The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1885-12-25

The thought that struck him pleased
Willie greatly. and he was SIRE II
would cheer up the rest He made his
plans. and went 70 work-to carry them
out without saying anything about il.
He brought out Of corner Of the AZ
| tic an old box-trAp he had used in
the summer 70 catch birds and small
| animals, set il carefully on the snow.
and scattered crumbs 81 corn-brcad 70
attract the birds.
| In half IN hour he went up again.
and found 70 his delight he had caught
bigger game-a poor rabbit which had
I come from no one knows where over
| the crust to find food.
This gave Willie q new idea; they
| could have their Christmas dinner after
| all: rabbits made very nice pics Poor
Bunny WAS quietly laid 70 rest and the
trap set again. This time he caught
another rabbit perhaps the mate of the
first. This was the last Of the rabbits.
but the next catch was q couple d
snow birds. These he carefully placed
in corner Of the attic. using the trap
for cage, and giving them plenty o.
food and water.
When the girls were fast asleep. with
tears on their faces for the dreadful
Christmas they were going to have,
1 Willie told mamms about his plans.
Mamma was pale and weak with anx-
iety. and his news frst made her laugh
and then cry. But after few moments
I! given 70 her long pent-up tears he felt
much better and entered into his plans
heartily.
The two captives up in the attic
were 70 BE- Christmas presents 70 the
girls. and the rabbits were to make the
long-anticipated pie. As for plum-pud-
ding, Of course that couldn't be thought
Of.
"But don't yon think. mamma" said
Willie. eagerly, THAT you could make
some sort Of cake out Of meal, and
wouldn't hickory nuts be good in IL?
You know / have some left up in the
attic. and might crack them softly up
there. and don't you think they would
be goody' he concluded. anxiously
s.Well, perhaps 80" said mamma.
anxious TO please him and help him in
his generous plans. =! can try. II
only had some eggs.-but seems to me
| l have heard that snow beaten into
cake would make il Highland there's
snow enough. I'm sure" she added.
with a faint smile. the first Willie had
seen for three days.
The smile alone he felt to be a great
achievement, and he crept carefully up
the ladder. cracked them TO the last
one. brought them down. and mamma
picked the meats out while he dressed
the two rabbits which had come so op-
port1mely 10 be their Christmas dinner.
wish you Merry Christmas, be
called out 10 Nora and Tot when they
walked. Seq what Santa Claus has
brought you!"
| Before they had time to remember
what Z sorry Christmas il was to Be.
they received their presents. live bird
TO each. . bird that was never TO be
kept in . cage. but fiy about the house
till summer came. aud then to 90 away
II il wished
Pets were scarce on the prairie, and
the girls were delighted. Nothing papa
could have brought would have given
them 50 much happiness
They thought no more Of the dinner.
but hurried to dress and feed the birds.
which were quite tame from hunger
and weakness. But after awhile they
saw preparations for dinner. too. Nam
ma made crust and lined deep dish
the chicken-pie dish: and then she
brought mysterious something out Of
the cupboard. all cut up 50 that Il
looked as II il might be chicken. and
put il in the dish with other things. and
then she tucked them all under thick
crust. and set it down in tin oven be-
fore the fire to bake. And that was not
all. She got out some more corn-meal
and made batter. and put in some
sugar and something else which she
slipped in from bowl. and which
looked in the batter something like
raisins; and at the last moment Willie
brought her cup Of snow. and she
| hastily beat II into the cake or puddln- :,
whichever You might call il. while
the children laughed at the idea d
making a cake out Of snow. This went
into the same oven. and pretty soon Il
rose up light and showed beautiful
brown crust. while the pie was steam
ing through little fork-holes on top, and
srnd;ng out most delicious odors.
81 Al the last minute when the table
was ~ and everything ready ~ come