The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-01-14

-
sang Eva Philbert as she carefully pasted
| together the cardboard picture frame
she was making.
"What makes everybody In the whole
! world so happy at Christmas time.
FranzT
Lots Of good things to eat and drink"
answered the boy briefly; he was carving
| an elaborate wooden figure. and II re-
CURED all his atteldon.
But some people have always good
things" Eva persisted. Grandmother
said IL was the Christmas spirit What
is that, mutteWhcnT
"rhe Christmas spiritT' repeated Frau
Phlbert absently, she was knitting, and
had to count the stitches. why, II Is the
pleasure in giving to others. in making
others happy"
s"Oh, what will tomorrow give,
Tomorrow, children shall we live,
What rejoicingi Oh, what pleasure,
| VIII in all our houses be;
Early will we wake and say,
'Hurrah hurrah. it's Christmas-Day.'
al know who hasn't any Christmas
| spirit" laughed Franz, his eyes twinkiing
"That cross old Frauleln Shack. she
| never tries to make other people happy.
| ihed rather spite them"
| Poor Fraulein Berthal" said his moth
/ er. sit Is sad to think of a house where
there will be no Christmas JOY, and once
| she was different, so kind and friendly,
! but trouble has soured her temper and
| made her hard"
1.-THE boys are going TO throw things at
! her windows" chuckled Franz, land God
| fried will run his goat, quite early in the
morning, over her pavement"
! THAT surely isn't the Christmas spirit"
answered Frau Phibert; besides, Frau
lein Shack is not at bottom ill-natured or
disagreeabie, but just a lonely, nervous,
fittle old maid who has gotten into the
habit of rubbing people the wrong way.
/ am going to send her cake and WOOL
len shawl, and see IL she cannot be made
to enjoy the beautiful season for once"
"Oh," cried Eva, an idea striking her.
ut would be fun to try and make her
have a happy Christmas In spite OF her
self Yes" eagerly, Tets do that, instead
Of teasing her this year. Franz"
The boy demurred. He hoped to make
a great many people happy, and 1t seemed
hard TO have TO give up the rare sport OF
making one miserable. whats the user
he grumbled. I'VE would have all the
trouble for nothing, and no. fun. She
would only drive us out with angry words.
or perhaps laughing at certain remi-
! niscences-"with q broom-stick.'
"Try Il and see," encouraged Frau fhli-
bert. II am sure 1t would bring It's re-
ward"
"Oh. YES. Franz" urged the little girl.
81 cannot bear TO think OF her all alone
with her cross temper. while we are 50
happy and no one should have haru ieei-
ings at Christmas time.
.'Then Godfried and his goat VIII nave
to Join us" answered Franz, beginning
| 90 60 t.,,,,o.o,,c csda IN the situation.
And Koch, the omnibus man, Tor ne
| hates her. too, and grandmother, and
! and most of the town" Laughing Eva
clapped her hands.
what fun" she cried, "a plot 10 make
her happy. That sounds just like story
book Oh. Franz. oh, little motner' We
must do It, we really must
The next day in rather shame-laceu
manner Franz preached the subject tc
Godfried Hensei, for the boys had planned
n very different sort OF celebration.
But Godfried was a kind-hearted boy In
spite OF his love of mischief. and readily
agreed to this new way OF getting even
with the cross old thing" 1t was harder
to persuade the fat omnibus driver to
q join the conspiracy. Heap Goals OF fre
on her head, will it?' scornfully. Her
tempers so hot she would never feel
them" But Eva's little appeal to his Own
even his heart to compassion, and he
promised to do his share, erinning as ne
thought of what the ''oid pepper-bos
would say when she found her orderly
house turned into forest" GRANDMOTHER
! Muller was next consulted. and was al
first incredulous. then amused. and finally
entered heartily into the scheme of forcing
genuine Christmas celebration upor
their cross-grained neighbor
Meanwhile. little F'raulein Shack went
her uncomfortable way. subilmeiy uncon-
scious OF the riot that was thickenire
round her. ard only wondering why
children were allowed 10 exist. and
almost ready to doubt her chile when she
thought Of goats being deliberately
! created.
She had moments OF weakness, II is
true this flinty little old woman, for
which she despised herself: and she spoke
with extra sharpness to the second small
waif who passed her door, after having
given the first a cookie. She alone SYM
pathized with the grave problem which
so troubled the celebrated tom-cat, Hid
digeigei. "Warum kussen SIGH die mem
schenf"s and as Christmas-Day came
nearer she shut herself up and kept as far
away as possible from the cheerful, busy
crowd that good-naturcdly pushed and
! jostled each iother all day long. SO Il
was with surprise bordering upon anger
that she received letter from old Frau
Muller. In which the latter asked her TO
spend Chrlstmas-Eve at her house, coming
TO an early dinner and staying through
the afternoon and evening.
Was II an insult. or what?
She trembled with indignation 10 think
that there must be some hidden, spiteful
meaning she could not discover
Then the possibility suddenly occurred
10 her that perhaps Il might be meant as
kindness. an act OF PREPARATION for the
hard words that had passed between
them.
She thought the strange proposition over
carefully and then decided TO act upon
This possibility. though she hardly knew
what feeling prompted her to do So
She did not herself realize how away
deep down in her heart was the natural
craving for sympathy and affection COM