The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1891-12-26

NO, | don't know reioined her
aunt; 'and if tendin' school is goin' to
fill your heads full o nonsense, I'll
take you away mighty quick. don't
believe in Christmas. There amt no
sense in givin' a whole pack of presents
right and left. Now, what under the
canopy are you cryin' about, Prudence?
| declare, if Il OF the other of you
amt alwers cryin' about somethin -
"She's thinking what the girls will
say when we tell EN- we didn't get any
thing explained Rebecca, for Pru-
dence couldn't speak. They're sure TO
ask, you know, n think it funny"
Let EN- ask, them" said Aunt Jane.
sharply. I'D like to know if folks
don't think I'm dom well by you as
tbs? Seems like faint enough to feed
n clothe We, n send We to school. Ye
want a whole raft o presents besides,
Well, We won't get 'em, no matter what
folks say. I'm a willin' boss, but |
Won't be rid to death by nobody. Now,
Prudence. you stop that cryin' n go
upstairs n get your patchwork; N you
go down uller after a pan o apples, Re
becca. And | want EN- peeled better'n
you peeled those yesterday, too"
But whipping together squares of cal
leo and peeling apples did not cause
either of the little girls to forget their
disappointment. They were very young
when they came to live with their aunt
and uncle in the lonely farmhouse, and
they had been kept there 50 closely
that their ideas of Christmas had been
very vague and shadowy until this fall,
when they had begun a term at the
district school. They had learned all
about Christmas then. and for the past
fortnight there had been talk of little
else. 1t was hard enough to Prudence
and Rebecca to know that they would
be left out of all Christmas joys, but
the modification of having to con-
fess this the following Monday to their
oates would be, they thought, harder
still.
Rebecca felt that she could bear it
better if Prudence didn't take it so to
heart; but there was nothing of the her
Dine about poor little Prue, and she
made no attempt to conceal the tears
tildt IoIlto SloNiJ uO"l lltI CItchS dud
fell, one byone, on the squares of patch
work in her lap.
Rebecca, finding the sight too painful
at last, turned her chair so hat she
could not see her sister, and went over
in her mind all her small possessions,
trying to think if she owned anything
that Prue would fancy for a Christmas
gift. There was that queerly-shaped
goucd Tim Binns, the hired man, had
given her, and the pretty glittering
stone she had picked up in the pasture
one day. But Prue had seen these a
hundred times, and, OF course, would
not care for them. No, there didn't seem
any chance to have any sort of a Christ
mas.
She turned her head enthusiastically
| glanced at Prue. The tears were fall
ing still, and an occasional stiied sob
made Aunt Jane look up GROSSLY from
the ham she was skinning. Rebecca
sighed. If only Prue would not take
it SO to heart. She was beginning to
feel a little respondent herself, when
suddenly an idea came to her; an idea
so brilliant that for a moment she was
fairly dizzy with excitement. Her
whole face lighted up, and her alb
| sorption was so great hat she forgot
all about the potatoes, until a sharp:
sWhat under the sun air we starin, at,
Rebecca?' brought her to a realization
of her neglect.
II amt %starin', Aunt Jane; I was
Just thinkin' about something she re
Joined, trying to make signals of JOY
and relief to Prue. But Prue shook
her head. The signals were too mys-
~terious for her to understand, and her
tears continued to flow at intervals I'M
til household duties called Aunt Jane
upstairs.
Then down went the pan of potatoes
with a crash, the knife followed after,
and Rebecca flew to her sister ano
threw both arms rapturously around
her.
I'VE won't be ashamed next Monday
Prue." she cried, joyously. The girls
need never know Aunt Jane wouldn'1
give us anything; for I've thought o
something, Prue," her voice sinking te
a tense whisper. I'VE can make
Christmas tree for ourselves, and we
can hang up our stockings, too. We
can just pretend to have Christmas
Prue, and it'll be the same to talk abou
as the real thing"
pretend it. | don't understand,
said Prue, slowly.
II can't tell you nowhere come
Aunt Jane. But don't cry any more
It'll be all right And Rebecca rushe'
back to her chair and picked up the pal
of potatoes just as Miss James han'
turned the knob of the door.
Il wonder what that there light il
the old henhouse means?' muttered oil
Reuben Paine to himself as he came
up the path from the barnyard OF
Christmas eve, with a full pail of mill
in each hand. ''Those young ones are
up to something, I'll engage"
He set the milk down, and walked
softly over to the henhouse, through
every crack of which ancient structure
long given up to ruin and decay, a fioo'
of light was streaming. To tell thu
truth. Uncle Reuben had a very warn
place in his heart for the two little girl
his pretty, gentle niece had left as
legacy to him, and he would have show
it very often but for the fear that Jan
would take him to task for it. An