The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1904-12-21

Mpeculiar caution in regard to the back
& at his chair. The single exception is
mr uncle, Horatio Stevens, who never
! relies upon any back except his own
u and at seventy-seven years sits up Sc
Everely parallel with the perpendicular
wall of the pew, but with clear space
Eof three inches behind his Sunday coat.
@ I can see him out Of the corner OF
my left eye on this particular Christ
" mas eve, and in the other end Of the
Mpew is my Aunt Anne comfortable in
y the corner, not because of any advan-
#tage which the location offers, but be-
n cause she carries a supply of comfort
n In her cheerful soul for herself and for
II those who come within the sphere of
1 her influence.
Between my aunt and me sits the lit
he orphan Thus was she described in
U some cid letter years ago, and when
u was picking up presents here and there
III on my long Journey back to Southdeld
"A thought Of her as still child. The
b presents are on that big, glittering
I'll spruce tree in the corner and shall be
ashamed when Charley Clarke finds
the first Of them and sends it down
here by one Of his gayly clad messen-
1 gers. There Is string Of quaint beads,
Tor instance, that would be very nice
1or q schoolgirl, but what will this
~ Beautiful and accomplished young lady
to them? Something very courte-
)us, no doubt, yet wish 1 had brought
her b jewel Of price. AS member Of
4he family might have done SO with
out improperly, and have strong
1uspicion, though our acquaintance is
Too very brief, that the little orphan
Akes gems.
She has had no experience Of them,
poor child, for my Uncle Horatio has
III no money for extravagances. His cir
Eumstances are much narrower than l
had supposed, and my conscience trou-
bles me because have not helped him.
Yet how could know? There is no
nan living who writes briefer letter
han Uncle Horatio nor one containing
ess information. And Aunt Anne
arely writes at all She merely sends
er love- Moreover, being genuine New
England folks, the last thing they
iould ever do would be to commune
lite an essential fact to one Of thei,
relatives.
What's that that Charley Clarke has
D. ii his hand? 1t has the shape Of q
book bought for Adelaide abroad. 1t
r1aggressively Juvenile, but the pic
\ res are really good, thank heaven!
skAIiss Adelaide Bancroft announc-
la Santa Claus in his funny, high
KEYED voice. Looks as if it came from
EuAope Now, who has been in Europe
receAtly, l wonder?'
Att this about half the assemblage
1rnad toward me and laughed. 1t was
We d great family around its Christ
mas }tree, this gathering of honest
Ieartkd folks in the old First church
i Sotthfeld.
1t certainly seemed to me that all
hy presents to Adelaide were wide OF
he mark. but her heart received them
very one. That q stranger coming
kme across the world should have
llted now and then to purchase triv
zthings for girl whom he had ney
zen was sweet to her in Il way thai
nan can understand. My wretche(
be of queer beads made a great i'm
lsion. She handled them with {
he that made them beautiful, ant
en she had put them about hel
ck upon my word they almost seem
Worth while,
was beginning to be fooIishly salts
M with myself when something hap
Jed that changed the whole situa
LILA in moment One of St Nick
sengers delivered a small gift t
elaide who WAS already declarln:
4t there couldn't be anything NOR
her and that she had never know
Qch Christmas in all her life. Ih
eW Offering seemed to be small
Qbical box wrapped in plain brow
Nper. Presently it disclosed itself t
a very pretty box indeed, coyere
6 b dark green velvet and having
pewhat puzzling spring to hold tn
delaide solved the trick of tn