Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1894-12-20

The joyous Christmas morning
dnwned with dazzling sunshine on the
bright, new fallen snow, and Blossom
was very happy with the new doll and
sugar plums in her red stocking, but
for sweet Mabel there was no Christ
mas token, although in former years
the festal season had showered her
with gifts, With deft fingers she pre-
pared their simple breakfast of tea and
toast, and just as they finished eating
their laundress entered
She was sunny tempered old negro
woman, once Blossoms loving nurse,
and since then She had insisted on do
ing their small wash, charging only u
nominal sum, such as she knew Mabel
could afford to pay.
Blossom laughed with delight over
the big yellow orange Nanny gave
her, then the old woman opened her
neat basket and brought out the snowy
garments so daintily Numbered. eX-
planning volubly:
Miss Mabel. honey, desc yere white
ap'orns NV Blossoms done wared so
thrcadbar', dat l tored snag in one
sleeve, honey. rs mighty sorry, but
eudden help it to sabe my life de mus
lin Is so ole and thin. But. darlin.
you git yo' needle right off an fix II
atore Blossom puts hit on. 'cause
you know eff she spy dat leetle snag.
she gwine to poke her sassy leetle
thumb in it Shore and tyar dat hole
heap bigger in minnit! All, Won
SIP ut little precious" apostrophizinn
Blossom. you needn't shake dem
yaller curls at me, cause YOU knows
DAT yo' ole bracls Nanny is tellin'
de gospel truth on you! You ALWAYS
was doing of some mischief ebber
sence you was born, dough YOU do
Iooliy like hebbenly angel wild dem
pig blue eyes an dimply cheelss!" and |
she gathered the cherub to her broad +,
bosom in loving hug while Mabel |
sought diligently in her little work
basket for her missing thimble.
" 1t is not here. How strange. for | |
had it late last night, she said. Then.
sudden memory came over her. She |
added anXiously: blossom. YOU had |
sister thimble last night You took |
~ from my finger. Get it for me now,
That may mend your pretty white
apron"
Blossom trotted from corner to cor
ner with a puckered brow of grave |
.perpleXity and her rosy thumb in her
mouth sure sign. of perturbation.
Mabel and Nanny joined in the search
diligently, but all in vain.
"Oh, dearl the little mischief, Hhe is
always losing some of my things"
sighed Mabel, impatiently. ''rhere
was my gold pen that went so slfange.
ly my tooth brush dozens of stools of
embroidery silks, and-ever 50 many
trlies' But she can never remember
what she did with single thing; She
must have found a crack in the floor
or wall to poke things in. Think now.
pet with all your might. Where did
you hide sisters thimble?"
Blossom, with her most cherubic air
Of innocence, was thinking deeply, and
to some purpose this time, for suddenly,
with shout of joy like an infantile
Columbus discovering new America,
she rushed to the rose-iar.
'Indat-eyysing in dere!" she lisped
Joyfully, and boldly oveturned the
pot-pourri upon the floor.
Oh, the flood of sweetness, the sum
mer-time perfume in the wintry air as
the spices and withered roses poured in
reckless waste upon the warm carpet
A cry of dismay rose from Mabcl's lips,
but Nanny and Blossom were already
on their knees scattering the fragrant
mass and bringing to light all the lost
treasures
a1Vr Afp1, |
my's fat black hand n square, cream
tinted envelope, sealed with pale-blue
wax, and on the back her own name in
Arthur's writing; Miss Mabel Langley
Miller.
"oh' my Lor Almighty, dat lost let
ter! Da's whar she done hid it, dat
little mischief" the old woman was
half sobbing when Mabel caught it
from her hand.
She thought at first that it was one
of Arthur's old love letters, bat sud
denly she saw that the seal was I'M
broken, and cried, tremblingly;
NANNY, Nanny, how came this
here? When-how-" her voice
broke in sob, and the old woman
whimpered;
"'Taint nothin' important, 10 1t, Miss
Mabel honey? Cause, how, maybe
I've been wrong that 1 never tole You
bout it sooner Dot letter I'D know
it gin nywhares-l1em to orr house
the day of poo mars funel, darlin',
and jest ley it down in you room
a'tendin' to glib it ter YOU bimeby
when you come up stairs from crying
IL. l. n |