The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1877-11-30
Polly. A Before-Christmas story.

ingly.
Eyes" insisted Mamie, whats h,
going to bring you, Ned?"
81 don't know, and don't care
much" he answered, "for there ISM
any Santa Claus.
"Why, Ned |" cried Mamie in aston
ishment. SEVEN my big brother Harry
believes in Santa Claus. He's coming
home from school tonight, and were
going to hang up our stockings"
"Pshawl" said Ned. 81 must &c
home. Good-by."
Merry little Mamie stood in amaze
ment, and then ran indoors to her moth
er with her perplexity.
"Why, mother !" she cried. "Ned
Huntley said there wasn't any Santa
Claus-and he was real cross about it,
too"
"Well, Mamie" said her mother, 81
wouldn't take any notice of Ned's being
cross about Christmas-time. The Hunt
leys don't keep Christmas.
"Don't keep Christmas !" exclaimed
Mamie, astonished beyond measure.
Seeing that her mother was busy, she
took her doll, Helena Margaret Con-
stance Victorine in her arms, and talked
the matter over with her.
"What do you think, my DEAR" said
she, "they don't keep Christmas at Ned
Huntley's house | don't know just
what mother means 10y not keeping it,
for you know Santa Claus comes down
the chimney, and so he can get in dur
ing the night and leave Christmas there.
Oh, yes, but they don't keep it. They
turn it out, suppose, just like mother
told me they acted about the dear little
baby Savior they hadn't any room for
him, and [ guess Mrs. Huntley hasn't
any room to keep Christmas in. / won
der what she does with the Christmas
things Santa Claus brings? wonder
if she throws 'em away? [ mean to go
and ask her." and, putting her child
carefully in its cradle, Mamie started.
There was some truth in what Mrs.
CASTOR had told her little daughter; the
Huntleys did not keep Christmas in q
loving, hearty way. They kept it in so
far that on this very afternoon Mrs.
Huntley was busy making the mince
pies, dressing the turkey, and doing all
she could to be beforehand with the
extra Christmas dinner. Mr.. Huntley
had just stepped into the kitchen for a
moment to say to his wife, "What have
you settled on for Ned's Christmas ?"
"Tve bought HIM a pair of Arctlcs-
he needed 'em; and, if you want to spend
more than common, you might get him
half dozen handkerchiefs.
"Well, wife, / was thinking that per-
haps the farmer tried to be particular
about his words, for Mrs. Huntley did
not seem to be in very good humor-
ct was remembering how you used to
enjoy giving the young ones candies and
toys; 80 perhaps"
"Now, Noah Huntley, I'm surprised
at you! Buy candies and toys for q
great numbering boy like Ned? Why,
you must be crazy, man The next
thing will be that you'll want Christ
mas tree yourself y
"Well, and it wouldn't be bad idea, >
thought the father. "There's my man.
Fritz, he has been to the woods and cut
a little tree for his children, and he
seems to get heap of pleasure out o.
it. All if only little Polly had lived 7
Strangely enough, the wife was thinking
the same thing, as she sliced and siftet
and weighed. 9" If little Polly had LIVED
it would have been different, but we
can't throw money away on nonsense fol
Ned"
A little red cloak flashed by the win
dow, little bright face, just about tn,
age of "our little Polly's," peeped in a
the door, and Mamie asked, May
come in, Mrs. Huntley?"
Certainly, child. Here's fresl
cookie. 1 suppose you're full of Christ
mas over at your house ?"
"Oh, yes, ma'am And I'm sorr,
you don't keep it. What's the reason p
Don't keep it Why, we have
regular Christmas dinner as sure as tn,
25th of December comes round, and pi
gives me new dress, or something tina
1 need, and we give Ned a suit o
clothes, or shoes, or something that h,
needs"
"Well," said Mamie, "but 1 like on
way best. May tell you how we keel
Christmas"
"Talk away. can listen"
"Well, you see, good while befor
Christmas my mother begins to ge
ready, and often see her hide up some
thing quick when L come in, and the
she laughs, and / think, ooh, yes
something's coming, and then mothe
takes me in her lap and tells me hoy
Jesus is coming, and how He did come
Do you Know, Mrs. Huntley."
"You can tell me, child2"
"You see, He came long, long tim
ago as a little baby. Mamma says tha
He began at the beginning, so that n
little child could say, i cant be Xix
Jesus, for Jesus was never so little a
me. That first birthday of His, ther
wasn't any room for Him ut the taverr
and, when the dear little baby Jesu
was sleepy, they laid Him right in a Sta
BILE manager, and the shepherds foun
Him lying there. Christmas is Hi
birthday, and ] suppose they give a
the children pr, sents because Jesu
loved little children, and then SAINT
Claus-On. Mrs. Huntley, that's what
came about, and 1 most forgot If yo
don't keep Christmas mean as we do,
she added, as Mrs. Huntley frowne(
"and, if you don't use the things tht