The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1879-12-18
sss4 was on the point of telling her SO
hen that cruel machinery grasped his

: hen that cruel machinery grasped his
arm.
But must give her up now, SUSIE"
he said to me--we had no secrets from
each other" though I love her more
than ever. 'Twould have been no match
in a worldly sense, for her before-a
printer with only what he earned from
owning houses and lands sufficient to
give her an income of thousand year.
But now it is simply impossible. Dis
abled for life. must make up my mind
to be burden on you, and see her
marry"
You'll do no such thing, Nathaniel"
cried l. "What has come over youp 1t
seems to me that the people who are the
iolliest when they are jolly are the bluest
when they are blue. One would think
you'd lost both arms and legs to hear
you talk. Do you forget your favorite
motto, Nil desperandum,' to say moth
ing Of Up, guards, and at emp"
But Nat continued very low in his
spirits, all could do or say. And this
is how affaip6as stood in our house the
kghristinas q before that Christmas
The kettle had just began to boil next
mornSgF and l had just called out,
sNiefsy s"to Nat, hearing. him
stir in lis own room, when Widow
Winterpippin's blue-eyed little maid
knocked at the door. with merry
Christmas" "A giggle. and a note from
her mistress. The note read:
Ayy;Sifred Winterpippin sends her
loV <Hssusie and Nathaniel Bracket, and
be- Sthat they will as a great favor, give
her their compaS5 in lIer rooms this
\ evening atseven O'clock"
l<And I've got note for everybody
4 N % house, and there's to be supper,
E.ntS ESQ don't cook no dinner, miss, !"
s4& the little maid, laughing outright.
| (This little maid was ahost always
resembles IIer black-eyed mistress)
f"as; we'll come with pleasure, Nannie,"
SAID I. Yes, miss" and away she
flew.
And at seven precisely the invited
guests were assembled in the widows
pretty parlor. Dear me! How pretty
It was. Christmas greens were festoone1
all around the walls, and anchorsle,
wreaths, and hearts, and crosses were
hung wherever they could be hung, and
above the mantel, Merry Christmas"
in large dark green letters, frightened
by crimson berries greeted us as we en-
tered the door. And there were stands
/ filled with lovely geraniums and be.
gonias, and liiseSin each window, and
a splendid fire in the Crate and the most
charming of all there was the widow
herself in pearl-gray silk with scarlet
ribbons at her throat and scarlet flowers
in her hair.
When Nathaniel-poor fellow, how
his empty sleeve annoyed him-aud
arrived, Mrs. McChilly and her grand
children were already there-the. old
lady in the easiest chair in the room
nearest the fire, with glass of lemonade
of which she was very fond Chow did
Widow Winterpippin manage to find
out everybody's little weaknesses in the,
way of eating and drinkingO on small
round table by her side, and the grand
son and his wife looking over the photo
graph album in cosy corner.
MIR. and Mrs Rose and the three rose
buds. AS we called the children, swee,
darling, auburn haired girls, came in at
the same time we did, and Mr.. and Mrs.
Summer, lie looking worn and haggard,
and she with traces of tears around her
beautiful eyes-and the baby-made
their appeap4pce few moments later.
And p& that we are almost all
here.N saHWidow Winterpippin-we
wondera Sho else was to come.,"we.'III
have 4 Knce to begin with. You will
.I,DlayE Summer? Mamie can hold
4 the Baby"
But Mrs. Summer blushed and said
she "never played, now"
"But YOU can insisted the widow in
her Genial way. 50 You surely have not
forgotten. 7 .se,, 10 hear you playing
so muct and so we'll when you first
moved hge, and Mr. Summer sang
then 800 Many happy hour have -!
: passed listening to you both" And
Mr.. Summer, with a conscious contrite
look in his face, put his arm around his
wife and led her TO the piano.
Then Nathaniel took the widow, and
Mr.. Summer Mrs, McChilly's grand
McChilly's grandson Mrs. Rose. and
Mr.. Rose me. and we had an old-fash-
ioned quadrille dance in the old-fash-
ioned way-and jig to end with. And
Mrs. McChilly declared it made her fee
like dancing herself, and she would have
danced, too, believe, if it hadn't been
for her rheumatic foot. AS it was, she
beat time to the jig tune with her cane
until her arm was so tired she couldn1
beat any longer, and Mamie and the
baby took it and beat away, utterly re
gardless of time, until all the ladies hat
made their final courtesies to thea
partners.
After the dance we had lovely bal
lad from Mr.. SumAer, who had a tin'
tenor voice, and a comic song from Mr.
Rose, who had voice suited to it; Ih
comic song had silly, rollicking choru
in which the company all Joined with II
much earnestness as though their live
, depended upon their doing so.
"Ta- Ia la-tra-la III
Tra-la-li-and that will do
And then supper. Such n supper
| Roast turkey, cranberry sauce, mine
. pie, crisp celery, homemade breao
: pickles. tongue, stewed oysters, candle
o and wax dolls (the dolls beside the chi
f dren's platcs.) And when we were a
through and back to the parlor AGAR
a sitting in half-ciI Gle around the graf!
0 fire, II cup of fragrant tea or coffee !
e every hand, Widow Winterpippin, VIII
e sst in the center ofthe halfcircle, said
Il .".iAnd now, if no one has any objection
V r would like to tell you wonderfl
I dream ] had last night"
I amy objectionm "No, indeed
d Delighted to hear it!'' from all side'
d And, while the Summer baby crowde
G itself to sleep in its mothers arms, an
d the Rosebuds, on the floor at the
: fathers feet--each with new do
clasped to their breast-drooped the
Il shining heads until they sank upon til
q pillows Mamie had thoughtfully place
: near them, the chairs in the half-circ