The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-12-24
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
Youths Companion.

Twas Christmas Eve, and four little
children were running round the nursery
in their night-gowns, hanging up their
stockingf Tor st. Nicholas, and chattering
IN great glee about their expected
presents. ..'@
81 think shall have heaps enough of
presents to break old Santa Claus back, :"
said black-eyed Bess, reaching upon tip
toe to hang up the tiny stocking Of her
doll. Belle Nahant Newport
"Poh, Bess Bronson" said Rose, deftly
braiding her golden hair into massive
''plg tail :" III think Santa Claus will Just
die coming down the chimney with snch
load of my things ... -
20 dee, dee-r,' walled little Madge,
heart broken at the mere mention of q
dead Santa Claus; ':let him come down
first, please, Wose, and tuff out my little
'tockins." .5..s
Jamie was wiping on his night gown
his scratched and bleeding little fingers,
torn in his awkward attempt with pins
and tacks to suspend his own chubby
sock. A.ra. -
Tired with the coasting, and sliding,
and lesson-getting, and hurrahlng and
trotting of the day, jamie now knelt
down suddenly to say his prayers. Then
| all the other little white robed figures
dropped down beside the little cots, and
with folded hands murmured their even
ing thanks and petitions.
"And please, dear Father asked
Madge, sssend Santa Claus to ali the little
ragged girls and boys, and let him bring
good deal of things too. Please. Amen"
"Amen," echoed all the little rosy
mouths.
Then each cuddled down in her own
little bed and was soon fast asleep, while
the snow-fairies and the frost-falries, in
their tiny swans down cloaks and boots,
sat outside the nursery window and
wove a lovely curtain to keep out the
light of the Istar-lamps, and the wind
fairies sang in the tree top all night long
Very different from this cosy nursery
was the old garnet in Flag Alley, where
the small cripple, Tim aud his smaller
sister, Mamie, lay curled up up under a
ragged old quilt, with one end of it
pulled over their faces to keep off the
snow that drilted in through the rattle
window. There was neither chair nor
table in the room, but over the bed, dang
ling from the rsfter, huttered a torn
locking.
The children had fallen asleep talking
about Santa Claus It was Tins opin-
ion that Santa Claus loved most all sorts
OF children, 'cept bad ones. He'd like
to do better by poor children, but they
had such announcement chimlys to come
T hnfl L., al
These two grimy mites, hid under the
quilt, slept on, while the frost-fairies and
snow fairies, in their soft fur cloaks and
boots, futterea IN through the chinks
and danced and made merry in the gar.
ret all through the night. Danced and
made merry in the very face and eyes of
queer, kind, old Mrs. Vic, who came in
softly after afl the children were asleep
and felt for the ghostly stocking that was
pirouetting in the night drafts.
She emptled her pockets OF the ginger
bread boy and girl, two picture books, a
tin trumpet and two pennies, thrust them
into the stocking with chuckles of delight,
and then skipped, shivering and chuck
ling, back to her own little bed
just about the same time that Mrs
Vic stole into the garret with her Christ
mas gifts the door Of the cosy nursery
was gently opened and noiseless process
sion glided in. First came mamma, with
her arms full o packages and papers,
then papa, with his arms full, then Aunt
Helen, with her hands full, and lastly
Nurse Tucker, with her neck festOOned
with jump-ropes and knitted reins, her
shoulder strung with cups, and balls, and
jointed snakes, and tippets, her apron la
den down, and soldiers cap on her
head.
The little stockings, dolly's and all,
were filled and pressed down and rum
ming over to the floor. But the children
slept on and the snOW-fairies wove away
outside the windows, and the wind. fair
les sang on in the tree-top. i
When the glad Christmas morning