The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1908-12-17

| Win economy, mar 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
Their.
Father said Bob, i've 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
familhes-black birch, gray birch,
yellow birch, brown asb-I don't
know what-and-all--"
But, Bob that's splendid
piece OF 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 kilndrylng and dis.
| tributing, and II can all be done
before Christmas-and there you
are!"
Bob" said Mr. Champion, you're
genius! There we are"
There we arel" 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 &c
think OF it," said Rose. IL wonder
what Donald will say. Fifty or loo
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
II for you" said Rob
Tomorrow morning, early" said
his father. There won't be an hour
to spare II you want that wood de
livered by or before Christmas. I'll
have drains put in as we go along
and get good piece of grass land out
of II. Well, | shall sleep better to
night"
II the people on the knoll had lis.
tened that next day and many a day
thereafter. they might have heard, or
thought they heard, a sound of chop
ping In the swamp woods. faint, far
off, muilled 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 stonlng
raisins and slicing cltron and Sitting
spices and boiling down. cider, she was
too much occupied to think of any.
thing but her work and OF Asas and
Laury's Homecoming.
1T seems to me the woodpeckers
are dretful busy down in the swamp"
she said once
''Prob'ly the trees hev borers," said
her husband.
Why, that's too bad" she said with
her quick habit of kindness, and
went on about her work.
She had just put her mince meat in.
to its 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 fannels all
over her. and copious draughts of com.
position powder, her eyes following
her husband through the open door
in fright and dlsmay at his attempts
to do her work till the painting lady,
as they called her happened up the
hill. and, stranger though she was, her
self took hold and put things into
shape and cooked enough to last till
Laury should come, having written to
Laury to make haste. IL wouldn't
send for her." she said, but we have
to go and arrange our exhibition, and
sell our things. But | sha'nt 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 youn
| can say. hate to see him stewing
about like a kitchen-colonel. But, oh,
did want to be around when Laury
come ! be q little hetter.-. She took
the painting lady's hand and raised II
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 a
mighty Let for you in maxim you jes'
you"
And so II came TO pass that two
or three weeks later the stage set
down the painting people one night
at point on the highway few rods
from the little red house in PEBBLES
pasture. and they picked their way
along through the dark in some con.
Germ over a bright light shining from
the windows. Il sensed you'd be com.
in about this time said Laury, open.
ing the door And | fought twould
be kinder lonesomelike for you in the
dark an cold, and | come down an
lighted the fires an got you some
supper. an some OF mothers mince
pies And I've had real good time
lookin' at the thin's you've hung up.
They've learned me lots. Mothers a
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