Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-01-02

tree. To her it was the embodiment o
everything beautiful and enchanting II
the world. With no books but school
books, no pictures, no papers, nothing
beautiful to be seen in that little grind.
ing prairie home, she bad never even
conceived of anything so lovely.
When at last they rose from the table
May stopped at the door.
"Aunt,h she began timidly,-for she
was rather afraid Of the hard-working
woman, whose sharp gray eyes seemed
to look through her, and whose thin lips
never opened but to make some practical
remarks, twill you come over with un-
Gle and see our Christmas-tree? Come,
boys" And she started Off
$50 that's what the young ones have
been up to, is r" said Mr. Stanley,
lighting his pipe. "Come, mother, let's
Mays the beater for plans If ever l see
one"
"Wall,n said Mrs. Stanley, pushing
back the table she had already cleared,
II don't mind if step over minute
before get out my dish water. I never
see Jane 80 took up as she has been this
week"
They went over to the out-room. The
boys were already there, staring in be-
wilderment of wonder. May leaned n
gainst the unique table, very tired, but
happy, and Jeanie fairly danced around
with delight.
"Well, well !" said Mrs. Stanley, "this
looks something like, now! Why, this
carries me back to when I was q boy,
away down in York State. I'd never
"a thought you two little gals could fiI
this old room up so pretty; would you
now, mother?"
Mother" didn't say anything.
There was a sort of choke in her
throat, and something suspiciously like
bright, happy faces of her children-fa-
ces such as She had never seen since
they were babies, before they were initi-
ated into the regular family grind.
After q moment she recovered herself,
wentup to::May, and, to her utter amaze.
ment, gave her a warm kiss. and said:
"It's beautiful, dear, and thank you
for it." And then she looked few
minutes. and said she must 90. But
Jeanie sprang up.
"Wait, ma the presents are coming
yet"
"Presents I" said Mr.. Stanley, "are
these presents, then ?n .a 49,
"Oh, of course!" said May, "else how
could it be a Christmas.tr .treeW
''Sure enough!" said Mr.. Stanley.
May now went up to the tree and took
down first pretty necktie for Will,
made out of some of her bits of elk.
"Why, that's just the very thing l
you know that, you witch? and who
made it?''
"Jeanie and l." said May.
mo, May made it most every Bit"
said Jeanie. "I don't know how"
Next came pair of warm red nit
tens for Harry.
"Jeanie made these" said May. 81
can't knit"
Well, so they went on. Mrs. Stanley
had pretty pin cushion for her bureau;
Mr.. Stanley net bag for his tobacco;
Johnny pair Of wristlets to keep his
wrists warm. Each of the children had
little bag of nicely cracked hickory
nuts. beautiful red apple and few
sticks of molasses candy. The girl had
nothing; they had been so busy they
never thought of themselves.
When the presents were all distribu-
ted, and the children were busy eating
nuts and candy, and having merry
time naming apple seeds, and doing 9TH
er things that May taught them, Mrs.
Stanley stole out. and went back to the
kitchen to her dish-washing. But some
thing was the matter, for she moved
more slowly than ever before she let the
water run over, put the soap into the
miikcup, and made various other blum
ders. She was thinking.
: And when all the family were in bed
that night, and she and Mr.. Stanley
were sitting alone by the fire, she spoke
her thoughts.
TT kHnk kra II cok s~1-
ing. We amt doing just right by our
children. It's all work and no play,
and they're growing old and sober before
their time. We're forehanded enough
now to let up on them little"
"You're right, mother" said Mr..
Stanley. "I've been thinking the sam g
thing myself. That little gal, with her
pretty, lady-like ways, does make me
think so much of her mother, only
'twan't natural to her to be SO down.
hearted as the little one has been. But
see her tonight! declare I'd do any,
thing Almost to keep that happy face on
her. What shall we do, Sally?
"Well," said Mrs. Stanley, her face
unwontedly bright with new thoughts"
"it is MT eight O. clock yet, and I've been
buy few things to put by their beds
for Chritmas it would be good. Chill
dren think so much of such things"
she added, half apologetically.
$50 it would and I'll do it, wife,"
said Mr.. Stanley, taking his boots out
of the corner, and fastening to put them
on. snake out your list, and I'll go
down to Kenedy's. He don't shut up
till nine."
Kenedy's was a country store where
you could buy everything, from needle
to thrashing-machine, and about nine
o'clock Mr.. Stanley came home with a
market-basket full of things. There
was gay merino dress for Jeanie, pair
of skates for May, a new knife for Will,
a sled and picture book for each ofthe
boys.
There was, besides these, package of
real store candy, some raisins, and down
under the whole, where Mrs. Stanley
could not see it, neat dark dress for her,
which Mr.. Stanley had bought to sur
prise her.
Well, everybody t0ds surprised the
next morning, you may be sure, and af-
ter the breakfast-Of which little was
eaten-Will went out and killed tur-l
key. Jeanie and May puton big aprons
and helped; Will chopped stuffing and
suet and, for the. first time in their lives,
the children had a real Christmast din
ner-plum-pudding and all.
That was the beginning of new life
in the plain farmhouse. Little by little
books found their way to the table, an
easy-chair or two stole into the rooms,
pictures made their appearance on the
wall, and in time wing was added to
the house After awhile neat-handed
farmers daughter came to help Mrs.
Stanley. Shrubbery came up in the
yard, vines began to grow over the win
dows, and the fence had new coat of
paint. Now that she was not always
tired out, Mrs. Stanley began to 60 out
among her neighbors; friendly visits
succeeded, then a tea party. Will join
ed the book-club in the village, and
Mrs. Stanley invited them to meet at
her house in turn, and in fact, some
innocent pleasures came into these
hard-working lives, and all owing, as
Mr.. Stanley would say, holding the
bright, happy May on his knee, ito
this little girls Christmas tree"