Smyrna times., 1879-12-31
Nose SINNERS Christmas Presents.


old and young, rich and poor, all look
forward to it, and feel alike its beautiful,
and fascinating influences. Everybody feels
them, even the proprietors of dollar stores.
TO be sure, Santa Claus is getting old and
rheumaticy, but he's as pert and clipper as
ever | remember Old Santa when | was
a boy. He brought me the first present
ever had. 1t was the measles, and he
brought me so maay of them that had
measle or two left over for my little brother.
The next Christmas present | had was
from Jimmy Peasley. Jimmy didn't like
me, because he had red hair and his sister
was squint.eysd, and | used to sauce him
about it, SO was rather surprised Christmas
when he sent me nice little sugar dog.
1t was real n:c3 little dog, and when got
tired of playing with him | ate him, in
consequences of which went into horrible
commissions, and my life was despaired of.
My folks thought Jimmy must have put
something inside of that dog. Anyway,
whenever l met him, he alwaye used to
whistle at me. | asked him one day what
he meant by it, and he said he was whist
ling off that dog
When | was ten years old, our Sunday
School Superintendent told us, Just before
Christmas, that the scholar who did the
most pralseworthy action for the ensuing
week should be presented with handsome
Christmas gift, in presence OF the whole
school.
Now here was something, | thought,
worth trying for and Boosting of, and
handing down to future generations. So
racked my youthful brain, and finally
thought OF something that felt sure would
bring me the prize.
On the outskirts of the town lived a
widow with five small children. She was
very poor, and took in washing and went
out nursing, and contrvsd all sorts of ways
to get along.
Now ever since the Fourth of July had
been saving my money to buy pair Of
skates, and had got dollar. ! took this
dollar and gave it to the poor widow. 1t
was all had, but | was proud and happy
in doing it, for | felt that no boy could
show better record than that; and when
at last Sunday night came, and the eager
children were assembled, mono were more
eager than |. And | had cause to be, for
at the close of the concert the Superin-
tendent said:
ave have read the papers the boys have
handed in, describing their praissworthy
actions for the past week The committee
have decided that the gift belongs to
Master Skinner, who nobly gave all the
money he possessed to poor and needy
widow. He will please step forward"
There was faint hutter of applause, and
| could SEQ that my mother was vainly
endeavoring to conceal her tears Of Joy.
The Superintendent stood me up in a
chair and patted me on the head, and
called me good boy. Then he took some
thing from his pocket.
take this Christmas gift, Moses said
ho, land treasure it, and in after years
may you look back upon this occasion as q
bright spot in your career
He handed me a little book, "Gems foi
the Youthful Mind" 1t had yellow paper
covers, and was worth about ten cents.
never felt so bad in my life. | burst
out crying before the whole school.
II won't take that darned old cate
chism! y scrsechsd. =" l want my dollar
back Boo-h.h fore I'd cheat little boy
that wayl'
1t was years before could again be pre-
vailed upoa to accept anything in the shape
of Christmas present, and, in explaining
how | did so, | revert to very painful
episode in my existence.
For some time Id been sort Of keeping
company with Matilda Baxter. We went
to choir-meSting together, and | guess in
the course Of the Summer I'd taken her tc
one or two picncs. And at quilting parties
when we played "Twirl the cover" she'd
call my number, blushing, so to speak
like the red, red rose.
And so folks began to talk. Sarah Jane
Tewksbury, who was thirty-seven if she
was day, and had tried all sorts Of dodgei
to get a man to set up with her for nineteen
years, said it did beat all what Tiddy
Baxter could see in that Skinner; for hel
part she looked higher. And Cynthis
Perkins, who was always tending tables al
fairs, or doing anything of that kind thai
gave her chance to sort Of hover round
the other gender, she told Matilda a
the sewing circle that she "needn't feel sc
crank over her bald-headed widower,
meaning me.
Well, all this talk made me feel a littl,
skittish, and kept away from Matilda fol-
some time. But found to my sorrow tina
| had mistaken the party with whom haC
to deal, for there is no object so dangerou
that contains so much backuptiVsness, 81
to speak, az a determined spinster, whC
sees her last cards slipping one by one from
her grasp.
Now, Matilda was very handy with he
needle, could sew nicely, and sascha,
things beautifully, and 80 she took hole
and worked nae pair OF slippers for
Christmas present. OF course took them
but they didn't fit. But it is the only occa
sion where the gentle creature hasn't givel
me hts, when she set about it.
Well naturally wanted to rstaliate, b.
giving her something back, and 50 | wen
down to the auction room that very night
to see what could find. | dida't see any
thing that took my eye, till they had pu
. up proper handsome lot of rings, whicl
went OIL like hot cakes, at quarter apiece
so | bought one for Matilda.
What does she do but put it on her fore
finger, and march right into the sooia
gathering at Squire Rand's, and tell all th
! folks that it was SINNERS engagement
: ring | tried to get away from her, toll
her was an orphan and didn't want to &c
married and all that, but she followed m
t. up and married me. While she was court
. ing nae, it proved on my feelings so that
lost pound day. My best friends didn'
Q recognize me, looked so haggard. I ha
to carry smelling bottle with me, was S
weak. We were married on Christmai
and year from that very day, which wa
8 certainly an unlucky day for me, we had
!. severe accident in the family, or rather
|. should say two accidents, boy and a gil
i fifteen pounds eleven ounces.
At present Mrs. Skinner is friehtfull
;. robust AT times | have thought | Nigh
a outlive her, but again, when | see her 8
q spring cleaning, or standing at the bac
4 doorstep abusing the neigh bors, my courap
!. Will fail me. | don't want any more Chris
r mas presents I've had three meals a da
u OF them, and eat between meals beside
a My stomach is overloaded. Tribune an
Farmer,
The colored emigrsn.s from North Cor
lima arriving in Indiana are reported to /
very thinly clad and almost entirely desI
tute OF baggage and money. The entil