St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1881-12-31
A HAPPY NEW YEARS DAY,

but the Widow Bertram's little cottage
on the edge of lonely forest, in the
northern part of Maine, was fragrant
with the spicy odor of pine. holly and
hemlock, great branches of which were
heaped upon the floor of the small
kitchen, while Milly's little fingers were
tired enough of breaking off the prickly
twigs. and making them into punches
for her mother and brother Jim, who
deity twined them into graceful gar
lands, wreathes and festoons: for soon
there would be a call from the great
cities for Christmas greens, with which
to deck their homes and churches; and
the Bertrams hoped, by supplying this
need, to earn enough money to keep
them comfortable through the long, cold
winter, for they were very poor, and
sometimes had hard work to drive the
wolf from the door; and Jack Frost
comes early and stays late in that far
Northern State. So seven-year-old
Milly had to help all she could, and her
hands were very skillful, and her bright
eyes very quick in picking out just the
right spray, or bunch of berries, and
she worked away steadily. only stop
ping occasionally to hug Miss Araminta
Cleopatra Fitz-James-a curious little
specimen of doll, made of corn-cob,
and dressed in bit of faded calico. to
which Milly had given so high-sounding
name as some compensation for other
deficiencies. and which she loved with
all her affectionate little heart
"There, mother, isn't that a beauty?n
said Jim, holding up a wreath he had
just finished of rich, heavy evergreens,
dotted with the bright scarlet holly ber-
ries.
1.-THE prettiest one of all, said Milly.
Il wonder who will buy it2''
" 1t don't matter. so long as we get
the money" said Mrs. Bertram, sigh
ing. Il had hoped to give you chill
dren little taste of Christmas this year,
but it has been such bad season, I am
afraid there won't be anything for toys
or candy, even if we can pay the rent
"Oh, never mind us, mother" said
Jim, cheerily. Perhaps good luck
will come with the New Year; and any
way, we've all we want, only I wish
Milly could have q real nice doll in
stead of that scare-crow yonder.''
"Don't call my dearest, sweetest
Araminta Cleopatra names,'' cried
Milly, catching up the corn-cob, and
showering kisses upon its rather
scrubby head. --.....
{" You ought just to see the dolls I
saw in the toy store at T. continued
Jim, with real hair, and cried when
they were pinched as natural as Mrs.
Rattle's baby. I tell you, they'd make
you open your eyes! You'd never look
at Araminta Cleopatra Fitz James
again.
eyes, I should" said Milly, Loyalty,
tfhough / would like to have a real
dolly; but I've never even seen one."
Mrs. Bertram sighed again, and soft
ly wiped away a tear; but Jim ex-
claimed: 'tpve thought of a splendid
plan!''
"Oh! what?' asked Milly.
"You see this sumner of wreath
I've just made?'
eyes"
"Well! I think [ deserve something
for the extra pains I've taken, so I'll
write a note, telling whoever buys it
about you, and asking them to send you
a doll; and We'll tie it in among the
greens, and who knows but some kind
hearted person may find it and do as we
ask. Wouldn't it be jolly if they
should?"
"Too lovely for anythingr' ex-
claimed Milly, and she capered round
the room, at the very idea, ending her
dance by embracing Ara
minta Cleopatra, and declaring she
should never love her any less even if
she had a hundred china babies that
cried just like Mrs. Rattle's Tommy.
So that evening, when the pine knots
that served both for fuel and lights were
blazing merrily in the open fireplace,
Jim hunted up an old inkstand and pen,
that had not seen the light for many a
day, earned a sheet of paper from a
neighbor by bringing her a pail of
water, and together he and Milly COM |