Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-12-25

"a hope not, NV son; but must say that
You talk a great deal. "
Things must say themselves, mother. Little
Batty Perouse, he's just like me. He says the
queerest tn ngs."
""hat does he say2"
"You can't most always saw 'em over again
They're queer. Sound kind o. like picture
OF something you never saw
Some small children are very old, James.
They get over it as they grow older"
IT'S curious, mother. Seems to me never
had just such feeling about Christmas, and
I'm awful glad about those green's"
Grandfather Starin aud some other people
may also have had that bort OF feeling but he
did not say another word TO his wife about holi-
days or the cradle. He sat still in his arm
chair after supper, upti, at last, he seemed
to speak without intending to:
Maria, 1 m iting old"
ave are both growing old, John
Il believe my memory is failing me. Here
I've been sitting and irving to bring up
and to think over all about DR.. Pepouse. and
what he said and what he did. / can't make
it out, somehow. He didn't do right by me-
Maria. He was dreadfully bitter and obsti-
nate man. can't, somehow, remember Just
how il was"
The old man paused and his wife's fingers
wiped stitch of her knitting as she respond
ed, in a low. he~itating voice:
''He was set in his way"
80 was Hester. She isn't one bit like you
aud me. She sided with her husband from
first TO last. Either she was wrong OF l was
wrong, and she'd ought to have seen her duty"
He was her husband"
He sat still again, stroking his full, white
beard, and trying to remember, and his foot
again got upon the rocker, but even that slow
and gentle motion confused him worse. Up
to the hour wuen they went to bed, all his
memories played hide and seek with him, and
the things he want. would not come up.
Things he did not want, just then, came up in
their places. 1t was very curious thing. and
a DIRE adful trial TO an old man who needed to
think up his quarres. lie did not repeat to
his wife any Of the things he had heard in the
village. and he postponed until morning say
ing anything about what he had done or
meant TO do with his purchases.
Away down the road there was light in
Mrs. Perouse's window until about nine
O'Clock. She had some sewing to do and she
was dreadfully tired when she lay down, with
the baby beside her. and Batly in his crib, at
the foot OF the bed. Both Of them were
sound asleep, and she went softly. Just before
she lay down, and hung something at the
head Of the crib. 1t looked like a pair Of
wooden stockings and a pair Of mittens.
I'm glad can do that much. He will see
them first thing in the morning."
Batty awoke. As soon as he looked at the
window and was sure about being there. he knew
he had been dreaming. He tried ever so hard to
remember what it had been about, and the
effort kept HIM awake. All Of it that he could
get back was what must have been toy store
a mile long.
Guess 1t was Christmas, he said "but it
won't come"
Then he thought he heard something
crunch, crunching upon the snow in front Of
the house. Then some bells went by and
after that there was some more crunchng, but
it was very faint. He lay so still he hardly
breathed, for Jim Denike had told him that
Santa Claus came in 4 sleigh with bells, and
you could hear him if you watched for him.
Puns was shut up away back in the kitchen,
and he was not an easy-barkng dog, anyhow
He had to be set a-going. 1t grew so still that
Batty said to himself;
"h any kind Of Christmas should come
could hear it before it got here"
Batty's mind was evidently in a fever on
that subject, bnt his eyelids came together
again after while. Old people are apt not
to sleep well, and Grandfather Starin had
more trouble than usual that night. He knew
what time the moon went down by the change
in the kind OF hight that poured IN at his win
dow, but 1t was u glorious night, even after
only the stars were left on duty.
The winter was doing its very best for that
Christmas, and Jim Denike believed that he
had done something, for he said SO. He came
home from someHh here or other very late All
the rest were in bed, and the parlor that con-
tanned the Christmas tree was locked He
went TO his own room next 10 that of his
father and mother, and all the while he was
undressing they could hear him chucking
outrageousy.
"rn afraid he's been saucy to some one"
said his mother, to herself. ~ must ask him
about il in the morning"
Another ohuckle from his room, sounded as
if Jim were stuffing a pillow into his
mouth, and then all was still.
II was very still around the Starin home
stead that Grandfather S arin said It kept him
awake, and that il confused his memory more
than good deal of noise wuuld have done.
Before five O'Clock in the morning-Christ-
mas morning-he gave the matter up, and
arose and dressed himself without saying a
word to his wife. lie was always an early
riser, and he was one of those men who never
tell why they do anything. He went down
stairs to the sitting-room and Taked the embers
out of the ashes aud heaped up wood for a
quick, hot fire. There was The cradle, and he
looked into II for full minute, but there was
nobody there. There had not been for nearly
thirty years, and so far as he knew there
never would be again. He shook his head
and 1t looked as if he were shaking it at that
cradle in some sort of defiance. HIS face
grew set and determined, and he said:
ave will have Christmas, anyhow, If
money will buy onen
Then he walked out into the kitchen, but he
stopped there only long enough to light an
other fire, Bnd to glance at the wrapped up
packages He passed from that into the open
air, and nobody could have helped looking
away all around the sky TO see now uncom-
monty crowded it was with stars, and how
with all their might and main they were
shining.
He went on to tho barn to take a look at his
well-fed stock. He patted his great oxen,
three yoke Of them, and threw some corn into
their managers. One stall was vacant and his
feet carried him into it, without any corn in
his hands He must have forgotten that there
were no oxen there, for he said it was a queer
thing to do, and thus he added:
"My memory is failing me. What have TO
do with that manger2 It's as empty rs Hest
rs cradle"
There were no wssps Astir in the barn In
winter, but something seemed 70 have sung