Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-12-05
and he was visitin' with Brother Hen
rvs folks down in the city"

and he was visitin' with Brother Hen
rvs folks down in the CITY,"
"Oh. grandfather!" exclaimed the
child, drawing a long breath. ''Thez
you must be more disappointed even
than l am, because you know what
you're missin'. But you can tell me
what it was like, so we can pretend
just complete"
WELL" began the old man, there
was a tree all covered with sparklin.
things and colored ones and candles
and then the folks presents was huns
on the limbs too. The room was all
kind of trimmed round with green.
and there was words on the walls
Peace on Earth, Good Will to Men
and sev'ral others.
And there was a Santa Claus. a
man all dressed up in furs, with long
white whiskers and lookin' as if he'd
been out In a snowstorm, and he made
some remarks fust and then give out
the presents. There was a parcel of
candy for each child. 1 rec'lect. Twas
q handsome sight"
I'VE can pretend most of it if you'll
help, grandfather" she said.
I'm ready for anything you suggest,
ma'am," said the old man as he rubbed
Sarah Mary's hand between his
rough palms.
well, then," said the child briskly
had you just as soon have your din.
ner at half past 'leven, so I can have
he whole afternoon to get ready to
pretend imp
"Have it at ten thutty if you say So"
said her grandfather gayly.
NO." returned Sarah Mary, with
much gravity; "half past 'leven will be
early enough. Now, there's two OF
three things you can do to help. I
don't see It we can have a real tree,
but If we could bring in that tallest
apple wood chunk that's out in the
shed and cut some notches in it and
stick some of the twigs from the brush
pile in the notches 1 think 'twould
make a real good pretendin' tree.
"And then, of course" she went on,
you must be Santa Claus, and you'll
know just how, S long as you've seen
one, and If you could spare me some
of your old papers I'd be obliged. And
I'll do all the rest"
"Mussy sakes alive!" CALCULATED
Grandfather Nichols. "What a little
planner you be! Well, we'll, 1 guess
there's quite a little job laid out for
me. I'll look over the old papers fust
and see what can spare. 1 s'pose it's
no use askin' you what they're for?"
Not a mite" replied the child mer.
rily as she topk down the broom from
it's peg on the wall.
Guess I'll step out if it's house.
cleanin' time" said Grandfather Mich.
OILS as he beat a 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 to me in
'em," said the old man, cautiously
opening the kitchen door at about 1C
o'clock with a little package of Ole
newspapers in his hand. will thai
be enough for your purposes? Seems
to be great doin's in here this mornin'
Haven't l smelled molas''-
c "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 to himself as he put on his coat
preparatory to a trip to the cold gar
ret, where he expected to find some ar
ticles suitable for his afternoons mas
querade. There amt no stumpin'
her, not for long, 1 "a tell ye."
Dinner was what Sarah Mary calico
"slim" that day and was eaten will
all possible expedition. Sarah Mary's
thin little cheeks were flushed, and hel
eyes were unusually bright.
"Do you s'pose-do you reckon it's
silly for me to be p%retendin'? ?" she
asked. clad l ought to consider I'm
too old for play, grandfather?'
Lets see-how old be you 'xactlyY
inquired the old man.
Pm jest about 'leven." responded
the child.
"Well, that's gettin' on, O. course
but, SEEM you're small for your age,
presume it might be allowed We tc
play a little spell longer if you get a
good chance like this one"
The child's last doubt vanished with
this assurance.
1t had been agreed between them
that when Grandfather Nichols had
placed the chunk, with it's twig
branches tightly notched in according
to Sarah Mary's directions, she was tc
take possession of the living room and
beautify it as she saw fit.
All her grandfather had to do with
it was to give her a few more particu
lars about the decorations he had seer
that other Christmas so long ago. He
was no 20 be permitted to see the liv-
ing room till 6 o'clock.
Precisely at that hour Sarah Mary
in the character of guest and Santa
Claus in the person of her grandfather
were to enter the apartment, one from
the kitchen and the other from the
entry.
Time hung rather heavily on the ole
man. At 5 o'clock he muttered to him
self, 81 visit l could see how look