The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-12-23

With such gay throngs OF WOrshlppers,
Such precious gifts, as thiIe!
-EmnaG II. Brewster, igs st. Nicholas,
OUR CHRISTMAS. EVE.
Ours was very large family. was
the eldest of nine; there were five of us
girls and four boys. One, Dick, came
next to me, and the other three were the
youngest in the house.
Oh, what happy days we used to spend
in the dear old home. can see it now
in my minds eye-a long, low house,
with stone mullioned windows and pro-
jecting buttresses, and low porch, COW
cred with honeysuckles, while the west
end OF the building was smothered in
Virginia creeper, which made us look
bright and gay as autumn drew on.
It was q fine old place, or rather had
been in its day, for when we went to
live there it was in very dilapidated
state. Old Squire Travis, who owned
it, would not have any repair done,
though it was the old manor house of
Welthem, but he gave father leave to
occupy it as long as it was fit, rent free,
for father was Squire Travis bailiff.
It was troublesome place to keep in
order, for the thatch was very bad in
many parts, and the damp used to bring
the plaster rafting down IN wet weather,
but I don't think we children thought
much of that; we liked the old rooms up
under the roof, where we could play and
make as much noise as we liked on wet
days, and Dick had his special corner
where he kept tools, and where he would
sit for hours on half holidays construct
ing foot.stoo for mother, or wheel.
barrow for Sam, our youngest brother.
Father was tall, broad chested man,
with grave expression of cOuntenance
which have since found out as caused
by money troubles, for he had been we'll
to-do once, and farmed his own lane, but
there came two or three bad years, and
then he lost all his savings by the failure
of bank; and so he was thankful to &C.
cept Squire Travis offer for the empty
manor house and moderate salary in
return for his looking after the property
and collecting the rents of the cottages
on the Squirc's land.
Mother was little woman, with fail
hair, and the sweetest, gentlest face
ever saw, and such loving heart. How
we all dotted on her! A surprised o.
grie~ed look from her was quite enough
to quell even Jem, who was the most un
ruly and mischievous of all the boys, anc
to draw from him the words, II won
do it again, mother, if it vexes you, but
it was such funp'
Ruth was the sister next in age 20 NE
she came after Dick, so there was ONLY
about three years between us, but tn
difference seemed more, suppose, be
cause I was the eldest, and therefore hal
to be busting and stirring about, ant
helping mother. Not that Ruth shlrket
her share of the work, only she was 81
bright and winsome, that mother or
never liked to give her anything yer.
hard to do. In tact, she generally chos
her work, and we did the rest.
Oh! what bitter tears shed when
had to leave the dear old home for tn
first time, though not to let mother see
minded much, for she had such gen
tie feeling heart it would have worrle'
her more than enough. 1t was just afte
my fifteenth birthday, when Aunt Alic
died. She was mothers sister. She ha'
never married, but lived with grand
mother in little cottage near the seapol
of Looe, which was about six miles fror
our home.
Well, when Aunt Alice was dead, faith
er couldn't bear to think of granny liv
ing all alone, SO be drove over one da
in the cart, to ask her to come to us, say
ing she could sit quietly all day in th
warm chimney corner, and that we shout
all be proud to wait on her, and mothe
wished it too.
But granny would not be persuaded
She could not leave her old home, bu
must wait there till James came back
Uncle James she meant, mothers broth
er, who was in the merchant service. II
had gone to sea five years before, an
nothing has been heard of him since, e.
cept one letter from some place in Afric,
where he had landed. Most peop]
thought he must be dead, but gram
still hoped on, and would not leave Loo
saying she must keep home for hi
when he came back, Tor he'd be sure [
come straight to the old cottage directl
he landed, and he wouldn't know whel
to find her If she went away. And the
sne said to father, "There is favo
George, wish you'd grant me: Let m
have one of your girls to live with me
place of poor Alice. Can you spare n
one? should like Esther best, becau
she is the eldest; but hardly like to al
for her mothers right hand. Can "
spare me one, George2"
'Well, mother, I wish it could
managed otherwise" was fathers repl
s'but if you wont come to us, suppo
you must have your own way. L W
ask Ruth about it, and see which of i
girls she can spare, though it'll be tri
to us both to part with either of .he1
it will be the first gap in our hor
circle.n
I don't think / ever saw mother lo
SO troubled as when father gave b
granny's message. She looked round
us as if she couldn't bear to part wi
one of us; and as for me, felt a GRE
lump rise in my throat as / thoua
that most likely should be the G