The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1876-01-14
A NICE CHRISTMAS,
OR
The Spa'peens.
BY MARY c. BARTLETT.

BY MARY c. BARTLETT.
Granny Welch was a funny little Irish
woman, who wore a plaid shawl at all
! times and seasons, and whose tight-ftting
hood could not-indeed, it did not at
! tempt tO-conceal the broad white cap
| frill which bobbed up and down as she
talked, which was pretty often, I assure
you.
Granny Welch hated boys, all but one;
and that was Mikey, the son of her
q darlin daughter, who had left her
three years ago.
AIikey isn't ijist but baby yet, she
would sometimes say, apologetically, to a
neighbor;' but if iver he grows into one
of them iTaperdint spalpeens beyant I'll
kill him"
Then the neighbor would laugh, and
Mikey would laugh, and finally Granny
Welch herself would laugh until her cap
frill shook and her bead-like eyes twinkled
like couple of very small stars.
Time had dealt gently with the old
lady. He had given her no painful
rheumatism no feeble limbs or stifened
joints He had only bleached her hair
and wrinkled her face and shriveled her
up, 50 that she grew smaller and smaller,
until it really seemed rs if she might
blow away some day, "when she'd
grown old enough" as Frank Yelling
ton had said.
Frank Wellington was one of the bows
whom Granny Welch hated She hated
him because he had asked her to . lend
him the loan of her shawl" one stinging
winter day; she hated his brother Tom
because he said that Mikey looked like
frog in the new jacket and pants which
I.pl -oI ri L.,
but more than all she hated them both
because they were veritable boys, or
"spalpeens' The words were svnonv-
nous with Granny Welch.
Itw the day before Christmas. and
AIilley sat watching the stove and wait
ing for his grandmother, who had gone to
church. He couldn't go out into the
street, for his toes were peeping through
his little, worn shoes. Granny" had
promised him a new pair when her ship
came Until the harbor;" but he was al
most tired of waiting for that. Mikey
knew very little about Christmas. No
one had told him to hang up his stocking
and he had heard no hint of presents.
He had a vague idea that it must be
good time, because everybody in the
court went to church That was all
MiEey knew about the day to which
most little people look forward sOeagerly.
He didn't like to sit in the kitchen all
alone. Granny Wclch had often boasted
that the room frOnted the coort and
there was great dale of things to be
seen from it, But Mikey found it Il
lonesome place now. The people who
came by walked very fast, and had their
cloaks drawn tight about them, rs if
they were cold. The wind was blowing
too He didn't like the wind it made
him think OF what Frank Wellington
had said. What if his grandmother
should ''grow old enough " that very
day. Dinner time was coming, too, and
he was hungry He began to cry.
"Whist, whist, now Where me little
man? This isn't him, sure It's 4 baby
we have here, intirely"
There she was-Granny Welch. Just
little old Irish wOman-that was all; but
to Mikey she was everything-fre and
light, and dinners and suppers, aye, and
jacket and trowsers, too. So it was no
! wonder that his face frightened rs she
appeared.
Granny Welch always went along the
streets with her eyes on the ground. If
she saw piece of wood large enough to
make a blaze, she picked it up. 1t really
! seemed rs if Santa Claus must have
strewn some nice bits in her way this
morning, her arms were 50 full Among
others was bough of an old elm, which
| seemed almost like a tree itself, it was so
tall and had so many little branches.
Mikey looked at it with longing ewes.
&" Are ye wantin' it, Michael ?''
4" am"
" On yer back ?'' inquired Granny
Welch, with fierce bobbing of her cap
border. -...
q" No, sir" replied irreverent Mikey.
There's where yell get it, thin"
Miley laughed. He was very well ac-
quainted with Granny Welch.
I'll take it from you" he cried, glee-
| fully. suiting the action to the word
Granny" caught him in her arms.
and gravely administered few sounding
slaps, which didn't hurt him bit.
" is it a Christmas ye'll have?' she
asked, when her pretended wrath was APP
peased.
" Yes.
She took down an old skillet from the
wall and put it upon the stove, then she
dropped into it "A handful of corn and
awaited the result.
Mikey listened for the popping and at
last il came. When the kernels were
5. snapped out she took large needle
and some blue yarn and strung them
thereon. Then she tied he string to the
old bough, winding it in and out among
! the withered branches, whence it hung in
long white loops.
There's yer Christmas" said she,
with satisfied air. Look well now.
| Don't break it"
lie took it in his plump hand. He
walked proudly up and down the room,
| the corn waving gracefully.
"'That'sa nice Christmas, said Granny
/ Nol,h the eueer caP-border bobbing
] again.
Yes,
g \ nice Christu,- Ei,e u..l- boys
! gets nice ChriStmasses"
Mikey's stout figure Strengthened
" There's little Biddy Mclaughlin be-