Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1911-01-12

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50 Martha hid herself. and In came
little Rnb. the father. with ut least
three feet or comforter. exclusive OF
the fringe, hanging down before him
and his threadbare clothes darned up
and brushed 20 look seasonable and
Tiny Tim upon bis shoulder. Alas
for Tiny Tim. Ee bore little crutch
and had his limbs supported By an
from frame
why. where's our sfarthay" cried
Bob Cratchsf. locking round -.
s.esee -~s@zsstss-.ssss- LIS Cratchit
"Not coming said Bob. with a sud-
den declension In bis high spirit. for
he had been Tins blood horse all the
way from church aud had come home
rampant. "Not coming upon Christ
mas day.
Martha didn't like to see him disap-
pointed. II II were only in joke. so she
came out prenaturely from behind the
closet door and ran into his arms.
while the two young Cratchits hustled
Tiny Tim and bore him or into the
washhouse that he might hear the
pudding singing In the copper
"And how did little Tim behave?"
asked Mrs. Cratchit when she had
rallied Bob on his credulity and Bob
had hugged his daughter to his hearts
content.
"As good as gold" said Bob, "and
better. Somehow he gets thoughtful
sitting by himself SO much and thinks
the strangest things you ever heard.
He told me coming home that be
hoped the people saw him In the
church because he was a cripple and
II might be pleasant to them to re-
member upon Christmas day who
made lame beggars walk and blind
men see."
Bob's voice was tremulous when he
told them this and trembled more
when he said that Tiny Tim was grow
ing strong and hearty.
His active little crutch was heard
upon the floor. and back came Tiny
Tim before another word was spoken.
escorted by his brother and sister to
his stool beside the FIRE. and while
Bob. turning up his cuffs-as IL. poor
fellow. they were capable OF being
made more shabby-compounded some
: hot mixture iu a jug with gin and
lemons and stirred II round and round
and put It on the hob to simmer Mas
ter Peter and the two ubiquitous
young Cratchits went to fetch the
goose. with which they soon returned
In high procession.
Such hustle ensued that you might
have thought goose the rarest OF all
birds-a feathered phenomenon. to
which a black swan was a matter OF
course-and in truth II was something
very like It in that house. Mrs. Cratch-
It made the gravy (ready before
hand In a little saucepan kissing hot.
Master Peter mashed the potatoes
with incredible vigor. Miss Belinda
sweetened up the apple sauce. Martha
busted the hot plates. Bob took Tiny
Tim beside him I'm a tiny corner at
the table, and the two young Cratchits
set chairs for everybody. not forget
ting themselves. and. mounting guard
upon their posts. crammed spoons into
their mouths lest they should shrek
for goose before their turn came TO
be helped. At last the dishes were
set on. and grace was said. IL was
succeeded by a GREATNESS pause AZ
Mrs. Cratchit. looking slowly all along
the carving knife. prepared to plunge
II In the breast. but when she did and
when the long expected gush Of stuff
ing issued forth oue murmur Of de-
even Tiny Tim, excited by the two
young Cratchits. beat on the table
with the handle Of his knife and fee
bly, cried "Hurrah.'
There never was such a goose. Bob
said he didn't believe there ever was
and fiavsr.~ size and cheapness were
the themes of universal admiration.
Eked out by the apple sauce and
mashed potatoes. II was q sufficient
dinner for the whole family. Indeed.
as Mrs. Cratchit said. with great de-
Light, surveying one small atom Of a
bone upon the dish. they hadn't eaten
1t all at last. Yet every one had had
enough. and the youngest Cratchits in
particular were stepped In sage and
onion TO the eyebrows. But now. the
plates being changed by Miss Belinda.
Mrs. Cratchlt left the room alone-too
nervous to bear wltness-to take the
pudding up and bring II In.
Suppose it should not be done
enough! Suppose It should break In
turning out. Suppose somebody
should have got over the wall Of the
back yard and stolen II while they
were merry with the goose. q suppo-
sition at which the two young Cratch-
its became livid. All sorts Of horrors
were supposed.
Hello! A great deal Of steam The
pudding was out Of the copper. A
smell Ike washing dayl That was
the cloth. A smell like an eating
house and a pastry cooks next door
TO each other. with a Iaundress' next
door to that, That was the pudding.
In half a minute Mrs. Cratchit enter.
cd. flushed, but smiling proudly. with
the pudding. like a speckled cannon
ball, so hard and fiTm..blazing in half
q quartern OF ignited brandy and be
digit with Christmas holly stuck into
the top.
"oh. q wonderful puddingr' Bob
Cratchit said. and calmly. too. that he
regarded II as the greatest success
achieved BY Mrs. Cratchit since their
marriage Mrs. Cratchit said that now
the weight was or her mind she
would confess she bad had her doubts
about the quantity Of four Every
body had something 10 say about H..
but nobody said or thought IT was at
all q small pudding for large family
Il would have been aat hsresy to do