The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1912-12-26
THE HsrrrE~T CHRISTMAS.

hs sexea girls ard eoyn wAo kai
one 90 sgSaa TIE festive 6ay ~
Grandmother Cray's. the old hos=e-
tsa1 OF xhs hillside. known a. sae
@sdarx
Yes. tell a." begged nclrn. her
>rtEht face dark~ned BY the shadows
bat danced 10 aud fro So the src-
light. for they bad gathered before
be glowing logs "a The hx.s room
hat snowy Christmas Eve. ana had
been playing merry games IN the Ct
ful shine But nov IL seemed lust
she tine and place 20 tell stories.
Well. think e. wns the one when
! was twelve" vent on Miriam
Father was gone 20 New York cn a
business trip. and mother vas sick
in bed. We didn't expect any good
time - all. you see. but the three lit
tie ones-Sell. Ted. and Bess-were
chatting 70 each ether OF Santa
Claus and getting their stockings
ready TO hang up. Just "a they had
always done. and as | thought OF
their disappointment. OF how they
would feel next morning. we'll, I
could hardly bear IT. must do
something 10 change things-I must
play Santa Claus myself, IL was
bitterly Geld. and 4 deep Snow cover
ed the ground. but. emptying the lit
tie bank / had been saving my mon
ey in for a year. wrapped up as
we'll as / could and made my way TO
the little store a few blocks of, and
there | spent an hour. at least, In
vesting in Christmas gifts. had
only ninety cents. but tried TO make
II go round for, besides the chill
dren. there was the cooks lame boy.
who would get nothing unless re-
membered him; and there was moth
er-sick in bed and not a thing for
Christmas. Oh. how ! longed for
money. for my small store soon melt
ed away, though | chose none but
the cheapest gifts. The next morn
ing you can imagine how full OF 10Y
he little ones were. and Billy had
tears in his eyes when he found
new picture-book and a slate and
pencil in his stocking Bridget hug
ged me hard an tight. when she saw
his gifts, and mother called me to the
bed and kissed me in a new way
fOnder way, as IL seemed to me.
And | can't remember any happier
Christmas than this, when played
Santa Claus to Billy and the chill
dren"
Now. Helen. it's your turn" said
Claud.
why, my very happiest Christmas
tide was the last one" she said. land
Aunt Helen sent me a check TO buy
the watch she had promised me a
year ago."
mo wonder!" chirped Agnes
Most of us would be quite happy
over a good-sized check TO spend for
a watch, too. Let's see it, Helen!"
But didn't buy the watch. Mann
ma needed to go to the hospital just
then to have her eyes treated, and
the check would help to send her.
And so-well, the oculist told US she
had come barely in time TO save her
eyes-that there was danger of her
going blind if she had put off the
| treatment AS it was, she got better
right away, and we were all so happy
that day-it was Christmas Day
that l forgot all about my watch. /
never felt quite so happy on any day
! before"
! Now, Agnes"
Il think all my Christmas days
have been happy Ones" said the girl,
! a dreamy look in her blue eyes, but
there was one-two years ago to-
morrow-that stands out from the
rest with beautiful light upon IT.
had come home TO spend it-from
school, you know-and found mother
down with pneumonia which. OF
course, spoiled everything in the way
of Christmas to the children. felt
so sorry for them, and so / fixed a
stocking for each and hung them In
my room and got the dinner by my
self-it was the first time. too-and
when Percy came home that night
heard papa tell him: The best gift
we've had this Christmas. son, Is
Agnes-the finding out what sort OF
girl she Is in the home. And
some way-well, that was my hap
piest Christmas"
Now, Claud."
Boys are not like girls" he be.
gan. Boys are such selfish things
but my best Christmas came last year
when l told dad / wanted TO work
my way through Mercer-I knew
how pressed he was. Grandmother
knows how he smiles sometimes wher
he's extra pleased. Well, he smiled
then, and couldn't get over 1t. some
how. | could see Ii all day. HI
didn't say much-just a God bless
you. my boy, '-but-well, IL was the
jolliest sort OF day to me-and 4
made the work before me easier, too
think he was-I'm ashamed to sa,