Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1911-12-23

The Ladies' Aid society was in ses-
sion in the basement OF the meeting
house.
We ought to have a Christmas tree
for the Sunday school children. re-
marked F'reelove Smith, looking up
from the section of Old Maids Ramble
Round the Green. which she had
stitched together.
Lovey2" demanded the practical mem
Der. Everybody shortened F'reeIoves
name to Lovey, because she was so
pleasant" they would have said, if they
had been asked for the reason. Min
| listers salary is two months behind
now
The minister's wife, a fraiI-Iooking
little woman, shivered as the words
were spoken.
You cold, Mis- EIderkin? ?" solicitous-
~ inquired Lovey. Set up here by
the stove. They ridiculous short
sleeved waists, to just look at them
raises goose pimples on me, this
weather.
Yes. 1 do think we ought to have
a Christmas tree for the children" re-
iterated Lovey. Takes SO little to
make a child happy
And amt nothing, hardly, that'l II
ever make anybody happy afterwards,
sighed the sterekeeper's wife. smooth
ing her siIken gown. III give TWEEN
ty-fiVe cents.
s.PH give fifty" added Lovey. Il
know the rest of you viii take hold
and 1 guess L can scare up somethin
outside I'm goin' right out now, to
see. I'll be back by the time you'll
have supper ready. Them is my beans
in the yeller happy. Better set them
on the stove pretty soon. I'm goin
to try Mr.. Pickens.''
old Kit PicI1ensl' they all deris-
lively exclaimed
'Nothin venture, nothfn' have
blithely answered Lovey. I'm goin'
to try him"
SO Lovey pinned her Scotch plaid
shawl about her, and tied her white
fascinator over her pretty black hair,
threaded Dit with white Her checks
were rosy, her black eyes We're spark
ling, and she looked the spirit of de-
termination, as, tall and trim, she
strobe away through the gray Deem
Der nightfall.
In old Kits home there was lack of
Woman'S cleaning, there was dearth
Of woman's care He had just returned
from peddling trip to the nearest
market town, seven miles distant. and
was trying to kindle in his cook stove
d fire. which obstina tely refused TO
oHrn. He had failed to sell tre whole
of his load of farm produce. and, con-
sequently. he was in Il more than usu-
ally ugly humor.
No, nom: l WON'T" he snapped,
in answer 10 Lovey's appeal. Il ain t
got no money tonight to waste on
gimcracks for other folks brats.
never na0 nOLnln christmas, not IuuCn.
l hung up my stocl<tn' once, when
was ten years ole. fifty five years ago
that was. l got dead rat and q
cold potater in it,. Mother told me not
thin. and she did. a stick of candy and
lead pencil Poor mother, she did
everything she could for US, but that
want much Father drinked up ev-
erything. Folks talk pretty tough
about me, 1 expect, but they can't
say I'm rum sop, if L amt much
to brag of other ways. If the little
girl I married had ivedt Maybe you
never heard about it, 1t was a good
while before | moved here. She died
in my arms. just six months from our
weddin' day, only eighteen years old.
After that l never cared for nothin'
but to get money and save it, and I
don't know what I'm SaVin' it for,
neither. No. nom; I amt got no con-
tribution for your Christmas tree. I
don't believe in Christmas" And then
Old Kit said a naughty word. which
the newspapers print with dash
through the middle of it.
What lucl1?" cIamored her con
freres, when Lovey reappeared in the
sewing society.
Lovey choked over her answer. and
a tear rolled down her cheek. I'm
afraid we shall have TO give up the
Christmas tree" she faItered, though
| dreadfully hate to-"
Old Kit had done his chores. put over
a pot OF cOIee 10 DOH Tor MS supper
and sat down before the stove Cold
est night l ever see in my life; seems
to freeze the marrer in my bones"
he grumbled to himself
Presently a grinninS, leering, awful
Something slid along the manIeipfece,
and, squatting directly opposite Old
Kit, curled its long tail around its
cloven feet. and fixed him with its
evil eye.
You'll get warmed up some day"
at
Scrooge and Marley sort"