The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1882-01-12
MAMMALS CHRISTMAS PRESENT,

Mrs. Watrous had taken prea
fancy to old-fashiored furniture. Sh,
already had good deal that had beer
her great-grandmother's; and she hat
sent her modern furniture to auction
and had the old brought from the gar
ret and rubbed with linseed oil ane
vinegar till it shone like glass, and ther
had rummaged round in the garrets O
her cousins who did not care for sucf
things, and among the second-hane
furniture-shops, and had sent far anc
near INTO the country, wherever she
heard of an article of the sort, to learr
If 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 fol
the hall, which she wanted exceeding.
~. but which she could nowhere find.
She knew there had been such a chest
IN the family, all covered with carving
that told in wood the story of some
Mlddle-Age legend; but the track of il
had been lost almost hundred wears
ago. She would have given anything
Tor it, she used to say; they were 80
very nice to stand in the hall, and sd
ornamental
She wanted great chest nearly as
tau as Matty. with panels full Of carv-
ing, and long shining hinges; but it was
not to be found. And although Mr..
Watrons would have had one made for
her, that would not have been tha
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 a little secret
with her, If she thought she could keen
secret; and of course Matty assured
nm that she could. and began to tell
nm all about several that she knew in
order to prove how well she had kent
them. clapping her hand ON her little
mouth in the middle of each. as She
found how nearly she had BETRAYED ey-
cry one of them. -
We'll" said her father, ~ think
my little girl can keep this one; and it
is only for a very little while. II il
about mammals Christmas present.
'Oh yes, indeedp' cried Matty.
have found the chest for herr
Papa! . papar' cried Matty, clasp
ing her hands, "Oh. how happy it
Papa laughed and continued: SHOW.
you know that this afternoon the sery.
ants will be all gomez for in Mr.. Wat
rous' family the servants had the day
and night before Christmas for a holt
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 1t, and will wait Just round the cor
ner; and as soon as Cousin Kate sees it
from her window she will send across
Tor mamma to run in and see her a mo-
ment, and taste her Christmas pudding
and tell her if it needs anything else he.
fore boiling. And what / want Won To
40 is not to be afraid TO stay atone about
i've minutes"
"Of course notr' said Matty.
And to tell mamma that YOU win
mind the baby while she runs across
ooh. yes, indeedr'
And then the men will bring in the
chest, and you may tell them where to
put it-under the stag's horns. Won
know-and when mamma comes hack
-, SeSoA
"Oh, won't she have happy Christ
mas Eve! She said it was all she !
Papa laughed again. 1--WE shall al,
have happy Christmas Eye,'' said be
'And as for my little Matty, i hope she |
mas astocking to hang up that will hear
> little stretchingI''
~, ana then Matty Rugged her father. |
and laid her head ON his shoulder. to |
owe him little while; and presently he |
went to the Office, and she went TO look
1t the turkey. as to the ,uonstrous size
md fairness of which there was lust then
1uite an cutlery coming up from the
Kitchen.
So the day wore away. A short win
er's day, but it seemed longer and
onger to Matty. At last it was getting
N towards three in the afternoon. and
mere came q ring at the door, and
Sousln Kate had sent over for Mrs.
Ratrous to come and taste her Christ
mas pudding.
dear me! said Mrs. Watrous. ~
an leave the baby"
"Oh yes, you can, mammar' cried
datty. Papa said-I mean-rll stav
With him. mamma, dear, and I won. De
bit afraidn
SO, leaving the baby with Matty.
drs Watrous threw q shawl over her
cad and ran across to Cousin Rates.
md i've minutes afterward, the men
ad left the great chest in the hall. I'm
er the stays horns, and had gone, and
hut the door behind them
Matty could not see the chest plainly
they carried it by-it was getting dark
the hall. But she scratched a match.
nd then climbed up and lighted one Of
ne wax candles in the little sconces
1st opposite the chest.
"Well, it is a splendid thine,'' she
aid to herself. The great sides. almost
P to her shoulder, were all covered
18th carving of cherubs, and harms.
nd crowns, and birds, and snakes. and
,ayes, and babies. in what seemed to
latty the strangest confusion.
When she had sufficiently admired
2e outside, Mattv thought she wnuId ,