The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1898-12-23
help old Hans find out what is the mat.

help old Hans find out what is the mat
ter with the furnace"
Mrs. Jones' surprise was judiciously
concealed while Mr.. Jones donned some
old clothes. and then disappeared into
the basement. Two hands proved bet
ter than one, and when main strength
had dug out lot of impacted clinkers,
the furnace CRATE swung easily on its
pivot and old Hans face was lit up with
pleasure. In little time the furnace
began to glow and a pleasant warmth
to diffuse itself through the house.
Bridget was Instructed not to worry
trying to make fire in the kitchen
stove, as Mr.. Jones expressed the in
tention Of having q new one before
noon II a. suitable one could be, bought
in Jonesville. With bright face she
had gone upstairs and informed her
mistress Of Mr.. Jones' intentions in
regard to the stove and the pump, and
had said that she would like to with
draw her warning"
The comfortable glow of the doctored
furnace was, however, a small circum-
stance compared with the comfortable
Mr.. Jones again appeared in his wife's
room. What a transformation from
the chill, petulant, misery-begetting do
nestle atmosphere of the early morn
ing. Robbie with the sweet forgive
ness of childhood held up his little face
for q kiss and asked about the sleigh
ride. The baby, soothed by the warmth,
had dropped off asleep, and Mrs. Jones'
cheeks grew pink and her eyes bright
under the genial looks and conduct of
Mr.. Jones.
Its good thing for man to stay
at home once in awhile" said Mr.. Jones,
"and find out the things that need his
attention. declare, wife, / don't know
how Bridget has gotten along with
that stove at all. And poor old Hans!
he was not strong enough to move
that furnace CRATE. But it's all right
now. And as to the sleigh-ride, pro-
pose, wife, to go and get sleigh and
take you down to the village to see if we
can't buy a new stove for the kitchen"
"And the pump" said Mrs. Jones,
''can we have that fixed, too?"
Certainly we can. I'll devote the
day to things. Now Robbie, be ready
in half an hour and papa will be here
with sleigh and BELLS"
and his wife and Robbie wrapped in
furs and dashing through the snow
as gayly as his good neighbor had done
in the morning. The stove was found
in the only little hardware store in the
village, and the check that Mr.. Jones
gave the careworn-loohng man who
kept the store caused a frightening
of his countenance to degree that
attracted the attention of both Mr.. and
Mrs. Jones. How easy after all to
spread happiness! What simple acts
will procure and dispense that which
money alone can never buy. And since
his thoughts had been turned in that
direction, Mr.. Jones thought it would
be good thing to buy a snow shovel
and give poor old Hans a job of clean
ing the walks, thus ena bling him to put
special Christmas dollar in his poor
old pockets. And so by noon the new
stove was set up, and Bridget sur
passed herself in the lunch she pre-
pared by its help. Such delicate faky
biscuits, such deity broiled ham and
such perfectly baked potatoes had
never been seen under the regime of
the old stove. And as Mr.. and Mrs.
Jones fingered over the cheerful table.
Mrs. Jones said:
"Oh, what burden is lifted from
my heart. Day after tomorrow is
Christmas, and this morning I looked
forward to it not only with no pleasure,
but with dread. What a transforma-
ton, dear, has your being at home to-
day and your loving thoughtfulness
wrought in every surrounding of our
home. We were cold and inconveni-
enced and cross; now we are warm.
rich in conveniences and comfort, and
happy. That was beautiful snow
storm. but its best beauty for us was
keeping you home day. 1 feel now
as it 1 wanted to get up a splendid
Christmas dinner and share it and our
happiness with some one else who is
less fortunate. than we are"
Mr.. Jones smiled. He, too, had
thought few days. before that they
ought to share their Christmas with
friends, but he had checked the i'm
pulse with the thought that with the
babies and Bridget's incompetence it
was no use to try; it wouldn't pay.
But with the new spirit and atmos-
phere that had begun to develop in his
home his heart went out in generous