Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1885-12-24

Ting up. must see Miss Hopkins
Peddy did not say anything In reply
to that She went straight to the door.
and opened it without knocking, and put
down the paper of candy on the floor, and
shouted: That's for Miranda l must
go and take care of the man. It's his
present He's real good, and he knows
all about Christmas
Wish 1 didr said the furry man.
Then she was in the sleigh again, as if
she had been a sort of bird and had hop
ped there. and before he could do many
more questions and answers she said to
him: Miss Hopkins lives there. It's Dea-
con Graham's house, all but the little
wing
Peddy found herself compelled to stay
in Deacon Graham's part of the house
while the furry man went in and had a
long talk with Miss Hopkins. After
that she had splendid, jingling sleigh
ride all the way home; but there was not
one chance given her to guess what the
furry man said to the school maam. He
drove right away when she got out, and
her mother put the pound of candy into
the closet, for fear it might be eaten up
too fast.
Joe Heidelberg chopped his tree down,
and set out with it all alone. 1t was a
job to get it upon the sleds, and then it
was hard pulling, until he came to where
the road went close to a bend of the
North Fork, and some of the boys saw
him. He walked behind the sleds to
steady the tree after that. Nobody would
have thought that there were so many
boys in that neighborhood as we're pull
ing those sleds and giving orders about
it before they got to the school house.
Christmas morning came wonderfully.
Nobody along the North F ork had ever
before seen so clear and bright and beau
tiful day, with such perfect sleighing
Besides, there was almost nothing in the
world for anybody to do except to be
happy if he had any real Christmas in
him.
Joe Heidelberg and some of the other
boys were at the school house right away
after their breakfasts, but they had put
up the tree the day before. There it
stood Oh the platform, and all that they
could do with it now was to turn it
around and back again, and guess which
way it would shine the candles best.
The planks across the bench backs that
were to serve as tables were all in their
places, but there was nothing upon them
until after the people began to arrive.
1t was not until after that, moreover,
that Miss Hopkins had blankets or COW
erlets enough to darken the windows, or
sheets to finish the great curtain across
the room in front of the platform.
Anyhow said Joe, we can make the
old stove red hot. and we can keep the
dogs from fighting on Christmas Day.
1t was great, and everybody said so,
when the tables began to stop looking so
bare and planky and hungry. Miss Hop
kins was looking at them, when Peddy
Nudge said to her:
There's nine prairie chickens already,
and there's more a-coning, besides the
other chickens and the rabbits, and a
whole bag of apples and doughnuts.'
There was something or other the mat
ter with Miss Hopkins. Her face was
pretty good looking at any time, but it
seemed particularly rosy that morning,
and her mouth was all ripple of smiles
None Of US boys and girls must touch
anything on the tables till after the cur
tain drops said Jerusha LaRgworthy.'
They're beautiful now. Just look at
them
So they were, for they represented the
very best that the new settlers on the
North Fork could do for the great Christ
mas at the school house. There was a
great plenty of corn bread, but not any+
thing like enough butter.
The rope across the room in front of
the platform was now all hung with
sheets, pinned together at the edges, and
it made the best kind of a curtain. Mo-
body could guess what was going on be-
hind it, and Miss Hopkins had promised
that there would be a real Santa Claus.
Some people said it was going to be Joe
Heidelberg dressed up. and now he WAS
suddenly called for and disappeared be-
hind the curtain. Then they heard him
say, 'Ob, myP and cough and chuckle as
if he were half choked.
He's eating something nice said Je-
rusha Lsngworthy, and it isn't fair. l
wish 1 was in there
It's time for me to go iD,' said Peddy
Nudge. They want me-
Her face was red and pale, both, and
she crept under the curtain with her
mouth and eyes wide open.
Children suddenly shouted Deacon
Graham, all Of you that can sing. let US
sing
Everybody began with him, and you
could not even hear the plates clatter
while that hymn was geiag on.
Now, boys called ont Miss Hopkins,
from away in there among the mysteries,
and Bob Langworthy at once exclaimed: A:
That means to darken up the windows.
It's a-eoming, boysl Christmas is a-com+
ing
We're goin' to have one this time,sure.
Nobody knew just why, but Deacon
Graham was starting another hymn, and
loud one, at the very moment when
there came sound of sleigh bells. going
around the school house to the platform
end. Then the door at that end flew