The Delta independent., 1902-12-26
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$ Calisty's Christmas Tree
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faced little girl who took her small
Joys with shining eyes and closed lips;
her small griefs likewise. But oh, the
difference between those two shinings
and silences!
But only her tongue was quiet.
Light on her feet as a thistle down,
alert as the little chipmunks which she
20 dearly loved. 1t seemed as though
she only perched upon chair ready
to take flight on the moments notice.
There were SO many things to do in
the world, and it was so pleasant to
be doing!
When it seemed as though strawber-
ries must be about the only fruit she
vas tall enough to reach, she would
take her little basket betimes, tuck .
compact luncheon into her invaluable
pocket, and spend whole days in the
fields, jfbilantly bearing her treasures
home at tea time, to be taken next
morning to the village store to help
buy the scant patterns" of print and
gingham which made her own and her
mothers dresses. In winter she en-
Enthusiastically pulled hastings and
eewed on buttons to help on the tall
oring with which Esther Tubbs, an ex-
pert and tireless needle woman, filled
the short winter days and long winter
evenings. Later, as her mothers health
failed, she took the whole burden up
on her own slight, but erect shoulders.
The years went on and at length
she was left alone. and with desperate
ly lonely heart, but always CHEEKY
voice and smile, she set herself to
raise the mortgage on the farm so dear
to her, the only home she had ever
known, though more than one had been
offered her. and refused for the loyal
love she bore her own
Tailoring. berrying. summer board
ers. and work on the farm. assisted
only by a neighbor's boy and a few
weeks help in haying and planting
times-and still the goal was far away
and Calisty's step had lost some of its
spring, though her voice and manner
were buoyant as ever. when suddenly
the unexpected happened. small
legacy from an erratic and long-un-
heard from uncle in the West put the
farm safely into the tired and toll
worn. but unresting bands, and left
reassuring margin.
She had Uncle 81 Hill come and paint
the house outside and in. had the
rooms re-papered. re-carpeted. white
washed. kalsomined. curtained and
draped. as only Miss Calisty could
have done without caustic comment.
Then. when all was swept and garn-
ished. she put the capstone on our
towering amaxement by boarding the
bi-weekiy stage attired and equipped
for travelling.
We forbore to question or comment.
and awaited developments.
They came-two OF them They we're
thin and big-eyed and distressingly
speckless and "slicked-up. They
were twins and eleven. and Calisty got
them at q Home" and she was radi-
ant.
We soon grew to know Amos and
Janet and to like them right we'll And
after Miss Calisty had shown them
where the best berries grew and they
had spent scores OF long. sweet. sunny
hours gathering them. their chests filled
out. and their cheeks grew rosy and
rounded. and we decided that they
were excellent well-looking children.
We aRreed that Calisty might have
done worse, and We nodded approving
ly and prophesied fair things.
But jamie had . well-watered regret.
II was Panky-Panky. who lived with
people beside whom her own task mis-
tres was embodied amiability. Panky
Who could sell more papers than any
other girl in the city. who knew the
most songs and could play the har-
monica. and who had licked" boy
much larger than herself. who was torr
mentinR q stray cat: Panky. the inim-
liable, who used rough words and got
mad" right often, but who never told
a lie or did q mean thing. And Panky
was selling papers on the city streets.
There was SO much room and so
he - nd Dn n 70
wna 80 small and needed SO little to
eat-oh. II "Aunt Calisty" would only
think to ask her. too. But jamie
couldn't ask her to do that. She only
told things about Panky and spoke OF
her oftcner than ENTHUSIASTICALLY (be-
cause she couldn't help IT. and prayed
vigorously.
Barring this shadow. life at the farm
vas delightsome, and the twins -four
ished like green bay trees. till all of
4 sudden everything went wrong. It
came about at the time OF fall clean
ing In which they were assisting. Amos
beating rugs until his determined little
face was scarlet, and jamie moppipg
and dusting and arranging and rear
ranging until their nutting was sadly
neglected.
sChippyll get ahead OF u.s." said
Amos, somewhat regrettuily. as ne
rested moment to watch the bright
eyed chipmunk who was laying in his
winters supply in the hollow trunk Of
the old swecting tree that stretched its
richly-ladcn arms ont. almost into the
windows Of the kitchen and spare
room"
"Never mind. we'll catch up: we're big
ger" responded Janet. dangling long
pairing from the Gravensteins which
she was pairing for pies. and then
adroitly fiinging It over her shoulder.
II fell on the smooth stone step form
ing u perfect ''P" with part OF an "a
she sighed.
Miss Calisty, hurrying through. the
sitting room to attend to her stewesi
ounces. heard with . sigh. Three
wouldn't be so bad now-but by-an'-b
the education an ALL d'no'. No. I