Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1905-12-23

Orlof.
"Why, Christmas must come every
year." said little Selma. opening wide
her big blue eyes.
Not when the tobacco isn't Sold"
explained Orof, who helped his father
on the small farm. Fathers borrowed
money on the crop to live on, and now
the moneys most gone and the crop
isn't sold yet. The buyers are slow
this year."
II don't see why any one ever buys
the horrld stuff" said Thora. The
smell of the leaves drying in the shed
makes me sick"
"Well, next summer you won't be
troubled with it, for father and are
going to put the land into sugar beets,"
remarked Orlof, who felt himself q
man Of affairs. "Then we are sure TO
make money, because beet sugar
factory has just been built at James
vile, and the owners will buy all the
beets we can raise"
"But what's that got to do with
ChristmasY asked Selma.
"There won't be any Christmas
here" said Orlof, solemnly. 81 knew
it first, for father told grandmother
this morning that there was.no money
to spend for nonsense, and grandmoth-
er - why, grandmother just cried"
There was suspicious moisture in the
boys own eyes. The gentle little
grandmother who had never learned
English, and who spent the days knit
ting the soft stockings and mittens
that the young DIVERSIONS found so
comfortable and warm during the Wis
consin winters, was very dear to OrlOf
and his sisters.
There won't be many more Christ
masses for grandmother" sighed
thoughtful Thora; "she is getting very
feeble"
"Then it ISN'T right for us not to
have Christmas this year" exclaimed
Selma. "If there aren't many Christ
masses left she oughtn't to miss a sin
gle one"
"No, and we won't let her. AS sure
as my name is ThOra diversion, grand
mother shall have the best Christmas
this year that she's had since she left
Norway. Wen earn the money for It
ourselves"
But how can WEI" asked Selma.
ooh, we'll find a way" replied
Thora, with happy smile.
Perhaps Orlof and Selma went to
sleep that night as soon as their tlaXen
heads touched their pillows, but not so
with Thora. Her long yellow braldE
were tossing for two hours or more af-
ter she had crept into bed beside little
Lars, the two-year-old baby. Her head
turned from side to side as she
worked out plan in her mind that
kept even the thought of sleep away
But at last, reaching to see that the
covers were over the baby, she sighed
contentedly and closed her tired eyes.
"YOu, please, wash the dishes for
mother this morning, Selma, and tend
to baby" she said to her sister after
breakfast the next day, "for have
something else to do"
Thora went to the upper room where
the children slept, and did not come
down until it was time to go to school.
Then she carried little parcel, laugh
ingly refusing to tell what it contained
when Selma and Orlof asked her.
After school that afternoon she told
Selma to hurry home to help get sup
per, for she was going to the village
on an errand, When she trudged
home an hour later her mind was so
full of happy thoughts and plans that
the three miles of rough country roads
seemed but a short, pleasant walk.
Her bright cheeks and sparkling eyes
were noticed by the grandmother
when she came into the house.
"The little woman is happy tonight"
she said in Norwegian.
Eyes, grandmother. dear" Thora an
swered in the same tongue, "happy
and busy" She laid off her wraps and
undoing the little parcel she had car
ried away in the morning showed her
grandmother short piece of GRO
cheted lace OF most intricate design.
"I'm going to make yards and yards of
this" she said. How glad am that
you taught me TO crochet"
But never taught you that pat
tern, Thora. know only the easy,
simple edges that we made in Norway
when | was young like you. Where
did you learn such beautiful pat
temp
II lay awake for while last night
and made II up"
"Why, it's wonderful" the grand
mother fingered the filmy meshes. as
it for Christmas, dear|
eyes, and you mustn't ask any more
questions about it, for It's secret"