Osage Valley banner. (Tuscumbia, Miller County, Mo.) 1879-1881, 1880-12-30
THE NEw YrAR,s ERRlNp.

WHAT are those children doingp"
asked the clergy man Of his wife u few
days after Christmas.
II really cannot tell YOU. James. Z"
Was the reply. as bis wife pcered sanx-
iously over his shoulder, aud out 81 tic
window. "All tbat know about IL is
this; ! was busy IN the pantry, when
Rob put his head in, and asked Il he
could have The Christmas tree, ms near
~ everything had been taken of OF IT,;
so said Yes, aud there ne goes with
It, sure enough. do hope the way
from The candles has not spotted the
parlor carpet"
Dou,t b snxions, wHe; .CnrIstmns
comes but once year, and when 1t
comes should bring good cheer
~ es, said the careful housewife,
al suppose 10 worry. Bnt there Il is
showing again. and bertha perched up
on that tree on Rob's sled, and she so
subject TO croupi" -
'frhe more She is ont In the pure air,
the less likely she is 20 take cold; but
where are they goingP 3
ii really do not know, James. Did
You ever see alog more devoted Go any
one than gip is 70 ROBE There he goes.
dhneing beside Iii n noWi and 4 sec
Rob has tied ON tho scarf Bertha knit
for him; that is done TO please her. She
did work so hard 10 get II finished in
time before he came home for the hoii-
days. saf
"Sho Is very like her own dear little
mother IN Kindness aud care for 9th
ers, was thereby.
The mother gave a, bright smile and
a kisS for the compliment, but little
wall from the nursery hurried her out
of the room, ~
Christmas at the parsonage had been
delightful. for, iirst of all. bob's return
IRON bDarliug-school was pleasurable
event; he always came home in such
good spirits. was SO full of his Jokes and
nonsense, and had so many funny things
to tell shout the boys Yhen there was
the dressing of the church with ever
greeas, and the decoration Of the parlor
With wteaths OF holly or running pine,
and the spicy smell Of all the delicacies
which were in course of preparation,
for Sally was famous cook, and would
brook no interference when mince-pies
and plum-pudding were TO be con.
cocted.
But the children thought the arrival
of n certain box, which WAS always dis
patched from town, tho very best of all
the Christmas delights This box came
from their rich aunts and uncles, who
seemed to think that the little parson-
age must be dreary place in winter,
and SO, 20 make up 20 It's inmates for
losing oil the brightness of acity winter,
they sent everything they could think
of in the way of beautiful pictures, gor-
geolls books, games, sugar plums, and
enough little glitterings things for two
or three trees OF course the clergy
man always laid aside some of these
things for other occasions, lest the
children should be siirfelted
And so Christmas had passed happi-
ly, as usual The school children had
sung their carols and enjoyed their
feast the poor had been carefully
looked after aud made comfortable, and
there had come the usual lull after a
seasceaot Excitement. 10 wns now the
day before the first OF the new year,
aud tho parson was writing n sermon.
Ho was Telling people what d good time
II was 10 Try and turn over a new leaf
! 20 be, Dobler, truer, brayer, than they
haa,eyer been before; TO let the old
!. year carry away with it all selfshnsss,
an anger, envy, and unloging thoughtsi
and us he wrote, he looked out Of the
Ae tetsf s