Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-12-18

"Seraphina, can't you take that
! piece of candy out of Thads mouth?
He nearly choked himself just then.
You can have it back, Thad, when
| you've sung two verses Don't be
such baby! Now, good and loud!"
Hank, the herald angels sling"
Schuyler beloved Justify and beat
I time with a drumstick Seraphina
| sang with much fervor and many false
notes; While little Thad followed the
tune manfully, and substituted a ''la-la-
la when the words proved elusive to
his four-year-old memory
The second verse brought to a sue
cessful issue, Schuyler dismissed the
! chorus and turned to the door.
You see + you can't teach Thad
the words of that second verse while
| go downstairs and get some joss
/ sticks for the censor" he told Sera-
! phina.
Schuyler Van Brunt was working I'M
! der difficulties. Doctor Post had told
| him Of the old English custom of sing
Ing carols in the streets on Christ
mas morning. 1t had taken a strong
| hold on the boys fertile imagination
SO strong hold that he had planned
| to smuggle Seraphina and Thad from
the house, when Christmas came, and
| to sing carol out-of-doors in true
| English fashion.
Then. just when he needed Doctor
Posts advice most, there had been
some vague trouble between the doe
tor and Aunt Margaret Aunt Marga-
ret no longer wore the diamond ring
on the third finger of her left hand,
and Doctor Post came no more to the
house. 1t was very disheartening.
Schuyler wanted to ask Doctor Post
score Of questions about the carols.
Did the people who sang them wear
SUPPLIES, like the choir boys in the
Christmas procession at st. Jude's?
Did they stand still or march around
while they sang? These and other
points sadly taxed his eight-yearold
intellect. But his. determination to
sing that carol in the street never
faltered. Hence the secret rehear-
sails in the nursery.
After much elaboration he decid-
ed that surplices would lend dignity
to the occasion, and this decision was
furthered by the thought that night
gowns would make very passable sur
plices. Then, a tomato can suggesting
possibilities, he added a censor to the
properties. A tomato can punched full
of holes, swung on the gilt cord that
comes about candy boxes, and filled
with burning joss-sticks, would make
a beautiful censor.
1t was Christmas Eve, and Schuy
ler's plans were complete. He felt
sure they would put up a very credit
able carol in the morning, even il Doc
tor Posts advice had not been obtain
able. AS he crept upstairs with the
joss-stick, which he had begged from
Agnes, the second girl, he felt that
the last obstacle had been surmount-
ed
Come on now, once more" he said
as he entered the nursery door ELSA
will be up with supper in a minute.
We've just time before she comes.
Stand up, Thad. Yes III let you have
a piece of the joss-stick if you'll sing
good and loud. Now"
H.
Very early in the gray Of the Christ
mas dawn Schuyler awoke, bounced
out of bed, and began to rouse his CO.
horts He tiptoed to Seraphinas lit
tie white cot and INDUCED in a series
of vigorous shakes and punches.
Get up! Get up, Seraphina, It's
time to go out and CAROL" he whis-
pered hoarsely.
Seraphina arose, and, sitting on the
side of her bed, blinked at him re-
proachfully. Little Thad was already
awake and ready for anything which
savored of exciting novelty. The two
elder children dressed hurriedly, and
between them they managed to put
on little Thad's clothes. Then Schuy-
Ter crept noiselessly to the hall below
and returned with coats and hats and
mittens. When they had bundled
themselves into these outer garments,
each donned a "surplice." At the last
moment Schuyler bethought him of
the brilliant cord on his fathers bath
covery he stole into Mr.. Van BTunt's
dressing and returned with the
coveted cord encircling his small
waist. This finishing touch, he felt
sure, made him quite like the altar
boys at St Judes. He fished beneath .
his bed and drew out the tomato can
censor filled with the joss-stick.
Come on" he whispered, and led !
the way down the wide stairs.
With a caution worthy of better
things. he shot the bolts and opened F.
the front door The three grotesque (
figures stole silently out and stood on I
the stoop in the cold Christmas dawn. /
The air was still and biting; the ST
Ience of the streets appalling. SerG-
phina's mind reverted to the luxury OF
the bed she had just quilted.
"O-o-oh." she chartered It's cold
~-~~-~~~~~~o~~ ~-~-~-~~-~~-~~~~~~