The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1901-12-15

Ana Sne ldlu a DTodu manu- upon lUt
region where she mistakenly supposed
that her stomach was situated.
There's plenty of coffee and some
condensed milk" said Miss Hunt
but
Il want something to eat!' walled
Lucy.
Wetherell felt himself confronted by
a new responsibility. He had succeeded
in housing these people; now he must
feed them.
"Mr Bunker" said he. with an in
spiration born of necessity, what are
all those packages in the pung?"
by jimmyneddy!" exclaimed Bunker
1--WE got turkey in there. It's goin
to Deacon Dresser
II am glad to hear" said Wetherell
that it is the property of a processing
Christian. He will be glad to relieve
our necessities. especially at this time
of year. Miss Hunt, with your per
mission, I will attend to the marketing
today. Come along, Mr. Bunker"
They returned presently with the tur-
key, which was frozen as hard as a
rock, but not beyond cooking, in Mrs
Williams opinion. She and Amy mean
vegetables in the cellar.
I'm going to open all the boxes in
the Sleigh" said Wetherell. Il have al
ready broken into the largest of them
which, l regret to say, was full of rub
Der boots"
Here's a little one that l brought
along" said Bunker. There want nc
Ratchet in the barn, an Mr. Wetherell
broke the pitchfork on the other box
This one seems to smell kind of good
but mebbe it's only my appetite"
Here are some crackers" said Amy
who was feeding the children. Really
Mr. Wetherell, think this is great fun
1t is like a picnic"
Queer weather for a picnic" said
Bunker, gIancing out of the window
This amt no Fourth of July, as l see
it,"
Wetherell meanwhile was opening the
box which had been consigned to a
store i'll Brantford and proved to con
tain tapers and tinsel ornaments for a
Christmas tree.
well, l be jiggered!" exclaimed Bun
ker. This is addin' insult to injury
They're goin' to have a Christmas tree
at the place where I live tonight"
80 they was at my sisters, too" said
Mrs. Williams. But we won't be there
However, we're lucky to be anywhere
and If it wasn't for Mr.. Wetherell We
wouldn't be"
At this moment a howl, loud anc
fearsome, resounded through the room
The awful significance of her mother!
remark had penetrated the intelligence
of little Lucy and had shattered a Ions
cherished dream.
I'VE amt going to have any Christ
mas tree!" she cried in a voice chokeC
with sobs And she lay down upor
her back and beat the floor with hei
heels.
Mrs. Williams gathered the child t
her ample bosom and vainly tried al
ternate consolation and threats. T'
Wetherell this scene was more trying
than that last hill on the wrong road il
the midst of the snowstorm. He turned
an appealing eye upon Miss Hunt, blu
she offered no suggestion. She wa:
holding Harriet's head in her lap anC
stroking her yellow hair The chile
had a beautiful habit of crying silently
and she always hid her face when she
did it.
Wetherell viewed her with gratitude
and admiration.
| Harriet" he said suddenly, you're
a good girl, and I'm going to tell you &
secret. There's the prettiest Christina.
tree you ever saw growing out on the
lawn, and this evening it is going tC
walk into the parlor covered with can
dies and candy, and there will be pres
ents on it for all little girls who don
cry or who can do it without making
any noise"
Lucy stopped in the middle of a loni
veil with suddenness that nearl,
wrecked her lungs, and Harriet turned
her pretty, tear stained face toward
Wetherell as If she had heard the voice
of an angel.
The light of mischief shone in Amy's
eyes.
GO and kiss Mr.. Wetherell," she
said. land tell him that he will make g
lovely Santa Claus"
If any one had told Wetherell few
hours earlier that he could survive be
ing kissed by a female child under the
age of seventeen, he would have accus-
ed the individual of lunacy. But al
that time he could not foresee that fate
MOulQ IOIte MN W set up liOhothNtP7
ing. 1--WE know what we are" says
Ophelia, but we know not what we
may be-"
Wetherell took the kiss and was none
the worse for it. Then he donned the
coat that Amy had worn and wandered
forth into the snowstorm armed with a
Ratchet.
When he returned with the tree, the
children had been put to bed in room
up stairs, to sleep till dinner time. Mrs.
williams was well under way with
Deacon Dressers turkey, and Mr.. Bun
ker was feeding a fire in the big open
fireplace in the parlor.
The room was already beginning to
be warm 1t was not i'll furnished and
surely looked its best by contrast with
the storm. Wetherell drew big chair
before the fire, and it seemed to be the
most comfortable chair that he had
ever seen in all his life.
why, there's a piano here!" ex-
claimed Amy entering the room. I'VE
will have some music this evening.
There's 10 time for it now. We must
fix the tree"
1--WE a lot Of candy and stuff in my
trunk" said Wetherell. Il bought the
unheaIthfulest kind 1 could find-for
the children. you know. My aunts have
their house full of them. l don't like
children very we'll"
Il asked Harriet whether you kissed
her" retorted Amy, and she said you
did-twice."
Curiosity and prevarication," said
Wetherell, ARE the two besetting sins
of the sex By the way did you have
mucn trouble with the girls up stairs?"
IAN experienced person" replied
Amy, "can always manage a child
when it's mother is not present. When
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