she could
and take the rest home. Patty thank.
ed them over and over again, and they
thanked her. The Aunts smiled more
and more and said she was very
thoughtful. So, altogether, it was a
merry Christmas morning. Beside
Patty's plate, at the breakfast table,
was little box, and in it q beautiful
emerald ring, from Miss Katherine.
Patty had longcd for just such ring,
and she hardly knew what to Say. She
knew, too, that Aunt Katherine had
worn it many years, and, as she said,
that made it all the dearer. sI've civ.
en- up rings Of late years, dear, since
my illness; and cannot think of any
who would rather should wear this, =
said the kind old lady. SIT was your
Aunt Patty's, too. She gave it to me.
II am going to give you money for
my present." said Aunt Janet IS and
you can choose something for yourself,
when you 60 home, to remind you OF
your old aunt And Patty said: ':Oh
not all this for me!'' And she kissed
them both two or three times. She
could hear Statira and Hannah laugh.
ing in the kitchen, which was unusual,
for they were not apt to be hilarious.
What a shame it would have been if
Patty had stayed at home!
After breakfast she ran down the
garden on the crust, to cut some
branches of evergreen, and came back
with great armful Of little boughs.
Mamma had sent down bunch of real
English holly, and in a half an hour
the south parl0r looked as Christmas
like as possible. Soon after it was time
to go to church, and she and Aunt
Janet went together, with Jacob tc
drive. 1t was such pleasant service
The church was such a contrast to the
one where Patty went in Boston, and
she had never been in any but her own
church on this day before. 1t seemed
odd not to be nodding to the people
around and watching for her own
cronies to come in. Patty's thoughts
; were pleasanter than ever before. She
seemed to understand better what
Christmas meant !; and she and Aunt
Janet stood side by side and sang'' Glory
be to God on high, on earth peace,
goodwill to men, with all their hearts,
Patty was beginning to know the bless.
edness of trying to do good-the bless.
edness which is so much better than
any fun or happiness which comes from
other things.
The clergyman said in his sermon
that we must not shut Christ out of our
hearts and say mo room," as the peo
pie did at the inn: that we must not
let In other thought and other friends,
and keep no place for him. Patty was
so glad to think that she was trying to
make her heart home for the best
friend, and that he had never seemed
so dear or so near before as he did that
morning.
cannot stop to tell you all about the
Christmas dinner, or the two funny
old friends of Miss Janet's who drove
home with them to spend the rest ot
the day; or how, when all the old Ia
dies took their afternoon maps, Patty
wrote long letter home, and after
ward went to drive, with Jacob, who
had given the horses such a holiday
dinner of oats that they were actually
quite frisky; or now she sang and
played half of the evening or how the
rest Of tho party told interesting sto
ries abont old times. And after this
she proposed to stay uxtil Monday, and
asked If she might come again in he1
next vacation, of her own accord. Al
last they were all so sorry to say good
bye. And Aunt Katharine could hard
ly let her 60 at all, and she ssid she
should miss her terribly. But Patty's
promise to write once week was moi
broken. When she reached home SHE
found that Annie was to stay another
week; and Mr.. and Mrs. Redington
were so GLAD about tho visit. And q
letter came from Aunt Janet saying