Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-12-23
A MERRY CHRISTMAS.
BY HELEN FORREST GRAVES.

"Flne. old-iashioned Christmas weather."
That was what Mr. Miggles, the tayernkeeper
called It. as he stood rubbing his hands before
the blaze of the huge backlog. that had up
held the tallest pine in all the forests of Maine
but fes brief months ago.
| philosopher might have cleaned valuable
matter out of this fact. but Mr. Misgies was not
a philosopher. He took Heavens gifts as they
| came. aad did not puzzle his head as to their
why's and wherefores; aud he liked a cold wind
| aiii deep snow at Christmas, because Ii was
] good for Business
| Dreadful weather. the stage-driver called
it, "a he sat- drifted up, on his box, like polar
.bears in the midst of an avalanche; his head
| down. his withered hands SO numb that he could
hardly hod the reins. and the snow pricking
aid tin@lng round his face, like SO many needles
with patent points
Cruel weather as the Widow Pomeroy,
who had no wood left aud whose barrel of meal
| IA at the lowest possible ebb. phrased it.
superb weather. as Miss St John up at st.
John Hall. WHO was dying for good oid-fash-
Toned coast down hill. p" declared
People look at things through such different
| lenses
The stage brought in three or four guests for
| the Fed owl Tavern that niyht-Mr Jessup
| the drummer. who with his bag of samples.
had intended To make his way to Warwick. the
Ee&t post office town. but was beated by the
violence of the Storm two ladies' in the dress of
some Christian sisteThood who were en- route
| Tor the new hospital at PlumsborO' and Peleg
| Pepper. who had been numbering in New Hamp-
SHIRE. with gang of other stalwart giants and
was now on his way to spend the Christmas
Week at his home. in the Maine wildernesses
Mr.. Pepper was a modern Hercules In a faded
AMI raf-ei treat coat. red silk handkerchief
tied nrisand-~ise over his ears and hat that
was an outrage to civilization. so worn, bat
| tered. ami generally dilapidated was it, He
| tung back sheepshly from the circle around the
! fire.
Il amt none of your fine folk, squire" said
| he. in reply to the landlords hospitabe entrea-
| ties I'm back woodsman | bel I'd rather
| set In the back-kitchen along of the help SQUIRE;
| no Odpnse to YOU
80 honest Peleg was allowed to keep in the
| BACKGROUND.
lister Serenica looked with uneasy glances at
! Sister Bertha.
| Il hope it is all right" said She
| But lie has villainous face whispered
! Sister Bertha.
There were highwaymen in the White MOun-
talns a,t summer. suggested Sister Serenica
| Oh. but TINS IL SUCH an out-Of-the-way place :"
urged Sister Bertha; land the landlord has a
good honest face
Very true" said Sister Serenca "But the
man may have cOnfellerates hid out in those
| he!nlock woods. I'm little uneasy about the
| hundred dollars are to deli, er to the head
nurse ar the hospital.
| Dear dear! " said Sister Bertha, with lit
tie snudder. = I'm sorry you put the thing into
Hy head. Serenca. Now Won sneak nf II no
has a hangdo@ expression of countenance And
| DO you observe how he chuckies to himself
every little while IA he sits out in that back
kitchen and stares at the fire? You NAV DEPEND
that it's because lie thinks be has US at his
mercy
Mr.. Jessup. the travelling salesman. did not
| exactly approve of the looks of the lumberman.
either.
Il hope, landlord, said he, rubbing his white
scented hands over the fire THAT our friend ont
| there Is all right"
',Eh p said the Boniface "Why shouldn't
ne be all right? He's one o. them New Hamp-
| shire lumber fellows comm home to spend
Christmas. They often come this way"
Jessup.
The landlord, who did not understand CITY
slang, stared.
The guests were all at supper-a savory SUD-
per It was, too for the landlords wife was the
crack cook OF the eghborhOod-when. in
rushed snoW-powdered vision from the outer
world, painting and breathIess
have any OF you seen anything Of a little
girl in white plush dress and blue ribbons ?"
said he 1.-The squire's little grand daughter is
Lost" shrieked the landlady, with the coffee
pot in her hand
Lost cried all the company in chorus. "a
child lost! La such storm as this! Among these
lonely wOOds!"
''Only four years Old" said the messenger
mutely accepting the glass Of hot spiced ale
which mine host made haste to hand him. "She
ran out back OF the wood when the stage stop-
ped to the squires to leave the letter bag, and
she amt been seen since. And Mrs. SedIey.
she's In Mysteries, and the squre's over toward
LlndleyVile, and all the men are gone in differ
ent directions to look for her."
well, | neyer!" said the landlord.
Poor little dear" said the Iandlady
children are always in some scrape or
other" said the drummer who was a single
man.
I'VE never know what tribulatlon is tn store
for us" said Sister Serenica, mildly
III we hear, anything Of the blessed child
Wen certainly let you know" said the landlady.
And Miggles viii send the stablemen out. inst
as soon as the late mail is i'm
But the messenger had scarcely disappeared
when the housemaid came in and whispered to
Miss Miggfes, exCitedIy:
''Oh. missus I've had such turn"
"A turn, you silly goOse!" said the Iandladv.
who tolerated no sentimental nonsense With her
damseis-in-wating. What On earth do YOU,
means" ''
WAS it child in blue sash and a white
frock as was lost?" said belinda. wildly.
why, yes. Didn't you hear the man say SOP"
cups?"
Yes yes!" cried Mrs. Miggles. .sWbat Of
it," "A''' "a
Then maam, it's been kidnapped" said De-
linda, with a hysterical whoop. 'And that
there cruel. fiinty- hearted lumberman has got it
in his room up stairs in bo-o-ox!"
WHAT" cried the !andlady.
Pretty dear" / saw her myself shrieked the
maid. Come and look, ma'am, if you don't be-
lieve my words"
And in five minutes Peleg Pepper, sitting doz.
ing before the kitchen fire, with his shaggy can
pulled over his eyes, was seized by half dozen
pairs of hands.
''Eh?" he cried, starting out of his half-shaped
dreams; and mechanically putting his hand on
ried his revolver.
"Villan!" roared Miggles. ''Wretch!"
screamed Mrs. Miggles. ''Fiend in human
shape!' roared the damsel; while all the tavern
help Joined in the general hue-and- cry.
mMhuts the matter?" said Peleg Pepper
What has happened!"
Bring the poor little innocent down at once"
said MIS- Miggles, "Shes been drugged or
she'd never lie there so still and peaceable.
Confess your crime, and praps the squire II let
you on easy! Though what could have put
sucn hndsh idea into your head, I'm sure /
Can't imagined"