The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1888-02-11

Top laueo with rosy checked apples ana
other luscious fare. The big lowered
old fashioned carpet and the home made
rug OF wooden roses before the fire,
glowed in the mellow warmth, and even
the crisp, white curtains, looped back
from the windows, flushed family rosy
in this Christmas cheer.
"It's good idee," said Grandma Reed,
as little later the four women counsel
ed at the kitchen fire, "For Silvy to stay
over night here. He can go home and
see ter things, but comm and goin' so
fur in one day, gettin' excited and eatin'
more'n common, might make the chill
dren sick, but gettin' 'em airly to bed
under the testers, with the fire goin' all
night, they orter sleep like kittens and
be ashamed to ketch cold"
"Well, you never can tell nothin' what
children are gwine to do" returned Mrs.
Belcher. ga lamb or a suckin' calf you
can count on. They keep their appetites
and grow and live, but with children it's
different; they're forever having the JAM
ders or the Group, and between the dread
of their getting sick and the fear of their
dyin' I shake like popple leaf half the
time I'm with them. 1 low amt had
much courage since she lost them two
nice boys. It's four years since she's been
able to cum over with the hull family to
years ago it was nip and tuck to keep the
breath O life in the twins. Then baby
Jim came in for his share of attention
and now this three months baby's givin'
her another turn at it."
"Well, faint quite SO bad with this
| baby as twas with Jim. He's got
proper good start afore real cold wealth
err" said Grandma.
"Taint no great start, but it's better'n
nothin, chimed in Mrs. Belcher. 81 never
did b'leeve in winter babies-no new
cows milk, no catnip, nor mint, nor elder
blow leaves but what's lost their strength,
and such piece of work to keep 'em
warm; they get cold just as quick as q
piece O. taller and have snuffles or Group
or risin' of the lungs from snow fall to
cowslip time. I've alters had DIRE ad O.
winter babies, poor little critters"
Supper is just smoking hot, and here
jingle of sleigh bells suddenly ceased at
the door. She rushed out to the sleigh
followed by her aunt, while Grandma
Reed waited in expectant attitude just
inside the door. In came Mrs. Belcher
with the twins. Electa followed, hug
ging Master Jim, now almost two years
old, and girl of eight and boy of ten
shyly brought up the rear, carrying the
family baggage. But WI ere we're mother
and baby? Explanations followed from
the father of how the wife had "clear
broke down with cold" and not having
the heart to disappoint her mother or her
children had sent them on without her.
He must not stay, and with a few part
ing injunctions to the children and
promise il she was no worse he'd come
over to dinner tomorrow, he was gone.
Resolutely putting away the dissp-
pointment, they felt, the three women
|
tertsinment of the children thus set
! down in motherless condition among
them. A quiet, obedient, bashful little
group they were, asking few questions
and making little trouble, but observing
with keen delight everything which be-
spoke the festivities OF the morrow. The
stockings to be hung had been sent in
the family bag by the mother, even to
after unpacking was still marked by the
print of his rosy toes, and the rounding
bulge of the little heel.
Supper over, the children were to see
the stockings hung before they went
to bed. "Heart and sakes alivei' chirped
Grandma Reed, show it cheers body up
to clap to and hang up row of chill.
dren's stockin's for Christmas. Here's
five stockins and sock; they must hang
| on each end of the fireplace instead of
front, so they won't scorch." And with
large two-tined forks she proceeded to
fasten three at each end, at which the
youngsters gazed in quiet exultation.
The children safe in bed, Grandma
Reed brought out her stock of well-knit
mittens, leather covered balls, tippets
made of lambs wool, and the full cloth
caps made in orange quarters and sup
piled with ear-laps. Mrs. Belcher brought
out animals made of doughnuts,i the
incest apples, and pop corn balls which
would melt in the mouth, and some pink
and white sugar plums, and Electa pro-
duced a doll made of cob and dressed
that very day.
AS the work of stuffiag the stockings
was completed, the young school master
who had been absent up to the time,
joined the family circle, and enlivened
them not little by news of the great
world outside gathered from the weekly
Courant. a copy of which was this night
received by more than half the town of B.
A joyous waking at daybreak was fol-
lowed by the skittering Of bare little
feet; suppressed filters and half smoth-
cred ordinations Of JOY as the stockings
were carried into bed to undergo examin-
alton. The dressing and the breakfast
and the joys that followed up the day
filed to the brim their cup of happiness.
Older hearts cast anxious thoughts out