West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1877-12-08
AUNT JOANNA's CHRISTMAS.
BY JOSEPHINE POLLARD.

Aunt Joanna didn't believe in holi-
days, or anniversaries, or anything of
that sort. She thought it foolish waste
of time and money To get up entertain
ments, or TO make presents, when there
was so much real hard work needing TO
be done. And ever since she was little
girl poor Joanna had been "driven to
death, as the saying is.
Everybody called her" Aunt JOANNA -
but she was really aunt to nobody,
which was great pity, for if she had
had any little nieces or nephews TO climb
on her lap and take her heart by storm
she would have been n different and a
happier woman. But the children were
afraid of her, and even the babies cried
and wanted to get away from her when
ever she took them in her arms. No
soft little hands were ever clasped low
ingly around her neck, and / don't
wonder at all that Aunt Joanna grew TO
be like an iceberg
She had always been used to doing
rough work, and had sort Of rough
time of it generally-except when she
worked for Mrs. James, who was sorry
for Aunt Joanna, and always spoke
kindly to her, and did her many faYors.
Lily James thought her across-grained
old woman, and usually avoided crossing
her path for fear, as she said, il would
bring her bad luck. She had even
helped the other girls to play tricks on
the poor creature, for children, you
know, are very apt to think that queer
people are made on purpose for them to
torment and abuse.
But Lily outgrew her childish days
and her foolish ways, and began to be
more thoughtful and helpful than she
had ever been. Christmas time was a
busy time with her, and for weeks be-
fOrehand she began TO consult the maga-
zines and TO plan the various gifts she
would make her friends and relatives.
She had already supplied the majority
Of her friends with tides, bags, wall.
pockets, " receivers of every shape and
for variety of purposes and was at q
loss to know what new ornaments to
exercise her ingenuity upon.
wish you'd stop in at Aunt
Joannas," said Mrs. James to Lily, one
morning i'm November. "Tell her ]
shall want her the whole Of next week,
and perhaps longer, for there is almost
as much mud in the house as there is
out doors"
"The melancholy days have come. y
said Lily, looking mornfully at the fall
ing leaves which were spreading a dingy
carpet over the pretty lawn and as she
went on she repeated the entire poem sC
appropriate 10 the changing season.
November is the saddest month Of al
the year; and it was i'm no cheerful mood
that even so bright a creature as Lily
James knocked at Aunt JOanna's door
Such miserable place as IL was, too
Enough TO give anybody the horrOrsl
There was no response To her knock
and Lily was quite sure the house wa
deserted, but ventured to try the latch
and oh, the chill that crept over hel
heart She had to look twice before shC
could realize that any living soul was in
that dreary place, and then she saw the
outline Of a body on the bed, and knew
IL could be no one else but Aunt Joanna
Was she alive2 or dead2 What could
be the matter2 She approached nearer
and could hear her moaning with pain
and all thought of fear or dislike
vanished from Lily's mind.
She soon had bright fire in the stove
and its cheerful warmth stole into evcry
nook and corner Of the small room
until the very walls seemed 10 settl,
themselves back into pOsitian Of cor,
comfort, and lose their shrunken ap
pearancc.
Having done this much, and seer
that Aunt Joanna was alive, but suffer
ing very acutely, Lily ran for her mother
who was an excellent nurse and would
know what to do better than she did.
Poor Aunt Joanna had been subject {,
attacks Of rheumatism, but this was o
the inBammatory sort that made he
feel as if she must scream out, tn,
agony was 80 terrible.
4" I'm going to diew said Aunt Joann
to Mrs James.