The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1882-12-15
Susy's Guests.

"Yes, Susy, you may invite twelve
little folks here on Christm ~ eve, from
four to nine o'clock-thats plenty late
cept for great occasions Ike Christmas.
And you may choose your company
yourself, and you shall have Christ
mas tree"
Susy performed tiptoe movement
about the room and then sat down TO
the serious work of making ou' her list,
VIII ;ch, being done, she sa lied forth to
give her invitations, her first stopping
place being at Tom and Kitty Gilbert's.
"Oh, thank you, Susy; we'd be so
glad to come, but all our aunts and
uncles and cousins are coming, so we
shall have to be at home, of course. I"
Her next call was on her dearest fir end,
Mabel Bland.
"Oh, Susy, I'm so sorry; but we're
all to go out in the country TO visit
grandf ither's, so l cant come, you see.
And the next:
"Why, Susy, I'm going to have some
little girls myself on Christmas eve, and
/ want You to comet
A fashionable little lady to whom she
next went said, with very grownup
air, THANK you; should be delighted d,
I'm sure, but / have so many engage
ments. Mamma Is to have company
that night, and, of course, wi | want
me here. There's something for almost
every evening throughout the holt
days"
Susy went no further, but returned
home quite discouraged. Mamma was
too busy with Oh istmas work to give
her any help, so for day or two she
was quite at LOIS. But on Monday
christmas came on Wednesday, morn
ing she told mamma all her invitations
were given.
"There they come, mamma" cried
the little lassie who had been watching
for her guests. Five of them. The
others Ii he here soon, l know" Nam
ma did 10 k IL little astonished as Susy
led M 20 her five shabbv little girls in
faded calico dresses, but gave them a
p easant greeting, while Susie met in
the hall another little crowd which
made up the number she was to invite.
one carefully led by her sister proved
to be blind. Poorly cl ID they all were,
but with smooth hair, clean faces, and
eyes which took in wonderingly the
pretty things about them.
And there's Aunt Lucy!-she said
she'd come, too"
Mrs. James met her sister in the hall.
do come and see what curious lit
Gle crowd Susy has got here" she said.
"Whv, its my mission class. Thought
You knew; Susy told me you said she
might invite them"
II t. d her she might invite whom she
pleased. but l must confess l didn't
look for this kind of company. Look
here she led the way first to the
| Christmas-tree and then to the dining
room, and both laughed.
at won't do" said Aunt Lucy.
"But how can we he p matters?"
Easily enough, only 1t will take a
little money"
"Ive spent all that 1 thought I could
on Christmas doings, but the Lord for
give mel" her face grew sober, "it's lit
tie enough of it I've spent upon His
poor. What will be wanted :"
~There's plenty of time. We must
go in now and make those children feel
at home, and after while we'll slip out
and do what is necessary"
What demure little things they were,
looking as il they felt lost, which they
probably did, for few Of them had ever
been in such room before. Some of
them shyly poked the chairs tn feel the
springs which had astonished them as