San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1879-01-04
THE CIIRIGTMAS SHIP.
4 Story For Children.

the Aubreys were going to give party
"a children's party. And OF oil the
festive gatherings I ever was ut, l think
those ut the Grange, where the Aubreys
lived, were without doubt the pleasant
est. All sorts of merry games were in
cluded, and n magic lantern with the
most wonderful slides You can imagine |;
snap dragon and forfeits, and bind
mans buff, and hot boiled beans to
music. The Joyces came, and the
Benninghams, and Leonards, and ever
50 many more, including of course,
Ned Cover, Tom Aubrey's school-fel-
low, who had no friends in town and
must consequently have stopped away
all the holidays if somebody had not
asked him to visit the city.
The preparations for the party were,
I think, almost as amusing as
the party itself; the sly business that
was going on to get up little surprises
was quite delightful, and then the
pleasant suggestions that were offered
in debate were great deal more cheer
full than debates held in another place,
of which you will hear more as you
grow up.
When Tom arrived from school with
Ned-sly fellow, Tonne came in the
back way, crept in at the laundry door,
and created quite surprise by his
sudden appearance, when Tom arrived,
he had his suggestion to offer, and he
did it in such fine offhand style, that if it
could not be recommended for imita-
ton on the score of elegance, was ut
all events hearty.
"a Jolly Christmas ship" said Tom,
that's the time o'day. How is it none
of you girls thought of that!"
"How did you think of it yourself,
Tom?"
Never you mind about that" Tom
replied. Salute the Admiral-atten-
tionw He pointed to Ned Cover, a
delicate looking, and yellow COM
plexioned lad, of whom I told you, and
Ned, looking rather shy, it must be
owned, said:
"It was I that thought Of the ship"
bravo, Admiral"
"But where can we find the ship"
This from all the children in breath
81 am the ship builder" said Ned,
"and with Toms help it looks almost
as handsome turned to cousin
Jessie, who well deserved the compli-
ment, and added-''as you"
They I'll laughed at this, for the lit
tie fellow put it so oddly. But they
were far more anxious to see the ship
than to listen to fine speeches.
"Where is the ship?"
"Where?' says Tom, in dry-dock, of
course, waiting to be rugged as never yet
Il vessel has been rugged, that I have
heard of. Come, look sharp. Jones'"
Jones was the groom, stableman, I'M
der-gardner, and what not; he was out
side in the passage with great box on
his shoulder grinning with good hui
NOR, knowing well the treasure that the
box contained. Admonishod to look
sharp, he left off grinning and brought
in the box, placed it on the floor, took
off the lid, and. brought out
Oh! enchanting sight! AS fair model
of ship as you could wish to see,
bristling at every portfolio with can
non; light tapering masts and cross
trees, slender jib-boom, and every
thing Just as in real ship, with all the
tackling, taut and trim, and every inch
of canvas set to catch o favorable
breeze.
You may well imagine what rapture
the appearance of this ship excited, and
what eulogium was passed on the
ship builder. After little while every
body wanted to know why it should be
called Il Christmas Ship, and Tom ex-
planned.
"Why don't you see, we've had so
many Christmas trees, and they are to
be seen everywhere-quite Christmas
forest-that We thought ship got up
in the same sort of way would be a
novelty-iust us pretty if not more so,