Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-02-21


if papa will let me; or p'r'aps you'll
take me for a partner, dear Faith-papa
has partner"
Most certainly l will, my dear. I
promise, if at that time yod continue to
wish it, and papa consents"
Then came Robbie, a lame little fell
low, with large serious brown eyes and
pale wistful face, who had fallen from
the high porch one day. nurse was
showing the new servant girl how to can
peaches, and thought he was safe In the
nursery and broken his leg. Mother
and used to spend hour after hour tel
ling him stories, and reading to him
from his fayorite fairy-books, and teach
ing him pretty verses, which he was
very fond of reciting. We had a small
lounge on purpose for him in our pleas
ant sitting-room, and when the noise at
the big house made him nervous and
restless, he would limp over to us, and
lie down, his head on q soft little pillow
l had made, and on which / had en-
broidered his name, and mis- pet kitten
curled up by his side. He was only
six years old, but wise little chap for
his years; and L used to smile, with
| tear in my eye, when he said, as he
often did, 81 don't know how / ever
lived before you and Auntie Welton
came here. | was SO sick, and papa
had to go away every day, and Harry
and Lily went to school, and the little
children leased me awful. 1 think the
| fairies sent you here-don't you p
| Three more girls followed Robbie
Rosie and frankie lround. rosy, dimp-
led wee bodies, with great liking for
mothers tarts) and Mollie, the two-year-
old baby
The shirt button 1 gave away on
"opening-day" brought us luck, for the
Multahney family bought more at our
store than any other three families in
the village, never going, as some of the
well-to.do people did, to the neighbor-
ing city for things which we had equally
good and cheap, but getting every thing
they could get from mother and me.
And, bless me, what a quantity Of things
they did buy!-pins, needles, stockings.
handkerchiefs, ribbons, hats, ruffing,
laces-all sorts of things. Yes. indeed,
the Multahney shirt button proved a
lucky one.
Well, life went on smoothly and hap
PLY, mother growing prettier every day,
and Mr.. Multahney and nurse and the
children in and out all the time, and
before we were really aware that au-
tunn had left us, behold. it was the day
before Christmas! i.
Mother and | had bought large as
sortment of toys and candies, and had
been we'll patronized all day, but were
disappointed and surprised when eve
ming came and nine o'clock struck and
Mr.. Multahney had not made his ap-
pearance; for the dear, romping, laugh
ing children had contided to us, weeks
before, what gifts they hoped Santa
Claus would bring them; and of course
we had procured them all, with the ex-
ception ola pony for Harry and a dia-
mond ring for Lily, which articles were
a little beyond our means, and had laid
them aside to produce when the indul-
gent father asked our advice on the
subject, as we were sure he would.
But the clock had scarcely ceased
striking when he came in.
The small store looked uncommonly
pretty dressed in Christmas green's and
bright paper flowers (mother had a
great knack at making paper flowers,
almost as well as HERSELF, and we had
four wax candles on the counter and
two in the window besides the regular
lamps; and / wore my new gray meri-
no dress with blue bow at the throat
and another in my hair (my hair doesn't
ripple and wave as much as mothers,
but it is the very same color, and
mother wore her gray dress with hand
some black lace rosette among the waves
and ripples.
q Very pretty indeed r' said Mr.. Null
tahney, going up to the stove to warm
his hands moment, and then turning
his back upon it and smiling approving.
ly around
We're trying to rig up Christmas
tree at our house, Mrs. Welton," he
went on to say, land I'd be pleased to
have you and Miss Faith come over as
soon as you can and give US the benefit
of your excellent taste. The children
will be gone to bed in few mo,
ments-"
Just then the store door flew open,
and the two eldest children came run
ming in, little Robbie limping after
them.
"Oh, papa w cried Lily, nurse says
: if you don't come back 'mediately
she'll go crazy, for we aOM peep into the
room where she's fixing something, and
pound on the door when she locks us
out, and the grocer forgot the raisins
and currants for the pudding, and"
ooh dear! oh dear" said Mr.. Null
tahney, grasping his curly black hair as
though he meant to tear it out then anC
there.
: q will go with you, Mr.. Mullaga
tawny," said my mother, distressed fol
the poor man, as she always is for any
body in trouble, "and do all I car
toward preparing a merry Christmas
for you"
: The fact is mother and l had otter
been over in odd moments and smooth
ed things in this tangled household
! and made the children presentable be
fore /" the MASTER" SIS nurse called him
returned home; SO we knew the way:
of the place as well as we did our own
: "Thank you, ma am" said Mr.. Mul
tahney. Its very kind of you; and i
anybody can bring order out of disor
, der, you can. / wish from the bottom
of my heart you would stay there for
everw
: Mother looked at him in mild sur
: prise. and went for her bonnet anC
[ shawl
[ Dear me-" 1 thought to myself
/ can he be going to ask mother to b,
: his housekeeper? I'LL never consent
} though he offer her ever so much, ant
| it is only across the way"
Please come too, Miss Faith, TO
: half an hour" said Mr.. Multahney