Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1902-12-15
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NELLIE'S PRESENTS. q
BY PAUL INOELOW.

HELLIE and Lucy Sherman were
cousins, and attended the same
boarding school. Their parents
had been abroad for a year. As
AChristmas approached they re-
ceived letters from their mothers. and
were told they might arrange vacation
week as they liked-they could so to
Warrenville and stay with Uncle and
Aunt Dallas, or they could 60 to Mil
ton and put In the time with Uncle and
Aunt Winston. Nellie was silent and
thoughtful over the problem. Lucy was
all excitement and impetuosity.
"That's easy" she proclaimed. "We'll
60 to Warrenville, of course"
Nellie said nothing, and the voluble
little miss ratified on.
shut up with prosy old Uncle Win
ston a whole week, and hum-drum Aunt
Jane, and sick and ailing Eliza! Why.
Nellie, Martin Dallas wrote me they had
a new automobile, and were getting Just
swell! Warrenville is so lively, and they
have big house, and servants. Well
60 straight to our room and write them
we're coming"
II want to think a bit about it trst, -
demurred Nellie.
"As If there was q choice! Oh, surely,
Nellie, you are not thinking of spelling
a nice holiday by going to those old-fash-
toned, humdrum Winstons? Why, they
live like hermits. And they're poor-they
must be, to make no show, and you'll get
no presents-they aren't that kind"
I'm not exactly thinking of presents"
announced Nellie.
"What's Christmas for? What are
you thinking of, then?"
why, I'll tell you, Lucy; mother has
often told me how good Aunt Amanda
was to her when she was sick once, and
If we both chose Uncle Dallas, they might
feel hurt. Besides, poor Eliza is help
less invalid-so lonely, so little of glad
ness, or change In her life. I've quite
made up my mind"
"You will go to Milton?'
eyes, Lucy"
"You-big gump!'' cried her cousin,
and hounced out of the room in high
dudgeon.
Milton and Warrenville were only ten
miles apart. Two days before Christ
mas Nellie and Lucy boarded the cars.
The snowy Dallas rig awaited Lucy,
and Nellie experienced a slight panx as
she glanced down the bright business
street and thought of the fine Dallas
mansion. She could not help but COM
pare the dull little hamlet Of Milton
and the humble Winston homestead. She
found but little change In the Winstons.
A rough bob met her at the depot and
blunt old Hiram Winston looked az nome
ly a. ever, but he tucked in real warmth
about her with the immense buffalo
robes. When she got to the house Aunt
Amanda greeted her with her usual prim-
ness, and her invalid sister. Eliza. only
looked paler and thinner than ever.
There was no installing 1.-THE place
was dreary, and the set ways of its in
mates were chilling to youthful spirits
Nellie cried little as she pictured Lucy
in the gay gas-lit parlor of the sumptu-
GUS Dallas home. Then she brayely re.
solved to see If she could not brighten
her surroundings. instead Of inflictinx nd
ditional moodiness. With earliest day
light she was down In the kitchen helping
Aunt Amanda. She arranged dainty
tray for poor, invalid Eliza. She made
them all smile, telling humorous stories
about school; she fed the chickens and
hustled about, jolly. useful. happy, and
had the satisfaction of hearing her aunt
u
BEAM"
She read to Eliza. she sang for them
that evening, and, as her uncle expressed
it, "made the old cottage organ just
hum" In fact. it was successful day,
and the next one was just like it. and
Nellie could see that every hour she was
winning more and more love.
There were not many preparations for
Christmas. Eliza was working on 4
curious frame of stamped leather, ard
Aunt Amanda was making Il silk affair.
which she said mysteriously might" be Il
pincushion. Uncle Hiram went down
town Christmas eve. but to Nellie's disap-
pointment brought back no Christmas
tree, no inviting parcels. nothing of the
suggestiveness of Yule-tide.
Nelles heart rose. however, as she
kissed them all good night.