The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-19

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sack. ana pork. and all kinds OF comforts.
| Never mind the roIes that used TO grow
around her ole cabin, says she. roses Is
all very nice. but you can't eat EN-, and
we and the -hillens went hungry more
than once, for all the roses, says she;
and they don 70 hungry no mo; ana
they Is all coming to eat Christmas din
! ner Yiih 30. and we've Sol eolcSeu
! enough 10 90 around and potatoes, ana
I squash and little pumpkin PIE Tor eaen
| grandchildi Do Tor PHYS sake count
! vour mercles. Peter, and let the roses gor
saws she. And it's all true l ought TO;
and yet Miss Carrie. do you know. I'm
that sinful that / couldn't help wishing
for some pretty things ies' FOR the grand
I chlllen2 I argued with Chico oNouf lit
tie cake with frosting on Tor each OF EN-;
here's only nine but she was firm. She
/ said we couldn't afford no mo- ana n
would be flying in the face OF Providence
TO waste things. And 50 II would. but
belug q eluful old man. ! hankcred after
them I said ! was glad 80 could get
each Of the chillon a hood and n cap and
I mittons. but ] wisht ! could get them
each a ball. or a top. or dolly for the
/ eiri-babios. something rcd. and bright
and that wasn't a mite of use. only ics'
/ TO be- prettv Now YOU see how This holly
! cpoDcs ,n 81 hans s. oEFg SIS 0yoYlae0
like we used 10 do I'm the ole cabin, and
70 will color mp everything in the room.
Mr. Jones was so eager 90 talk. that The
girls could hardly get away from him.
They laughed over his queer IDEAS when
az last thev had said goodbye. but not
much. hia uaihefic voice and the visit
fui look I'm bis old eyes had touched mem.
Hes a real good man. said Carrie;
che has made q great difference among
the colorod people since Doe came there;
and his house is just as neat and clean.
but very hare 7 was iu 10 once when
father sent him some papers NJ course
the ueoolo are moor. and they cannot pay
him enough for any pretty things.
Wasn't IL funny how Do wanted frosted
cakes for the mine grandchuIcn, ana
Aunt Chico wouldn't let him have them
Then they laughed again.
And then Tmmelno said, IT have an
idoa Whv couldn't we get an the girls
who ara invited 10 S@"f TAS'S NHVn SO
give prcttv thing. somoih.ne BRIGHT
and useless for the ninc grandchildren.
and tine grandfather and franimothorf'
"Oh. Emnior said her cousin, giving
her "a happy hug. "y0u do think of the
incest things, OF course we can DO b..
and won't 1T be fnn-
n made busy times, as "ch as rum
First the girls must fy into Goo h'g house
- consult mother and AUNT Adll''
then they must make many calls. They
took the sleigh and the iat pony Tor ihal'
and added f0 the FUN
go. Girls" Carrie would say bursting
lN ysO0H q, group Of them, VITO we've all
talking about the party, ""e want some
Of your useless pretty things bright ones,
red and yellow. and an the colors of the
rainbow. and not a bit OF use to them.
Then Emmelinc's softer voice. "O, yesi
/ some of them may be- useful think m
they are bright and pretty at The same
1}me
Then thc girls. "Nhat on eailh are lo"
talking aholt!'
Then ih,re would be explanations ana
larehtcr. aud consultations with mo-
thor." and eager hunts. Never WIS in'ie
more excited company.
Ou Christmas eve m tbe party they
planned the climax. IL was Fred hoiborn
WHO said. "lt is a pity we can't gen ihem
an Off somewhere after Cine Christmas
dinner lis eaten, ana scatter the pretty
things around. and Oct thfm have choir
fun an over again
Eager voices echoed him. go woulin'
tbet Io cqpitaIw "rhat N1uld make
them feel as though they bad had two
Christmasos.' "Ani .hey would enjoy
their first one better, am py them-elNess
Just as they had planned it, hy, We
can do it, See here. don't yon believe
fathar would let uH U,A. tte lieat Woot
sleigh and cover &c with buffalo robes,
; ana give tGrm aii "a riolru f'ot'
YES" said father eldest son. good
featured Charlie, 81 think rather would Toe
willing. TIT drye for thcm.'
go. YOU dear good Charlie. then he'll bo
sure TO: we can get the things ail fixed
while YOU are gone" And his sisters gave
him "a hearty kiss. then and There.
II worked 10 "a charm Never were nine
Grandchildren. with their respective fa-
thers and mothers, and grandfather and
grandmother happier over thc prospect
of sleigh ride when they were buns
died off. having left the key 20 their home
with Mr. George Ma ion. who agreed t0
Keep ID I'm Ere tire girls a83 1oys. hl4s8g
at various corners, gathered DO groups
ard declared that the sleigh riders all
looked so happy that they almost enFed
Charlie. What fun he would have listen
ing 90 their talk
Then they took possession OF the front
room clean, bare walls clean, hard
+ chairs. clean, bare table I'm n twinillna
the walls glowed with cheap. bright pfc.
lures I'm nartly-w0rn frames A hrgh'
rug lay before the minister's ,chair a
plump red cushion rested on its seat A
perfectly useiess. very bright silkolene
dranerv covered .he bare. clean mantel'
ty.o oyo.ty gases sat thcreou, ahlaze with
roses. The little round table was covered
with a red cloth. and q gay mat set un-
der the lamp Zoo the centre. While the lit.
he stand which held tine Bible, and stood
always near the ministers chair. glowed
with prettnoss I'm the shape OF a bright
tassoled spread, and lovely red Flower
pot which held q blooming rose.
comfortable lfffIn rocker had dis.
placed the hard. straisht-hacked chair iu
which Aunt Chloe SAT and mended. and
I'D had "a perfectly useless, exceedingly
pretty throw" gracefully fostooned over
fts back. On front of 60 was rug as bright
as the ministers own
Besides all this. every table and chail
and available corner was laden with tops
and balls. and doiiies in brilliant costume
and little express wagons. and tin soi-
dierr. and fducaking cats, ana dogs, and
l0ue-oared elephants and brght-plum-
aged parrots, AN in d very good state oi
lrtseYNaiion. The ntfira oi Christmas pas
had been made to diesorse lor thc sak,
of the nine grandchildren Moreover. oI
che kitchen table, which was covered viii
neat white cloth. instead off tine white
0il-cl0th which the careful mistress used
there stood n plate of cakes. az least
three a piece for each OF the nine. not
heavily frosted, but with 'pIums" inside
These were part of Tire overflow from ths
Christmas-eve party, the boxes of candy
some of them, came from the same
source.
When an was completed. George Mason
took a sheet Of paper which would cover
baJf tie door, aud wrote In l0gge lettoys.
Merry Christmas. Dir. Jones. every
pretty thing You find here is for you and