The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-12-27
GRANDM0THER'S STORY.
A Christmas in the Old Log House
Many Years Ago.

The Christmas dinner had been eaten,
the afternoons frolics were over, and
now in the hush of egenlide the Dayen-
port family were gathered about the
great open fireplace in tie library,
talking over the days doings; and as
Grandma Davenport put on her glasses
and glanced over her surrounding, she
said, with smile and sigh:
I'm thinking of Christmas long
ago"
In the old log-house?" questioned
Ethel
Yes, IN the old Lighthouse This
blazing fire seems to stir up auld lang
syne, though to be sure, we didn't have
polished brass tenders and fire-sets, and
ebony-handled hearth brushes"
"Norplaque clocks, nor brass sconces,
nor hanging cabinets, nor decorated
porcelain lamps, nor portiere curtains
nor" Mabel added.
Not SO fast, dear" laughed grand
'--''' " u wv litlfC POI iltit CUi tililS,
though we did not call them by that es-
thetlc name, nor We're they of lutte
Vclours or silk turcoman, but only of
simple curtain calico But they were
gay, | can assure you, with red, blue.
yellow and green birds fitting all over
them. They We're not put up for orna-
mental purposes either but only to par
ttion off our part of the loft from the
boys, and to shut off mothers bed
from the rest of the house"
Did you have pets?' asked Fred.
''4es. dear, we had our ducks, and
chickens, and turkeys, and Nancy had
a golden pheasant As for the boys,
you would have liked to see their pets.
Ickc had wild rabbits, and squirrels and
Wood-chucks, and Ichabod always had
some snakes shut up somewhere
mother would never allow them within
a mile OF the house-and a colony of
frogs. Our house was in a lonely
place, our nearest neighbor being near
ly mile away, and the little hamlet
where we bought needed articles some
times and carried our grain to the mill
was SIX miles of, long, weary ionr-
ney when taken in bitter weather, over
drltted roads and with the help of a
slow OK team. 1t was on the Goth of
December that father and Ichabod had
TO go to Lofts Corners, as the hamlet
was called, on business. Mother wasn't
feeling very well at the time, and |
could see she didn't like to have father
go. although she didn't say so, but
looked brave and sweet as she babe
J. l,,.o 1. IL
and keep you both, and then father
held her in his arms a moment, and
Ichabod Rugged her like a bear Zeke
said, and they were off. Those were
busy days that followed for. YOU must
know, our Nancy was to be married
upon the coming New Year Day. She
and mother were busy at their spinning
wheel from morning until night from
the time father left until the evening of
the Esd. Then mother said:
Wen spin no more till after Christ
mas"
30, how busy we were all the follow
ing day, the 18th Mother sang as she
worked, sweet old hymns, that seemed
TO lift us up some way, and kept our
hearts light and made our souls strong.
Nancy made cookies, great cookies as
large as a tea-plate, and stamped them
with an old-fashioned picture-stamp,
representing fireplace, with little
stockings hung on it; and she made
pumpkin pies and apple pies, and square
seed-cakes and ginger bread. Zeke did
the outdoor work, fed the cattle, the
pigs, brought in the logs and made the
old Fireplace roar with heat, for it was
bitterly cold day, and the snow was
falling fast and drifting in huge banks,
on account OF the strong wind blowing,
close up to the house. Zeke killed and
dressed pig, too, such fine, fat little
fellow, that Sophronia, who was an odd
child of seven, given to queer remarks,
said she'd like it for plaything instead
of her old, greasy rag-doll, and tried to
get Zeke to climb up into the loft to
bring down the old cradle so that she
could rock it to sleep. | wasn't quite
eleven then, but my hands we've busy,
too, all day long. | helped mother with
the chickens and the stuffed ducks, and
the brown-bread and about everything
else that occupied her, and | noticed as
the short-winter's day drew to close,
she stopped entirely her snatches of
song, and once in awhile I heard her
sigh.
~ say, mother, said Zeke, at last,
it's about time father and Ichabod
were home Where you 'spose they
arep'
They'll be along pretty soon,
hope, mother said softly. Father said,
if nothing prevented he'd be sure to be
home this afternoon.
"'BlA the afternoon is about gone,
now Zeke said. Wen have to light
the candles in a minute. If they don't
hurry along, they'll founder after dark, '
"'Well, my son, said mother, look
ing up with slightly disturbed face,