Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-02-06


knacss in the shop Window and ths mArkse
women Who, With diss.ndsd cheeks pulled
into their little earthen channs disho out of
which Few showers Of SPARTA Nov and then
Cornblosspn heard ths rafting Of door n
the street and sometimes . neiShbor left hn
house to go TO the wine shop; sometimes
neighbors wife, IN wooden shoes and BASKET
in her hand, after taking care 10 lock The
door, raSeled along on the side whsre Tia
umbrellas were; and at other times she
heard o1ly the scraps Of talk hngeing IN the
air. But the snow deadened all these sounds
and made them seem as soft - velvet
Il still see old Lisbeth very well, said she,
..she is sweeping the snow from before Der
door and she has set near her bucket or GIN
ders to throw on the sidewalk when she has
got through sweeping l see Mr.. Onuzel, the
pastry cook. too, walking with bis hands IN
bis pockets and smoking his pretty china
pipe, and be Is looking away over at the
swoetcake men that papa made this morning
But am very well satisfied at not having
seen ST Nicholas and | am going back to
bed
Papa JAMS laid Corublossom in her bed
again and kissing her said:
Sleep well my Blossom. Your papa viii
make the house look very fine to receive St
Nicholas. and we will put under the mantel-
piece the pretty red carpet with black flowers
that We put in the window between two can
dies when the curate goes by with the proces-
sion Of the Host
And Grandma Jams said:
How is it possible. Heaven save me- not
to love child who lets herself be put to bed
without crying and who IS always happy
with her grandmammaf
Soon nothing was heard in the room but
the ligh, breathin. CT the child and the noise
OF the knitting needles clicking in Grand
mamma JAMS lean hands
Ill
Suddenly the vicar, wearing his three cor
nered hat on one side opened the shop door
and said to Papa and Mamma JAMS who
were counting their money and making sep
arate heaps of the sous and francs:
1T is |, my friends Good day, Madame
Jams came to see if Cornblossom has put
her little shoe in the fireplace"
There it is the vicar" said Jams, taking
bis pipe from his mouth and leading him into
the little room behind the shop 'Gran'ma
JAMS will be well pleased to see you"
Just then the doors Of the room above
opened and GranAma Jams cried out very
quick:
Hans, Hans!"
"Ah there it is" said JAMS "Cornblos-
som i, calling me every minute to talk to me
about St Nicholas. These angels, Come up
stairs, father"
Heaven keep u.s." cried gran'ma, when
she ,aw them "Cornblossom has just got
out Of bed and she wants to go down on the
square. Your blessing, father"
Cornblossom's eyes were stretched wide
open and she was looking towards the win
dows, but without seeing anything
MY Blossom cried Jams, almost out Of
his head, and he put back the little girl under
thu blankets.
The vicar, having glanced towards Jams,
saw that he was as pale as the bedclothes and
tia. his hands trembled Cornblossom
calmly closed her eyes and went to sleep
AGAIN, but her little hands, transparent as q
aisht lamp i'll which light is burning, kept
on making vague gestures over the counter
pane.
Courage, JAMS" said the vicar, gently
laying lis hand on Jams shoulder, Think Of
our Lord who suffered"
But JAMS was looking at his child, distract
edly, and did not hear him. Then Cornblos
som began to move her lips, softly, as though
she were whispering to somebody who was
beyond the darkness, and at last she spoke
these words
II em Cornblossom, the daughter of Jams,
the baker who lives in the square"
She was quiet for a moment and then
went on;
Good morning always playing-dolls-
thanks, madame"
Her voice was like violin, the tone very
sweet, and she spoke little wan smile on
her mouth was like little bright cloud melt
ing away in the evening sky JAMS saw
her delicate and pretty arms come from out
the bedcothes and she made a salute with her
hand IN the empty air, with a slow gesture
such she had when she repeated her fables
and said. Good morning, Mr.. Crow" Then,
after half hour, Cornblossom awoke again.
Hasn't st Nicholas come yetP she
asked
NO, Blossom said Jams "St. Nicholas
doesn't come until midnight"
"Ahl that Is so long away" said the httlc
girl But he comes no for and his donkey 10
tired, Papa. put an easy chair Tor St Mich
las and stool for his donkey"
Il will not fail to do so,n said Jams; land
will let St Nicholas have the pretty chair
in the corner, the one that Aunt Catherine
sits in when she comes to see us at Christ
mas
And at about II O'Clock Jams went down
stairs to arrange the St. Nicholas gifts for
Cornblossom. He had bought big doll with
pearl eyes faxen hair and jointed arms and
legs He had also bought cradle lined with
blue silk, with rockers on it And he bad
paid fifteen francs for all these things He
laid the doll in the cradle and packed in Q
pasteboard box the silk cloak, the muslin
dress and the pink plush hat, which composed
the dolls outfit. And JAMS laughed to him
self in thinking of his Blossoms happiness,
recovering a little Of his cheerfulness, merely
from handling these pretty things He took
off his shoes and went up stairs in his stock
ing feet twice, the first time to carry the
sweetmeats, the second time to take up the
doll, the cradle and the pasteboard box with
the dolls clothing And he laid them all
down in the little room near to the chamber
where Cornblossom was resting And Bios
som slept on.
~ want to see her delight when she shall
have her st. Nicholas gifts, that is why |
stay here" said the vicar to Gran'ma Jams
But that was not why the vicar stayed.
He took his prayer book from his pocket and
his lips gently moved by an interior murmur,
sat down to read near the little lamp But
from time to time the vicar looked at Corn
blossom and then he said TO himself, closing
his book, but holding his finger within so as
not to lose his place:
Lord, my God, have pity on these poor
people"
"
When midnight came Cornblossom heard
some stir about the house, and having opened
her eyes she asked if that were not st. Mich
olas' donkey coming down the chimney
And JAMS, who well knew that it was his
worknen in the bakehouse answered her,
moving his great eyebrows all full Of flour,
that certainly he recognized the sound Of the
donkeys shoes. And he added
81 will go see in minute"
He applied his ear to the door, pretended
to listen, with his head thrown forward then
went down stairs, stretching out his big legs,
with an air Of mystery And suddenly, from
below, there came up shouts joyousness
that burst out 1t was JAMS. and he said:
"Blossomi my Blossom. he has gone! Open
your little hands"
When he reappeared in the chamber he
held In his arms the easy chair that Aunt
Catherine sat in, and on it were the cradle,
the doll, the pasteboard box, the sweetcake
man and the plates OF swea.meats
Thank you. st Nicholas, thank you for
Blossom" he cried out from the staircase.
And as soon as the child had the beautiful
doll and the cradle. her little mouth formed
itself into smile, like flower opening in
the sunlight Then JAMS showed her on the
easy chair the dust that be had made there
himself, By putting his own feet on IL and