The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-12-24


 CHRISTMAS JoY
 Csl.ristfnas was coming to the little srr.a4rie-Iarad children, although good ! ness knows where the anoney# was coming from to buy presents with sBat Christmas was coming just the < same. bTfght day in December. fcan you keep house while your mother and go over to the settlement9 I'll stop on the way at the Hopes and asks them if Jimmy can't come over ana ana you com pany while we're gone.
 4.oh, lef me gos father l'.s cried r'essy sprIngfrg up from her patch work I II be just as good r k
 You can't :. said her father We got ste bring back meal and potatoes. and there uorst be room Be a good girl and stay at home Jimmy and you can pop corn and the time won't seem long, # can gFe cried Tessy- well stay. Make Jimmy come over right away .soh. yes laughed MT Whittiey.:: .ss.he,u be. here in ten minutes never
 So father and mother and little Baby Robbie were tucked in the sleigh and started zoff essy sans eayly to her self as she ran into the woodshed for the corn and the old pepper,
 T wonder why Jimmy doesn't come she said, as she finished shelling ana flung the last cob away ssIt must be 4he woodshed door. But no one was in si ight Just then litt1e rustllng noise struck upon her ear F4o-hoh, Mister Jimmy she thought. won't look around.
 A Big Black Bear!
 But curiosity getting the best Of her sfie turned her head and there stand-s ing just outside the door, with his foreDavs on the sill. his two cruel eyes fastened on her faces was black bear Tressy dropped every thing and Eate one bounce up the steps that led into the house. foregetung 1n her fright to close theafter her Up fol- lowed the bear Tressy flew III scne stairs to the loft and opening the bt- s4ls scuttlendoor, sprang out upon the flat roof. Knowing rom stories s11e had heard her father tell enougn or a bear s chasing faculties to real i this was her only hope. Trembling n every limb and teeth chatterang. she 5 did not dare stop and think a infinite, even after the seuttle door was secur- ely shut between her and the bear
 Jin1mly.ll, be ktlIed.ss she cried wring1ng her hands, as merry Wflls- f1e rang out ..Donst!ss she screamed .s.JfznTny don't whistle! There's q bear Leaning over the 1eadge of the rooI as Jimmy approached, she nofiox1ed him back Don't come. she whisp- cred the is a bear ln the housei
 "A bear ?'s said Jimmy, incredu- 1ouslv sdon,t believe it-..''ss
 s.0h5 there is.ss cried Tressy, in the areatest terror Don't go in, Jimmy: you'll be killedhe jumped into tlle woodshed and then chased. me into the house
 Lying Down on the Rug seWen.' said Jimmy. still disbeliev- ing, I'm going to peek into the win dow And in spite of Tressy's plead ines he crept up softly and took one look in the little low window And fJrffv4sr5ff zlfcr- n c i1l1frl ely boune- ed-out 1nfo- the road at isuchs a. rate that Tressy, up high on the roof, thought surely the bear was after him ..Oh, .tis Tress.' he gasped. lies asv- fd1 big. and he's lying down on the rug
 Do you suppose you could shut the door 2,s whispered Tress, from her par npet so.s to keep him in until father gets home 7,s
 ssssI don't know, said Jimmy, who < showed no great desire to approach the house, but knowing Tressys eyes were upon him he started with knees that Knocked together in such 2. lively style that he could scarcely walk, and acconp1ished Ihe feat successfully. sIts done.'I he cried, flying back into the road.
 might get out, so you must get some body here quick,
 shoot Bear Through Window.
 ssI'lI run right home and get fat1l- ers's And off Jimmy went like race horse. TO Tressy the minutes seemed like hours before Mir Hope and tw . men whom he eI1anced to meet came i, roc 4x,5z hQr61u 70 report of the rifle when his bearship was securely shot through the little vvindows so benumber was she from long exposure The events of the last hour seemed like dream, and she was fsating. floating away--unti1 strong arms carried her down the lit fle crooked stairs and into the old Kitchen. Here she came to with a gasp.
 1T intense relief. 'sEhe isn't! Look at him, Tress-isnst he a bouncer ?''
 tfst skin will fetch a lot of money, put in Mr. Hope. At the word money, Jimmy and Tressy pricked Up their ears to catch every word, and then looked at each other, and ssChristrnas' was in their eyes. Just then sleighbeIls were heard. ssfIere they comel" cried Jimmy; fI' m going to tell 'em rst!"
 Tressy could hear her mother give a pleasant little laugh and say, How nice it is to get ho1ne!s' and. then the door opened and she saw their ia eses The rest was all confusion, and when the hubbub cleared away Tressy found herself in her mothers lap. tightly cIasped to her heart
 A1y brave little sirIt'' her father would say. coming up every two or three minutes and batting Tressy, s 3ellow head and then going off to look Rt the bear again.
 sI'H give you $I0 for him. said one of the men
 Just in Time for CI1rist4nas.
 An right, replied MT. Whittier,