Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-12-25
MISS MARIA'SSANTA CLAUS


'Troning, too. thought it was regu-
a boarder here"
"Well, am, BROTHER Miss Maria
reioined, in all good faith. 81 pay my
So every Saturday night of my life"
"Yes, guess that's about what there
is of it," Mr.. Bascom hid smile in his
handkerchief. Don't these Conways
ever do any work, Maria2 IsuppcsG you
took hand in the washing Monday,
didn't your
To his astonishment his sister began
voluble excuse
'It was the first time, Joseph; upon
my word. OF course I've hung them
out, We know-mild weather. an like
that; Just to get tn things out o tn way.
But, this week Miss Conway and com
pany comm I'd just as licve. There
really weren't no reason"
"lIaria Bascom amt overly smart,
the neighbors used to say, in cruel
country bluntness; but that any human
being could impose upon such docilc
trust and childlike innocence, had never
entered her brothers brain to believe.
He stood staring at her in grieved sur
air of a man used to his own way and to
much management, announced his de
cision:--
I'm tell you this, Maria You 90 up
stairs and pack your trunk and tonight
we go back to New York together. |
guess our honse is big enough to hold
my sister, and you won't have to do any
washing there. Go onm He waved her
to the door, "rll settle with the Con
ways, and they'll learn little wisdom
before they're many days older, Ireckon."
Poor Miss Maria used always to obcdi-
ence to some stronger will, scarcely
knew how it came about-this sudden
transplanting from her old home and its
dear associations to Joseph's awe-inspir-
ing city house.
Probably Mrs. Bascom, who was some
what her husbands superior, and the
Misses Bascom, who went a little further
up the Social ladder, did not welcome
this addition to the family with great
enthusiasm. But, being the best hearted
folks in the world, they made Aunt
Maria as comfortable as possible, gave
her a pretty room, and, perhaps-as busy
people, and only human, too--did not
very much regret that she stayed good
deal in the room they gave her.
indeed, the newcomer found herself
sadly at loss in an establishment where
everything went by clockwork, where
her own service was in no way needed,
and where there were no children-the
little Conways had been many. She
was most at ease with the servants, anC
soon made great friends with Molly, The
second girl, who was from what Miss
Maria called 'over our way, and whose
acuteness had not been long in gaugine
the little old woman's capacity Alright.
9Th folks upstairs,n she said to the
cook, 'act like they thought their aunt
was same as them. What she wants is
to be treated childish, and it only hus-
trates 'er, their maxim out she's grown
up as anybody. 'Taint right; they
ought to understand"
The cook assented to this.
''What dye s'pose she's frettin' about
nowl" Molly queried, fiourishing dish
cloth. 'She says t me this mornin'-
why, says she, here It's tn middle O
November, an 1 amt heard word o
Chris'muss yet Don't they make much
O. Chris'muss in New York, Mollyl"
:" hae dlo yer tell 'erE' asked tht
COOK,
l seq th bascoms wa MT IN IN
way o. doin' much; jus plum puddin' fei
dinner, an turkey, an a couple o
dollars piece t. you an me, N TIL rest.
dLn incy 5 uonI ~ make axe, no presents sez l an,
slo 'ooNcu al SooN p"cN; l ueclarG l
was CORY Ter IN OLD lady. Says she,
Nhy' I IN Conways there was always
great time; an them children atalkln'
ABOUT santa Claus, an hangln' up their
stocklns. We all hung up our stockin's
tn ConWays, sez she, 1T was real
pleasant, too. Things seem diif'runt
some way, that come out o a stockin' O.
course'-an' then she drawed 'erself up
and tried to look very dignifed. 'Of
course, SEE she, all such talk ez Senty
Claus Is foolish, an | don't know cz
chlldren ought t be encouraged in it,
but 1t sounds kind O. good, too, t have
EN- goin' on about the reindeers. | like
hear it.
poor ole soul p mused the cook. 81
got a soft spot in my heart for Miss
Maria since she made that mustard plas-
ter for me, as if were her own fles h N
blood. She's worth all the rest of EN-
put together"
"O' course she is Molly thought
there were no two opinions as to that.
DO ye mind how she busted tn parlors
that time had the run around? saw,
she'd ought to have Chris muss tree ef
she wants one, an it's my opinion Senty
Claus is ez much T. her ez ever he was t
them Conway children"
But Miss Maria came up from break
fast few mornings later with very