Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1885-12-23

| xUou, pass 10 WOrlOS on 0lR0.
Yea, haste your flight ye passing years
Upon Times swelling tide;
| Though we pass through vale of tears;
Wen land on Canaan's side.
HOW THE UMBRELLA RAJ
! AWAY WITH ELLIE.
A CHRISTMAS STORY.
The old clock in the market-plac
rang out the hour of Three in tone
sweet and tremu'ous with age. Th'
children coming from school counte,
the strokes and rejoiced; for when tn
black. spidery pointers should hav,
thrice again travelled around their dial
Christmas-eve would be begun.
The afternoon is crisp and cool. Jet
of thin, blush smoke curl from tn,
chimneys like long fingers, all pointing
the same way-pointing to the fir-clat
hill which rises beyond the town.
we followed their direction, we shoult
find ourselves on the steep path which
crosses its top, and, winding down tn,
other side, runs close to the door of .
small cottage-the cottage of Dam,
Ursula and her little Ellie.
A tiny place-so low, and brown
and hidden among the messy rocks
that we might pass by wi:hou
seeing it. In summer. there are bee
hives, and the bees buzz cheerful,
among the wild thyme; but now theil
music is frozen into winter silence
And the porch, where Ellie sat at hel
spinning during the sweet, warm days
is empty. Only the faint gray cur
from the chimney tells of life within.
The door is on the latch. Let u
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 correr. 1t is Dame Ursuls
lying there alone. Poor woman!-
something very sad has happened.
She has always been so strong and
active that she forgot she was no longe,
young, and climbed up ladder to mend
the thatch on her roof. And she fell
and twisted and bruised her back
dreadfully. 1t hurts her a great deal.
She cannot move or work; and here il
Christmas at hand, and all her plans
for giving Ellie a treat are spoiled. Nc
wonder she sighs.
We came in so softly that she did
not hear us; but now the door is
pushed open again and she looks up.
1t is Ellie, all flushed and rosy, and
dragging a great spruce-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 1t"
''Ah! but this is not all,'' cries Ellie,
again clapping her hands. ''Ive
thought of a plan-such plan, grand.
mother!''
"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 graandmother?'
Eyes, liebehen; but 1 cannot go te
tewn to buy them.'
But can OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES is my
good plan! I will trim the fire and Sc
the soup beside thee, before / 90.
know the way so we'll, and the shoI
with the great fir-tree in the window
and I shall say: Il am the Dame
Ursula's little Ellie, and thou must sci
me a good measure of plums, because
my grandmother has hurt her back.
And when 1 return, we will light tn
candles and hang the raisins ant
flberts on the bough, and it will be 81
gay. Dear grandmother, do say ma.
60.
She looked so eager that the Dam
had not the heart to refuse her. Sh
thought of the long distance, and tn
lonely path; hut she knew the little fee
were light and active, and the littl
head as wise as a womans. So sh
kissed the bright cheek and answered
eyes, liebchen, thou mayst 60. Pu
on thy Sunday kirtle, and thy red car
and make thyself neat, as soon as ma
be, and do not linger upon the roac
lest night overtake thee"
Ellie was soon dressed. The fire wa
stirred, the broth prepared, the littl
basket reached from its nail.
| And take the umbrella with the.
dear. The winter days often cheat I
with rain, and l would not have the
wet" said the grandmother. last of al
Now, to be trusted with the umbrell
was counted by Ellie great homo
She willingly obeyed. 1t had bee
her grandfather's, and vas very bi
and blue, with his name cut upon
hornshield on the handle. 1t VIZ
taller than she. and not easy to carry
: but she felt proud of it, as, mountin
the hill, basket in hand. she wen
looking very like Red Riding-Hoot
and full of happy thoughts.
i The town was safely reached, tt
errands done. Every one was in hol
day bumor, and gave full measure ,
/ the bright-eyed little maid. Jan, tt
fruit merchant. even tucked a gift in'
her hand-a bright, rosy checked appl
The plums. the tapers, the bit of bee
the flaerts, were all stored safely
, the basket; but time had flown, and
was nearly six before the heavy-lade
, little messenger was ready to turn h'
steps toward home.
The pleasant day was changing in'
: q wild, gusty evening. Little dull re
, fragments of sunset were scuddin
) over the sky, and a strong chill win
piped through the mountain-pass.
, blew Ellie along. and was Of use
that way; but her fingers grew cold an
! stiff, and she could hardly hold Il
{ basket. At last, she hung it on b
) arm, and just then few heavy drol
q fell. and, mindful Of grandmother
order, she put up the umbrella.
Il Alas for Elliei As well mig
lamb havs attempted