The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-12-19
CHRISTMAS BREEZE
By SOPHIE MAY.

By 0OpHIE AAY.
: o. Whist . breeze Of temper IL was!
I can't tell just how il happened to blow
up all of q sudden, but think it began
by Zaidee's letting herself feel SO cross
that afternoon at Mrs. Springs. I am
sure all of you little girls and boys, too,
know very we'll how
Ono little heart with anger stirred
Two little lips by naughty word
Danish the angel Of psarly wing,
Darksome spirits instead they brinR.
"Oh, it's dreadful to have your chill.
dren act so when you're 'specting com.
pany," said Zaideo shaking her largest
doll. "Why, Bluebell, how rude you
are! Now. if you go and get tho friz
ont of your hair you sha'n't have any
cake for your party"
my Butterfly is Just as bad as your
Bluebell, only worse," cried little Jes.
SIC Spring. Sometimes I wish I hadn't
any children! And we working so hard
to make 'em happy, and give EN- a
Christmas party. Zaidee, how long
will it be before Christmas?"
Zaidee always knew chow long, Il
would be before anything, and could
actually tell the time on the clock,
though she was only seven years old.
1T will ethree nights, and two days.
and one afternoon, replied she, prompt.
ly. "Why. Christmas is almost here.
and my naughty children haven't made
any presents for their mother" went on
Zaidee, growing more indignant the
more she thought of their base inprati.
tude.
So she shut up the whole family
there were nine of them-in a large
basket which served as a dark closet.
Then Jessie found that her children
never made her any presents, and they
must go into the wooi-box and stay
there till they very sorry.
While this severe and Just punish.
ment was going on, the two wise little
mothers sat on Tho rug and fell to talk.
II know one present that will he on
our tree, and wish I didn't know it, I"
said Zaidee, who seemed to look gloom
ier every minute. cts gold bracelet.
q splendid beauty. Aunt Fanny bought
it last week, because 1 asked her to; and
l promised her I'd forget all about it /:
but somehow I can't forget. Don't YOU
think it must 5e awful when YOU try to
forget and cant?"
Yes. Only some things are aw-
fuller" SAID Jessie, little spot in her
heart aching with envy. "Some folks
don't have any aunties to buy 'em
bracelets. I never saw girl have so
many things as you do, Zaidee Seldom,
never!"
"Well. you needn't be so cross at me
for that; I can't help it, Jessie Spring.
There, now, our children have been in
long enough to feel sorry, SO we'll take
'em out and pacify 'em. Oh, I'll tell
you what my Bluebell wants to do.
She has been teasing me ever 60 long to
go up in balloon; and she shall 20 up
so she shalt"
Upon this the little girls proceeded
to tie their dollies to some toy balloons
and give them ride in the air.
away they go, up in the sky. Isn't
it gay? I wish could go up in bal
loon myself" said Jessie, daintily set
tling the white plume in Butterfy's
bonnet.
And perhaps it was at this precise
minute that the breeze really began:
for Zaidee said very sharply indeed:
well, I don't want to go up in a bal
loon. I shouldn't think anybody'd
want to. I should think they'd rather
wait till they are dead"
"There, now, Zaidee Selden, you
needn't say anything about mo being
cross. It's you are cross! You keep
saying. No, no. to everything say!
And it's just because you're so proud
about that bracelet"
"No, it isn't either" said Zaidee, with
dignity. She was subject to little at
tacks Of dignity. 81 forgot oil about
that bracelet. It's tho first time I've
forgot it this whole day. I only said I
didn't want to go up in the sky; and
why should I want to go up in the sky,
when I'm not dead ut all.
As she spoke, she glared at Jessie
with her large black eyes in a remark
able way; and Jessie. whose patience
had been tried all the afternoon, was
moved to say now the most unkind and
cutting thing she could think Of:
"Well, you needn't go up in the sky,
Zaidee Selden. But now I'm going TO
tell you what my uncle Horace said
about your aunt Fanny. Yes, I am.
He said she had human nose. !"
Jessie meant Roman; but it was all
the same to Zsidee. A word against her
best friends nose was moro than she
could bear; and the visit which might
have been such happy one, ended, at
last, in quarrel.
"Why, what has happened?" ex.
claimed Mrs. Selden, when Zaidee
rushed home long before tea-time, look
ing wildly unhappy.
20 mammal" replied the little girl,
almost sobbing from excitement, "Jes-
sizes very disagreeable; and besides, she
me down."
Mrs. Selden looked very much sur
prised.
1T doesn't seem possible, said she.
II never heard of Jessie's behaving like
that. What had you done to make her
angry?"
"Oh, it was she that made me angry,
talking about aunt Fanny's bracelet, and
aunt Fanny's human nose!"
Mamma let her work fall in her lap,
and laughed and laughed.
"A human nose is the very incest in
the world" said she, at last. "But Jes-
sic didn't knock yon down for that?"
"No'm;" and Zaidee bowed her head
very low in shame. Nom; knocked
her down first"
Then it was all out. Zaidee had been
the one really at fault; and she had