The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1881-12-22
HOW 1T ALL HAPPENED.


This happy Christmas-tide!
Juliet c. Marsh.
HOW 1T ALL HAPPENED.
A Christmas story.
1t was a small room. with nothing in
It but q bed. two chairs and big chest.
A few little gowns hung on the wall,
and the only picture was the wintry
sky, sparkling with stars, framed by
the uncurtained window. But the
moon. pausing to peep. saw something
pretty and heard something pleasant.
Two heads in little round night-caps
lay on one pillow, two pairs of wide
awake blue eyes stared up at the light.
and two tongues were going like mill
clappers.
"rm so glad we got our shirts done
in time! 1t seemed as if we never
should, and don't think six cents is
half enough for great red flannel
thing with three button holes-do
YOU" said one little voice, rather
YEARLY.
'.No. but then we each made four,
and fifty cents is good deal of money.
Are you sorry we didn't keep our quar-
tiers for ourselves?' asked the other
voice, with an undertone of regret in
it.
Eyes, am. till think how pleased
the children will be with our tree, for
they don't expect ANYTHING, and will
be so surprised. wish we had more
toys to put on it, for it looks so small
and mean with only three or four
things"
ut won't hold any more. so I
wouldn worry about it. The TOYS are
very red and yellow. aud l guess the
babies won't know how cheap they are.
but like them as much as if they cost
heaps of money"
This was CHEEKY voice, and as it
spoke the four blue eyes turned toward
the chest under the window, and the
kind moon did her best TO light up the
tiny tree standing there. A very pitt
hemlock in an old flower-pot. propped
up with bits of coal. and hung with q
few penny toys earned by the patient
fingers of the elder sisters, that the lit.
tie ones should not be disappointed.
But in spite of the magical moon
light, the broken branch. with its
scsnty supply OF fruit, looked pathetic.
ally poor. and one pair OF eyes filled
slowly with tears. while the other pair
lost their happy look, as if q cloud had
come over the sunshine.
Are you crying, Dolly?'
mot much. Polly"
"What makes YOU, dear?"
~ didn' t know how poor we were
till l saw the tree, and then l couldn't
help it," sobbed the elder sister, for at
twelve she already knew something of
the cares of pOvertf, aud missed the
happiness that seemed to vanish out of
all their lives when father died.
Its dreadful. l never thought we d
have to earn our tree, and only be able
to get broken branch, after all, with
nothing on it but three sticks of candy,
two squeaking dogs. a red cow. and an
ugly bird with one feather in its tail;'
and overcome by sudden sense of des-
titution, Polly sobbed even more de-
sparingly than Dolly.
Hush. dear; we must cry softly, or
mother will hear, and come up. aud
then we shall have to tell. You know
we said we wouldn't seem to mind not
having any Christmas, she felt so sorry
about it. /"
ell must cry; but I'll be quiet"
So the two heads went under the pill
low for a few minutes, and not a sound
betrayed them as the little sisters cried
softly in one anOther's arms. lest moth
er should discover that they were no
longer careless children, but brave
young creatures trying TO bear their
share of the burden cheerfully.
When the shower was over, the faces
came out shining like roses after rain,
and the voices went on again as before.
Don't you wish there really was
Santa Claus, who knew what we want
ed. and would come and put two silver
half dollars in our stockings, SO we
could go and see ''Puss in Boots" at the
Museum to morrow afternOon"
''Yes, indeed; but we didn't hang up
any stockings, you know, because
mother had nothing to put in them. 1t
does seem as if rich people might think
of poor people now and then. Such
little bits of things would make US hap
py, and it couldn't be much trouble to
take two small girls to the play. and
give them candy now and then"
81 shall when I'm rich, like Mr..
Chrome and Miss Kent. l shall go
round every Christmas with q big bas-
ket of goodies. and give all the poor
children some"
''P'r'aps if we sew ever so many
flannel shirts we may be rich by-and-
by. l should give mother new bon
net first of all, for / heard Miss Kent
say no lady would wear such a shabby
one. Mrs. Smith said fine bonnets
didn't make real ladies. like her best,
but I do want locket like Miss
Kents."
IL should give mother some new rub
bers. and then l should buy q white
apron, with frills like Miss Kent's, and
bring home nice punches of grapes and
good things TO eat. as Mr.. Chrome does.
/ often smell them. but he never gives
me any: he only says: 'Hullo, chick!'
and I'D rather have oranges any time"
lit will take US long while to get
rich, I'm afraid. 1t makes me tired to
think of it. guess we'd better 90 to
sleep now, dear"
GOOD night, Dolly"
Good night, Polly"
Two soft kisses were heard, nest
ling sound followed, and presently the
little sisters lav fast asleep. cheek
against cheek. on the pillow wet with
their tears. never dreaming what was
gong to happen to them tomorrow.
Now Miss Kent room was next to
the rs; and as she sat sewing she could
hear the children talk, for they soon
forgot to whisper. At first she smiled,
then she looked sober, and when the
prattle ceased she said to herself. az
she glanced about her pleasant cham
Der:
80 Poor little things! they think I'm
rich. and envy me, when I'm only .
mliiner earning my living. / ought to
have taken more notice Of them. for
their mother has . hard time, fancy.