Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1908-12-10

-Four or fivc?" said her father.
With economy, half again as
many"
Done them exclaimed Kath-
crime And | see the gold chain
and baroque pearl / was to have go.
ing up in smoke"
And my set of Pater," ruefully
And my amethyst heart"
"A real holocaust" said their ia.
ther
Father" said Bob, 1--WE an idea
worth two of that. You know that
piece OF swamp land of yours up
country, on the old PEBBLES farm?
There's enough wood in that for so
families-black birch, gray birch,
yellow birch, brown ash-I don't
know what-and--all-"
But, Bob, that's a splendid
piece cf forest. / should hate to cut
it down"
Even to keep so families, or
maybe 100 from distress? The
girls money will pay for cutting
and hauling and kilndrying and dis
tributing. and it can all be done
before Christmas-and there you
are!"
Bob" said Mr.. Champion, you're
a genius, There we are!"
There we are!" said the girls in
one brave breath. ut will be good
Christmas present for them, won't it,
pa?"
1T makes me all of glow now to
think of it," said Rose. Il wonder
what Donald will say Fifty or 100
families made comfortable by going
without some trinkets-though ! did
want that English edition of 'Pater.
Why. we don't know 100 poor fami-
lies"
The General Charitable does. When
shall we begin, father? I'll oversee
it for you" said Rob.
Tomorrow morning. early" said
his father There won't be an hour
to spare if you want that wood de-
livered by or before Christmas. I'll
have drains put in as we go along
and get a good piece of grass land out
of it. Well | shall sleep better to-
night
tened that next day and many day
thereafter, they might have heard, or
thought they heard, sound of chop
ping in the swamp woods, faint, far
off muffled in the rustling of falling
leaves and the crashing of branches.
But the painting people were busy
with Old Purple at the back of the lit
tie red house, and little mother was
getting her mince meat ready for
Christmas, and what with stoning
raisins and slicing citron and sitting
spices and boiling down cider, she was
too much occupied to think of any
: thing but her work and of Asa's and
Laury's Homecoming.
2 ut seems to me the woodpeckers
are dretful busy down in the swamp
t she said once.
l her husband.
"Why, that's too bad she said with
her quick habit of kindliness, and
I went on about her work.
She had just put her mince meat in
to it's stone crock to mellow, when a
sudden access of her rheumatism sent
her to bed with jugs Of hot water at
her feet and opodeldoc Gannels all
e over her, and copious draughts of com
position powder her eyes following
D her husband through the open door
in fright and dismay at his attempts
4 to do her work, till the painting lady
as they called her, happened up the
$ hill, and, stranger though she was, her
S self took hold and put things into
g shape and cooked enough to last till
= Laury should come, having written to
p Laury to make haste. Il wouldn't
Y send for her." she said, "but we have
to go and arrange our exhibition, and
, cs!i oe. things. But l sha'n't go till
Laury comes. We're coming back to
have our first Christmas together here
> but we must go as soon as we can"
You're real good" sighed the little
- woman. I'm more obleeged to you
| can say. I hate to see him stewine
:. about like a kitchen-colonel. But, oh
| did want to be around when Laury
come. | be little better" She took
the painting lady's hand and raised il
to her lips. "Oh, you mustn't" the
lady cried and she bent down and
= kissed the withered cheek.
THE Lordll reward you for the
? good you've done, an the cheer you've
give" said the little mother. EFF he
. don't in no other way, he's done 6
u mighty lot for you in maxim you jes
YOU"
And so it came to pass that two
j. or three weeks later the stage sci
down the painting people one night
" at point on the highway a few rods
:. from the little red house in PEBBLES
|, pasture, and they picked their way
r along through the dark in some con
Germ over a bright light shining from