Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1915-12-23
And all the angels in heaven do sing.
On Christmas day, OF Christmas day;
And all the bells OH earth do ring,
On Christmas day in the morning.

{8 Old Song.
That Christmas day virtually begar
a whole year beforehand. with a rec
hot letter written by Guy Fernald tt
his younger sister, Nan, who had beer
married to Samuel Burnett just two
and one-half years. The letter was
read aloud by Mrs. Burnett to her hus-
band al che breakfast table, the Sec
ond day after Christmas. From start
to finish it was upon one subject. and
1t read as follows:
Dear Nan-It's a ~cenfounded, full
grown shame that not a soul of US
yours truly, and he only for a couple
of hours. What have the blessed old
folks o to us that we treat them
like this? l was invited to the Sc
walls for the day, and went, of course
you know why. We had a ripping
time, but along toward evening began
TO feel worried. / really thought Ralph
was home-he wrote me that he might
swing round that way by the holidays
but / knew the rest OF you We're all
wrapped up in our own Christmas
trees and weren't going to get there.
well i tool the 1880 down and
walked in on them. Sitting all alone by
lures you see of The Birds All Flown
and that sort of thing. l felt gulpish in
my throat, IN my honor l did, when 1
looked at them. Mother just gave one
gasp and flew into my arms, and Dad
got up more slowly-he has that
darned rheumatism worse than ever
this winter-and came over and l
thought he'd shake my hand off. Well,
I sat down between them by the fire,
and pretty soon I got down in the old
way on n cushion by mother. and let
her run her fingers through my hair,
the way h used to-and Nan, I'll be
indicted for perjury il her hand wasn't
trembly. They were SO glad to see me
It made my throat ache.
Ralph had written he couldn't get
round. and of course you'd all written
and sent them things-jolly things,
and they appreciated them. But
blame 1t all-they were just dead lone
some-and the whole outfit of us with
In 800 miles, most within 30.
Man, neXt Christmas it's going to
be different. That's all l say. I've
got 1t all planned out. The idea popped
into my head when I came away last
night. Not that they had a word of
blame-not they. They understood all
about the children. and the cold snap,
n Eds being under the weather, and
divers wife's neuralgia, and Ralph's
girl in the west, and all that. Bat
that didn't make the thing any easier
for them. As / say, next year-hut
you'll all ear from me then Mean
while, run down and see them once or
twice this winter. win you. Nan?
Somehow. it struck me they aren't sc
young as they used to be.
Splendid winter weather. Margaret
a peach, but I don't seem to
much Roadway. My best to Sam.
Your affectionate brother.
Guy"
Gay Nan had felt a slight choking
In her own throat as she read this
letter. we really must make an eff
h said to her husband, and
Sam assented cheerfully. He only
there were a father and mother
somewhere in the world for him to go
home to.
Guy wrote the same sort of thing,
more or less detail. to Edison
and Oliver, his married elder brothers:
TO Caroiyn-Mrs. Charles Wetmore, his
elder-married sister.
He received varied and more or less
responses, to the effect
with SO many little children. and
such snowdrifts as always blocked the
-oads leading toward North Estabrook,
It really was not strange-and OF
,ourse somebody would go next year.
But they had all sent the incest gifts
.ha:s could find. Didn't Guy think
liked those beautiful Russian
Ralph sent her? And.
wasn't father pleased with his
yoid iieadcd cane from Oliver?
rom ell the children. Father and Moth
,r Fernald couldn't feel SO awfully ne
Elected.
Gold headed cane be hanged" Guy
exploded when he rea this last sem
from the letter of Marian, divers
wife. .Ill bet h put him up to 1t.
( anybody dares give me a gold head
With 1t on the spot. He wasn't using It
.ifsaer-bless him. He had his old hick-
stick. and he wouldn't have that if
ssat abominable rheumatism hadn't
ripped him so hard. He isn't old
to use a crne, by jolly, and OIL
Iught to know It, il Marian doesn't.
m gladI sent him that typewriter. He
muse him. too-not make him think
ready to diet"
Guy@was not the fellow to forget
Inything that had taken hold of him as
hat pathetic Christmas homecoming
lad done When the year had nearly
oiled around. the 1st of December saw
i'm at work getting his plans in trim.
Re began with his eldest brother, Oil
'er. because he considered Mrs. Oliver
hardest proposition he had to tao
ne In the carrying out of his idea.
You sce,s he expounded patiently,
sthey sat n stared at MIN, ut isn't
hat they aren't always awfully glad to
the whole outfit. children n all,
Iutsit Just struck me it would do 'em
Of good 70 revive old times. +
bought IL we could make it just as
nuclG ID possible like one OF the old
.hristinnses before anybody got mar
ind--hangs up stockings and all,