Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-12-25
A STORY OF CHRISTMAS.
BY WILLIAM o. sToDDARD.

There had never before been quite such a
winter as that. Not in Perryville. Away
back in November it began to get ready for
Christmas. It froze the milpond before any
snow came for the finest kind of skating
Then it blew off all the snow that fell and left
the face OF the pond like the great pane Of
plate glass in the show window OF McMunn's
iewelry store. 1t stayed so until it was all
skated into spider-webs, with figure IS and
great KS. Jim Denike said that the first
thing fellow did when he went on to that
pond was to sit down.
other, elegantly, instead of rushing it, and
the sleighing was laid on a few inches at
time. lust as il should be, so that all the roads
we're in first-rate visiting order.
Boggs, the harness man, said that he sold
more bells during that December than ever
before in whole year. You could not wake
up, anywhere, without hearing jingle
With such q winter, Christmas was sure 10
come, People said SO. Not soul in all the
valley had doubt of it except Batty Perouse.
He did not say grtat deal about IL except 10
Puns and as Puns had bone IN his mouth al
the time there was no reply made.
fsYou see Pms" said Batty, lit can't come
70 Won. for YOU'RE a dog. 1t can't come to
mother, and the baby and me, for we've only
half enough TO eat now. 1t can't come to
since last summer. 1t can't come to Grand
father Starn. You and met him In the VII
lage this morning. ,p.. u.
rouse lacked the expression Of quiet, unyleld-
ing pride which some pc pie SAID ms mother
had. They we're child's eyes, but they were
in the habit OF seeing great deal. Through
them some remarkable things were all tine
while getting into bis mind, and it was Just
so with his ears. lie had not seen any Christ
mas in the face of Grandfather btarini nor
had any other pair of eyes in Perryyllle. Jim
Denike had SAID tlat face with that amount
Of frost in II was good thing 10 have around
in Julv lint il was too much any time after
Inc bntternuts began to fall. There was not
one grown-up person in Perryville who had
not made the remark that Jim talked too
much. ..,-.. la,
Jim. Batty sat by the cradle and was evidently
IN A deem study There was hre IN the COOK
stove near him, and that ana puss ana the
baby were his only company, Tor MS molher
was over in the village doing some pam sew
inc for the doctors wife, and she knew that
the doctors bill against her would be very
long one There was a small parlor IN 'front.'
~ the kitchen, and bedroom adjoining thati
but when the cottage planned itselI II mad De
oided not to have any more rooms 10 use up
furniture for people who hardly h 9lln any 10
Batty was eating his dinner a fun hour pc
fore the right time. There was wonderful
siies of cold meat between the two pieces of
bread. II was not every day that such am
ner was left where he could get at IT. and the
sight and smell had been too much tor him.
He was only six years old and had not learned
10 Withstand uncommon temptations. a,
81 don't believe the baby will cry until
noon" he said gravely. Mother shell DC
home pretty soon after that. ehe wont
bring any Christmas with her. Jim Denike,
he sad il wouldn't be here till Tomorrow,
ANYHOW. He doesn't know what's going to