The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1885-12-18

portunely to be their Christmas dinner.
wish you Merry Christmas! he
called out to Nora and Tot when they
walked. See what Santa Claus has
brought you'll
Before they had time to remember
what a sorry Christmas it was to be,
they received their presents, live bird
to each, a bird that was never to be
kept in a cage, but fly about the house
till summer came, and then to go away
if it wished.
Pets were scarce on the prairie, and
the girls were delighted. Nothing papa
could have brought would have given
them so 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. Mann
ma made crust and lined deep dish
the chicken-pie dish; and then she
brought mysterious something ont OF
the cupboard, all cut up so that it
looked as if it might be chicken, and
put it in the dish with other things, ard
then she tucked them all under thick
crust, and set it down in a 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 a 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 it into the cake or pudding
whichever you might call it, while
the children laughed at the idea of
making a cake out of snow This went
into the same oven, and pretty soon it
rose up light and showed beautiful
brown crust, while the pie was steam
ing through little fork-holes on top, and
sending out most delicious odors.
At the last minute when the table
was set and everything ready to come
| up, Willie ran up to look out of the scut-
tie, as he had every hour of daylight
since they were buried. In moment
came wild shout down the ladder.
They're coming. Hurrah for Old
Tint
Mamma rushed up and looked out,
and saw--to be sure-Old Tim, slowly
coming along over the crust, drawing
| after him Wood-sled on which were
| two men.
" It's papa!' shouted Willie, waving
his arms to attract their attention.
" Willie!' came back over the snow,
in tones of agony. us that your Are
| all well?"
All wellr' shouted Willie, "and
just going to have our Christmas din
ner."
Dinner?" echoed papa, who was
now nearer. where is the house,
thenp'
90, down there!'' said Willie, Gun
der the snow; but we're all right, only
we mustn't let the plum-pudding
spoil
Looking into the attic, Willie found
mamma tainted away, and this news
brought to her aid papa and the other
man, who proved to be q good friend
who had come to help.
Tim was tied 20 the chimney, whose
thread of smoke had guided them
home, and all went down into the dark
| room. Mrs. Barnes soon recovered,
and while Willie dished up the slnok-
| ing dinner, stories were told on both
sides.
I Mr.. Barnes had been trying to find
them, and to get through the snow all
the time, but until the last night had
made stiff crust had been unable to
| do so.
Then Mrs. Barnes told her story.
winding up with the account of Willie's
Christmas dinner; 'sand if it hadn't
been for his keeping up our hearts ]
don't know what would have become
OF u.s., she said at last.
s'Well, my son" said papa, 'syou did
take care of mamma, and get up din
ner out OF nothing, sure enough; and
now We'll eat the dinner, which Tn
sure is delicious
So it proved to be; even the cake or
pudding, which Tot christened snow
pudding, was voted very nice, and the
hickory nuts as good as raisins.
When they had finished, Mr.. Barnes
| brought in his packages, gave Tot and
the rest some 'sure-enough waisins,
and added his Christmas presents to
Willie's, but though they were over
joyed, nothing was quite so nice In
their eyes as the two live birds.
After dinner the two men and Willie
| dug out passages through the snow,
which had wasted q good deal, from
the doors, uncovered the windows and
made q slanting way to his shed for
Old Tim, and then for two or three
days Willie made tunnels and little
rooms under the snow, and for two
weeks while the snow lasted, Nora and
Tot had fine times in the little snow
play-houses, sitting on their sofas Of
beaten snow, and playing "take-tea"
on the tables of the same.
Many years the Barnes family lived
on the prairie till the children grew no
and village had gathered about them,
and often as Christmas came around,
mamma was called upon to tell the
story of Christmas under the snow
OtiUe Thorae, IN NJ Il Examiner.