Weekly Trinity journal., 1879-12-27
TWO CHRISTMAS DAYS.
By SARAH E. CHEST Err.

enough. The aroma of spices and sweets
told tale not to be m isunderstood: and
the flies found the dsinties that most
tempted their fancy; the cat helped her,
self to the thickest and yelowest cream
it had ever been her good luck to find on
the cellar floor; and the dog made free
with roasted chicken. AS to Rosie, the
various pots of jelly into VIII ich she dip
ped forefnger shall not be mentioned
and as to the pies with ragged edges and
the cakes with missing corners, let them
speak for themselves. 1t was Liberty
Hall; and who should know it if not the
dumb, the weak, and the small?
But no: exactly dumb, nor weak, nor
small, was the person who perhaps felt
the charms of Liberty Hall most keenly
to-day. He ewas brief sojourner, off
from college, for the holiday with the
eldest son of the family; and he was an
orphan to whom college was only an
alternative from boarding house, so
that glimpse into a happy home was a
glimpse of paradise for him, a paradise
not lacking in this instance the attrac-
ton of n special angel.
Rosie, aloft on baby high chair in the
pantry, removing :he jelly from TART
could testify that he was not dumb, as he
rOared in her ear and made her lose bal
ance; also that he was not weak, rs ne
caught her in his big arms; nor small, as
he perched her on his high shoulder and
bore her off.
What do you mean by stealing tarts
| was going to have for my dnner?" said
he.
"I'd a dived you some if you'd bed n
dood boy,' said Rosie. "And there now,
mister !"
~ am good boy" said he. "It ism
every young lady I'd take riding on my
shoulder, | can tell you. If | hadn t
supposed you liked me better than tarts-
but never mind, III carry you back and
let you steal the rest Of them; and per-
haps the baby'd like to take trip around
the house."
"Bady sha mt NEWER, Me puffickly love
you !" said Rosie, squeezing his head.
wide me some more, you nicey boy"
"l'll ride you as far as your sisters
door he said. "She wants to dress you for
church, and she sent me to look you lp.
There goes the first bell now. Jump
down. Suppose you pay me first, though.
No free passengers allowed"
"How many you charge me?" said
Rosie, puckering her lips.
Five" said he; which number being
duly paid she ran into her sisters room.
Ding, dong, went the church bell, and
there were two toilettes for sister Annette
to make, Rosie's and her own; but there
she sat by the window, her hair down,
falling wavy and brown over something
white. she had on her shoulders, the comb
in her hand, and her eyes looking out.
BELLS is winging," said Rosie, strok-
ing her knee. "Baby s'eepy?"
"Baby's wide awake now," said An>
nette, jumping up, and applying the
comb vigorously TO her tangled tresses.
"But she's been dreaming"
"Ptty dweams?" asked Rosie.
Lovely /" said Annette, laughing out
from under her hair.
"Teliy me-"
"Not now. Just hear how fast that
bell is ringing. 1t would be dreadful to
be late to church to- day, when there's
company. Button your own boots this
morning, won't you, kitten?"
"Tompsny dibed me wide on its sol
der" said Rosie, obligingly taking q
button-hooli and going to the closet 20
her best boots. "Tompany made ne
pay it five tisses, too" as she emerged
from the closet.
"Tempany's pgwim and stwanger,
she continued, getting no reply to her re-
marks.
Pilgrim and strangerP" said Annette
"Yes," said Rosie sorrowfully, as she
tugged at the second boot. Haven't
dot any papa, haven't dot any mamma,
haven u dot any br1dder, or Sister, or
anybody. Haven't dot any house TO live
in. Pigwim and stwanger !" ~.
"Who told you all thst?"
"He's owney self" said Rosie. "And
/ telled him be could have part o. my
house, so he tould and part my papa,
and part my mamma, and part my brud-
der, and part my Sister There !"
"What did he say ?" asked Annette,
looking, all rosy and smiling, around at
the little sister. .' .4a
Laughed just like anysing !"
At which Annette laughed too tossed
back her head and clapped her hands and
laughed, till the peas rang to the bounds
of tae room, and thence out through the
keyhole into the hail, where somebody
passing by heard, and hearing laughed in
sympathy as he might have laughed in
sympathy with any other sound that made
musical vibrations on his ear.
He had not the slightest idea what the
joke was and yet as be walked away he
continued to smile and be smiled as he
entered his room and he SIN lied as he
proceeded 20 apparel himself for church.
Perhaps the mischief was in the Chist
mas air, in the electric current Of good
will and gladness running from heart to
heart. Perhaps it was in the physical at
mosphere, which was peculiarly crisp and
clear and delightful! for the sun WAS do-
ing its best to- day to give the world cause
for rejoicing.
However, to certain couple who set
cut Tor church together the whole expanse