The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1889-01-30

don't call that much to give" And Rob
said 'Twouldn't take more'n mitten
to bold such Christmas presents"
Elizabeth, who always agreed with
Elsie, rather liked the idea, and hur
ried off to get paper and pen. " CHOW"
said Elsie, when she came back with
her writing-tablet," we must each
write her little note and tell her what
we will do"
81 know what shall say" said
Elizabeth. / am going to make her
present of an hours practice every
day instead 81 my fifteen minutes, ana
give her music lesson on New Year.
day that will delight her heart; besidcs
that, think I'll promise to darn m
stockings the very day they come from
the wash, instead of throwing them be.
hind the table-ohl and not to stop tu
read when I'm busting the parlor
What will you say, ALP" Allan, who
began to get little into the spirit OF
the occasion, thought he would prom
Use to get up the first time he was
called, and to remember not to slam
doors. Rob refused to tell what hi,
proHise was to be. Dorothy and
Mabel, after consultation with Elsie,
agreed to promise to dress themselvt>
without any help, and to 90 to bed
every night for a week without orc
asking to sit up just little longer"
The notes were finally written, and
soon after they were finished Mr..
Appleton returned, and the rest of that
Christmas eve was passed pleasantly.
although an occasional heavy sigh from
Rob told the others what was passing
through his mind. Christmas morning
dawned clear and bright, and happy
voices rang through the house as stock
ings were examined and packages were
opened. But as it was of Mrs. Apple
toms gifts / started to tell you, ] mus
not speak of the others, but tell you
that when she took the letters from her
stocking (for Elsie had insisted upon
her hanging il with the others, as some
packages had been left for her the even
ing before by friends in the church,
she could not speak for some minutes,
and then she could only put her arms
around her children and tell them that
they could not have thought of gifts
that would have made her happier.
think we must glance over her
shoulder as she reads Rub's note. Spell
ing was not his strong point, as you will
see when you read what he wrote:
M Dearest Mother:-It was all my falt,
lost the Bag that had the christmas munnie
so you haven't got any presents from us but
snippy old letters that say what well do
and perhaps we wont and then you wont
have any presents at all but Pm going to
shuve She paths all Winter without scold-
| ing wOnce and | wont ask for more'n q Buck
Wheat Cakes for Breakfast and III wash my
Hands every time | come into the house
and not keep EN- in my pockets and I'll do
awful sorry you didn't have all the things
we were going to give you.
Your affecShunite ROB.
p. S. and not tease the girls or the cat.
can not give you the full history Of
the chidren's Christmas gifts to their
mother, nor tell you what a happy
week passed between Christmas and
New Years. OF course the promises
were not all remembered, but when
Allan came rushing into the house with
a whoop aud bang, or Rob was heard
teasing the twins, Mrs. Appleton had
only to say, softly, " Remember my
Christmas present>W and the effect
was really wonderful. AS to Elizabeth's
music lesson, il certainly was the best
she had ever had, and when her mother
kissed her, and told her that the lesson
had given her far more pleasure than
the new gloves could possibly have
done, Elizabeth said, Well, mamma,
you are going to have tifty-two just
such pleasures, for I'm going to prac-
tice an hour ayall the time after this"
And that was the best Of it all, for
when the week was over and the chill
dren sat with their mother in the fire
light on New Years night, and heard
from her lips what joy it had been to
her to see their efforts, and how much
more valuable such gifts were than any
that could be bought with money, it
was " Bobkins who said, " We might
just as well keep on, now we've begun"
SO, you see, it is quite probable thai
" Mrs Appleton's gifts " will keep on
coming to her all through the year
ada Sherwood.