The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-12-19

and thought. First he thought how the
"orphans were going to have brighter
children, who had both father and
mother. Then he thought about sweet,
patient little Janey, and quiet Mary,
and generous Jack, who had taken so
much pains to give pleasure to his sis
ters, and great rush of shame filled
his heart. Now, when Mr.. Boyd was
once thoroughly aroused, he was alive
through the whole of his long frame.
He thumped his knee with his fist, then
arose and walked to the counter, where
he dealt out rapid orders to the aston
ished grocer for nuts, candies, and
oranges; not in such large quantities,
to be sure, as the "orphans friend
had done, but generous enough for
three children. And he bought cal
leo dress for his wife, pair of shoes for
each of the little girls, and cap for
Jack. That store contained every thing,
from grind-stones to slate-pencils, and
from whale-oil to peppermint-drops.
These purchases, toget-er with some
needful groceries, took all Mr.. Boyd's
money, except a few pennies, but a
Christmas don't-care feeling pervaded
his being, and he borrowed bag, into
which he slowed his goods, and set out
for home.
1t was pretty heavy bagful, but its
heaviness only made Mr.. Boyd's heart
the lighter. When he reached home,
he stood the bag up in one corner, as if
it held turnips, and said, "Don't med
die with that, children" Then he went
out and spent the rest of the short day
in chopping wood, which was very
cheering 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 hus-
band was almost sure to go right away
after breakfast and spend the whole day
at the neighbors' houses, while his own
family shiyered around a half-empty
stove.
Mr.. Boyd said never word about the
bag, and the unsuspecting household
thought it contained corn or some other
uninteresting vegetable, and paid little
attention to it. 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 it his especial business to
hold Janey on his lap, and keep the
stove we'll filled with wood Janey
wasn't feeling well that day, and his un-
usual 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 fidget, and was very
desirous that his mother should put the
little girls to bed; while, strange to say,
his father was desirous that the whole
family should go to bed except himself.
In course of time the little girls were
asleep in their trundle-bed, with their
little red stockings hanging behind the
door. Mr.. Boyd sat with his back to
the door, SO Jack slipped in his presents
without his father seeing him, and went
|sto-his cold bed up stairs. .- =. s-.e.s
Saint you going to hang up your
stocking, mother?' asked Mr.. Boyd,
after Jack had gone.
Mrs. Boyd looked startled.
"Why, no." she answered, hesi-
tatingly, not knowing whether the ques-
ton was asked in irony or in earnest.
"You'd BETTER said Mr.. Boyd, going
to the bag in the corner and beginning
to unite the strings.
He laid out package after package on
the floor. His wife knelt down by them
in maze of astonishment Then, with
great deal of enjoyment, Mr.. 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 l
don't believe 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
a-dozen Mr.. Boyd's; but she managed
to lay hands on the real one, and him
she embraced fervently. Then she
brought out all the cookies and sugar
balls she had made, and said to her hus-
band in very shame-faced way:
"See my poor presents; l didn't
know the children would have any
thing nice, and l made these. l guess l
won't put them in the stockings though,
now."
But Mr.. Boyd insisted on their going
in with the other things, and 1 think
they were priced by the children little
more dearly, if such 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 astonishment OF
Jack, who didn't expect a 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 we're too happy that day
to do much else but count and arrange
and rearrange their delightful Christ
mas presents.
Mr.. Boyd killed a chicken, and Jack
contributed four quails which he had
caught since market-day, and the fes-
tivsl of Christmas was kept with much
hilarity with the Boyd family.
The neighbors, one by one, were sur
prised that Mr.. Boyd hadn't dropped in,
as he usually did on Sundays and holi-
days. But MIR. Boyd was engaged else
where. And this was only the begin
ming 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
THE color of the blue ribbon of the
Order of the Garter was originally pale
blue, but at the accession of the House