Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1909-12-17

y. 1t contained such
mp7 a load of presents
for her-almost a roGmful she de-
clared to herself, as they were taken
down one by one and opened for her
inspection and admiration.
Nita was an only child, and this
was another reason why her parents
made much of the day for her sake.
There had been another, but it had
died before Nita could remember. She
had been told about her dead baby
brother so often that 1t seemed to her
that she could recall him and there
were times when she felt he was
looking at her and wanted to be at
her SIDE
This Christmas day was so long,
somehow. She had but just run to
Nurse Amy to ask if it were not
luncheon time. Not that she was
hungry, but she had got so tired of
playing by herself. Nursey had said
it was only II o'clock, and she had
thought 1t was almost night.
i: What were playthings, anyhow? She
run around the big grounds and play
with her at hide and seek as she had
seen other children do-as she had
done with her cousins, when, as she
sometimes did, she visited them in
their far away northern home. 1t was
dreadful cold up there-much colder
than in her own southland, where one
t-l,t oil hA
round, but she would be willing to live
there, if only she had playmates like
other children.
OF course everybody was good.
Papa was good, and mamma was good,
and nursey, too; but they were SO
often busy, and they were grown up,
too, and couldn't be expected to play
games with little girl.
1t would be nicer, she thought, II
papa would remove from the country
to the city. Then she might play with
the neighbors' children.
Nita yawned.
"Td be willin' to let 'em play with
everything have, and wear my watch
some, and ride my pony" she said
magnanimously.
81 do wonder why they don't let me
see mamma?" she asked herself fire
quently. Here its been about weel
since I've seen her, and every time
i start upstairs to her room, governess
or nurse, or the doctor push me bacl
with a You mustn't disturb mamma
| for she's sick AS if I'd disturb mI
dear, dear mamma for anything in al
this world.
81 blieve l don't care for toys an,
more. / guess Pm gettin' too old TO
them. l blieve I'll tell papa to giv'
mine away to some poor children tina
don't have any"
Here she strobe to mirror, befor,
to her full little seven-year height.
81 reckon I'll have to grow heal
more before I'm woman" she sighed
but, anyway, I'm gettin' tired O
,Chrismases and birthdays and toys.
/ just did have somethin to anus
me--somebody to play with that ism
clean grown up"
And then this blase child of seve
stretched herself out upon the foo
and soon was fast asleep.
| When she awoke Nurse Amy wa
standing beside her.
| ~ reckons yer mariner wants tie
see yer, honey" she said, with a smile
Il Without questioning, without reply
ing, the little girl sprang to her fee
and fairly flew up the broad oake
stairway.
20 mamma" she cried, as sh
sought to throw herself into that pa
ents arms.
But gentle hands restrained her an
then she was shown something thf
thrilled her with delight.
"A Christmas present, mamma, an
Ia brother, too. 1t is my brother thi
went to heayen?"
mot that one, dear. but anothe
sent from heaven"
"Give him my presents, mother-a
of them. He's worth all of them an
more, too. May ! hold him, mamma
And Nita's heart overflowed wit
Joy when this request was granite
her.
This is Gods present, isn't
mamma-Jesus' present. You kno
you told me how he loved little emil
rem. He knows what little girls wa
better than their mothers and fathe
DO"