Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1880-01-08
WHAT SANTA CLAUS SENT.

The week before Christmas was
dreadful dreary. In the first place,
father was away. He had been gone
almost month, in search of work, and
we were expecting him home every day.
In the next place, the wood was most
gone, and we didn't dare to keep very
good fire. And it always seems dreary
in cold, snowy weather. unless you
have good roaring fire, | think; espe-
cially in n dug-out.
1t was all on account of the grass
hoppers that we had to spend our second
winter in the dug-out. We had been
brave and patient-father said so-the
hrst winter. But when the grasshop-
pers came and ate up all our crop, and
we had to give up the hope of house
for that whole year. we almost wished
we were back in Vermont. Then, in
the third place, and lastly, as the min
ister says, we had nothing left to eat
but pumpkin. And umpkin-though
Hs very nice for pies, when you have
milk and eggs. and pretty good Cat
least, better than nothing,) for sauce,
Ehen you haven't got any better, and
there is nothingleft but the Johnny-cake
isn't so very good for steady eating.
And there wasn't so very much of il,
either; and if that should fail before
fatheI came
But mother wouldn't be gloomy. /" Eat
MI you want of it. / dare say father
will come before it's gone" she said.
Its lucky / dried so much" ".And
lucky the 'hoppers didn't like pump
kins," said my elder brother. Bob, try
ing to initiate her cheerful tones.
Bake some for supper, mother. / be-
ieve | like il best baked"
Yes. III bake it for supper, and you
and Lizzie shall have all the milk to eat
with 1t. We who are we'll can do with
out milk. Can't we, childrenP" and she
looked round so brave and cheerful Mt
me and Tom and Johnny that we were
Inst rs willing rs could be to give up
our share of the milk, now that poor
Bess, who had nothing but coarse, dry
hay and water, could only give pint
swicea day.
So Bob and Lizzie had all the milk
that night, and we had only little salt
an our pumpkin; because Lizzie wasn't
much more than baby, and Bob was
sick ever since he broke his leg mt the
Enising. Bob tried TO have mother take
sgme of his milk; but she wouldn't.
Nobody complained-not n word-we
zAsuld have been ashamed to; only
&A0na9ttu SOtuE W Olu dues, Tile COW.
yCa know, when was pulling down
hay for her. / suppose Tn not hardly
as brave rs the rest OF 'em. At any rate,
IIoften grumble to Bess, when things
IRE hard; and i told her that time that
tkera was no fun at all in living on
pumpkin in n miserable dug. out, and
l wasn't going to stand It. At least
wouldn't, If had any boots to get away
IN. And / tried hard to think what /
cousd do.
But didn't see as there was any
thing The neighbors were n go0d way
9a. md as poor ~ we were. All but old
MoiheT Cripsey. and she was too cross
and too stingy to live. No use to go
neaD Der.
Rst when | went in. and was crouch
iAs down before the lire to get my fin
gPrs warm. mother said:
William, / think somebody ought
10 go over and see If Mother Crispey
Dseds anything this cold weather. /
know It isn't pleasant for you TO 20
there, but 1t would ease my mind to
Know she wasn't freezing or starving"
How can ! go, mother, with no
1cOts but theseP" and | held up nv
night foot There was n strip Of flannel
lied round it to keep the sole from fiap-
Ping back and forth every time stepped,