Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-12-20
CHRISTMAS JENNY.
By MARY e. WILKINS.
From Harper's Bazar.l


the north, and it he'd grown cold. In the
morning it was very clear and cold, and
ere was the hard glitter of ice over
everything. The snow ernst had thin
coat of ice, and ali the open fields skone
and flashed. The tree boUghs and trunks,
and all the little twigs, were enamled with
ice. The roads we're glare aud slippery
with it, and so we're the door-yards. Ia
old Jonas Carey's yard the path that
sloped from the door to the well vas like
frozen brook.
Quite early in the morning old Jonas
Carey came ont with pail, and went
down the path to the vol. He went slow
ly and laboriousIy, shufiling his feet, 80 he
should not fall. lie was tall and Raunt,
and one side OF his body seemed TO slant
toward the other, he settled so much more
heavily upon one foot. He was somewhat
stiff an lame fron rheumatism.
He reached the well in safety, hung the
pail and began pumping. He pumped
with extreme slowness and steatiness;
certain expression of stolid solemnily
which his face wore never changed.
When no had filed his pail he took it
carefully from the pump scout, and start
cd back to the house, shufling as before,
He was two-thirds Of the way TO the door,
when he came TO an extremely slippery
place. just there some roots from
little cherry tree crossed the patch, and
the ice made a dangerous little pitch
ever them,
Old Jonas lost his footing, and sat down
suddenly, the water all spilled. The
house doors few open, and an old woman
appeared.
"Oh, Jonas, air you hurt2" she cried,
blinking widely and terrihsdly il the
brilliant light.
The old man never said a word. He
sat still AID looked straight before him
solemnly. ooh, Jonas, you 'aint broke
any bones, hev your The old woman
gathered 10 her skirts and began to edge
of the doorstep, with trembling knees
Then the old man raised his voioe-"Stay
where sou oe,n he said imperatively.
900 back into the h0useW
He began to raise himself, one joint at
time, and the old woman vent back into
the house, aud looked out of the window
at him.
When old Jonas finally etood upon his
feet l. seemed 10 if he had actually con
struoted himself so piecomeal his rising
bad been. lie went back 20 the pump,
nung the pail uuder the spout, and filed
il. Then he started on the return with
more caution than before. When he
reached the dangerous place his feet flew
up again, he sat down, aud the water was
spilled.
The old woman appeared in the doors
her dim .blue eyes were quite round, her
delicate chin was dropped. "OA, Jonas
go backl" cried the old man, with au
imperative jerk of his head toward her,
and she retreated. This time he arose
more quickly, and made quite Lively
shuttle back 20 the pump.
But when his pail was filled aud he
again started on the return, his caution
was redoubled, lie seemed TO scarcely
move at all. When Le approached the
dangerous spot his progress was hardly
more perceptible than scaly leaf-slug o.
Repose almost tapped over motion. The
old woman IN the window watched breath
iessly.
The slippery place was almost passed,
the shuttle quokened a ittle-the old
man sat down again, and the lin pail
struck the ice with Il clatter,
The cid woman appeared. ooh Jon
ASH
Jonas did not look at her; he sat PEI,
feotly motionless. Jonas, air you hurt 7
Do speak to me for massa sako" Jonas
did not stir.
Then the old woman let herself
care fully off the step, She
squattod down upon the Icy path and
hitoheo along TO jonas. She caught
hold of his arm-"JOuas, don't you feel
as it any of your bones were broke, do
your" Her voice was almost sobbing, her
small frame was all OF tremble.
Go back suid Jonas. That was all
he would say. The old woman's tear
full eutreatles did not move him in the
least. Finally she hitched herself back to
the house, and took up her station il the
window. Once i'll "a while sine raped ON
the psue, aud beokoned pitiously.
But old Jonas Carey sat still. His
solemn face was iucrutable. Over his
head stretched the 10y cherry branches,
full of the flicker ana dazzle of diamonds.
A wood pecker flew into the tree aud be-
gan tapping at the trunk, but the ice
enamel was 20 hard that he could not get
auy food. Od Jonas sat SO still that he
s1is not mind him. A jay flew ON the
fencs within few feeg OF him; a spar
row pecked Rt some weeds piercing the
snow-orust beeide the door. Over IN the
east dvoso q mountain, covered With
frosty tonnage lull OF etAFct anu ullo an
diamond lights. The air was stiugiug.
Oh Jonas paid no attention to anything,
he sat there.
the ol6 Nomau ran TO this door again.
"0h. Jonas, youW freeze sctun' thcrc.'
she pleaded Cant you git uoY Your
bone. amt BROKE, air they Jonas was
silent
con, Jonas, there's CaTistmos Jenny
comia' dawn the road- what dc You s'pose
shen ib,ukg'
Old Jonas Cary was uEmoyed, bnt his
old wife eagerly watched the Old woman
coming down the road. Ihe woman
looked oddly at distance; ike q broad
moving bush; She was dragging somt-
thing green after hex, too. When she
came nearer one cou'd see that she was
laden with evergreen Wreeths; her arms
were strung with them, long sprays of
ground-pius were wound around her
shoulders, she carried basket trailing
with them, and holding also many little
bououets * brieht..OluL everlasting