The Mineral argus., 1884-12-25
A CHRISTMAS BREEZE.
BY SOPHIE MAY.

/ can't tell Just how 1t happened TO dow
up all Of a sudden, but I think it began
by ZaiIee's letting herself feel so cross
that afternoon at Mrs. Springs. 1 am
sure all of you little girls and boys, too,
know very well how
One little heart with anger stirred,
Two little lips by q naughty word
Danish the angel OF pearly wing,
Darksome spirits instead they bring.
"Oh, it's dreadful to have your chill
dren act so when you're speeding rom
pany," said Zaidee shaking her largest
doll. "Why, Bluebell, how rude you
arel Now, if you go and get the friz
out 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 1 wish 1 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" it
would be before anything, and could
actually tell the time on the clock,
though she was only I've years old.
"It will be three nights, and two days,
and one afternoon !" replied she, prompt
". "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 ingrati-
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 wood-box and stay
there till they very sorry.
While this severe and just punish
ment wac going on, the two wise little
mothers sat on the rug and fell to talk
ing about Christmas-trees.
81 know one present hat will be OF
our tree, and 1 wish 1 didn't know it,
said Zaidee, who seemed to look gloom
Ter every minute. "It's a gold bracelet
a splendid beauty. Aunt Fanny bough'
it last week, because l asked her to anC
1 promised her I'd forget all about it
but somehow 1 can't forget. Don't yol
think it must be awful when you try t.
a forget and can't?"
Eyes. Only some things are aw
= fuller" said Jessie, a little spot in he
heart aching with envy. 'sSome folk
= don't have any aunties to buy ZEN
I bracelets. I saw a girl have 81
many things as you do, Zaidee Seldom
neverl"
"Well, you needn't be SO cross at m
e for that 1 can't help it, Jessie Spring
g There, now, our children have been i
= long enough to feel sorry, so we'll tax
" 'em out and pacify 'em. Oh, I'll tel
> you what my Bluebell wants to dc
She has been teasing me ever go long t
a go up in a balloon; and she shall go u
so she SHALL"
Upon this the little girls proceede
a to tie their dollies to some toy balloon
and give them a ride in the air.
d away they go, up in the sky. Ism
n it gay? I wish 1 could go up in a bal
d loon myself" said Jessie, daintily sci
.r Ting the white plume in Butterfly
n bonnet.
p And perhaps it was at this precis
g minute that the breeze really began
e, for Zaidee said very sharply indeed:
l.: swell, 1 don't want to go up in a ba
d loon. I shouldn't think anybody
want to. 1 should think they'd rattle
in wait till they are dead"
"There, now, Zaidee Selden, yc
i needn't say anything about me bein
lg cross. It's you are crossl You kee
lr saying. No, no. to everything L sa.
I'll And it's just because you're so prou
about that bracelet"
"No. it isn't either" said Zaidee, Wi
or dignity. She was subject to little a
in tacks of dignity. 81 forgot all abo
Ii that bracelet. It's the first time T.
er forgot it this whole day. 1 only said
to didn't want to go up in the sky; al
why should I want to go up in the SIX
he when I'm not dead at all.
y. AS she spoke, she glared at Jess
with her large black eyes in a remar
X able way; and Jessie, whose patien
fly had been tried ali the afternoon, W
w. moved to say now the most unkind al
lr- cutting thing she could think of: