Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-12-07

'What did you buy, Aunt Maria?" asked
Sarah, the pretty daughter, with an attempt
at small talk, one afternoon when the two
older women had paused in the parlor to
rest before going upstairs with their wraps:
'Your lap is piled with bundles; are you
going to have new dress?
Miss Maria looked disconnected.
"Mebbe," she replied briefly, gathering
her parcels together, 81 got some stun col
She rose to her feet, hugging up her load.
One twist of paper fell to the ground. Mary,
the plain daughter with the nice eyes, ran to
pick it up.
'It feels like gloves" she said, for want
of happier thought, handing it to her
aunt.
Miss Maria seized the parcel almost rude
Iv. 'tI don't remember" color rose to her
cheeks; her eyes fell ''I got lot O. little
things. Mebbe didn't buy no gloves. L
1 amt sureP'
The door closed upon her suddenly, in
what seemed very like guilty flight.
'Why, mother" cried all three girls
together. "What has gone wrong? Aunt
Maria is always as voluble as child over
every paper of pinsP'
'I do believe" added Bella, ''that 'goin'
down street, and doin' little tradin', is all
that reconciles her to New York.
Meanwhile, upstairs, Miss Maria was hur-
riedly thrusting her purchases into deep
drawer she had emptied for the purpose.
81 don't believe" she thought, with a
prick from her tender conscience, ST don't
believe remember eff 1 bought them
gloves or not. They was other things was
lookin' at, tool amt sure" She paused
a moment to consider something else.
Anyway" her face cleared and beamed,
IL
looked. I think twas crossbar, but I
wouldn't be sure fer nothin'. An them
mufflers; Celia, she chose fer me, an
didn't look t. see eff she got tn red one or
that dark blue. I hope"-she gazed- down
into the drawer-"I hope twas the red one,
but won't know till Chris 'muss.''
Day after day, Miss Maria added to the
contents of the drawer. "Whether or no."
as she phrased il, she meant to give some
little present to each member of the family,
from Joseph down to the errsnd boy. But,
with these weightier matters. her own
preparations went on. "The girls" could
not understand why their aunt wore those
shabby shoes, when Sarah had helped her
buy a new pair, or why she made such a
mystery of even q couple of hat pins which
their mother carelessly bestowed upon her
one Gay, and which disappeared and were
no more seen, though her bonnet hung awry
upon the good gray head as usual.
Poor Miss Maria! She found it hard
work, but she never relaxed her ardor, now
that this idea was hers. Her winter plen-
ishing was bought in an off-hand, careless
fashion which puzzled Mrs. Joseph, used
already to the country woman's love of de-
tail and a trihing excitement.
So Christmas eve came round.
After the 6 O'Clock dinners, through whose
Il. 1.
shut herself in her own room, and began at
once her work for the night. Her withered
cheeks were dull red with excitement; her
faded eyes glowed like youth again. All
the family presents had to be resorted and
tied up, with lavish expeI 1iture of paper
and twine. 'Its such fun openin' emp she
thought.
Then came the only private pleasure.
Back and forth tripped Miss Maria, back
and forth between bureau and chimney,
till the long, dangling, gray stocking was
stuffed rigid, and the floor beneath piled up
with packages. It was only o'clock, but
she was used to early hours. "I'll be up
before tn light, she thought, with her sim
plest look, SO she went to bed straightway
and very soon to sleep.
Now it happened that the Conways had
not only been generously remembered by
their late boarder at this holiday time, but,
strange to say, they had remembered her.
Everyone, from "him" down to next to
the baby, had helped fill good-sized box,
with which the expressman came banging
on the door about 9 O'Clock. The Bas-
CONS were genuinely pleased and little
ashamed when they took in this token of
good will. Bella said, after little talk:
"Can't run up to Aunt Maria's room
with it. right away2 She'll be as happy as
child, and it seems too good to keep till
morning"
The rest approved, and Bella tugged
bravely at her load to the door, where only
q glimmer of freight met her eyes as she
CROPPED her way in. Aunt Maria was uncon-
scious of her knock and of her entrance.
But some one on the hearthrug started
guiltily, and turned to meet the young girls
face with very shamefaced air.
"Mollyp cried Miss Bella.
Molly had long, plump stocking in her
hand. Mistress and maid stood together be-
fore each other.
The maid was first to speak.
''Seel' she said, huskily. "What that
poor souls done fer 'erself, an gone T. sleep,
like tn baby she is. Been her own Senty
Claus, she has, an me n cook maxim up
this" Shading the strange thing she held,
with superior SMILEY, $50 US she shouldn't
quite miss Christmasr'
The ready tears sprang to her mistress
eyes.
80, I never dreamed it was like that to
herr" she gasped. "You make me so, so
ashamed, Mollyl We must do something,
tool"
She hustled about the room, depositing
the Conway box at one side OF the CRATE, and
helping Molly suspend her own tribute.
This shall be the sweetest surprise the
dear thing ever knew" whispered Miss
Bella, with catch in her whisper. II hope
It isn't too late to make her very happy
yet"
And the others were much aztonished at