The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-12-21

/ uuCluS any cHdUSe III the season. l. he
roses bloomed, the birds sang, and the
| apple trees mistakng the portents, be-
/ gan to clothe themselves with blossoms.
The sun shone with the warmth of
! spring, and the delicately crisp breezes
were laden with the odors of the sea-
son of flowers,
! Well it was upon the balmy wings of
this perfect season that the days drifted
/ toward Christmas; and when that day was
near the word went around that Mr..
/ Valicombe the shoemaker, had returned
! to the village. He had not come uron
! the stage-coach. No, he had not been
passenger on the stage coach. In NAL
/ vern he had hired a conveyance, and had
/ timed his start from that city so as to
arrive at Harmony Grove after nightfall;
! and the driver, who had his supper at the
tavern, declared that Mr.. Valicombe had
brought a companion with him. This
! driver further said that the two passen-
/ gers talked outlandish; they talked all
! the way, and he couldn't understand a
word they said.
The day after his return Mr.. Valicombe
+ appeared to be in very high spirits. He
| saw Mr.. Sanders on the street and called
/ to him, and after the two had talked to-
! gether for a few moments, they went to
| Mr.. Valicombe's shop, and here they had
/ another consultation, which lasted an
/ hour or two.
After that they went to the tavern.
where Mr.. Sanders made a very peculiar
! inquiry He asked if anybody had seen
Nan Darlington Well. of course, some
body had seen her, but nobody knew
/ hot
ment Home was the last place to look
for Nan, but she happened to be there
when the two men went by on their way
to Shady Dale. They called for her and
then the three went on their way
Mrs Abraham Goodlett Dorrington's
housekeeper, watching from her window,
saw the three plotters stop in the mid
die of the road and stand there talking.
Then all of a sudden she saw Nan jump
at the shoemaker and throw her arms
around him. This done, the child seized
Mr. Sanders by both hands, and tried to
swing him around in wild dance. Owing
to circumstances, Mr.. Sanders was not
swingable. He simply turned on his
heels and allowed Nan to Whirl around
him, and when she had finished this
series of gyrations she threw her arms
around his rotund figure and gave him
good squeezing.
And certainly Nan seemed to be very
pleased this time, for when she and her
companions reached Shady Dale she
rushed at Miss Johns and came near
smothering her with hugs and kisses,
and she repeated the same performance
with Sarah Clopton.
cried Sarah Clopton, struggling and
laughing. What does it mean"
oh don't you know" exclaimed Nan;
sits only two days to Christmas. Non
ny'-her pet name for Mrs. Absalem-
was saying t'other day that if this spell
of weather keeps up We'll have ripe
peaches on April FOOLS Day and figs in
May
This being matter beyond dispute,
Mans small audience could only laugh
at her enthusiasm. However, when no
one else was locking, Mr. Sanders winked
and Mr.. Valicombe shrugged his Shout
ders after the manner of his people And
then-how it was done no one seemed to
know. Nan inveigled Miss Johns into
taking a walk; whereupon Mr.. Sanders,
reinforced and supported by Mr.. Vail
combes eloquent shoulders and hands,
gave Sarah Clopton to understand that
it was the desire of certain influential
individuals to set out a Christmas tree
for the especial pleasure of Miss Johns.
Are you deserving Nan?" the lady
asked.
by no manner of means" replied Mr..
Sanders Man is to be the ring master,
an me an Peter will be the trick clowns,
as you may say. Anyhow, Sarah you're
likely to Earn something from this tree.
The fruit it'll bar will surprise you
nightly"
We'll what kind of present will you
give the child?" Sarah Clopton inquired.
Il have a number of things to give her,
and I've been trying to think of some
way to surprise her pleasantly. l con-
TESS l like the old way the best. I'm
great believer in Santa Claus, old as |
am, and l once took it for granted that
all girls are alike in that respect. But
it is not So Zepherine tells me that
among her people Christmas is a relig-
ious celebration, and the giving of pres
ents is reserved for New Years, when
the young people come from far and near