The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-11-30

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should have 'em."
"Child alivei How your tongue runs
Here, now, take these cookies home witt
you / guess Ned's too busy to play witt
you
"Thank you, ma'am. And you'll re
member about Santa Claus ?" said little
Mamie, as she walked away with hel
cookies.
Mrs. Huntley worked on for q
few minutes longer, and then. leav'
ing her dishes, she went to hei
own room and opened bureau
drawer. There lay q bright little dress
and pretty white apron-Polly's best
thiugs-the little clothes in which she
used to look so lovely. There were the
last Christmas toys the mother had ever
bought-only little tin bank, paper
cornucopia, and doll /; but she remem-
bered that Christmas so well Could it
be that it was only three years ago ?
How Polly had laughed and chartered
over her stocking And Ned-now that
she thought about it-she remembered
that they bought him pair Of skates,
and had taken his little sister out to see
him try to use them. Ned was so low
ing and gentle in those days. And then
the mothers heart reproached her.
Could she blame her boy because he
seemed to care so little for his parents
and his home, when she had nursed her
grief for the loss of her baby-girl, and
taken no pains to be bright or cheerful
with him9 She thought how clearly
Mamie had told the story of the Savior's
birthday. Could her boy, who was 6
years older, do as well? He went to
Sunday-school sometimes, but she had
never talked with him abo-t Jesus
never since God took Polly. And her
eyes filled as she shut the drawer.
Mrs. Huntley went back to the kitch-
en-, but the room seemed different to her.
Ned brought in the milk, and looked
at his mother curiously at hearing her
say, "Thank you, Ned" Wonders
would never end, Ned thought, when,
after tea, she said, Father, it's moon
light night; couldn't you and / drive to
the village? Ned will excuse our leav-
ing him alone.
Excuse !" When had his mother
ever asked him to excuse her? And
then, as mother waited for the wagon to
be got ready, she asked him to read
about the Savior's birth, and surely
there were tears in her eyes as
father came in, just as Ned read,
Aud they came with great haste and
found Mary and Joseph, and the babe
lying in a manger."
Mr.. Huntley was bewildered, too. To
start off for the village at 7 o'clock in
the evening When had such thing
On the road Mrs. Huntley told her
husband what Mamie had said to her,
and she added, Perhaps, as / tell it, it
don't seem much, but it made me think
of our Polly, and"-the woman's voice
broke, and the father, saddened too,
said, comfortingly, "She's safe, my
dear, in heaven"
Yes, father, but Tn thinking of the
one that's left, for all / cried little. I
guess you were near right about getting
him something nice. He's but a boy
yet, and he'd think more of Christmas,
and perhaps of the child that was born
on Christmas, if we show him that Je-
sus has made our hearts little more
UeQuer.
What it cost that hard, reserved woman
to say that, none knew, but I think her
husband felt dimly how she must have
fought with herself, and he was silent
for some time. AT last he said, with
tone of gladness in his voice, "My dear,
I'm glad to get him something. He's
q good boy, Ned is"
how they caught the spirit of Christmas |!
They bought a sled and skates, book
or two, and candies, and Mrs. Huntley
found jack-knife that was just the
thing Ned wanted. Then she said to her
husband /:
" I'd like to buy something for Mamie.
1t will be nice to buy girls present."
Their hearts ached little, as they
chose wonderful little wash-tub and
board, with clothes-horse to match. How
Polly's eyes would have shone at these
Meantime, Ned unused over his moth
ers tears and her strangely kind
tones, and thought CT wonder if
she's going to be as good to me as
she was to Polly / hated to hear
Mamie talk about Santa Claus. Polly
used to talk just that way, and we did
have such good times. 1 used to get
skates and things at Christmas, but now
l get some handkerchiefs or a lot of
shirts 1t makes me mad" Then Ned
fell asleep, and so the mother found
him. She woke him gently and he went
off to bed, bewildered by more kind
words.
Morning dawned and Ned hurried
down to light the fire in the kitchen, but
he went no further than the sitting.
room. There was sled, splendid
one, a pair of skates, and books He
put his hands in his pockets to take 9
long stare, and felt something strange
in one of them. Why There was 6
beautiful knife
Mother came in and watched his face
but at the sight of her the boy fairly
broke down. Laying his head on hel
shoulder, It's like Polly coming back,
he said.
And aO IL woa ond eo ~ ooo t;praJ 4,