The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1878-06-07
Select Story.
JACKS CHRISTMAS.
BY EMMA X. PARRISH.

"'"' ''O ieh years Oiu anu never knew
about Christmas before Jacks mother was
a weary, oyerworked woman, and had NO
heart TO tell the children about merry times
and beautiful things in which they could
have lao share.
Ills parents were very poor. When tell
you that they lived in log house you nigh,
thihk so, although some people live very
comfortably in log houses. But when | say
that the snow drited through the cracks in
the roof until the chamber floor was fit to 90
slelghing on, and that it was so cold down
STAIRS that the gravy froze ON the children's
plates while they were eating break fast, and
that the little girl had no shoes but cloth
ones, which their mother sewed to their
stockings, you will see that they were poor
indeed. Mrs. Boyd, Jacks mother, gener.
ally went about her work with a shawl tied
around her, and a comforter over her ears. on
account OF the earache and on the coldest
days she Kept jacks little sisters wrapped up
from head to foot and perched on chairs near
the stove, so they wouldn't freeze. No she
didn't feel much like telling them about
christmas, when she didn't know but they
would freeze Is death, or, may be starve, be.
fore that time. But Jack found out. He
was going 10 school that winter, and one
learns so much at school He came home
one night brimful of the news that Christ
mas would be there in three weeks, and that
santa Claus would come down the chimneys
and say, II wish you Merry Christmas !''
and then put lots Of nice things in all 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 disap-
pointed.
For week Jack wondered and mused
within himself how he could get something
for Christmas presents for his little sisters.
lie couldn't make anything at home without
their seeing it, nor at school without the
teachers seeing it,or else the big boys plagu.
ing him about it. Besides, he would rather
buy something pretty, such as they had new.
er 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 stack, and he no
longer wondered about ways and means, but
in moment was awake to the importance Of
this discovery. That very evening he made
wooden trap, and the next morning early
set 1t near the stack, and laid an inviting
train of wheat quite up to it, and scattered q
little inside. He told his sisters, Mary and
Jany, about the trap, but not about what he
meant to do with the quails when he caugh,
them. That afternoon Jack went to his trap
and to his unbounded joy found an i'm prs.
oned quail, frozen quite stiff. He quickly
set the trap again, and ran to the hoase with
his bird. All that evening he worked al
quail traps and made three more.
1t was so m uch 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 p asked
Mary, suddenly, of Jack.
oh, yes dolls with pretty dresses on; and
little bunnits and pink shoes ; and little
cubbards to keep their clothes in, and chairs
and everything" said Jack, enthusiastical-
ly.
oh, my sighed Mary. as she looked
doleiully at their poor little heap OF
toys.
Reader, their dolls were cobs, with square
pieces of calico tied around them for dresses;
and after hearing what Jack said, it wasn't
50 much fun playing, and the little girls
soon went to bed. After they were asleep,
Mrs. Boyd said, responsibility
Jack, | wish you wouldn't say anything
more about Christmas to the children
why, is it bad 2 asked Jack, so astonish-
ed that he stopped whiting.
no, OF course not but you're getting 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 Santa Claus will come this
year.
His mother shook her head,
You know l caught one quail to-day p
whispered Jack.
well, Pm going to save 'em all the week,
and Saturday take 'em to the meat man in
the village. guess he'll buy 'em. l heard
that quails were fetching two cents apiece
and I'm going to get enough money to buy
the girls something nice, and you must make
EN- hang up their stockings, mother, and
then we'll put the things in after they get
asleep"
His mother smiled cheerfully. Well,
said she, do the best you can
Their father was away that evening. He
was generally away evenings, because most
of the neighbors had eosier firesides than
his, besides apples, and sometimes cider ;
and so he passed many a pleasant hour in
gossip and farm talk, while his own little
family shlvered gloomily at home.
BY Saturday morning Jack had ten quails.
The four traps had not been as fruitful a.
they ought to have been, perhaps, but this
was doing very we'll, and he trudged joyfully
to town, with his game hanging on stick
over his shoulder. The meat man did in
deed give two cents apiece for quails, and he
invited Jack to bring as many more as he
could get.
The next Saturday was only two days be-
fore Christmas, and how beautiful were all
the stores on the village street Even the
groceries had Christmas toys and Christina,
trees. A good many boys and girls stood
around the store windows pointing out the
things they most admired, and wondering
what Santa Claus would bring them. Jacl
had fifteen quails, which brought him thirty
cents so he was now the owner of half
dollar, which was more money than he has
ever POSSESSED in all his life before. Blu
when two dolls were bought, and they weren'
very fine dolls either, there we're only twent,
cents left, Jack did mean to buy somethin,