Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1892-12-23
PRssENTs FoR CHRISTMAS.
Brssie's Pleasant Wav of Making Sunshine
When It Rained.

ITS so lonesomer' sighed Maud. with
yawn. 81 think rainy days i'm the coun.
try are just the horridest of anythingv
Out-of-doors everything was drcnched,
and still the rain kept falling. In the
road the water stood in dimpliug pud-
dies, and little brooks raced nerrily
along the cutters; the maple trees We're
dripping, and not bird would sing;
the roses in the garden looked washed
out and discouraged. and the morning
glories had shut MP. Altogether, Maud
was hardly TO be blamed that she felt
ont of humor, and SO stood at a window
pouting
$50 horridl' said she. Isn't it, Bess?"
"Why, no." said Bessie, brightly: II
don't think il is
Bessie sat al mother window busy as
a bee over a box of gay-colored bits of
silk and worsted and perforated paper.
Maud was Mrs. Mayhew's little girl.
and Bessie was Mrs. Bakers little girl,
and they were both out at Grandma
] Testers.
"What're you doing Bcss?" asked
| Maud, with suddenInterest.
Bessie laughed and shook back her
hair, cut short like boys, and curling
in crisp little rings all over her head.
I'm making things for Christmas"
said she
Things for Christmas" echoed Maud,
in great amazement
IL mean Christmas presents" ex-
planned Bessie, laughing still In point
of fact, there was almost always
laugh hiding behind the red lips of
Mrs Bakers little girl. ready TO burst
forth at the slightest provocation.
Papa and mamma and Aunt Say and
Uncle Ben and all our folks say they
like TO have things ! make myself the
best; and when Christmas really comes
there's always so much to do can't do
anything. It's real fun 10 make 'em.
too rainy days. when you can't do any
thing else. and when you hurt your
ankle and have to stay in-the way |
did last week"
Miss Maud went straight over to Res |
sizes window. The unhappy little |
trown was gone from her forehead. and |
the corners of her month were begin /
ming 20 lift.
II think IL would be fun" said she |
"Have you got any done? What're you
DOh NOh PCnt IOuhs
'Of course, If you want to-" laughed
Bessie. 1--WE got some things done
and I'm making cushion for Aunt
Says toilet table now. See?"
She lifted handful of six-sided bits
of stiff paper and let them flutter
down into her lap again like minia-
ture snow-storm.
''Humph!" said Maud. I'D like 10
know whatever you're going to do with
those things?"
I'm show you" and Bessie pro-
ceeded to cut bit Of silk little
larger than one of the paper hexagons,
which she covered with IT, bastiug the
edges down neatly on the wrong side
I'm going to make the middle one
blue" said she.
"Now what?" asked Maud
Besses scissors shipped and her
needle flew, until presently she had six
little drab silk heXagons beside her
blue one. I'm going to make the next
row around drab," said She
How did you learn?" asked Maud
"Prudy Palmer" said Bessie and
then she began 10 sew. with dainty
short stitches, her six drab hcxagons
round her blue one. ITS over and
over, just like my patchwork" said She
''Now the next row I'll make blue.
and when | get it large enough I'll |,
cover the top of a cushion with il. and
make the under side Of blue. and ruffie
some blue ribbon round il. and give it
10 Aunt Say Christmas: and she'll hold
up both hands and say: Perfectly
lovely" How Bes,ie's black eyes
sparllled with fun
"Oh, | want % make one" cried
Maud
well, YOU can" said Bessie. "and
twill be a lot more fun if there are two
of ms. I'm going 10 make sofa-pillow
for grandma, Just this way only bigger ,
pieces and stuff ii with life-everlast-
ing Theirs lots Of il in the pasture"
Now il was Maud'S turn 10 laugh. he
cause it sounded 50 funny to talk about !
stufIing pillow with life-everlasting
you know"
Lets look at Your other things" /
said she: and Bessie oblgingly skipped I
away upstairs, 10 return almost i'm the q
same minute with tiny mahogany I
box which her Uncle Ned had brought a
To her once upon time from over the a
sea. and which always formed part of !
her luggage wherevershe went
Now, what's this?" asked Maud.
presently, and who is it for?"
ITS for papa answered Bessie,
''asd it's a shaving book"
Because it's 50 thin?"
"oh, no." But it was thin enough,
although it contained ifty-two pages,
,ne for each week i'm the year, of soft,
white paper. The covers were of per
'orsted paper. white, too, and lined
with scarlet silk. and bound with scar I,
at ribbon, and tied at back and front
With scarlet bows, and there was o