The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1877-12-22

er than poverty, and her husbands go
a dispensation-"
GA what p
ga dispensation of rheumatic, hon
ey"
Here Sophy broke in with
go, Lizer, wait minute Why is
old woman with the rheumatism like
church window p
Don't know, chile. Ole Lizer can
be boddered guessing any oh these ere
riddledrums. Amt you any feeling TO
Mister Scott, that poor ole gemman, al
most doubled up as he is?"
go yes" says Sophy, quite subdued
"I'm real sorry for him, Lizer.
"Bress your little curly head. Ole
Lizer knowed it. Well, | haint tole
half. His havin' this dispensation, and
consequentially not bein' able to work,
and the eldest gal bein' lame, and"
"Come, children -
go Lizer, we've got to go! Good
night, Lizer p
'We'll tell father about Mrs. Scott,
whispers Lou, whose bright, rumpled
curls caught sudden gold from the stove,
and made patch of shade on Lizer' S
gayneckerchief. Good night, Lizer!'
"De Lord Dress your kind little heart,
Miss Louisa. Goodnight, chillen. !"
go Lizer, where's your stocking?"
"Go long Ole Lizer don't hang up
no stockins.
eyes you shall, too. eyes, Ma !!
we're coming, only mustn't Lizer hang
up stocking?')
Certainly she must" calls back a
laughing voice from the distance.
"ZHe1r, now! Goodnight, Lizer. "
And off we scampered.
O that long climbing up to the nur-
sery! What a mingled rush of Devil
derment, expectation, and all sorts of
happy emotions crowded into it How
we peered through every open door, as
we passed on, looking for, we hardly
knew what How troubled | was lest
somebody besides mother should find
out that l had lovely new bingham
apron for old Eliza. Then those things
for father and mother that Aunt fancy
had taken me, on the sly, to buy with
my own half dollar: what if anybody
should take down the old handbook be-
hind which they were hidden!
In my crib at last. Charley was in
the other crib and Louise and Sophie
were snugly tucked away in the trundle
bed. The window was down little
from the top, | suppose, for the upper
part of the white curtain pulled gently;
Mother had kissed us and gone. We
had promised to "try and go right to
sleep"
| held my BREATH don't know why
partly because the moonlight
shone upon fourstockings hanging from
the mantelpiece, and as the ireboard
was pulled out little they already
twitched expectantly. Perhaps it was
because | hoped one of the other chill
dren would say something and SO give
me chance to be naughty and speak.
No: all were still as mice. Suddenly
a little white foot came out from be-
tween the bars of Charley's crib, then
there was a suppressed giggle from the
trundle- bed-from LOUIS half Lou was
the best one among us-so of course in
4 moment we were in the widest COM
How delightfully."- wicked l felt as l
leaned over the foot-board of my crib
and saw the moonlit carpet, and the
pitcher on the washstand with high
blue tree on the side and a blue temple
with blue man walking forth carrying
a queer blue umbrella. Sophie's little
CATERS, too. They looked just as if
they were going to walk off
zone, two, buckle my shoe -
| sang out loud,
"Three, four, open the door -
Sophy.
"Five thix,
Pick up thticks -
roared Charley.
"Seven, eight,
Lay 'em straight -
screamed, and then, with one bound,
sprang back and hid under a confusion
of blankets and quilts.
But the climax of daring was reached
when Charley stood by the window
pane, in his long night gown, and
shouted
"Hallo, Thanty Clauth!'
We all sat up in bed and looked. l
remember the moment perfectly. Every
tree stood forth dark and distinct against
the shining white ground. They seem
ed, somehow, to know it was Christmas.
But Santa Claus Was he really COM
ing?
Remember what Ma said" caution
ed Lou. "He doesn't go in houses
where the children's awake. Go back
to bed, Charley, You'd better"
This sobered us. We punched our
pillows, thoughtfully; disposed the dis
tracted cover into something like their
former condition, and squeezed our eyes
as tightly shut as possible, while visions
of sugar plums took toy partners and
danced through our heads,
But even in the midst of the dance we
floated delightfully."- away-far-far-
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