Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1885-12-23
Our Greeting.

IA Merry Christmas to you alp Just
look at that bright-faced, bright-eyed
smiling girl. Just look at herl as she pops
her head into the elegantly furnished parlor,
with the seasonable greeting on her red lips
OF, ga Merry Christmas to you alp
1t will be a merry Christmas for her, fer
Santa Claus has tumbled down her chimney,
and is in such hurry to get to his rounds
that he dropped quite number OF pretty
things about the bedroom floor.
Then, brothers George and Willie are
home from school. They came yesterday,
and rolled into the house all covered with
snow, and their pockets full of snow-balls.
What fun it was when Willie crept behind
cooks back and quietly laid one of them on
her neck as she stopped over the range
How she did explode with anger just like a
Fourth of July cracker! but when she saw
who it was that fooled her, she chased him
up and down until he allowed himself to be
caught and receive-a whipping ?-not
much; lump Of candy-for who would
whip boys or girls at the glorious Christmas
time!
+ And how good-humored papa is?-not ID
the least grumpy or cross; and how PROUD
he is that George won so many premiums,
and he must have had lot Of trouble to
get these eight brand-new dollars for the
boys. He must have gone to- the bank him.
self and asked the president for them as
personal favor, How Willie jumped when
he got three out of the eight, and how Sis
sy-look at her peeping in at the door, and
crying ga Merry Christmas to you alp
how delighted she was when papa opened a
huge pasteboard box which he carried home
himself, and after taking it out of ever so
many wraps of paper, produced magnifi-
cent sealskin sacque. Oh, she did clap her
hands, and in great delight leaped on papa
and kissed his face all over.
And mamma dear, gentle, kind, good
mamma-wasn't she pleased when Sissy
gave her the cushion she had worked for
her-all red roses and forget-me-nots; and
when George had handed her an exquisite
morning cap, and Willie-poor little Willie
presented her with silver thimble!
And the house is so richly decked out
with holly and ivy-the holly has such
lot of red berries! it was the best branch on
the wagon, and the man said he wouldn't
give it to anybody but Sissy. What a
great sprig over papa's likeness when he
was young gentleman, and over mammals
when she was a young lady with an enor-
nous crinoline. And Sissy pasted holly
leaves all over the words, "God Bless Our
Home;" and cook smartened up the kitch-
en-, and Phoebe, the waitress, helped her,
and didn't go to bed till all hours on Christ
mas morning.
just look at Sissy as she cries, ''A Merry
Christmas to you ALL" And, if you keep
looking, you'll presently see the door open
and George and Willie march in; and the
whole three will sing a beautiful little hymn
composed by poet, a schoolmate of
Georges, and set to music by mamma.
Then comes the break fast-such break
fast!-and George and Willie and Sissy can
have as much of everything as they like;
but they are wisely keeping a good place
for the plum pudding. And won't it be a
beauty!-for Sissy helped to stone the raj
sins, aud told all about it; and Willie, be
cause he is the youngest, is to set fire to
the brandy when Phoebe brings the pudding
in after dinner. Then papa viii cry, with
l kjooffiiiest laughs, ga Merry Christ
Rlr'- Christmas Ti9ings.