Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-01-23

she intendeu 10 spenu the dav, Before the
hostess could recover herself the bell peaed
again long and loud. Opening the door
quickly, she was just in time TO see a pair of
shiny boots describing semicircle in the
air and the body Of very little boy assume
/ perpendicular attitude. His eyes were
bright and rogush and his face somewhat
1treaked with cleanliness. Pulling off his
torn cap. thereby revealing a most ludicrous
attempt at toilet making, he said
How d'y do, mann 2 Is the parson 10
hum ?"
The sound of crutches now arrested her
attention, and the one-legged soldier, who
mended old umbrellas and sung camp.songs
to the children, was seen coming up the
steps. The street seemed to be full of the
lame, the halt and the blind, and the people
across the way were crowding their windows
to see the odd procession pass.
On they came. straight up the steps and
into the door Of the parsonage.
May stood back, too astonished 10 speak,
and let them pass. There was the blind
man who sold shoe-strings aud lead-pencils
on the corner Of Fair street. There was the
man in the big army overcoat that she had
many time seen peddling oranges and pea
nuts on the next corner. Here was little
hunchback Jenny Wren who made dolls
clothing for a store in Boston. Now came
half dozen children who worked in the
mill, their jackets even now bearing traces of
cotton that they had in vain tried to remove
Straight on to the study they went
scarcely needing her In the doorway stood
Ernest with smiling countenance and warm
grasp of the hand, extending cordial greet
ing to each of them.
Ernest, do tell me what this means !'
whispered May, as soon as she could gain
his ear.
"These are our guests, little wife. Don't
you remember the command, lnasmuch as
We do it unto one of the least of these, etc.
Could we better celebrate his birthday than
by caring for his poor ?"
Away ran May to her room, and the min
lister was left alone with his strange guests.
In ten minutes she came back all disap-
pointment and vexation gone from her coun-
tenance, and no one would have thought
from any act of hers that the guests were
not each of her own inviting.
Then came the dinner. And such a feast
lS it was to those poor people despair of
describing it. Not so little Jim, the boot
black. He never tired of talking of the sub.
iect, and every gentleman whose boots be
blacked for the next three weeks was re-
galed with an account of the wonderful
dinner.
al hear you were at the minister's party
Yesterday, Jim. Did you have good time p
said gentleman to him the next day.
"You bet we did" replied Jim with
wise look.
"Do tell me about it. really want to
know. What did you have for dinner p
1ueried the gentleman.
"Oh. lots aud lots of nice things We
had soup with little white things like curly
pipe-stems swimming round in it. Two
turkeys with all the fixins Oh my want
hey nice A great big pudding, steamng
not and full of plums. We ate with silver
forks, and had our plates changed twice
md close by every plate was a little bunch
Of flowers that smelt like-like heaven.
guess. When we came away, Miss Noble
rave us the flowers to bring home with us.
| didn't have no good place to keep mine,
so put um in my pocket. Want to see
um? They don't look very nice, but they're
mighty sweet, and | mean TO keep um
forever"
Z" es, that's about the dinner; only all the
ime we was eatn' Miss Fanny and Miss
Noble kept walking round the table and say
ing, Don't you want some of this Shall
| fill your glass 2 Just as if we was princes
And, sir, wondered if heaven wasn't
something like that-if we should sit down
TO great long tables all loaded with good
things and the angels with shiny wings
hould wait on us as Miss Fanny did.
'Twouldn't be no stranger, nohow,' he added
nusingly.
"What did you do after dinner ?"
after dinner, Miss Mobiles aunt talked
With the old woman about the rheumatic
1 4.
ures and told us stories. Then Miss Noble
played something quick on the piano, and
dore thought found myself walking afore
Ill the company on my hands. Miss Noble
ldn't scold bit, only everybody laughed.
Then she teached us a song about Christ
mas. It's mighty pretty. | sing it every
time IN cold or hungry, and then | don't
mind so much. Then Tom the soldier sang
4 song, and we all sang the chorus Glory.
glory. hallelujah Just as loud as We could
holler, and Mr., Noble clapped his hands and
said twas splendid
After the big-faced German girl got the
dishes washed, we children and the minister
all went out into the big kitchen. We
played puss in the corner,'' hide the hand
kerchef,' and lots of nice things. Then the
! minister said Let's tell stories So we all
sat down on the floor close together. told
a story about a bear, Bill Larkin told one
| about ghost, and we all told some sort of
A story. When it came Mr.. Mobiles turn he
told the best one of all. 1t was about a
| little baby that was born in stable ON the
first Christmas morning that ever was.
When he grew up he loved poor little fel.
! lows like me, cause he was poor once his
self. By-and-by wicked men killed him, but
he come to life again, and knows all about
us this very minute. What do you spose
this mans name was -? Mr.. Noble almost
whispered it to us, cause he said We mast
never say it when we are mad with any
body guess you know who ! mean, don't
you, Mister p
But the gentleman only said, $50 on"
"Well, that's bout all. By'm-by they lii
the gas. aud then we all went into the eatin'
room again, and had some ice cream and
cake. After that we sat down in the parlor
Bill Larkin and me on the floor, while Mis-
Fanny played on the piano aud we all sang
Gather at the river
Then the minister prayed that we nigh
all be good aud get TO heaven, where th'
streets are all gold aud it is never cold. In
going to try 10 go there, amt you, Mister
That's all. Then we all come home"
The last guest had departed, May close,
the door gently and came back into the par
lor, where Ernest was standing alone. IL
came forward quickly, aud took both he
hands in his.
May do you forgive me for uol tel,in
YOU of our guests before their arrival 2"
- Freely, Ernest for this has proved ON
= of the happiest days OF my lite. After tn
first shock wore off, | was glad You did no
/ tell me, for fear should not have approve
4 of the nlan and so have spoiled great des