The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1881-12-24

children, so I'll remember them, and
have ms share OF the fun"
So up went the pies, for Mrs. Smith
had not much to give, and her spirit
was generous, though her pastry was
not of the best 1t looked very droll
to see pies sitting about on the thresh-
Odds OF closed doors. but the cakes were
quite elegant, and filed up the corners
of the towel handsomely, for the apron
lay in the middle, with the oranges
right and left, like two sentinelS in yell
low uniforms.
1t was very late when the flicker of
candle came upstairs, and pale lady,
with sweet sad face, appeared. bring
ing pair of red and pair of blue nit
tens for her Dolly and Polly. Poor
Mrs. Blake did have hard time, for
she stood all day in great store that
she might earn bread for the poor chill
dren who stayed at home and took care
of one another. Her heart was very
heavy that night, because it was the
| first Christmas she had ever known
without gifts and festivity of some sort
But Pitkin, the youngest child, had
been i'll, times were very hard. the
| little mouths gaped for food like the
bills of hungry birds, and there was no
tender mate to help fill them.
If any elves had been lowering about
the dingy hall just then they would
face brighten beautifully when she
that her little girls had been so
kindly remembered. Something more
brilliant than the mock diamonds in
" f,ll o,,I rrltf
tered on the dusty floor as Mrs. Blake
added the mittens to the other things
and went to her lonely room again,
smiling as she thought how she could
thank them all in a sweet and simple
way.
Her windows were full of flowers, for
the delicate tastes of the poor lady
found great comfort in their beauty.
Il have nothing else to give, and these
will show how grateful am," she said,
as she reioiced that the scarlet gerani-
ums were so full of gay clusters, the
white chrysanthemum stars were all
out, and the pink roses at their love-
liest.
They slept now, dreaming of sunny
morrow as they sat safely sheltered
from the bitter cold. But that night
was their last, for a gentle hand cut
them all, and soon three pretty nose
gays stood in glass, waiting for dawn,
to be laid at three doors, with few
grateful words which would surprise
and delight the receivers, for flowers
were rare in those Woodworking lives,
and kind deeds often come back to the
givers in fairer shapes than they 60.
Now one would think that there had
been gifts enough, and no more could
possibly arrive, since all had added his
or her mite except Betsey, the maid.
who was off on a holiday, and the ba-
bes fast asleep in their trundle-bed,
with nothing to give but love and kiss
es. Nobody dreamed that the old cat
would take it into her head that her
kittens were in danger, because Mrs.
Smith had said she thought they were
nearly old enough to be given away.
But she must have understood, fol
when all was dark and still the anxious
mother went patting up stairs to the
, children's door, meaning to hide hel
babies under their bed, sure they would
r save them from destruction. Mrs
Blake had shut the door, however, sc
poor Puss was disappointed but find
ing a soft, clean spot among variety
, of curious articles, she laid her kits
} there, and kept them warm all night
, with her head pillowed on the blue
mittens.
In the cold morning Dolly and Polly
, got up and scrambled into theil
clothes, not with joyful haste to see
f what their stockings held, for they haC
l none, but because they had the little
| ones to dress while mother got the
5 breakfast.
3 Dolly opened the door, and started
3 back with q cry of establishment at thu
a lovely spectacle before her. The othe
5 people had taken in their gifts, 81
q nothing destroyed the magnificent eff
, feet OF the treasures so curiously collect
) ed in the night Puss had left the kit
, asleep. and gone down to get her owl
: breakfast, and there, in the middle o
the ruffed apron, as if in a dainty era
T die, lay the two Maltese darlings, witt
/ white bibs and boots on, and white tip
+, to the tiny tails curled round their littl
e noses in the sweetest way.
Polly and Dolly could only clasp thei
/. hands and look in rapturous silence TO
o aminute; then they went down on thei
!. knees and reVeled in the uneXpecte
! richness before them.
e Il do believe there Is Santa Claus
Y aud that he heard US, for here is every
= thing we wanted" said Dolly, holdin
;. the carnelian heart in one hand and tn
|, plummy one in the other.
:, ut must have been some kind of
Ii fairy, for we didn't mention kittens, bu
, we wanted one, and here are two dal
lings," cried Polly, almost purrin
d with delight as the downy punches III
d rolled and gaped till their bits of pin
Il tongues were visible.