Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1882-12-20
SELECT.
Christmas at Jones' and Brownies
CHAPTER /.

the kind at the Brownies
They always had Jolly time, AM
received every friend that called at tn
Jones'.
They invariably put out a basket a
the Brownies (and the callers were re
signed, inasmuch as it gave them
little more time at the Jones')
The young people were Away
planning and arranging for an evening
at the Jones'; they never suggested
meeting at the Brownies, or dreamed
of storming that ambuscade for
frolic
Tom and Kittie Jones were the
most useful, as we'll as the most popu
lar, young people in the village; al
ways in, demand, because, as their
friends declared, "they were so cheerful
and helpful; so easy and afable; al
ways ready to adapt themselves to
circumstances; never envious or sensl-
tive, etc.; etc; never worried about
their clothes or the weather, or were
afraid that somebody would get into
their set that did not belong there. y
Amelia and Arnold Browne were so
fastidious, so easily annoyed, so par
ticular about what they ate, and so
painfully conscious of their cloths,
that they were frequently omitted from
the picnics and sleigh rides, the lawn
fetes, and croquet matches, and, in
fact, Miss Amelia frequently excused
herself because her wardrobe did not
contain some coveted new dress, hat
or wrap, preferring to be 'out of the
society world rather than out of the
fashion,
There was the same difference in the
homes Of the two families
The Jones cottage-designated by
the neighbors Observation-Disclosures cosy,
homelike, comfortable, filled with sun
shine, books, pictures, music, birds,
flowers, checrfullness, and contentment.
True, we must admit that the grass in
the front yard was worn under the
hammock and on the croquet ground.
The sunshine that was ever well
come had stolen trif1e of brilliant col
oring from curtain and carpet with
which to brighten the eyes and cheeks
of the inmates.
The books looked as though they
had been read, but the lines of beauty
which they had lost reappeared in in
tellectual lines in the human faces,
which seemed to have story to tell.
Mrs Browne declared that it gave
her a nervous chill to see a nice book
marred, and SO the key to the Browne
library was always lost.
Mrs. Jones said "a good book
was such a help and genuine treat to
her that she was always impatient to
pass it on to her friends The
Jones cottage would have been recog-
nized, by the most careless observer
as place to live in, and not to look
at.
The Browne mansion was much
more elegant at least so long as the
the house itself was made the objec-
tive point Of view. The fence, how
ever, was & weather-bcaten, old-fashion
board affair, as Mr. and Mrs. Browne,
being those kind of persons who
would not have anything unless it was
the best, were waiting until such time
as they could have constructed stone
wall with monumental pillars
AS you entered the front hall you
were fairly startled at the sepulchral
echoes that resounded through the
large, unfurnished parlors. Mrs.
Browne being one of those kind ofper-
sons who would not have any furni-
ture until she could have the best, new
er invited her friends until she could
entertain them in the most approved
style; hence, Miss Amelia was in great
danger of passing on to that stage
when young women are said to avoid
the census takcr, without ever enjoy
ing the fcte talked about and partly
promised on her 10th birthday.
What q mine Of comfort and pleas
urc such a suite Of rooms would have
been to the people of the village had it
been accessible to the Jones family
The piano would have been wheeled
in, the great bay windows filed with
trailing vines and hangingbaskets
overilowing with greenery; the bare
wall adorned with choice hclictypes,
evergreen mottos, ferns and autumn
leaves; possibly some benches would
have found place there, the children
Of the neighborhood invited to Sab.
bath afternoon service of song, while
during the week i would have served
N al
social club or dance in the evening.
If Mrs Jones had ever allowed her.
self to covet anything, she would
have looked upon those rooms with
grasping eyes. She was thinking of
these very rooms one afternoon,
when she said, half aloud, with unus-
ual earnestness, 'Oh |! what an excel
lent place it weuld be for our neigh
borhood Christmas tree =
Take care, mother, remember, Thou
shalt not covet, and | know you were
thinking about those unfurnishcd rooms
Of our 'neighbor over the way
Wouldn't they be elegant, though
Double doors; tableaux without any
trouble, etc etc. Oh, dear, am about
half tempted to rush right over now,
while my courage is up, and ask the
madame if we cannot use them
What would she say, do you sup,
poser
No, Kitty, Mrs. Browne is so par
ticular that it would be actual pain for
her to have tack driven in the wall
or footprints on the porches, and |
think we would all be very uncomfort
able. Children are very sensitive tC
the atmosphere Of a house; they would
be happier here. But | have been
thinking that perhaps we are at faul
in not inviting the Brownies to share
with us the pleasure of providing fol
the little poor children in the neigh
borhood, and | think you had betteI
90 over and invite them to unite will