Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1890-12-25

She look over wistfully at Molly,
shaking up the pillows.
| Il don know The second girl
thought for minute, 'ev'rybody has a
| chance t be his own Senty Claus, then,
ef they all git their due, l suppose he
means. Yes, that does sound good.
Eff we was meant to be independent o.
each other, that is"
Miss Maria heard only part of this
speech, and that part haunted her long
after she was left alone.
Everybody his own Santa Claus,
| Molly had said 1t would not 90 out of
her mind. Born of the despair which
had seized upon her weak spirit when
she found they were to know, here, no
Christmas, and no good fairy-a despair
which in turn was part of the great
wave of homesickness creeping up to
her heart-she began to build up crazy
plan, and formed it ON the servants
careless speech.
"What did you buy, Aunt Maria9"
asked Sarah, the pretty daughter, with
an attempt at small talk one afternoon
when the two elder women had paused
| in the parlor to rest before going up
stairs with the wraps. "Your lap is
piled with bundles. Are you going to
have new dress2"
Miss Maria looked disconnected.
"Mebbe," " she replied briefly, gather
ing her parcels together, 81 got some
stun colored cashmere, mn some
little things. She rose to her feet hug
ging 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
rudely. 81 don't remember Color
rose to her checks; her eyes fell. 81
buy no gloves. Il amt sure"
The door closed upon her suddenly in
what seemed very like guilty flight.
Why, mother' cried all the girls to-
gether, "what has gone wrong? Aunt
Maria is always as voluble as a child over
every paper Of pins!"
Il do believe" added Bella, "thtt
goin down street and doin' little
tradin' is all that rcconciles her to New
York
Meanwhile upstairs Miss Maria was
hurredly thrusting her purchases into a
deep drawer she had emptied for the
purpose.
81 don't believe, she thought with
prick from her tender conscience, 81
don't remember eff bought them gloves
or not. They was other things l was
looking at, tool amt sure" She
paused moment to consider som ething
else. Anyway her face cleared and
b AIMED. 81 don't skursely know how
that apron looked. think twas cross
bar, but l wouldn't be sure for nothin'.
An them mutiiers; Celia, she chose fer
me, an | didn't look t. see eff she got th'
red one or that dark blue. l hope, " she
gazcd 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 it, she meant to
give some little present to each member
of the family, from Joseph down to the
errand boy. But with these weightier
matters her own preparations went on.
"The girls" could not understand why
their aunt wore those shabby shoes when
'"i"h '.i, iiot' a. i,epIo ~ nei W uuS no" paa,
o' oo,o m or1 nf ao hat Sucm tho otbor ~ thon
noroinssIv ~ bstopod 4I pn9 w har ono @ dan nnd
wbicb 9isonnoorod ~ ~ and d. VOC @ S' NO. mnro n,
soon tbom%b bor bonnot bmnr, o,,,r,, ,,,,or ,,N,r
the good gray head as usual.
Poor Miss Maria! She found it hard
work, but she never relaxed her ardor,
now thaC IhlS l''e'' was hefs' her w winter '1
PlenlshihS was oouShI III ah oihahu'
careless lllaiiier Wnlch PuIHlcu Nrs'
Joseph n HSau of u5ttnIy dty onG 10 'e country
HoLI'u io'o VI ''e'"ii anu iiiiins GA
'iteln1T,, Sn Gh.;..,,,oo o,,o oo,,o ,uo,,ua
80 1p Cnrls'liiaS .Il, eve came rouhu. ,
Aitel 'ie SIN 20 o c,ocN ui1hers, tnrou?h Ni
wnose W 4 GourSes sue nurrleu w ner way, MIS-
nu.la i,n sltu' nctSel, S nn hc' own room anu
pGs'n p :l3 a. onc9 ilci WIN loI tiic m'shv;
- .tt,, "i.ieeu tilIoMo Jelo ''u,i lcC,
M ,1 a,,.L i''' tm III ~ oSes SioMo,'
l,Nc yo1'h asain' al 'ne lannily pres
uH.I ,ii.b i''1u ~ NC Ic-sGI'eu anu tlcu up;
WIN: WIN i"ti3n ,3. eAPeneitufo .: P"per anu
tEl,ei4 tMinei IL ; Such Jun oPchih en- shc
'NTT5i Ttsl il'' A.. -. ...--,---.-
p,iil l'n 1 UInlI .ite onis P'lNutc P'ensu!e'
h"oi p"cH an3 nnq fth iotIh IrlPpeu Mss @ Nara;
p'oN anu ioltu ~, pelmceil bureau anu
lIl.y' CiiilnHoy' tiil tlo lGhS, .u"nSiinS' gray
stooMins s H,3 was Stuileul rISiI anu 'lG moor
oei,, oeneaeh 'te. up WIN l'afkages. ~ was
only eiSht CLOCK, put she was used TO
Iy I"Iiy houlS' ~ pc up pclore IN
iGsil 1lsh'' She % tnougn', wlth 1 her Simplest
looN, 20 sue "ent W oeo s'raigh'a""y
ana very soon 10 steep,
~" ~ naPl,cnel 'n"S lne ooI"ayS
nlu not only been upnprlllV remembered