River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-12-24
HOW THE UMBRELLA RAN
AWAY WITH ELLIE.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.

rang out the hour of Three in tones
sweet and tremu'ous with age. The
children coming from school counted
the strokes and rejoiced; for when the
black, spidery pointers should have
thrice gain travelled around their dial,
Christ-Ias-eve would be begun.
TIL lfternoon is crisp and cool. Jets
i, BLUSH smoke curl from the
chnnneys like long fingers, all pointing
the same way pointing to the fir-clad
hill which rises beyond the town. If
we followed their direction, we should
ind ourselves on the steep path which
. crosses its top. and, winding down the
other side, runs close to the door of a
small cottage-the cottage of Dame
Ursula and her little Ellie.
\ tiny place-so low, and brown,
and hidden among the messy rocks,
that we might pass by without
seeing it. In summer. there are bee
hives. and the bees buzz eheerfully
among the wild thyme; but now their
music is frozen into winter silence.
And the porch, where Ellie sat at her
spinning during the sweet, warm days.
is empty. Only the faint gray curl
from the chimney tells of life within.
the door Is on the latch. Let us
push it open. A few sticks on the
hearth, the clock ticking-that is all.
No, one other sound-a SIGH from the
bed in the corner. 1t is Dame Ursula
lying there alone. Poor womau!-
something very sad has happened.
She has always been so strong and
active that She forgot she was no longer
! young, and climbed up ladder to mend
! the thatch on her roof. Aud she fell.
and twisted and bruised her back
( Jrcadfully. 1t hurts her a great deal
/ She cannot move or work; and here is
\ Christmas at hand, and all her plans
/ for giving Ellie Il treat are spoiled. No
wonder she signs.
/ We came in so softly that she did
not hear Us: but now the door is
pushed open again and she looks up.
4 Ii is Ellie, all flushed and ROSY, and
dragging a great pruce-bough fresh
from the forest. She clasps her hands
joyously as she cries:
See, grandmother, here is our
ChristmaS-tree.
. Poor child, thou hast nothing to
put on It,.
..Ah! but this is not all, cries Ellie,
again clapping her hands. Il We
thought Of plan-such plan, grand
motheri'
''And what is that, my Ellie?'
Thou knowest the silver thaler in
the stocking we said should 90 for the
candles and the plums for the Christ
mrs fete, my grandmother?
YES, liebchen; but | cannot go to
tewn to buy them.
But / can northumberland is my
good plan! will trim the fire and set
the soup beside thee, before / 90.
know the way so well, and the shop
with the great fir-tree in the window,
and | shall say: i am the Dame
'"sula' little Ellie, and thou must sell
GOOD measure of plums, because
, LiU !" 'dmother has hurt her back.
L return, we will light the
candles ana ang me Ial ,,l;Ii ~ ana lC
f!berts on the bous u all'' ~ VIII 10 So
gay. Dear grandmoth, l. no cay may
90. ~ Da,,,o
She looked so eager that /. 'e l'a uli'
had not the heart to refuse her. IL
thought of the long distance, and = N0
lonely path; hut she knew the little feet
were hight and active, and the little
head as wise as u woman s. So she
kissed the bright cheek and answered:
''YeS. liebchen, thou mayst go. Put
on thy Sunday kirtle, and thy red cap,
and make myself neat, as soon as may
be, and do not linger upon the road,
lest night overtake thee.
Ellie was soon dressed. The fire was
stirred the broth prepared, the little
basket reached from its nail.
And take the umbrella wi tn thee
dear. The winter days often cheat us
with rain, and | would not have thee
wet, :" said the grandmother. last of all
Now. TO be trusted with the umbrella
was counted by Ellie a great honor.
She willingly obeyed. 1t had been
her grandfather's and was very big
and blue. with his name cut upon
hornshield on the handle. 1t was
taller than she. and not easy TO carry;
but she felt proud of it, as, mounting
the hill, basket in hand. she went,
looking very like Red Rlding-Hood,
anu luLl VI hdppJ thOu9htS.
The town was safely reached, the
errands done. Every one was in holt
day humor. and gave full measure to
/ the bright.eyed little maid. Jan, the
I fruit merchant. even tucked a gift into
/ her hand-a bright, rOsy-cheeked apple.
/ The plums. the tapers. the bit of beet,
the til5erts, were all stored safely in
the basket; but time had flown, and 1t
was nearly six before the heavy-laden
litti "'-SScuger was ready TO turn her
steps toward home.
The pleasant day was char -ng into
IA wild gusty evening. Little dull, red
/ fragments of sunset We're scuddlng
/ over the sky, aud strong chill wind
/ piped through the mountain-pass. 1t
I blew Ellie along. and was of use in
/ that way; but her fingers grew cold and
stiff. and She could hardly hold the
basket. At last, she hung it on her
arm. and Just then few heavy drops
fell. and. mindful of grandmother 5
order. she put up the umbrella.
Alas for Ellie As well might
a lamb have attempted to
manage a balloon at full
sail. The umbrella took matters into
It's own hands at once. 1t pulled, II
flapped. it tore along with the wird,
Ellie holding fast the handle. 1t raced
down the Hill at full speed as if be-
witched, CARRYING her with it. First
her little cap blew off, then the ribbon
that bound her hair. The long curls
blew into her eyes Blinded. confused,
but never letting go, she lost her
breath, and was just beginning to cry
when. before she knew her danger. the
umbrella finished By twisting heI
sharply TO one side. and over the edge
of low ravIne full of trees. She fefl
herself falling-felt the umbrella
snatched from her grasp, and then she
knew no more All the world grew
dark. and she lay as if asleep.
Ii was long before she woke. Wher
she did. her head and limbs felt heavy
and ached She did not know
where She was. Where were the
basket and umbrella? Gone, quite
zone. and il was dark, aud the wine
blew loudly in the trees over head
Was not that enough to make the LITTLE
girl feel frightened
She sat up after a while. and thel
: she saw light twiukling from littl'
hollow just below. 1t was bright an'
winking like million of little tapers
or whole room full of glow-worms