Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1909-12-15

Il should like a truly home TO
night" said Tom. "And you know
which house I'd pick out If l had a
chance"
81 know" said Jane Smith, Il know.
It's the house with Christmas trees
around it, and turkey gobblers In
the yard"
That's where Miss Anne lives,
said John Bell. Its big house,
and I'd think she would get real lone
some with only Peter and Rebecca."
rs it the house where the lamp
shines like a star all night?" asked
Mary Moore.
That's the very one. Sh-sh.
have an idea," cried John, drawing the
five together for his secret, for he was
always full of plans.
Mrs. Brown, the cook, looked out
from her window and saw the confer
ence. "Of course nobody wants chill
dren getting over the mumps," she
said to herself. "But I'll make them
have good time. I'll go upstairs
right away and gather all the candle
ends, and then I'll call them in and
make candy"
In the old colonial house surround
ed by evergreens lived Miss Anne
Armstrong. Her windows overlooked
the pasture where the children played
beside the orphanage on the hill. Miss
Anne was the last of her family. She
ordered her life carefully and saw
that her maid Rebecca kept the house
spotless and her man Peter kept the
garden NEEDLESS, while she knit end
less patterns of lace.
Christmas was coming, she knew by
the calendar, and that evening as she
walked home from the postoffice she
had witnessed the reception of or.
phans at more than one house of her
acquaintance. Even Widow Simp-
kins, the washerwoman, had taken a
little boy who asked to visit her jolly
young family
Dear me, feel left out" said Miss
Anne as she saw the young strangers
taken in the door. II wonder if any
one would have elected to go with me,
if l had gone to the orphanage.
must send Mrs. Simpkins some red
Jonathans for the children
Miss Anne saw the big flame of her
astral lamp blaze in her window like
star sending its light across the snowy
fields to the group on the orphanage
steps. Then she met Rebecca at the
door and seated herself beside her
bountiful teatable.
Il do not believe that | shall have
a single visitor this Christmas" sighed
Miss Anne, a feeling of loneliness
creeping over her. "But why should
anyone think of me, when l do not
think of others as l should"
At that moment there was clatter
of feet on the porch, and the brass
knocker dropped with a resounding
clang. 1t startled Rebecca and Peter
in the kitchen, and both rushed into
the hallway
Rebecca drew the bolt and turned
the knob of the door which the wind
tore from her grasp, letting in a
whirl of snowfiakes and five children,
hand in hand. They went straight to
Miss Anne at the table before the
blazing fire.
We've come to spend Christmas
with you. We choose your house, be-
cause you have lots of room, and it
has Christmas trees all around it, and
because you are kind" said John Bell,
confidently.
well, I never" said Rebecca to
Peter. What do you think of that?
Come, girls, let me take off your
wraps"
Don't you want us?" asked Tom.
"Alice said this was really home"
Then Miss Anne found her voice.
She rose from her chair, and putting
her arm around the shivering boy,
said: "Of course l want you. I'm
glad you came. Peter shall find you
a Christmas tree"
A little later when she looked at the
table and the passing plates of cake
and marmalade, she said to herself:
81 have visitors, after all, and / shall
keep them always in really home"
Little Mary Moore having finished
her supper, slipped from her chair
and climbed on Miss Anne's lap. That
lady did not see the orphanage ging-
ham and the clipped hair, she only
saw the divine hope of childhood.
She drew Mary into her arms and her
feeling of loneliness vanished for
ever.
Tell me, little one, why you came
to my house?"
Mary looked up into the kind face
and said: Il came because you were
all alone, and your lamp shone like a
guiding STAR
Peter, saving at an evergreen in
the yard, looked in at the window. He
rubbed his eyes and shook his hoary
head, saying: 'They picked us out
for themselves. Who would have
thought it?"