Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1880-12-24

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ness, as with busy fingers she removed the
ljaunty little cap. furs, cloak and gloves,
Ito think you have come safely back to
me once more and"
sNow,n interrupted the girl, Il should
like to know what father was talking about
whenI came I'M
$50 unexpected, said the mother. 1--WE
did not look for you until tomorrow
night.''
| Sob, had chance to ride home," re-
piled the girl, blushing. land got permission
| I'd let out school. But you were talking
about me, father?''
| "Well. yes. = he answered, with merry
twinkle in his eyes. land was about to
say when you came rushing in like bear
about to say, though mind, | didn't
that Il you Kept, on<teaching other peoples
brats you wouldn't have strength to teach
your own-when you get them.'' and he
laughed loudly at the changed expression
Of her face.
For shame. responded Minerva. "But
I'll pay you back for that. father. Re-
member, am young lady now, and you
can t joke with me with ilnpunity, as you
once did,
"a young lady? Whew! And I sup
pose some young gentleman put himself to
immense trouble to bring you home
through the cold and storm and didn't for
get to collect toll at all the bridges. Aren't
your lips sore, daughter?;'
| The girl colored still more deeply, and
4 hustled around to help her mother set the
table for dinner, that she might escape the
teasing; but Der father enjoyed it too
much, and asked:
"Who was it, child? Some of them
scape-grace clerks from Beaverton. 1 III be
bound.''
"You know I never associate with
them," she responded indignantly. "Mr.
Frank Emmons brought me home" "
| 'O-h?" with low whistle" Yes, he is a
nice and proper young man, and such teeth
and mousrache, and such white hands.
and sings like half dozen angels and
walks so gently and the old gentleman
arose and strutted poincingly around the
room in burlesque Imitation of the atten-
dant of his daughter.
Minerva could not but laugh, yet pre-
tending to take no notice, gllded about
arranging the dishes, and her mother asked
where the young man ways.
81 know" said her father, answering
the question for her. ''Our daughter has
rolled him up in pink cotton and sprlnkled
him with cologne and put him in band
box for fear he will get mussed.'
ssHe will be here Christmas Eve" in
terrupted Minerva with strong effort at
sobriety; she and a number Of others. I
knew you would not care, father, if invi-
ted them.''
mot 10 answered the old man heartily,
and taking the curly head between his
broad palms be drew her tenderly to him and
kissed the rosy and dimpled cheeks. "You
are truly our one lamb, and everything
will some day be yours. Yes, you did ger
fectly right, and it will be pleasant to have
the house filled with young folks and have
a rousing merry time. That is how Christ
mas ought to be kept.
1--WE are going to have tableaur uivant,
and one of them will surprise you, father. :"
| He was that already, and had about as
much conception of what was intended as
Of the lucid (9) explanations of Herbert
Spencer of the Darwinian theory, and for
him to havetrepeated the words with the
French accent givin by his child would
have been an utter impossibllity, so lie pre-
tended knowledge, shook his head sagely,
gave very knowing wink, but kept silent
and soon found that pressing business re-
quired his absence.
But the dotling mother was taken into
full confidence and she and Minerva had a
long, earnest and apparently deeply inter-
esting conversation upon the subject-one
that continued for over an hour; indeed it
had not concluded when the old man re-
turned, for he caught the name of the
minister and asked:
"What are you going to have Domino
Martin here for, child p
"Oh. just because I like him, and his
wife is such dear old lady. and they will
be very lonely on such day, with their
children all married and away from home.
So thought you would like to see them,
and if be is here everything will be sure to
go right, and it is Christmas, you know,
and"
"hold on, for mercy's sake ~ exclaimed
her father, ''or you won't have breath
enough left to eat your dinner, and that
would be very bad.''
"But you wanted to know, and"
"You have told me sufficient to satisfy
any reasonable mortal man," he said as he
took his place at the table and began load
ing her plate as if she had been in danger
of starvation for month.
Dinner over-it was one of the substan-
tial, old fashioned kind, though the mo-
| ther had added the richest of dessert deli
cacies 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 conversation.
''How many are you going to have,
daughter?' he questioned.
''All the boys and girls"
"Boys first, every time with your sex,
and girls with the other" he laughed,
''but all means how many? ?"
'.We)l (refeotively,l from fifty to seven
ty-hve."
"Gracious the old house will scarcely
hold them, and will be certain to be torn
down with their romping. But what does
mother say p''
i "Oh. she is perfectly satisfied, aren' tyou
mother, dear7" and look Of understand
ing passed between parent and daughter.
"Then all have to do is to help the riot