Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-12-25
That Seventeen Cent Christmas.
BIZ EMILY.

In Ou1t, utu0 vluhSo, Will Oue stfdS-
Cling street and two wide lanes, to one
large, shabby house, which was the home
of The Mannings, came this Christmas
during the winter Vt 1928.
4 Though it was an old house, it was a
new home to them. They had moved in
March, leaving the old place 30 near that
1t would only have been q square away,
had there been any squares laid out.
When they left the old home, where
yearly all the children had been born,
they left much besides the house and the
store in front; and, though they could
.look back and easily see the double red
doors Of the store, yet the distance be-
tween the old life and the new was so
great that, the children already thought
OF it with strange sense of unhealthy in
the memory. Children notice many
things silently; and these children
scarcely whispered it among themselves,
not enc Of them had forgotten that their
mother cried when first she saw the black
walls, loose plaster and hanging laths OF
the empty house where they moved.
Mother so seldom cried when any one
could ses, that Ill the children hurried to
Sind something pleasant. When little
five-year- Lewie came pleading, II
want to go home," how the sister ran to
~shsw him the big. dark closet by the
: chimney, and told him that he could put
= chips there, then Lewie was quite con-
tent, for one of his troubles in the other
house had been that the wocd-bsx never
would hold all the chips he delighted to
pict up.
But that was in March, and now it
was near Christmas. The mother had
mot cried all this time. No, indeed |!
That was not her way. Those ugly walls
had been swept off; piles of old news
papers sorted, and the cleanest ones past
ed on walls, with the white borders
matched, 80 the simiring children said
it looked just as nice as "boughten"
paper. She improved a great many
things; but, dear me I! there was such q
lack at last. And so, when. the children
began to wonder what Santa Claus would
bring, and the father told them prompt
w That Santa Claus would not come this
year. mother never said word.
The children looked at one another
with dismay, but, because they remem-
sbered some things, waited until they
~ere left-four younger ones alone TO-
Eekhet. Lewie. ''the baby" as he was
called; blue-eyed Estelle, seven years;
refund, rosy Carrie, with brown eyes and
dark hair, in her tenth year; and Elsie,
twelve years Of age. There were other
sons and daughters older, but these were
called .'the Children" and Elsie thought
herself the guardisn of the rest. She
now couldn't bear Lewie's pitiful "Won't
Santa Claus come at ell, at all?" and
made him forget ii for the time by tell
ing stories
Next day mother said to Elsie:
1tTm sorry shout Christina There
will Be no chance for presents this time"
Elsie felt quite old and wise. for abe
bad known two years who Santa Claus
9; and, indeed, just then her sober face
90 ked old CD . she asked:
'sCouldn't We write to brother Graham
about itr
"No. no." the mother hastily replied.
sit is enough for him to give what we
Gan HI do without"
This generous eldest brother had gone
away when the father failed in business,
and in q distant city was trying to make
money to scure q comfortable home for
the parents. Even Elsie's wi5tful heart
shrank from asking more OF him who
never refused to give. So, what was to
&c donef
ma, couldn't I buy something my
self" she said.
ssWhy, child, where did you get