The Red Cloud chief., 1877-09-06
door; "it's all lies they tell. Shall / wrap

Fol an instant self was predominant.
She must have the blue silk; she must
go to the ball and dance with Fred, but
in a little while something nobler got
the supremacy.
"NO," she replied r~esolutely, mot
now. / must look after that poor child
first"
Half an hour later, a poor woman
wept tears of gratitude and JOY over
her dying husband in the cherries gar
ret she called her home; and Carrie
went back to the old farmhouse with a
step slow and sober enough.
well, pet" said her father fOndly,
81 s'pose you've got the blue silk at
LAST"
mo, papa, no" faltered Carrie with
a gush of tears that she tried in vain to
repress, II gave the money awaytoa
poor little girl"
1t was Christmas day. The snow lay
white and crisp on the chain Of hills
that shut in the old New England farm
house, and the sun, Just dropping out
of sight, tinged their SUBMITS with a
soft glow, and gave the strip of wintry
sky bepOnd a rosy warmth, 50 sugges-
tive of summer twilights, that one for
got the keen winds and biting frost,
and fancied the notes of the cuckoo in
the wood and the breath of viOlets in
the air.
But Carrie was not indulging in any
such reveries as she stood on the front
steps hearing the sleighs glide by, with
their merry peal of bells, bearing a
freight of happy girls to the ball.
"Oh. | did want to go SO badly" she
murmured, "but l can't veal my faded
merino. All the girls will be there,
dressed so nice, and SO happy. Oh, dear!
oh, dear" and a little sob chOked her,
and the tears brimmed over and stained
her pretty cheeks just as another sleigh
dashed up, and MI. Cameron jumped
out and ran upthe steps.
"Why, CARRIE" he called oat. mot
dressed yet? thought you would b,
all ready. Come, hurry, it is getting
late
I'm not going" she faltered.
mot gong, Carrie. Why, you said you
would on Sunday"
Il know; but I've changed iny mind.
| can't 60"
"P5haw! this is nonsense. Go and
get ready; it's no use to pretend that.
His one irritated her, and she replied
sharply
I'm not pretending anything, Mr..
Cameron. I'm not going,ani you needn't
wait"
"All right won't. Some one else
will go / dare say" and he sprang into
his sleigh and drove off.
Poor Carrie! this was the cruelest
blow of all. She could not heal it any
longer; SO she ran into the old Kitchen,
and laid her head down on her fathers
old leather cushioned chair for a good,
childish cry.
The old clock licked on the mantel
shelf; her father and mother dOzed over
the keeping room" fire. Christmas
night was going BY Carrie cried till
her he d ached thinking of the gay
party, and how triumphant Lu looked
dancing with Fred but another thought
that of the poverty stricken family
she had saved from the streets-brOught
such a delightful memery to her weary
mind that she 500 fell into a deep slum-
Der.
A soft touch on her brow awakened
her just as she was dreaming of the
ball and the blue silk; and starting
up she saw a loving face bending over
her.
ooh, Fred" she exclaimed. scramb-
ling to her feet; 'hOw you frightened
me. What's the matter? What have
Nothing. Carrie; only I've come to
spend my Christm:s.night with you, if
you'll let me-"
But thought You WENT to the ball?'
$50 l did and heard the story of the
blue silk dress; and found that there
was no one l cared for there, or any
where else in all the world, except in
this old kitchen"
Carrie blushed. and shook down her
yellow curlS over her te~ar-stained
cheeks.
What a change had come over the old
kitchen. How bright and cheerful
everything seemed. What a happy, hap
py Christmas it turned out to be after
all.
The next morning. the dry goods
clerk brought up a package for Carrie,
containing the blue silk. and the dainty
gloves. She guessed we'll enough whose
hand had sent them.
Miss Hunt was called upon, and the
dress gotten up magniticently; but
when Carrie wore il, it was no Christ
mas ball-but to her own wedding
Warerley M0g0zins.
Keeping Posted in History.
The American people are a reading
people, and there is no end to the books
that are made for them to read. Every
boy and girl have all the books they