The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-25
A LITTLE LAUGHTER AND ALITTLE LOVE


A LITTLE LAUGHTER And LITTLE LOVE
a TALE OF THE MERRY CHRISTMAS TINE
Written for The Appeal.
"Ies," she said, with little sigh OF in
finite content, while her eyes wandered
round the little parlor, taking in each
dainty appointment. ayes, it is all quite
finished, and just in time for the Holt.
days"
The speaker pretty petite woman,
dressed in q trailing gown OF blue CASH
mere, stood leaning on the back OF q huge
easy chair her soft white hands resting on
the broad shoulders of big, brown mus
tached man, who sat therein pretending,
or, as he would have putt, attempting to
read the evening paper"
Nothing daunted by his silence, she
went on enthusiastically, "Ohl Larry, is
it not lovely to have a home Of our very
own, and everything so dainty and coy?
But" excitedly, 81 have an ideal"
Here shapely brown hand was raised,
and catching the dimped one on his
shoulder Lawrence Carleton drew his lit
lie wife down upon bis knee, saying with
great impressivencss:
''Ii it's TO try another light on that
Madonna, or TO move that cabinet to the
other side OF the room, | utterly decline.
Thus far | have escaped uninjurcd, but il
isn't well to tempt Providence too far, or
for the matter of that, to strain ones back
too often"
''No, 10, II isn't that" she said laugh
ing, " but VIC must have Christmas din
ncr."
and TO think that ever doubted n.
For what then did pay $3.50 for COB.
-1lci?' quercd Lawrence rcproachiully.
"What an incorriHible boy you are"
she said laughing again. "Of course, we
were TO have q Christmas dinner all the
time" Madame Carleton was ant 10 bc
little vague II excited But" and hero
soft arm stole round his neck, 1--WE are
20 happy. dear, ought we not to share il
with less fortunate souls?'
''Wcll, no, was the whimsical reply, 81
can't say want TO divide. But 90 ahead,
little woman, your request is granted even
TO the half Of my Kingdom the other
halls yours anyway.
"l}ut, since I've exposed you, proceed;
tell me what new fad this is-thcse pretty,
coaxing ways always mean something"
and the fine brown eyes OF Lawrence
Carleton fingered ienderly on the piquant
face Of his wife.
"IIotcl dinners aren't worth n cent?
"Don't you believe il; you evidently
never paid for one, interrupted Law
renee.
"But mean they aren't good any moro
II people have been living there for months
and months, and We all know boarding
school dinners arc horrid."
"Nhat are you driving nj, you ambigu-
Gus crcaturc7 You surely don't want TO
supply Christmas dinner TO the hotels and
collcgcs2"
"Woll, no, quite" was the laughing re-
PLY, "but, TO be- Ineligible, ] want 30 in
vito tie pretty art teacher from the college
90 dine with us, and have Nelson Carter
and Dr. Bell TO meet her. All OF them are
strangers here. Nelson is far away
cousin, DR.. Bell brought letters Of intro
ducton TO you and she is q lovely little
creature"
"Now you are talking sense, my dear"
said Lawrence, paironizingly and, slri-
ously, quite approve OF your plan, for Il
II dcuccd lonesome 10 be all alone by your
cell when everybody else Is jolly aud full
-r.1sscsidc Joys.
80 III fospcak the BOYS tomorrow: We
won't have sny formal written invitations,
aud YOU zee pretty little Miss Heath. hut
there's one thing | shan't begin TO allow,
and that Is to have you break yourself all
down between now and then just leave
all that 10 the cook, cant your
Secretly amused az this lordly way Of
settling her dinner and apprOpriating her
scheme, little Mrs Carleton proceeded TO
discuss the bin Of fare. Producing pencil
and blank sheet Of papcr. torn from an
Old letter lifom her husbands coatpockct),
u list 81 useful articles was made, inter.
sprrscd with queer little memoranda that
would have been Greek 10 any one else.
an things worked smoothly; "tho boys"
~ Carleton called them, were delighted 10
accept Mis- Cartoons invitation, coming
inpcrs0n to assure her that twas lawfully
Jolly of her 10 think Of them, and give
them this glimpse Of domestic happiness,
don't you know"
Dainty Madgc Heath, whose tender
heart had responded warmly 10 Nellie
Cartoons pretty mlironly ways from the
first, accepted the invitation gladly, not 10
dinner only, but 10 stay oil day and
help me with pretty artistic Suggestions"
suid wnrm-hcaftcd Nellie, in her sympa-
thy ior the lonely orphan girl.
so the afternoon oi Christmas Day /
found them al assembled In the coy cot !
iagc pulor--Mr and Mrs Carleton, Madgo
Heath, Dr. Bill. young physician but /
recently located In tie village, and Nelson .
Garter. promising young lawyer. Mono .
Of the young people had met before, bu.,
a. the Iulc log blalcd, many and merry
were the stories told. for oil were bright I
and best Of all Young.
Suddenly turning 10 his wife, Mr..
Carleton al. Come, Nellie, no use talk.
ing. I'm going 10 have an ogrnog. This
IL my own first Christmas under my own
vino and fg tree. and, ~ SUCH II must
DC cplpbraleI. Bcsidcs. It's well 10 assert