The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-12-31

much sugar inside, unless, 1nueed, III
the form of candy. For the very last
thing on top was gay Santa Claus of
cardboard, underneath which were all
kinds of MISUNDERSTANDING packages
closely packed together. Under the
barrel were spread several newspapers,
on which lay the boards of the cover,
all ready to be fastened on. Ona table
near by was label neatly addressed to
MISS CHLOE RANKIN,
ROCKVILLE,
NELSON Co,
VA"
So much for the barrel; now for the
four bright faces which peered into it.
A more dancing pair of eyes than
Phebe Johnston's, a roster pair of
cheeks than Madge Harding's, a more
piquant, saucy little mouth than Annie
Rogers, or more serious, thoughtful
brow than Eva Blackburn's, / am sure
you never saw. These four constituted
Miss Wearman's Sunday-school class,
and Miss Wearman herself was the tall,
slight girl who looked over their Shout
ders, and whose parlor was, for the
time being, ornamented with huge
sugar-barrel. These five had gathered
and packed the Notwithstanding pack
ages which lay underneath the card
board Santa Claus, and this is the way
it all came about:
One day early in December Miss
Wearman received letter from Chloe
Rankin, a poor colored school-teacher
whom she knew down in Virginia, and
who was struggling to teach, both in
day-school and Sunday-school, nearly
hundred little negro children. The
scattering hamlet in which she lived
lay among the Blue Hills, which run
through the western part of Virginia,
and which sent such cold winds through
her miserable little school-house that it
was more than they could all do to
keep warm. Many of the children walked
seven miles day in order to learn
what Chloe could teach them, and that
was not much more than Eva Black
burn, who was only thirteen years old,
knew already. The letter told Miss
Wearman how poor the people were,
and how they had really no comforts at
ALL Their novels were wretchedly fur
nished-and as for playthings, not a
child in the school had ever seen a
pretty doll nor played with anything
more elaborate than the sticks and
SlOlCS III llt HClNio AOuhu uDOut'
AS Miss Wearman read the letter her
heart was filled with pity, and with the
pity came longing desire to help them.
1t was this thought which led Miss
Wearman to say to her Sunday-school
class on the following Sunday after
noon:
{" Girls, if you want to spend the
very happiest Christmas this year which
you ever knew, l think l can tell you
how.n
And then she read Chloes letter, and
suggested sending Christmas box to
the poor little darkies who had no play
things but sticks and stones.
GO You know they would be delighted
with toys which have been already
used"
eyes" replied Madge, "and my
brother Sam has lots of plaything'
which he is tired of and which we coult
send as well as not"
"And Ihave three dolls" said Phebe
"and ever so many picture books, ant
my cousins would give me lots of games
I know; they have perfect heaps.''
The girls seemed enthusiastic owe
the idea, and Miss Wearman aske,
them to bring all their gifts to he
house on the next Friday afternoon.
Accordingly, when Friday came
Annie and Phebe arrived about tire
O'Clock, with their arms full of things
presently Madge and Eva drove ur
with great basket, so full that tn
coachman had to carry it for them t
the door.
Miss Wearman had prepared som
empty tables, but they were not larg
enough for all that the girls brought, i
addition to a good many toys which sh
herself had rummaged out from tn
garnet, where they had lain since sh
was a child. She filled all the tables
and was finally obliged to improvis
new ones by laying table-leaves o
chairs.
Why" said Annie, eve have S
many now, let's try to get enough tC
gether so that each child can have
present."
There were just sixty-five, so far
many small ones, to be sure, but sti
quite enough to please child.
Why couldn't they have Chris
mas tree?" said Phebe. eve coul
make candy-bags and send some cand
and peanuts to fill them with, and the
would look so pretty hanging on tt
tree"
"That is very good idea," said Mi
Wearman. " / have quantity of coar'
lace up stairs, and if you will all brir
your thimbles and some bright worsted
next week Wednesday, we will NAL
them up"
The girls assented with enthusiast
and promised to see what they could {
in the meantime toward getting mo
presents and enough money for Il
candy and nuts.
During the next few days the nuI
Der of toys and picture-books and pre-
ents of various kinds which were Sc
to Miss Wearman's house astonish,
her greatly. The little ball she had S
rolling had grown so large she soon sa
that the small box she had prepare
would not nearly hold the gifts tn
came. They were spread all around Il
room on those oddly improvised table
Some of the neighbors, too, heard
the plan, and one of them sent in TO
splendid new jack-knives.
When the girls came on Wednesd
to make the bags they counted up t
presents again, and found there we
more than a hundred! Such a g
sight as they presented! There we
dolls of all kinds-little and big pan