The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-12-24
ONE MERRY CHRISTMAS.
lily Mae Hitchings.

said so and mamma knew. The ony clear
cd up places in it were the Darlor ana
Auntle NAMES room, and the latter would
not have betnA raight If mamma had not
done 1t just before she went to take her
much needed nap.
As 10 the paIlor, such funny things had
been goirg on in there all day. First, papa
came out with a queer look on his face
| and sprig Of evergreen sticking to AS
coat Then every time the children started
10 30 In there mamma would say come
hack children ics ccld In there, boop and
every time Auntie Mamie went in or came
out she shut the door quick so they could
not see, and altogether il had been a very
queer day.
II was night now, and The children were
curltd up before the Big crate in Auntie
NAMES room. They had just had Their
suppers of warm milk ana fresh bread
with "tootles" AID pop corn, ana sat
watching the freight dance on the walls
and the sticks of wood crumble 10 live
Goals, and waiting for mamma or some
body TO come and put them 10 bed.
Very sweet and pretty they looked In
their warm flannel nightgowns, as they
sat before the fire and stretched out their
little pink toes to be toasted, at least papa
thought so as he PICKED his head in al The
door TO ind mamma whose nap had lasted
longer than usual he thought.
Two tiny pairs of stockings hung one on
either side of the fireplace and each child
ish head was fun Of delightful wonder
ings as to what "Chrffus' would bring
10 them.
Il want a new dolly" said JOY the
household PET, "'cause my Gretchie is ali
Invoked up and / want some chockMt
candy and some chew gum" What you
spoke Wen get Estah?"
And Esther, the litlle fair-haired queen
answered in her old-fashloned way, well
/ don't know, but l presume lots OF good
things, cause Auntie Mamie said so when
She was undressing us tonight do want
little don carriage and a pair of new
mittens, for my fingers get 80 cold when
| so to kindergarten. But, JOY, what do
you spose we want the most?'
"Oh, / do know, less it's a horse and
cawwige so we could go and take rides"
Eyes, you do, Joye-b you know we
have talked about 1t for ever so long, and
seems If IL would never come
"Oh, yes, l know what you mean, Es-
tab, it's little tiny baby sistah. oh,
do you hope 1t will come tonight May
be Santa Claus will bring ii. Less ask
him. less send anodder letter wight now,
Estah."
I'VE couldn't now, cause the paper and
pencil is gone, and sides I'm too sleepy"
and the curly head began to nod.
We'll, Estah, ! tell you what we could
do. Less pway to bod about Il and /
guess maybe He'd answer tonight
IAN right, JOY, wen kneel right down
here by our rocking chairs where II is
warm, and Wen have to do II quick, Joy,
cause I'm pretty near asleep now"
SO the two little night-gowned baby
forms knet In the warm freight, both
heads on one chair, for in their hurry to
get II over with before they went 10 sleep
they scrambled for the same chair. and
before they were fairly on their knees
Joy began:
"Oh, Jesus, we wants a little, tiny baby
sister ever so bad. Won't you please SEND
us one tonight, and IL can sleep in nv
little bed. and Wen be so good to 1t for
ever an ever amen"
And Esther took Up the pleading in her
own persistent way, "And oh. Jesus II
you'll only send 1t Tonight we could take
just the best care of 1t, and 1t could have
all joys baby clothes packed away In the
trunk, and IL could ride In my little doh
carriage If Santa Claus brings IT,"
ana then Joy added a most implorine
postscript to the effect that she hoped
Dod wouldn't let Santa Claus forget to
come to our house and bring some Iittlc
cocoanut boxes and some chew-gum
Ihey We're almost asleep when this ar
dent exercise was over and they did wish
some one would come and put them to
bed. The bed looked so far away. and IL
was cold over In that corner and the fire
was SO warm and pretty, and the rug was
so SOFT, and od-would-send-a-
-that-little--tiny
ana the curly heads nodded and nodded
ana came closer and closer together. till
hnally the soid and brown curls intermin-
gled, and two tired little girls were fast
as'eep, and in their dreams they saw this
beautiful vision.
FIRST. There was a fairy came into fhe
room, with spaugles of gold and silver on
FER arms. and sprigs of evergreen sticking
TO her skirt A very substantial, comfort
able-looking fairy she seemed, who looked
al The children out of loving brown eves
hiled just then with a strange, glad light
Bless their little hearts! If we didn't
forget all about them in the excitement
OF the New Arrival IN take them right
into bed with me for Emmie and Charlie
are too much taken up with that Third
Edition to be bothered now Christmas
eve, and what a lovely Christmas present
has come to us. / feel like the wise men
who went to seek Mary and the Babe W.
ing in Manager" And the fairy took 10
each sleepy, little form and tucked It into
her own warm bed, close, clinging kisses
and whispered good-nights OF which they
only half dreamed.
Then she went away and left them, and
they went on dreaming and never knew
but what they were stil before the fire
as, indeed, they were in their dreams. ana
all at once the room seemed TO grow warm
er and brighter, and a strain of the sweet
est music came 10 their ears. 1t sounded
something like while Shepherds Watched
Their Flocks by Night" as they had sung
II at Sunday School the day before: and
then before they were fairly aware of IT
such lovely angel came floating down
from the ceiling, and yet-uo, but Il really
was-the tiny baby sister they had so
longed and prayed for. Closer and closer
came the angel, but very slowly as though
she were half afraid OF frightening the
children, and how beautiful she ola hook
and how close and warm she held that
dear little baby, and then at last when
she was quite close sheN knelt beside them
and the dearest baby that ever was, turned
It's golden head away from that soft low
ing breast and opened its blue eyes wide
and seemed 10 say: Eyes, you dear little
girls, 1 guess IN stay with you" and Just
as they reached out their hands TO take