The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1883-12-27
on the dining-room sofa and pulled off

on the dining-room sofa and pulled of
the o.S shoes to rub the icy feet.
Sable was unable to tell Just then;
she was SO full of tingling aches and
pains, and herhead buzzed so strangely.
But two hours later, when warm from
head to foot, and dressed in some COM
Portable garments that the pretty
daughter had outgrown, and after q
dinner, the like of which she had never
even dreamed of, she told her simple
story.
And when it came to an end, Sherry
went out into the hall, making a sign
to his comrades to follow, which they
did Immediately, for they were all true
to the General" as they called him.
"f say, boys" said he, '.let's make
up a good New Years present for her
-she hadn't any Christmas, poor little
thing-and take her home. We can
make a New Years call on Tony and
Granny at the same time, and be back
plenty early enough for Cousin Dora's
party, too"
can right, General" chimed in Ned
Morningstar; .'and we'll get Aunt Han
nah to give us a jar of her preserved
o"DOtliCo duo tu0J UfiuS buo
young chap around; that is, if straw
wild, but I'm wild after them.h
I'm with you," said Austin Howell.
"She's a real good sort, she is. Why,
one of our sisters couldn't have done
more for u.s." 1o1laf BE-;
"Mine wouldn't do half as much for
me-" declared Sherry. "Why, it was
only this morning she refused point
blank to bake more than fifteen buck
wheats for me because I was late at
breakfast
"a most unsisterly, not to say shame
full, proceeding" said Ned Morning
star, with mock indignation. "But
come, we must straight to our aunt and
cousin u plans unfold. Tempus
fugit."
You may be sure Aunt Hannah and
Cousin Dora heartily approved of the
plans when they were unfolded. And
they showed their appreciation by pack
ing into a bushel basket-an honest
and true bushel basket-as their share
of the New Year gifts, a loaf of home
made bread, half a boiled ham, a roast
chicken, a bowl of butter, a tin pail of
fresh eggs, a paper bag filled with
doughnuts, and some potatoes, onions,
turnips, tea and sugar, not forgetting
too jars of preserved Strawberries. :
And Matt. the hired man, brought
out the two-horse sleigh, and puttingt
the heavy basket in first, got in him
self, took the reins and waited for the
others. Sable, wrapped in a blanket,
which she was to keep, was placed in
the bottom of the sleigh beside the
basket.
"She'l be warmer there than any
where else," said Aunt Hannah.
Then the boys tumbled in, and the
horses pranced, and the bells jingled,
and away they went, to stop, in Just
one hour and three-quarters, in front
of the tall tenement-house, the cellar.
basement of which Sable called
s.home."
And didn't the turnout cause a great
excitement among the people in that
neighborhood? Such athing had never
been seen there before. aadthe windows
on each side of the block were filled
with curious faces-faces that showed
every stage of establishment as Sable
was lifted from the sleigh and the six
fine, manly looking boys followed hel
to call on Granny.
The old stopped singing,
"How tedious and tasteless the hoursf'
and looked at them with q glimmer Of
surprise as they trooped in.
"Happy New Year, grandmother i''
said they all; and Sherry laid a purse
filled with silver half-dollars in hel
lap.
"Happy New Year, my brave lads
said she.
And Matt brought in the bushel
horses as be did So, and opened a jal
of strawberries in the ~twinkling of ar
eye.
"They's not the very same, Tony
said Sable, eagerly, "but I gotten neal
that place, 1 did. And oh. Tony. I got
lots an lots of other good things, too
"Did you go way out there fur me
jist fur me?" asked Tony. "You's the
bestest an smartest sister ever wuz,
an I feel ever so much better this
VERY minnit. Happy New Year, Sa-
bier!"
And the General and his company
got back to Joy Farm just as the party
began, and when the guests had all ar
rived.
Aunt Hannah told the story of Sa
bie's search for the strawberries, anG
the boys told about their visit to Tony
and his grandmother, and the result
was at least thirty more good friend;
for the family in the cellar-basement
And in consequence of that result the
reimbursement was ''to let" in a few
weeks, and Sable, Tony and Granny
were living in a comfortable four
roomed cottage only a stone's-throV
from Farmer Joys farmhouse.
And there they are living still. Ant
when Sable reads this story, as she il
sure to do, she'll wonder how 1 came t.
know all about those two totally unex
pected New Years calls.-Mdrgare
Eytinge, in Harper's Young People.