The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-12-23
CHRISTMAS
TREE.
BY AUNT ADDIE.

Bertha and Ella, two little girls seven
and nine years old, with heir big broth
ers, Frank and Jimmy, left their home
in the city one snowy, December day,
and started foc the country. where their
papa had bought a farm, which was very
near their grandma's house.
When the cars stopped at the depot,
they all went out on the platform, and
there, waiting for them, stood their own
dear grandpa, with their three little
cousins, Lily, Mamie and George, and
their big cousins Lou and BERTHE.
After a great deal Of hugging and
kissing and such a lot of questions
as only little boys and girls know how
to ask, they all climbed into a bob-sled,
which Ella thought was the queerest
carriage she ever saw, and started for
their grandpa's house, where they were
going to stay until their own was ready
for them.
For the next two days the little people
were very busy. Mamie, Lily aud
George had such treasures to display as
made their little cousins eyes sparkle
with delight. First they all went to the
barn yard to look at the cattle, and very
wonderful did the great lazy-looking
COWS seem to Ella, while the flock Of
sheep were Bertha's great delight. and
she decided that she would like to have
one for her very own, to net and take
care OF; SO her grandpa said she might
have her choice OF any sheep he 0wned.
To the great amusement Of the family
Bertha chose the oldest and unliest sheep
in the flock, a great, fat, lazy fellow with
dirty brown wool. sprinkled all over
with black spots. The WHOLE of his face
was black except the very tip OF his nose
been white If it had not been 50 very
dirty.
"Why, Bertha" said cousin Lou, "why
don't you take that pretty, little, white
lamb, the one standing over there by its
mother?''
"No, indeed" said Bertha, "do you
think l would take that little baby lamb
away from its mamma, besides it is such,
a pretty little thing everybody will be
good to it; but my old Spotty (for so
she had named her Sheep is SO old and
ugly that no one will like him or be kind
to him, and I am just going to put a red
ribbon round his neck and wash his face,
and get brother Jimmy to make him a
nice house, and then l guess he will be
glad"
Grandpa thought Bertha was a very
tender-hearted little girl, and then he
told Ella she might take her choice Of
any animal on the farm for her pet.
After looking all over for some time
she saw a flock Of geese, and she thought
she would like to have one for a pet
her grandpa told her she could have a
pair of them.
Ella thanked her grandpa, and started
towards the two she bad decided to take
but Mr.. Gander and Mrs. Goose though,
they ought to be consulted in the matter
a little, and prepared to defend them
selves.
Mir Gander spread his wings and rush
ed towards Ella while Mrs. Goose tol
lowed, tapping her wings and making
great noise; cousin Berthe ran to the res
, cue, and Ella came back to grandpa say
{ ing:
NASTY, ugly things!I guess I won
have q goose for my pet; 1 think Ill have
some nice little chickens;;;' and SO it wa
finally settled that Bertha should nave
sheep and Ellaa white hen and a very
pompous, proud old rooster. You car
I believe the little girls were proud enough
Of their pets.
The next day it showed part Of tn,
time, and rained the rest. but Bertha ant
Ella were determined to visit the schoo
| in which their cousin Lou was teaching
: and 50, taking grandpa's big umbrella
t they started out, followed by Frank ane
Jimmy, who were going over to vlsi
r their new home.
The windh had blown the snow in the cor
ners of the rail fences and made httl
: drifts, which the children thought fin,
fun to wade through, and. so laughing
running and sometimes stumbling the,
came to the top of a small hill, when Ell
la proposed to Bertha to spread the um
brella behind them and let the win,
blow against it and so help them along
!, The plan succeeded very we'll until the,
were about half way down the hill
, when an extra hard gust of wind tool
, them right off of the ground and sprea,
! them out in the snow, little noses down
!, ward, and then very kindly stuck th
umbrella up over them, making a mic
little house.
As soon as Bertha and Ella could ge
out of their house and get the snow GU
of their eyes and ears they decided tina
any further help in getting down the hill
was not needed.
$ After a few more tumbles the childre,
T reached the school house, where Cousil
Q Lou met them at the door; she though
, by the shouting and laughing that
8 tribe of Indians had come to visit her.
The next day was the q befor