St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-01-26
COVINGTON, ST. TAMMANY PARISH, La. JANUARY 26 1884

materials the house afforded; but with
these, bending low in the ruddy fire
light, the brother and sister composed
the very first letter they ever wrote.
badly spelled and worse written. but
tilled~with sort Of simple, childish pa
tnOs.
"Wil the one who gets this bunch of holley
please remember the little twins. Nelly and
Molly, who hurt their fingers SO badley, trying
to pick it; for Krismas is not cunning to our
house this yeer, because pa is cead, and ma is
.n, 80 very I poor: o6 They are SIX yeers e. Old and and
as tn send them. This is written by their
brother and sister.
"Bushville. Y-Co., Mass" AZ 10 yrs old"
This episSle thev read over and over:
with much pride. and then tied it
securely in the very middle of the
thorny holly sprays, where it was quite
hidden from sight; and, unknown to
their mother. it was next day packed in
4 barrel with hundreds of wreaths and
yards of festooning, and shipped by
rail to New York. where a week later
it adorned window of q fashionable
shop on Broadway.
ing coal fire, that lit up with its rosy
light the rare paintings on the walls
and the handsome surroundings, all of
which bespoke both wealth and COM
fort. sat a lady, dressed in heavy black.
trying to shut her ears to the holiday
mirth in the street without; for, only
one short year before, childish feet had
danced gaily up and down the broad
staircase. and merry voices resounded
through the stately halls. But now the
little feet were still, the two sweet
voices hushed, and the mother sat alone
in her chidless home. finding little Joy
in the holy. happy Christmastide. Poor
Mrs Howard! how sorrowful she looks"
thought a kind-hearted sewing-girl,
who had brought home some work, and
received a generous gift in addition to
the money due her. Il wish l could
cheer her up little" and SO thinking.
came to a standstill before a florist 5
store, the windows of which were gay
with fragrant evergreens and bright
hued flowers. 'sOh! what pretty holly!
and how Chlistnaslike it looks! l wish
Mrs. Howard could see this, for l know
she is fond of it." So, on kind deed in
tent. the girl entered the shop and in
quired the price of the bunch of holly.
1t came within her slender means, and
with glowing face she fastened back
to the darkened house, and with a
courtesy and "Pardon me, ma am,
but l have Just brought YOU bit Of
Christmas" laid the messenger from
the pine woods on her lsp.-.'Oh! thank
you, Maggie; this is really beautiful"
said Mrs. Howard; and, glad to see her
smile ever SO family, the girl left with
a lighter heart But moment later.
tears were falling among the scarlet
berries, and sparkling like dew-drops
on the dark-green leaves, as slowly the
lady united the bunch, intending to
decorate her chldren's portraits with
the humble gift. Her thoughts had
wandered far away into the sad land of
memory, when suddenly something
rustling beneath her fingers brought
her back to the present, and with sur
prise she drew forth from its green bed
and read the little note sent by Katy
and Phil from their mountain home in
New England.
The holly messenger had done its
mission, and done it well. for with a
new and happier look ON her face than
it had worn for months, Mrs. Howard
laid down the letter exclaiming: ''Poor
little ones! they shall have a merry
Christmas, if l can give it them." and
hastily donning hat and cloak. she
joined the laughing, hurrying throng
without. On his return home that
evening. MIR. Howard was both sur
prised and delighted to find his wife
bright and interested, busily packing
large box with clothing. toys, and
sweetmeats, to which she even added a
little gown that had belonged to her
own little Helen, who was just the age
of wee Nelly. The holly had proved
blessing to both sender and receiver.
Itwas Christmas eve, cold and frosty;
the snow falling in large flakes, quietly
and gently, around the lonely little cot
tage on the border of the pine forest.
But, within, it looked quite gay and
festal. for the children had covered the
old cracked walls with garlands of
green, and stood great hemlock
branches in the corners, while the pine
knots burned as though they knew it..was
Christmas; and close to the chimney
hung two little striped stockings, fast
ened up there by Nelly and Molly, who
were now fast asleep IN an adjoining
room. "while visions of sugar-plums
danced through their heads.
81 am afraid the holly messenger has
failed" whispered Phil to Katy, as he
carefully shaped small wooden boat
he was whiting out for Molly. Eyes"
sighed Katy, glancing up from the bag
she was filling with beans, lis it getting
very late," "Here is all there is to put
in the stockings" said Mrs. Holland,
emerging from the cupboard with two
red apples, q doughnut man and wom-
an. and some handfuls of chestnuts.
..Poor dots! am afraid they will be
disappointed. not to find even a stick Of
candy"
At that moment q laundering rap
tap-tap sounded through the house, and
made them all jump. ''Who can that
be, this time of night?" said the mother,
starting to open the door; but Katy was
before her, and ushered in a neighbor
ing farmer, covered with snow, and
bearing a huge box. which he set down
with a thump, saying: There, Mrs.
Holland. found that down TO the vii
lage, directed to you, SO jist brought