Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-12-24

fairly staggered under Its WelSh' aS he
cautiously picked his way over the ice
and snow towards the cottage door,
and he couldn't even spare a hand to
knock. The toe of his foot managed
to make good, smart rapping, how
ever-a sound so unwonted that the
father ran hastily out, with the chill
dren trooping in his train.
Good day, gasped the visitor quite
out of breath after his herculean ef-
forts.
Good day, and wish you merry
Christmas You don't know me, but
I'm your next-door neighbor, Ebenezer
Green. I've got the prize turkey, but
I want you to help me eat it, for I'm
very lonely over there all by myself.
Can come in -
Come in? Well, the father saw in a
trice how it was, and he opened wide
to let in the turkey and its bearer,
not to speak of rush of crisp, chill
air. The spirit of good will stirred in
his heart, and forgetting the disparity
of wealth and poverty between them
he felt only a warm thrOb of sympathy
for the solitary old man. The mother
stepped forward kindly and gentle in a
simple courtesy which would have be-
come palace.
"You need not have brought your
dinner with you, sir, she said smiling
"You are quite welcome to a share of
ours on Christmas day. Jimmy, put a
plate for the gentleman, and John,
turning to her husband, "do not let
him hold that heavy platter. Oh, what
turkey He must have been raised
in land of giants. ~
So once again it Glanced that the
big turkey and the little one were side
by side. The cottage was very soon
scene of riotous enjoyment, tor Eo-
enezer's spirits rose at a bound and
he felt like a boy again. He sent
Jimmy back with a note to his house
keeper, who thought he had suddenly
become mad when she found not only
him but the turkey gone.
Over went the flowers, and the nuts
raisins, the apples and pears and
grapes, the mince pies and the plum
pudding from the great house to the
small, and the children, who had not
had a good square meal for weeks,
sat down to board fairly groaning
under the weight of the good things
on it. The little boys ate TIL they
could barely see.
The little girls were nearly distract
ed between admiration of the pink
roses nodding in the tall vase on the
festal board and astonishment at the
pudding, when Mr.. Green set 1t to
blazing in burning brandy.
And the father and mother Won
dered how their neighbor had ever
got his reputation of being stiff and
proud Never had so delightful a
guest descended into their modest
household before.
They all put in and washed up the
dinner dishes afterwards. The father
washed and Ebenezer Green wiped,
wishing the directors of the bank
could see him, and the young feet
tripped briskly to and fro until every
thing was in its place, clean as clean
could be. 1t was a real frollc.
Then they dressed up around the
fire. The big logs had gone from Mrs.
Green's cellar not many minutes be-
fore Jimmy had worn a path through
the snow to the house next door. 1t
was story telling time, and in the
CHEEKY glow on the hearth the father
poured out his soul and told how he
had been thrown out of work by the
closing Of factory; how hard he had
tried to find another place, but to no
avail, and how all they had to live up
on was the sum his dear wife earned
by sewing and Jimmy's pittance from
the market And the wife, in her
turn, told how brave and patient he
had been, with loving glance that
made him blush with pleasure.
And Mr.. Green promised that he
should have something to do by New
Years day and gave his word upon it
feeling for the first time how much
happiness a rich man has the power
to create.
Then it was his turn The children
gathered at his knee to drink IL
breathlessly his tales Of travel by
land and sea, of strange countries h'
had seen and people he had known
queer, quaint people in far-Of places
whose custom and history sounded
I;La tba rnoet entran ncinp of fairy tales