The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-12-24
MRS. lRADFoRD's CHRISTMAS.

Being Christmas night, every house in
Oakdale held festival
In some houses the -old folks gather
ed their children about them the newly
married couples received their friends
elsewhere, there were juvenile parties
sIrs. Bradford had ne little children
neither were there any old people in the
family. She was a plump, rosy widow,
and her household consisted Of two IONS,
. and q years Of age. The mother
might easily have passed for the sister oi
these yoang men. and there vas not 8
happier home thzn theirs in oakdale
On this night II vas perhaps the bright
esf in the place. Evergreen adorned ths
walls flowers bloomed in the windows
all the furniture shone a. if it we're new
and. in the dining room, iine dsmask
silver and china set forth table ladez
with every good thing proenrable in Oak
dale or possible Of manufacture in Mrs
Bradford's kitchen, in expectation o
coming guests
awe have no relations, but We mus
have Christmas party Mrs Bradforl
had said
And then mother and sons had pu
their heads together 70 make out liz
Of people who probably had no invita-
tions for the night There was littl'
Jessie jackson, who lived with the doc
tor and bis wife a. useful friend. Tn
family we're going to spend the holiday
with relatives, and Jessie WAS keepin
house alone
Lets ask her" said 1Irs. Bradford
she won't sly anything and she'll biusl
great deal, but it viii be better for he
than mopiug at home And there IS ell
Mrs. Merryfield who keeps house Wit
/ her cat IN the two-roomea cottage, whicl
looks Ike a baby-house. Wen hav
her; she's perfect gentlewomsn an
good company, too And the old librai
i2n-no one asks him anywhere. 50 kin
as be Is, hunting up books for peopli
Wen ask him, and the young Telegram
operator you Ike 50 much, and the Gel
man music teacher and his wife. That
one. two. three, four, Eve, six-one Dor'
and our little table wiz be quite fnl
/ Who shall it be-"
Polly Peace - cried both boys in on
voice. -LittIe Polly Peace, mother"
@You want one pretty girl. don't you
1 said Mrs. Bradford, with a laugh.
wonder did not think Of Polly PeaC
before. But, you see, l was getting up
feast, not exactly for the lame, the hal
and the blind, but for people who Al
not likely to be remembered by anyor
else-and, doubtless, Miss Polly VIII b
However. you may risk her. She vi
find II dull party, thougG "
So. the invitations were written al
sent. and Jessie jackson sent word TIL
she would be 50 glad 10 come, for 81
had never been aloneo on Christmas eve
/ ing before. and, if ever the ghost shou
come up the cellar stairs, she felt sure
would be then And old Mrs. Merr
field sent her compliments. and said 81
was charmed. And old Mr.. Vellum "
'-hiehIy honored." And the young 0
orator. Mr.. James. felt II consistent wi
his dignity to stste that he would -po:
pone all other engagems nts for 50 ehsrr
ing a oue"-which It was wonderful
easy for him to do, TO tell the truth. Al
the old nnsic teacher and MS wife, n
and MIS- Offenheimer, composed a no
in the English language which il v
; quite impossible to interpret, save IS 1
acceptance. And. last Of ali, Miss Pol
Peace sent, Thanks; I was wonderil
what should do with myself on Chr
mas night
So they we're all ooming-indeed, tn
had ali come, and the Germans play
everything they had ever heard for the
and the old lady had brought her kn
ting, and was talking with Mrs Meri
field, who had travelled in Europe vi
her husband ard was delighted TO nj
: someone with whom she could chat int
ligently Of ali she had seen there
Young Mr.. James had coaxed 1T
5 Jessie Jackson to talk, and Mr. NeilI
had found some rare books IN which
had buried himself and Miss Polly Pes
: was the object Of the adoring attenti
Of both yonsg men while Mrs Brsdfr
fitted about, doing her best 70 make ]
a guests comfortable SapPer was 3 ,
: cess Mr.. OfEenheimes played. and tn
: was dzncing. Even the librarian joir
10 the quadriIie, although he invarial
made mistake in every figure, and !
Mrs. Merry6eIi did the steps as she /
been taught IN dsnring-sehool il
: youth.
4 Mr.. James proved to Jessie Jack
' that nothing was 80 easy As the pol
q And Polly Peace declared that she ne
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