The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1878-12-28

neaVlness only made Ar. Boyd's heart
the lighter. When he reached home, be
stood the bag up in one corner, as if it
held turnips, and said, "Don't NEEDLE
with that, children" Then he went
out and spent the rest of the short day
in chopping wood, which was very cheer
ing to his wife. So many Sundays had
dawned with just wood enough to cook
breakfast, that Mrs Boyd began to dread
that day particularly, for her husband
was almost sure to go right away after
breakfast and spend the whole day at
the nelghbors' houses, while his own
family shivered around a half empty
stove.
Mr.. Boyd saidneyer word about the
bag, and the unsHspectiDg household
thought 1t contained corn or some other
uninteresting vegetable, and paid little
attention to 1t. 1t also stood there all
the next day, and the children grew
quite used to the sight of it.
Sunday went by quietly, and, to the
surprise of all, Mr.. Boyd stayed at home,
making 1t his especial business to hold
Janey on his lap, and keep the stove
well filed with wood. Janey wasn't
feeling well that day, and his unusual
attention to her made the family very
kindly disposed toward their father,
| whom of late they had come to regard
almost as an alien.
Jack, whose shoes were not yet
worn out, went to Sunday school, and
after his return the winter day was
soon gone. Then he began to fdget,
and was very DESTROYS that his mother
should put the little girls to bed; while
strange to say his father was DESTROYS
that the whole family should go to bed,
except himself. In course of time the
little girls were asleep in their little
| trundle- bed, with their little red stock
ings hanging behind the door Mr.
/ Boyd sat with his back to the doors so
Jack slipped in his presents without
| his fathers seeing him, and went to his
cold bed up stairs.
Amt you going to hang up your
stocking, mother?' asked Mr.. Boyd
after Jack had gone.
Mrs. Boyd looked startled.
"Why, nc" she answered, hesltatingly,
not knowing whether the question was
asked in irony or in earnest.
! You better" said Mr.. Boyd, going
! to unite the strings.
He laid out package after package on
the floor. His wife knelt down by them
in a maze of astonishment. Then, with
great deal of enjoyment, MIR. Boyd
united them one by one, showing candy,
nuts, oranges, shoes, and all the rest,
except the calico dress, which he kept
out of sight.
Aladdin felt very fine when he found
the cave full of precious stones, but |
don't blieye he was much happier than
Mrs. Boyd. Her eyes were so full of
tears that there seemed to be about eight
pairs OF shoes, ten bags, and half dozen
Mr.. Boyds; but she managed to lay
hands on the real one, and him she en-
braced fervently. Then she brought
out the cookies and sugar balls she had
made, aud said to her husband, IN a very
shame faced way:
See nay poor presents; / didn't know
the children would have any thing nice,
and | made these. guess / won't put
'em in their stockings though, now"
But Mr. Boyd insisted on their going
in with the other things, and / think
they were priced by the children little
more dearly, if suca thing could be
possible, than those which they called
their " boughten" presents.
Now, | can't begin to describe the Joy
full time they had the next morning, and
particularly, the utter astonishment of
Jack, who didn't expect thing, and
hadn't even hung up stocking. When
that devoted boy recognized one Of his
own gray socks crammed full of knobs
and punches, with beautiful plush cap
on top, he was almost out of his wits.
Likewise, Mrs. Boyd's surprise was great
at the discovery of her new dress. The
little girls were too happy that day to
do much else but arrange and re-arrange
their delightful Christmas presents.
Mr.. Boyd killed a chicken, and Jack
contributed four quails which ne had
caught since market day, and the festi-
val of Christmas was kept with much
hilarity by the Boyd family.
The neighbors, one by one, were sur
prised that Mr.. Boyd hadn't dropped in
as usually did on Sundays and holidays.
But MIR. Boyd was engaged elsewhere.
And this was only the beginning of good
days for that family, for, somehow, the
Christmas feeling seemed to last through
all the year with Mr.. Boyd, and through
many other years; and the little ball
set rolling by Jack with his quail-traps
grew to be mighty globe of happiness
! for the whole family.