The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1880-12-23

| $500 w 'aho no noClce, gllded about
arranging the dishes, and her mother
ASKED where the young man was.
!, Know, said her father, answering
| the question for her. "Our daughter
has rolled him. up in pink cotton and
sprinl1led him with cologne and but him
III bandbox for fear he will get mussed /"
"He will be here Christmas Eve" in
teTupted Minerva, with strong effort
ct sobriety; che and number of others.
knew you would not care, father, if I
invited them" ..a ..,.s..
" Not l." answered the old man heart
lly, and taking the curly head between
his broad palms he drew her tenderly to
hlm and kissed the rosy and dimpled
cheeks. "'You are truly our one lamb.
and everything will some day be yours.
Yes, you did perfectly right, and it will
be pleasant to have tho house filed with
young folks and have rousinQ. merry
time. That is how Christmas ought to
be kept" - -.
"We are going to have tableauc
0a0antS, and one of them will surprise
you, father.
He was that already, and had about rs
much conception of what was intended
as of the lucid CD explanations of Her
bert Spencer of the Darwinian theory.
and for him to have repeated the words
with the French accent given bv his
child would have been On. utter impossi-
bility, so he pretended knowledge. shook
his head sagely, gave very knowing
wink, but kept silent and soon found
that pressing business required his alb
sence.
But the doting mother was taken into
full confidence and she and Minerva had
a long, earnest and apparently deeply
interesting conversation upon the sub
lect-one that continued for over an hour:
indeed it had not concluded when the
old man returned, for he caught the
name OF the minister and asked:
"What are yon going to have Domino
Martin here for, child?"
ooh, just because I like him, and his
wife is such q dear old lady, and they
will be very lonely on such q day, with
their children all married and away from
home. Sol thought you would like to
see them, and If he is here everything
will be sure to go right, and it is Christ
mas, you know, and"
&c Hold on, for mercy's sake!' ex-
claimed her father, cor you won't have
breath enough left to eat your dinner,
and that would be very bad"
y
, You have told me sufficient to satisfy
any reasonable mortal man." he said as
he took his place at the table and began
Loading her plate as if she had been in
danger of starvation for q month.
Dinner. ever it, wa b. aSnea Of the sub
stantial, old-fashioned kind, though the
mother had added the richest of dessert
delicacics to tempt her child, as if there
was no such thing as dyspepsia in the
land-and the Deacon took an easy chair
by the broad hearth, lighted his pipe.
and between the curling clouds of smoke
resumed the subject of the morning con
versntion.
"How many are you going to have,
daughter?'' he questioned. ...'
{" All the boys and girls" J.. !
"Boys first, every time with your sex,
and girls with the other" he laughed,
"but all means how many?"
"Well Gefectively,) } from fifty to sew
"Gracious! the old house will scarcely
hold them, and will be certain to be torn
down with their romping. But what
does mother say?" ,...
s"Oh, she is perfectly satisfied, aren't
you mother, dear?" and look of under
standing passed between parent and
daughter. 49, -.
'"Then all have to do is to help the
riot along, for riot it will be with so many
youngsters together. But what was It
you said you were going to have?"
"a tub'lo vevang," was answered with
the broadcast possible French accent
alton. 49,. 49,.
"Ah, yes, L. remember, and no doubt
1t will be grand"
'I think you will find it solemn,
father.".l ~ ..... =.
eyes, yes" and fearful she should see
how much he was puzzled, he instantly
changed the subject and continued:
"Well, it will take lot to feed so many
boys and girls. They are always hungry,
and can devour more than so many
wolves. So, Hannah, I fear you haven't
provided one quarter enough,
"You are right" responded his wife;
''since our pet told me about her plans
and how many would be here L have
been calculating"
"Well, they shant go &way hungry,
If there is enough in the land to feed
them. I'll have Mike kindle fire under
the big farm kettle, and kill lots Of chick
Smith to help dress them, and when I
home SOME oysters and--well, any thing
else you need to have good time"
"'Ohl how. much. thank you, dear
father, said Minerva, impulsively spring
ing'to his side and kissing him. lyon
are the kindest and best father III all the
world"
T "All talk" he laughed, though rare
pleasure, was. visibleIin his face, "and
you'll get married some day and forget
all about me-.
"Married!" exclaimed the girl, sud
denly growing ashy pale. "Never! I
mean, she continued, with her face
Gushinnt To tha dnanast crirnaon MI nnenn