The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-12-19
JACKS CHRISTMAS.
BY EMMA K. PARRISH.

Jack had Just heard of Christmas for
the first timel Ten years old, and never
knew about Christmas beforeI 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
tell you that they lived in log house
you might think SO, although some peo-
pie live very comfortably in Lighthouses.
But when l say that the snow drifted
through the cracks in the roof until the
chamber floor was fit to go sleighing on,
and that it was SO cold down stairs that
the gravy froze on the children's plates
while they were eating breakfast, and
that the little girls had no shoes but
cloth ones, which their mother tewed
to their stockings, you will see that
they were poor, indeed. Mrs. Boyd,
Jacks mother, generally went about
her work with shawl tied around her,
and comforter over her ears on ac-
count of the earache; and on the cold
est 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 Christ
mas, when she didn't know but they
would freeze to death, or may be, starye,
lsssere shat=tirie. But lack found out.
He was going to school this winter, and
one learns so much at school! He came
home one night brimful of the news that
Christmas would be there in three
weeks, and that Santa Claus would
come down chimneys and say, "I wish
you Merry Chrlstmasm and then put
lots of meet ings in all the stockings.
Mrs. Boyd heard him talking, and
was glad the children were enjoying
themselves, bat hoped from her heart
that they w9uldn't expect any thing,
only to be bitterly disappointed. Most
of that evening, little Janey, the young
est girl, sat singing,
Owls you Nelly Christmas,
Wis you Nelly Christmas!''
in quaint, little minor key. that
wasn't plaintive enough to be sad, nor
merry enough to be Jolly, but only a
sweet monotony of sounds and words
showing that she was oontented, and
didn't feel any of the dreadful aches
and pains which sometimes distressed
her so.
For week, Jack wondered and mused
within himself how he could get some
thing for Christmas presents for his lit
tie sisters. BE couldn't make anything
at home without their seeing it, nor at
school without the teachers seeing it,
or else the big boys plaguing him about
it. Besides, he would rather buy some
thing pretty, such as they had never
seen before-china dolls in pink dresses,
or something of that kind. One morn
ing, 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 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 te
do with the quails when he caught
them. That afternoon Jack went to
his trap, and to his unbounded joy
found an imprisoned quail, frozen quite
stiff. He quickly set the trap again,
and ran to the house with his bird. Ali
that evening he worked at quail traps,
and made three more.
1t was SO 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.
These were two dolls, some bits of
broken dishes, and a few little pine
blocks. Mary watched her mothers
face until she was sure she was feel
ing good" before she ventured to begin
play, because on days when mother
was very discouraged it made her feel
worse if the children were noisy, and
30 they would keep quiet and speak in
whispers.
"Does Santa Claus bring dolls?'
asked Mary, suddenly, of Jack.
"Oh, yes; dolls with pretty dresses
on; and little bunnits and pink shoes
and little cubberds to keep their clothes
in, and chairs, and everything" said
Jack, enthusiastically
"Oh, myl" sighed Mary, as she
Iookeu uOleIuily at unelr 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 so much fur
playing, and the little girls soon went tc
bed. After they were asleep, Mrs
Boyd said, reproachfully:
Jack, wish you wouldn't say any
thing more about Christmas to the ehil
dren."
"Why, is it bad? ?" asked Jack, so as
tonished that he stopped whiting.
"No, of course not; but you're get
ting their heads full of notions ab0u
fine things they never can have"
Jacks eyes twinkled.
3 "Oh, but you don't undsrstan
mother" said he; may be Santa Clsu
will come this year."
His mother shook her head.