The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1881-12-23
MAMMA,s CHRISTMAS PRESENT.

ScuG ucT uOucTu luTulCur0 10 8ucClO0,
and had the old brought from the gar
ret and rubbed with linseed oil and
vinegar till it shone like glass, and then
had rummaged round in the garrets of
her cousins who did not care for such
things, and among the secondhand
furniture-shops, and had sent far and
near into the country, wherever she
heard of an article of the sort, to learn
it she could add to her collection.
At last she had rested from her la
bors. her house equipped with brass
knocker, with brass sconces for candles,
with little mirrors in open-work brass
frames. with straight backed chairs and
''thousand-legged' tables, and every
thing, in short, except great chest for
the hall, which she wanted exceeding
ly. but which she could nowhere find.
She knew there had been such chest
in the family, all covered with carving
that told in wood the story of some
Middle-Age legend; but the track of it
had been lost almost hundred years
ago. She would have given anything
for it, she used to say; they were so
very nice to stand in the hall. and so
ornamental.
She wanted a great chest nearly as
tall as Matty. with panels full of cary
ing, and long shining hinges; but twas
not to be found. And although Mr..
Watrons would have had one made for
her, that would not have been the
genuine old article, and she would not
listen to such thing.
But one morning--it was on the
morning before Christmas--Mr. Wat
rous took Matty on his knee and told
her he was going to have little secret
with her, if she thought she could keep
a secret; and of course Matty assured
him that she could. and began to tell
him all about several that she knew in
order to prove how well she had kept
them. clapping her hand ON her little
mouth in the middle of each, as she
found how nearly she had betrayed ev-
cry one of them.
"Well," said her father, II think
my little girl can keep this one; and it
is only for a very little while. 1t is
about mammals Christmas present"
"Oh yes. indeedr' cried Matty.
II have found the chest for herr
"Papa! o papar' cried Matty, clasp
ing her hands. "Oh. how happy it
will make her!''
Papa laughed and continued: 'Now,
you know that this afternoon the serv-
ants will be all gone"- for in Mr.. Wat
rous' family the servants had the day
and night before Christmas for a holi-
day. so that the rest of the family might
have Christmas Day itself for theirs
"and there will be nobody but mamma
and you and the baby in the house.
''The cart will come with the chest
in it, and will wait Just round the cor
ner; and as soon as Cousin Kate sees it
from her window she will send across
for mamma to run in and see her mo-
ment, and taste her Christmas pudding,
and tell her if it needs anything else be-
fore boiling. And what 1 want you to
do is not to be afraid to stay alone about
five minutes''-
''Of course not!'' said Matty.
''And to tell mamma that you will
mind the baby while she runs across
"Oh, yes, indeed!'
"And then the men will bring in the
chest, and you may tell them where to
put it-under the stays horns. you
know-and when mamma comes back
~
"Oh, won't she have q happy Christ
mas Eve! She said it was all she
wantedr'
Papa laughed again. 1--WE shall all
have happy Christmas Eve" said he.
s'And as for my little Matty, hope she
has stocking to hang up that viii bear
q little stretching!''
And then Matty Rugged her father.
and laid her head on his shoulder, to
love him little while; and presently he
went to the Office, and she went TO look
at the turkey. as to the yuonstrous size
and fairness of which there was just then
quite an outcry coming up from the
kitchen.
So the day wore away. A short win
ter's day, but il seemed longer and
longer to Matty. At last it was getting
on towards three in the afternoon. and
there came 3 ring at the door, and
Cousin Kate had sent over for Mrs.
Watrous to come and taste her Christ
mas pudding.
"Dear me! said Mrs. Watrous, 81
can't leave the baby"
"Oh yes, you can, mammal cried
Matty. Papa said mean-pn stay
with him. mamma, dear, and won De
q bit afraid"
So. leaving the baby with Matty,
Mrs. Watrous threw . shawl over her
head and ran across to Cousin Kate's.
And i've minutes afterward, the men
had left the great chest in the hall. un-
der the stays horns, and had gone, and
shut the door behind them.
Matty could not see the chest plainly
as they carried it by-it was getting dark
in the hall. But she scratched q match,
and then climbed up and lighted one of
the wax candles in the little sconces
Just opposite the chest.
SWELL, it is q splendid thing" she
said to herself. The great sides, almost
up to her shoulder, were all covered
with carving of cherubs, and harps.
and crowns. and birds. and snakes, and
leaves, and babies. in what seemed to
Mattv the strangest confusion.
When she had sufficiently admired
the outside, Matty thought she would