Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1882-12-25


Gerty," and proved to be a little
velvet portemonnaie.
"Dear child! how thoughtful %
said Grandma. giving her kiss, and
not observing that the doctor looked
funnily at Mrs. White across the
table.
The next package bore Johns
name and disclosed a pocket-book of
Russia leather.
$50 useful !" said Grandma with
twinkle of gratitude in her kind old
eyes.
Harry emitted a long low whistle,
and his eyes shone as the next paper
parcel with his name on 1t showed an
honest black leather pocket-book with
steel clasp.
Grandma had to laugh. Doctor
White roared, and Tom looked lit
tie rueful as his buudle produced an
other wallet as like to Harry's as two
peas in pod.
sDear boys p said Grandma,
shaking like liberal bowl of jelly
with the laughter she tried to sup
press in vain but the boys turn to
shout as further explorations into the
foot of the old blue stocking brought
up lovely seal-skin wallet from
their mother, and a voluminous yell
low leather one from the doctor.
''six souls with but single thought
Six hearts that beat as one;'"
misquoted Mrs. Maria, and chorus
of laughter that almost ratified the
windows followed her. They were
still holding their sides and bursting
out afresh every other minute, when
little Sylvia Rutledge sailed into the
dining-room with delicate basket in
her hand.
''Merry Christmas ]" said she, ''but
you seem to have it already"
The boys all rushed at once to ex-
plain.
"Wait minute" said she, ''till I
have given Grandma her gifts and
she produced successfully from her
basket four parcels.
Sylvia's held another velvet porte
monnaie Anne's contained second
of hand-painted kid, daisies on a
black ground and Amelia's was a
third pocket-book of grey canvas
with Russia leather corners and
straps; while Mrs. Rutledge's tiny
packet produced an old-fashioned
short purse with steel fringe and
clasp which she had knit herself for
her mother.
How can words tell the laughter
which hailed this repetition? The
boys rolled off their chairs and roared
till their very sides ached; tears
streamed down Mrs. Whites face
Gerty gazed at the presents with a
look half rueful and half funny, while
the doctors vigorous ''haw haw
| haw - could have been heard half a
mile had it not been happily the sea-
son of shut doors and windows,
while Sylvia herself percelving the
six pocket-book which had preced-
ed her basketful, appreciated the
situation and laughed all the harder
because she was not tired with a pre-
vious fit of mirth, and Grandma sal
shaking and chuckling in her chair
out of breath to be sure, but her face
rosy and her eyes shining more thar
ever. Suddenly loud knock at tn,
front door interrupted their laughter
Tom ran to admit the intruder; i
was the expressman with box from
New York directed in uncle Toms
hand to Mrs. j. O.. Grant.
Something better than pocket
books this time, mother !" said tht
doctor, as Tom ran for the screw
driver; but alas the very first bun
die that rolled out and fell heavily tt
the floor, proved when picked up te
be indeed another pocket-book, cor
nered and clasped with silver, ane
Grandma's initials on the clasp
beautiful as the gift was it was it wa
thrust aside with a certain impati
ence, for the next package, labelled
s.from Rosamond, "but opened onl,
to display the very counterpart o
Amelia's gift; and a paper box witt
Kate's script outside held the recur
rent pocket-book again in black vel
vet and gilt corners, while littl
carved white-wood pox, the work o
Halls patient fingers, showed within
it's lid purse of silvered links whicl
had cost all his years savings.
This was the last touch. Hithert'
their curiosity as one thing was dis
played after another, had kept then
in sort of bubbling quiet, but thi
final develobment was too much
they laughed so loud and so lon
that old Hannah, hurrying from tn
kitchen and opening the door to Sc
what was the matter, looked thunder
struck as she beheld the whole FAM
ly shaking, choking, rolling about G
holding on to each other in roars O
side-splitting laughter, while fourtee
purses and pocket-books made th
breakfast table look like fame
fair.
81 thought l heard cracking c
thorns, as scripter says" she grow
ed. "Be you going to set up far
!. cy store, Mis- White?''