Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-12-31
OUR CHRISTMAS DINNER.
Mary Kyle Dallas in Peoples Home
journal.

Christmas had come. For days and
for weeks we had been making prep
aratiouS to feast my husbands pa
ternal uncle. Mr. Benjamin Frank
Scurry, and such a dinner as We had
gotten up was never even thought II
by persons of our limited income
But then. we had good reason for
doing our best. for, after having taken
no interest in his nephew, the old
gentleman had written TO him that he
had made his will in his favor, and
that when he went where we can take
neither money-bags nor real estate
with us. Ben should have Scurry Park
and all the money in the bank which
he had accumulated in his long years
of bachelorhood, during which he had
paid close attention to a prosperous
business The letter ended thus:
In order to become better ac-
quainted with you and your wife,
will do myself the pleasure of dining
with you on Christmas day"
We had instantly written a letter
such as the occasion callel for. and
my impression was that we had been
preparing for that Christmas dinner
ever since. Ben's widowed mother.
who lives with us, was greatly excited
by the prospect of Bens good fortune
Il did not think your father
brother would ever get over my hay
ing refused him before accep;e ed your
pa, my SON." she said. I'VE named
Ill !,
your poor pa died he was most gem
erous, but we have never had any so
cial intercourse since my marriage.
No doubt we have both changed"
She looked into the glass S ghed,
and that very afternoon went to the
nearest hairdresser's and bought her.
self Psyche knot quite another shade
of gray from her own hair. But what
was the use of telling her that, when
she was contented? Since then she
had spent most of her time in taking
the grease spots out Of the carpet and
furniture with decoction she called
her "eradicator," and which she kept
in a decanter on the sideboard, 1t
smelled dreadfully. but il was effec-
tive and certainly the furniture
needed renovating Besides. mothers
in-law must be handled carefully, II a
wife wants happy home. But to go
back to the dnner-iI was splendid:
and there on the sideboard, opposite
to the decanter of 'eradiCator," stood
a decanter of the finest port and Ben
had just run out to get some of the
al; 10 II, nj
Nothing is too expensive for an
uncle who offers one such great ex-
pectations." he said. Though, Of
course, hope the good old boy will
live a hundred years; I'm not waiting
for his shoes"
He had taken his wheel and
whirled away on it, and had been gone
so long a time that ma and | were
frightened to death. remem berng the
long list of accidents that filed the
papers every morning, when the
lower door burst open, and We heard
him flying upstairs { we live on a sec
0nd tlat three at time. In moment
more he appeared, such a spectacle as
| shall never forget while l live. His
llISt NdS oNOlICH l"ltG IT'S lhIlld
size, there was a great bruiSe on his
forehead, he was covered from head to
foot with blood and mud, and one
sleeve of his coat was torn out at the
armhOle.
In such cases l always offer first aid
to the wounded by hiding my face in
the corner and screaming wildly. This
! proceeded to do at once, while ma
made the welkin ring with a cry of
He is murdered my only son is muir
dered"
Murdered! Not r. cried Ben. Its
the other fellow; I've made a grease
spot of him. He won't run his stom
ach into anybody's bicycle again in
hurry. He's a case for a coroner,
and I'm proud Of my work"