Huntsville gazette., 1892-12-24

fingers in the genial warmth. Then
she tot X Arthur's stocking, with the
yawning toe, and quickly mended the
big toe and put the toys in. The candy
bags and strings of popcorn she hung
around it. and piled the apples and
oranges in plate on the shelf above,
and stood the shining new sled beneath,
with the skates, mittens and wooden
scarf hanging over it.
What fine show it made! and how
she longed to catch Arthur out of bed
to see it! but she wanted the room to
get warmer first; and then there was
the basket to be unpacked.
She folded away the coat-not fin.
ished, but that did not matter now
and smiled brightly as she picked up
her spools and scissors and thought OF
the day OF rest before her.
There was rything in that basket
at least SO thought Mrs Hill Two
pies; loaf of cake; another of bread;
little heart-shaped cakes, sugared in
pink and white; a plum pudding; but
ter; tea; coffee; sugar; cranberries; 3
bag of sweet potatoes; squash; tur
nip; two glasses of Jelly. and turkey.
The little table was loaded; it had
never groaned beneath such weight
before.
Mrs. Hill hung the holly wreath,
which had lain on the top of the basket,
in the window; then opened the bed
room door.
Arthur she said, softly, bending
over him; but Arthur did not move.
She kissed him on the lips; he puck
cred up his mouth, opened it, and
closed it again, with deep breath, and
was as fast asleep as ever.
Arthur, do you want to hear about
Santa CLAUSE" The sleepy eyes opened
and he rubbed them with his little fists.
"Wh-a-t?"
81 thought you would like to hear
about Santa Claus; your presents have
come"
Arthur was wide awake-as what
boy would not have been-and sprang
out Of bed
didn't he come quick?" and he stood
in the bedroom door, his eyes still
blinking, looking from the chimney to
the table, and from the table back tl
the chimney, and then up to his
mothers face.
She drew him to the stove, and sit
y ling down took him on her lap
k.I didn't 'spect SO much!" he ex-
claimed, finding his tongue at last
''but amt it jolly-jolly!" and clapping
his hands together he threw his arms
o1,
that he nearly stopped her breath and
gave her sounding kiss.
''The stoclzin's full-an' you mended
the hSs.&sr and he got down on the floor
and peered up under it. ITS all sewed
tightw Then he pulled down the sled
and skates, tried on the mittens, wound
the scarf around his neck, scraped ac-
quaintance with the candy, and took a
bite out of a shining apple.
Words! words were weak for the ex-
preston of his satisfaction; so he
danced up and down the room, and
clapped his hands, and laughed and
whistled, and finally turned somer.
sault, in the intensity Of his JOY.
Then he and his mother had then
Christmas supper in the warm room
with the fre-Gght shining through the
cracks of the usually grim old stove
And they talked of this glad evening
for somehow the bitterness of its be
ginning had passed from the mothers
mind, and the old carol which sings
that might is passed." most ftly ex
pressed the thought of her thankful
heart.
Il can see star" Arthur cried, and
sure enough, the frost had melted a
little, and star was peeping in; oh,
more than one! two, threc-yes, several
shining down on the poor little home,
as they had shone, long years before.
on lonely Juda, and telling again the
old yet ever new story of the Christ
chlld's birth, and of love and peace on
earth. Annie j. Holland, in Household
MONTHLY