The Newtown bee., 1880-12-15
JESSIE'S CHRISTMAS.

''The last Christmas in the old home, " said Paul Petherege, mournfully.
 Dark and drifting, and overclouded with thickly falling snow, the Christ mas eve had folded it's gray wings around the world-dark and still, with S leaden canopy of cloud, and trees darkly outlined against the colorless sky, the blessed day had Gawhed!
 And Petherege's heart reflected the sadness of the external world.
 "Papa, is it trueP" whispered Jessie, n6stling up to his side.
 '' Is what true, child? ?n
 That we have lost our home"
 Yes" said Mrs. Petherege, almost harshly, it is true, Jessie. When Charles Greyson went away from here, your father was mad enough to lend him a thousand dollars. And the thousand ii, and gave mortgage on the house The upshot Of 1t all is, that we are ruined"
 |" But mamma" "Jessie lifted her large, wistful eyes to Mrs. Petherege's pale, wan face, MT. Greyson shou d have paid papa back.n
 Your father was fool ever to have trusted him." said Mrs. Petherege e, sharply.
 Ii did it for the best, wife; cid it for the best" pleaded the old man Charlie was in debt and difficulty Ii he had staid on here, he would have had no chance. The thousand dollars en- abled him to start the world anew, in another country. He should have paid 1t back; but, somehow, he has not. l think, however, under the ecircumstances, l should be tempted to do the same thing again.
 "Then you ought to be put into the lunatic asylumr' retorted his wife. " And the mortgage to be foreclosed next week-and the furniture that was my mother's before me, to be sold out at auction; and us to go and live on fiat, in crowded city street. l declare, it's enough to drive me mad only to think of itr'
 '' It's Christmas day, wife, said the old man, gently. 'Hark! don't you hear the bellsp Let US try and forget all our troubles--for little while, at least. Get your mothers hat, Jessie, and her shawl. We'll go to the old church once more, arm and arm, and thank God for the blessings of Christmas day.n
 So the old couple set of together, through the slow-drifting snow-fakes that eddied through the gray air, under the leafess elms and beeehes, to the little stone church, where, thirty odd years ago, they had been married. And the neighhors, watching them across the threshold, whispered to one another how old and broken. down Paul Petherege looked, and what pity it was about the mortgage.
 While the old man, looking up at the holly wreaths that draped the chancel, and the festoons ofevergreens that made green gloom in the old church, kept whispering to himself: ssThe last ChristmasI the last Christmas!''
 In the meantime, dimpled Jessie, at home, was doing her best to make the old < keeping-room look Ike Christ mas, with few sprigs of cedar and some brilliant autumn leaves, relics of the past October. The muslin curtains were old and tattered, but Jessie pinned the clusters of scarlet maple leaves skillfully over the worn places; the table clotf was threadbare, but Jessie arranged ii to the best advantage. And then sht fastened bunch of crimson beriles into her own jet-hlack braids and took peer into the oven to see how the chicker was getting on.
 Mot much of Christmas feast thought Jessie, with sigh, as sht brought out the apple-pie, and the mos basket of brown hickory nuts, whicl were to serve as their modest dessert < can remember when we used to hay, great glistening turkeys, and mince-p pies and cranberry tarts, and real silver forks I Oh if we were only rich againp' l As she came in from the back kitchen l with her apron full of red Spitzenbers apples. which neighbor Grant had sen them the evening before, she started t. sec tall stranger warming his hands a the fire. He nodded carlessly. l Mir. Petherege lives herepn said he
 "Yes,n said Jessie, solemnly; "h 1 lives here, but he isn't at home.n 1 ssGone to church, ehp" said tn stranger.
 Yes" said Jessie, :. he has gone t l church.
 s.Then III wait for him. said tn stranger. drawing chair to the snug gest corner, and seating himself com fortably.
 Jessie Petherege's large eyes dilate with grave displeasure. How did sh know who or what he wasp She WE all alone in the house, with not SOU
 within call, and she was quite awai 1 that it behooved her to be cautious.
 VI don't think you had better" sai she.
 l The gentleman looked up with smile.
 sAh. I see,n said he. You tai
 me for a-tramp. Do l look hl
 onepn
 Jessie hesitated little at this leadir question.
 never saw q tramp said sh,
 but have read that they often dre
 like gentlemen. And"