, 1889-01-17

carried the great awk wsri wm,dvox on his
shoulder. Softly they entered the Kitchen
OF the farmhouse. Not sOund wns to b
heard save the snoring Of the old people In
tns adjoining apartment. The boz wsz
placed eilently Mt one side OF the areplacs.
ana .hiie Daisy was pinninR the Knitting
diently hung by the chimney, and drop
ping IN some Of the Ritts from Mrs. Ben
ton, Peter ran back tor a basket Of fruit
which Mr.. Benton bad filed the night be-
fore Tor the same destination. Daily had,
while the box was t~ing made. borrowed
Mr.. king's paint brushes. and produced IN
great red Letters upon q sheet OF drawing
paper. which wrs posted upon the outside
OF the woodbox, these words:
Christmas RiftP'
As she surveyed her work by the gliru-
mering freight she smiled complaeeatly,
thinking what u queer expression would
oversprcsd Mr.. Wbitney's face when be
.houlu behold the woodbox. and ITS labeli
Sne heard q noise oil al once. a quick,
light. manly step on the hose floor OF the
entrance passaue- which WAS not Peters,
even II no had had time to rsturn--and
With sudden nervou, impulse Jumped inte
he woodbox and pulled the lid down after
her. The next instant some person was
walking across the kitchen hoer.
Hello! who's there 2" called SIR. Whit
ney from the bedroom.
"lt ia J.; he not afraid" was the re-
spouse in u musical voice.
1T Ia Silas, 'pon my world make your
self to home, III be up by and by; how
inQP"
.Oh. easy enough. ! staid at cousin
Bellies in the village. over night. and the
children made such q racket with their
Christmas gimcracks that boiled. l can
wish you Merry Christmas' early
enough for once"
The new conner stood still on the hearth
stone for u moment, evidently reading the
aber on She unique woodbox, theu slowly
raised the lid.
"Yrs," ne said. looking straight into
the frightened, embara sed aud blushing
countensnce OF the lovely prisoner, "Yes,
| will take you for Christmas GIFT"
| Dizzy hammered. attempting to speak.
hut her lips had lost their power Of utter
ance. She tried to rise and found herself
firmly wedged into the box. She laughed
hysterically and finally burst into tears.
The young man stopped very low and
whispered few words which must not bs
betrayed. even ."con6dentially," TO- the
reader. Nov" he continued audi6ly.
yOu uOVO WHY w tUNb you HVS uv
Christmas gift and will lift you ont"
Here am, you may take me-" she ex-
claimed. bright light, strangely resemb-
ling JOY, flashing from her swimming
eyes.
He wan lifting her from the woodbox and
had paused, why deponent saith not, when
Peter entered uDobseryed with his basket
of fruit, and stood staring at the lovers like
u pillar OF stone! On the other hand Mr..
II IA E. l..
was also struck dnmb. The tabesux can
be imagined.
| 1t proved to be the merrriest Christmas
morning Daisy had ever known. Her sur
prise in discovering that Silas and Mr.
Hathorn were one and the same individual
was only equaled by the young man a sur-
prise 10 finding his lady-love engaged 40
opportunely. tie had followed
the weird objects down the lune
in the dim darkness OF the
morning. and through the smali. panel
declared to Daisy that he never counted on
such voluntary Christmas gift until he
read the offer with his own eyes.
| "You may keep the shell" he said to
his good old grandfather, but have the
heart Of the woodbox which l shall Keep
forever"
Peter shrugged his shoulders and hob
uieu away. lnat evening Mr.. King Ar.
rived at Mr.. Benton's beaming with An
! ticipatiOn. Peter opened the door for min,
and hurridly said in an undertone: ''You
knows all about do axerdept, s'pose2"
mo! what accident?"
| "The axerdent to Misc Dais-er?"
ITO Miss Daisy! what accident pray 2"
| You member the chicsers with no
hearts at Thanks.gump Dem must 4.
prewed, then loozened. tells the trus
fact, acterallly. Oar was no maich dar.
l seed it ALL"
Mr.. Benton stepped forward and inter
rupted the valuble darkey, to Mr. Kings
inexpressible relief. The story of Daisy y
engagement was told in few words, and
an hour later the artist was br0oding
ever. an unfinished portrait in his rustic
studio.
When daisy Benton became Mrs.
Hathorn in the early spring of the follow
ing year, one Of her bridal presents wins u
finely executed picture of farmers kitcb
en- with the portrait of the heroine of our
story peepipg through wood-box Mrs.
Martha j. Lamb in Godey's Ladys Book
| HPASGLE.