Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1878-12-26
JACKS CHRISTMAS.
BY EMMA X. PARRISH.

JACKS CHRISTMAS.
BY EMMA X. PARRIsH.
Jack had just heard of Christmas fol
the first time. Ten years old, and never
knew about Christmas before! Jacks
mother was weary, overworked woman
and had no heart to tell the children
about merry times and beautiful things
in which they could have no share.
His parents were very poor. When l
tell you that they lived in Lighthouse
you might think so, although some peo-
pie live very comfortably in log houses
But when say the snow drifted through
the cracks in the roof until the cham Der
door was fit to 60 sleighing on, and
that it was so cold down stairs that the
gravy froze On the children's plates
while they were eating breakfast, aud
that the little girls had no shoes but
cloth ones, which their mother sewed to
their stockings, you will see that they
were poor indeed. Mrs. Boyd, jack s
mother, generally went about her work
forter over her ears, on account of the
ear-ache; and on the coolest days she
kept Jacks little sisters wrapped up
from head to foot and perched on chairs
uear the stove, so they wouldn't freeze.
No; che didn't feel much like telling
them about Christmas, when she didn't
know but they would freeze to death, or
may be, staryc, before that time. But
Jack found out. He was going to school
that winter, and one learns SO much at
school! He came home one night brim-
full of news that Christmas would be
there in three weeks, and that Santa
Claus would come down chimneys and
say, l wish you Merry Christmasl"
and then put lots of nice things in the
stockings.
Mrs. Boyd heard him talking, and
was glad the children were enjoying
themselves, but hoped from her heart
that they wouldn't expect anything,
only to be bitterly disappointed.
For week, Jack wondered and
unused within himself how he could get
something for Christmas presents for his
little sisters. He couldn't make any,
thing at home without their seeing it,
nor at school without the teachers
seeing it. Besides he would rather buy
something pretty, such as they had
never seen before-china dolls in pink
dresses, or something of that kind. One
morning, however, Jack discovered some
quail tracks in the snow near the straw
ways and means, but in a moment was
awake to the importance of this discov-
cry. That very evening he made a
wooden trap, and the next morning
early set it near the stack, and laid an
inviting train of wheat quite up to it,
and scattered little inside. He told
his sisters, Mary and Janey, about the
trap, but not about what he meant to do
with the quails when he caught them.
That afternoon Jack went to his trap,
and to his unbounded joy found an i'm
prisoned quail, frozen quite stiff: He
quickly set the trap again, and ran to
the house with his bird. All that even
ing he worked at quail traps and made
three more.
1t was 80 much warmer that their
mother let the children stay up little
later than usual; and Mary ventured to
bring out her playthings and Janey's
"Does Santa Claus bring dolls?''
asked Mary, suddenly of Jack.
"Ob, yes; dolls with pretty dresses on
and little bonnets and pink shoes; anG
little cubberds to keep their clothes in,
and chairs, and every thing" said Jack,
enthusiastically.
ooh, my" sighed Mary, as she looked
dolefully at their poor little heap OF
toys.
Readers their dolls were cobs, with
square pieces Of calico tied around them
for dresses; and after hearing what Jack
said, it wasn't so much fun playing, and
the little girls soon went to bed
After they were asleep, Mrs. Boyd said
reproachfully:
"Jack, wish you wouldn't say any.
thing more about Christmas to the chill
dren."
"Why, is it bad?'' asked Jack, 80 as.
tonished that he stopped whiting.
"No, of course not; but you're get
ting their heads full of notions about
fine things they never can have"
Jacks eyes twinkled.
"Oh, but you. don't understand,
mother" said he; )" may be Sanity Claus
will come this year."
His mother shook her head.
You know 1 caught quail to-dayr'
whispered Jack.
"Well!' said his mother.
"Well, T. m going to save 'em all the
week, and Saturday take 'em to the
meat man in the village. I guess he'll
buy 'em. I heard that qaails were
fetching two cents piece. And I'm
going to get enough money to buy the
girls something nice, and you must make
'em hang up their stockings, mother,
and then we'll put the things in. after
they get asleep."c
His mother smiled cheerfully, "Well,
said she, do the best you can" "t
Their father was away that evening.
he was generally away evenings, because
most OF the neighbors had cozier fire.
sides than his, besides apples. and some.
times cider; and so he nassed many .
pleasant hour in gossip and farno.talk
while his own little family shivered
gloomily at home.
BY Saturday morning Jack had tan
quails. Ihs,four traps had not been a,
fruitful as they ought to have been
perhaps, but this Vas doing very veil
and he trudgeds joyfully TO- town with
MS game hanging on stick over hi
sooulder: The meat man did indeet
give TWO cents apiece for quails, and h,
he could eet-