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

they sat down, while others wondered
If the what not in the corner was SUI
sy's playhouse. The sister of the little
blind girl was giving her q whispered
description of all she saw.
"There's flowers all over the carpet,
Janey, looks most like you could pick
'em. And there's red cnrtings TO the
winders, hitched up with shiny things.
An shiny little boys onto the shelf that's
over the fire, an they're holding up
things with flowers in 'em-beautiful
flowers, Janey. An there's a little
cupboard in the corner with such lots
O."
But here Aunt Lucy began stirring
things up. She played on the piano
and sang lively songs which made them
laugh and drove away their bashful-
ness. Then a joine hands in merry
round games, and the mistress of the
house felt pleasure unknown before
in seeing how quickly these few mites
among the great worlds many neglect
ed little ones took in the influence Of
the warm, bright, beautiful room, and
the indy regard for their happiness.
Their laughter was as gay, their faces
as CHEEKY and their manners, withal, as
correct rs those of moro favored chill
dren. And when they were in he full
tide Of play under Susy's To- ID the two
dies slipped qui tly OF d made
their way to a cheap store not far dis
tant.
Mittens bv the dozen were cheap, "a
were worsted hoods, bright co ored and
r
ing over of toys and mall books. Re-
turning home half hours work saw
removed from the Christmas tree vari-
GUS trifes in the way of delicate per
fume, sacbets, cases OF p,peterie, eto.,
and the homelier gifts in their place.
And it had eded little time or trou lie
to have added to the fancy supper pro-
pared for daintier tastes o supply Of
bee steak md potatoes.
Il like to see them eating the good
things" whispered Susy to her mother,
as she skipped about, waiting on all,
now cutting the little blind girls meat,
and seeing that her sister did not en-
tirelv forget herself i'll waiting on her {;
now laughing quietly behind child who
nearly drop ed her saucer OF ice-cream
at the first taste Of its coldness; now
watching little girl making faces to
see how funny she looked in the sugar
bowl.
I'm 40 glad they camel"
But the browning excitement was when
folding-doors were thrown open and an
other room appeared, just as pretty and
bright "a the one they were In, but half
filled with n wonder of n tree which
held ont its generous branches laden
with wealth of Christmas fruit.
Did it grow there?" asked the
Youngest girl in the happy little crowd I;
and even Janey's chatty sister seemed
struck dumb Mt the sight.
Aunt Lucy picked the fruit, Susy
distributed it, and then there was a re-
turn to the games. And at an early
closing of the evening Aunt Lucy gath
cred the quests around the piano to sing
some Christmas hymns.
WED like to come here next Christ
mas said little girl "a they babe
goodnight. Her older sister ierked
her hand with a vigorous ~Sh-h-h!" but
Mrs. James said:
You shall.
How came you to think of it, little
daughter?" asked her mother as Susy
laid her tired head on her pillow.
90, you see, mamma, 1 felt badly be-
cause ne of the little girls seemed to
care much about my asking them-and
they all seemed to have 40 much good
times beside, and then thought it was
! pity folks Iii Int invite the kind of
| little girls that don't have any good
times of their own-and / remembered
it says somewhere about when you have
party you ought to invite the poor
and lame and the blind and-Tm so
sleepy, MANN y
And mamma kissed the round cheek,
whispering to herself:
THAT | should have waited all these
years to have You teach mo this, little
one l"-Chicdgo Standard.