The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-12-25
DORIS CHRISTMAS.
BY KATE W. HAMILTON.

Yes, answered buu, HatteHIHB NE
nose against the small window-panes and
watching a few falling snow.aakes, He
always said yes to Dot, though he did
not quite know what she was talking
about.
II was quiet, lonely country place
where the childreniived with their grand:
parents. The small house was old and
brown, standing Just In the edge OF q
wood; while in front was wild, uneven
stretch Of land, along which the railroad
ran, losing itself in the great dark tunnel
beyond. Dots grandfather was the watch
man Of this tunnel. He had queer lit
tie box Of an Office, built near the en-
trance; and every day and night, before
the trains came, he walked through the
long, dark passage, carrying his lantern,
and looking carefully to see that no stones
had fallen and that the road was all right
and clear. Dot liked to go with him,
sometimes, and watch the bright sunshine
about the opening grow into little far.
of speck Of light, like star, as she went
further and further away from II. She
liked TO call aloud, too, and hear how
strangely her voice echoed from the rocky
roof and sides; and this morning she had
said there what she said afterward TO Bud:
" | wish we could have Christmas all
our own" ..i
"ourow said the rocks back again
but they did not tell how to get il. She
did not say anything TO her grandfather
or grandmother about it; she did not
even think Of such a thing. She used to
wonder, sometimes, II they were children
once, and what they did then, and what
they liked. But she never asked them,
and she could not really believe that they
ever were little; SO she told all hei
thoughts and iancies to the great trees in
the wood, to the tunnel, and to Bud.
II was odd how she came 10 know SC
much about Christmas, when her grand.
parents had told her SO little; aud she had
never had any children to play with ex'
cept her little brother Bud. But she
knew its meaning because 1t was from the
old Bible, with It's large letters, that hei
grandmother had first taught her to read
and 50, when SHE saw the Christmas time
mentioned in the few other books about
the house, she understood It. But she
did not know how people celebrated il, OF
what joyous time it was, until one day
when good-natured engineer tossed hel
| paper, as his train went flying by. A
holiday paper, full Of beautiful pictures
and stories; and oh what treasure il
was to Dot. She had kept it carefully
for nearly n year, and she showed its pic
lures to Bud now.
This is what Christmas is like, Buddy
Don't you see? Little boys and girls tina
don't live with grandpas and grandmas
but have real papas and mammas, the,
hang up their stOckin's and gets EN- ful
Of the incest things-dolls and balls ane
candy. Oh, Budl"
CLASSES cake an baked apples% ques
TONED Bud, naming his greatest luxuries
"If they wanted 'em; but they don't
cause they have the splendidest things
You can't think! They have trees hung
full Of things, and they can go to rea
grand stores and buy 'em. You didn'
ever see town and stores, Bud; but
did,"
For Dot had been once to the city, tel
miles away, when she was wee girl si'
years old. She was nine now; but sh,
had not forgotten the wonderful sights sh'
saw in that half day, and she often tolt
Bud long stories about it.
"Do you s'pose him will come here
Dotty?" asked Bud.
"Who?n said Dot.
Christmas"
"oh! that amt him; it's day. I'll
be Tomorrow. Oh! / do wish it woult
be Just real one !" sighed Dot.
She thought about ii all day. WheI
the trains went past she watched ever!
car; for often there were children's face
at the windows-little girl faces, some o
them, with pretty curls about them ant
looking out from under dainty hats, no
q bit like Dots old red hood. She won
dered how it would seem to be like them
and tried to fancy how she should fee
riding on those soft velvet cushions
watching the strange sights from the win
dows, and travelling to far-otf beautiful
cities, where were the grand houses ant
stores, and all the lovely Christina
things. But the imaginary did not MI
swer very well, after all. 1t only mad
her feel more plainly that she was jus
lonely little Dot, by the roadside, wear
ing her old hood and shawl.
"Let's go to the woods and get tree
Buddy, and make b'lieve Christmas, an,
way" she said in the afternoon.
"Yes," said Bud, as he always did
and the two trudged away together.
There were many things as strange ant
fair in that wood as any the city held
but, though the children did not thinl
that, they enjoyed being there, gathering
scarlet berries, hunting the nests the SPUR
rels had made, and shaking the Sigh
sprinkling Of snow from the tops Of til,
bushes. Dot told the bushes and Bud
what she would like to hang on her tree
and after an hour or 70 they broke from
a small pine branch heavy with greer
tassels and dragged it merrily homeward
Outside the door Dot paused littl'
EdOubtfully. '..
"Mebby grandmer wouldn't like us L
bring il in the house. l most guess sh,
wouldn't" Ehe said slowly. " Let's leay,
it out here till tomorrow.
Bud was soon in bed and asleep; bu
Dot always sat up later. She wondered
why her grandparents said no word o
what day the morrow would be; whether
they never cared, or whether they haC
forgotten in all the long years they haC
lived. When her grandfather had taker
his lantern and started for his toul
through the tunnel, she asked, timidly
"What do you think Tomorrow will b.
like, grandmer?n ...f., -
"Like any other day, ] s'pose," sale
grandma, threading her needle to sew q
patch on one Of Buds aprons. Dot die
not ask anything more. She leaned hel
head against the cool window-glaSS and
watched the evening trains go by-fnt
the engine, with its great fiery eye; Their
the long line Of twinkling little light,
that followed It, all hurrying on into the
darkness.
1.-THE next morning did seem very
much like any other morning, Dol
thought, as she helped her grandfather
get breakfast. Her grandmother had
been called away early, to spend the day
with sick neighbour near neighbor,
they called her, though she lived more
| thar half n t,ilo frnu ,hnn, Ako,