Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-12-26

and other indigestible compounds,
also disappeared in the same ample
receptacle.
'Humph ! l trust the little Roths-
childs have well.seasOned stom-
achs to dispose of all that trash,'
thought Mr.. Caleb, sarcastically.
Though in reality he could not
have told whether his brother was
a bachelor or a Benedict, so long
had been the feud between them.
And then, Mr.. Caleb Chirrup's
humble abode was many, many
blocks removed from the aristOcra-
tic precincts of West End, where
his brother resided.
Theelder Chirrup-fOr Mr.. Roths-
child was the elder-seemed at last
to have completed his purchase of
edibles, and paused in front of a
flOwer-stall, where he selected a pot
Of crimson and white chrysanthe-
NUNS.
'The very pot, thought Mr.. Caleb,
grumly, that l picked out over a
month ago, as a Christmas present
for poor Patty.
Poor Patty was Mr.. Caleb's wife.
Mr.. ROthschild, however, depOs-
tied his purchase in the basket, and
trudged away, in blissful ignorance
of the shabbily dressed brother,
glowering at him from the window
across the street.
What-what's this?
Mr.. Caleb Chirrup had ascended
to the two secOnd-stOry rooms he
called home, and kissed his wife
and babies, shook hands with his
sister-in-law, and had hung up his
hat and overcoat, preparatory to
eating his supper.
There was no sign of grumness
here, for Mrs. Patty and her sister,
Miss Melissa, looked cheerful and
smiling, and wore their faded print
dresses as l. they had come from
the richest silk.lOoms of the East.
And the young Chirrups had
faces and pinafores, and looked as
happy as if Santa Claus was not
intending to give their stockings
the 'gO-by' on that particular Christ
mas Eve.
But Mr.. Chirrup still felt little
grum, as he thonght of the empty
stockings and other vexations, and
he turned to the tea-table i'll some
impatience. But-'Whats this p
he demanded, starting back as if a
snake had bitten him. And no
wonder he started, for on the table
lay a mammoth turkey, plump and
yellow. breasted, squads of vege-
tables, bunches of celery, dozens OF
ripe bananas, golden-rinded or
anges and lemons, piles of candies
and cOnfectonerlcs, and, fragrant
aud blooming, pot of crimson and
white crysanthemums; a familiar
looking market basket also stood
on a chair by the table.
Mr.. Chirrup was about to pinch
himself, to see if he was awake,
when Merry Christmas, brother
Caleb, sounded in his ear, and
forth from some mysterious corner
came Mr.. ROthschild Chirrup him
self, sleek and well kept looking
nobby hat, gold. headed cane and
all! merry Christmas, brother
Caleb he repeated, extending a
well-kept hand. T've been waiting
all these years for you to make some
advances towards a truce. But
since you still remain adamant,
concluded to make them myself
SO let by y-gones be by-gones, if yor
are willing, and let us be friends
hereafter, as well as brothers,
Then turning to the table, he hel(
up the ia. turkey, turning it round
and round, just as he had done OF
the market.
/, "A fine fellow, isn't he? go
the biggest | could find in the mar
ket, on purpose for you, he added d
,, 'And the pot of flowers a peace of
, fering to my sister-in-law, if she vii
accept it, he added, while Calel
still looked on, half dazed.
And the children's stockings wer,
not destined to hang empty afte
all, that Christmas Eve.
, And a better Christmas dinner
or a party to eat it, was not foun
= anywhere that Christmas Day. FO
4 Mr.. Rothschild Chirrup proved t
! be an old bachelor, and so yer
willingly accepted an invitation t
. dine at his brothers. And Mis-
Chirrup's sister, Miss Melissa, bC
ing an old maid, she aud Mr.. ROtl
schild very romantically fell in low
= with each other, and when anotbe
3 Christmas Day came around Nj
{ Rothschild was no longer a bach
lor, and Miss Melissa no longer a
~ old maid.
And when Lawyer Ledgerly gre
y well enough 'tO be seen again,
was obliged to provide himself vii
another clerk, as Mr.. Cable hf
gone into partnership with b
, brother in the mercantile bu'
, ness.