Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1907-12-13


candy for each child. ] rec'lect- Twas I
. hsndsOlHe sight"
We can pretend most Of Il IL yJull [.
help. grandfather she said
i u ready fOc ans tA!us sou suggest,
ula'au." said the Old uau a. lie rubbed
Sarah Mary's hand betwevn his own
rough palms.
well. then" said the ciild briskly.
had you just a. soon have your din
nsr st half past 'le,en, 50 can have
the whole afternoon 10 get ready To
pretend inT'
Have Il AZ ten thutty II you say So
said her grandfather gayly.
no" returned Sarah Mary. with
much gravity: half past 'lcyen viii %"
early enough. Now. there's two or
three things yOa can do 10 hep- ]
don't see I we can have a real tree.
but II We could bring in that tallest
| apple wood chunk that's out ia the
shed and cut some nOtches IN 1t aud
| stick some Of the twigs from the brush
bile In the notches think 'twOuId
make a real good pretenlin' tree.
And then, of course" she went on,
you must be Santa Claus. and you'll
know Just how. = long as you've seen
one. and If you could spare me some
Of your old papers Ia bc obliged. And
| I'll do all the rest"
"Mussy sakes alive calculated
Grandfather Nichols. What ii little
planner you he. Well. well, | guess
there's quite little job laid ont for
me. Iii look over the old papers fust
and see what can spare ! s'pose It's
no use askin' you what they're for:'
mot mite" replied the child mer-
rily as she took down the broom from
It's peg on the wall.
Guess III step out II it's house
cleanin time" said Grandfather Mich
OILS as he beat retreat, In pretended
dismay, TO the living room.
Here's four numbers from the three
years ago file that haven't got any
thing OF no great interest 10 me In
EN-" said the Old man, cautiously
opening the kitchen door at about 10
O'Clock with little package Of old
|
be enough for your purposes? Seems
to he great doin's in here this mornin'.
Haven't smelled molas"-
Grandfather said Sarah Mary in
a warning tone, and the old man drop
ped the papers and retreated.
Jest like her ma, that child is" he
said 10 himself as he put on his coat
preparatory to a trip 10 the cold gar
ret, where he expected to find some ar.
ticles suitable for his afternoons mas
querade. There amt no stumpin
he" not for long, | can tell ye.'
Dinner was what Sarah Mary called
. "gim' that day and was eaten witt
all possible expedition. Sarah Mary's
thin little cheeks were flushed. and hcl
eyes were unusually bright.
do you spose-do you reckon It's
silly for me to be pretendint' she
asked. Had | ought to consider In
too old for play, grandfather?'
, Lets see-how old be you 'xactlyF
inquired the Old man.
"f'm jest about 'leven," RESPONDED
the child.
, We'll, that's gettin' on, o course
, but, seem you're small for your age.
presume 1t might he allowed We t.
! play little spell longer If you get t
r good chance like this one"
, The child's last doubt vanished will
this assurance
1t had been agreed between then
a that when Grandfather Nichols hat
! placed the chunk, with its tWi;
/ branches tightly notched In according
= to Sarah Marys directions, she was t
take possession of the living room an'
I beautify 1t as she saw fit.
!. All her grandfather had to do wit
[ 1t was to give her Il few more partlcu
l. lars about the decorations he had see
Y that other Christmas so long ago. II
was not 20 be permitted to see the liS
v ing room till o'clock.
i Precisely at that hour Sarah Mar
8 In the character Of guest and SAINT
- Claus In the person Of her grandfathe
l. were to enter the apartment, one frot
0 the kitchen and the other from til
entry.
/, Time hung rather heavily on the oil
II man. At 5 o'clock he muttered to hin
self, II visit could See how | look,
o and vainly tried to get glimpse of hi
k figure In the little cracked lookn
r glass six inches square, which hun
y IN his room.
4 There" exclaimed Sarah Mary. d.
Bcending from chair on which sh
Il had been standing and looking abor
u the room with pride; 1--WE done tn
l. very best | could. ! hope grandf;
It Their II be pleased. It's half past nov
l. and l must hurry and get dressed"
A few minutes before 6 o'clock Ii
J. tie figure stepped softly down tn
steep back stairs, and at about til
l. same time large, cumbersome fori
It descended the front stairs laborously
!, AS the old clock III the kitchen struc
q with its sharp. curt strokes thes
Il two figures entered the living roor
G from opposite directions and gazed q
= each other.
Sarah Mary was bravely attired in
!, changeable silk waist which had ono
e UeloHScu 10 neF HlOtuef anu Sklrt
Is some sort, the exact style Of whic
It could not he determined, inasmuch 8
,e 1t was completely covered by Sara
=" Mary's best apron, Il very large whit
1t enc with strings Of great length. Thes
strings were crossed dlagonally on I'll
I. child's back and brought over ht
d shoulders to the front, where they tie
ii minated In u large bow securely pnne
,l to her dress. Her curly hair had bee
made to lie as fiat as such hair ev,