Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1916-07-14

Lie IdIIleI, VI DelnS WIN McDOn-
ough on Lake Champlain, when he
defeated the English fleet under
Commodore Downie, Sept. II, 1914.
The grandfather going with Wash
ington when he crossed the Della
ware blocked with floating ice that
bleak Christmas night and captur
ing the Hessians in the early morn
ing, in 1776. In the telling of these
adventures seeds of patriotism would
drop into the minds and hearts of
wondering children who, in after
years helped to free the slaves and
save the Union. The spinning wheel
stops humming and the weary aunt
gathers up her basket of remaining
skeins. The tall wooden clock strikes
off the hour of nine, and the grand
father, adjusting his heavy-bowed
spectacles, opened the old leather
covered ancestral Bible on the stand
and turned to the Psalms, reading
the Word slowly and in that deep
reverential tone of voice. Then the
family join in singing from memory
some familiar hymn like THE Old
Ship of Zion, " Here I'll Raise My
Ebenezer," Canaan, that Happy
Land" their voices blending, in the
pathetic quaver of the grand
parents, the strong, steady bass of
the father and soft treble of the
mother, with the clear, ringing
notes of the children. After prayers
the sleepy household affectionately
say good night" and go to bed by
the light of the fire log shining
through the open doors of snug bed
rooms. The father fingers to bury
the Goals to kindle fire in the morn
ing, and the last sound heard by the
going-off- to-sleep household is the
pulling Of the leaden weights as the
mother winds the clock. From
whence she softly steps to the trun-
die bed and tucks the bed-clothes all
nicely around the three Younger
children, kisses them on the brow,
then kneels and says with them their
little prayer:
''Now lay me down to sleep
pray the Lord my soul to keep
If should die before | wake
pray the Lord my soul to take;
And this ask for Jesus sake
Amer.
Another week had passed and it
was Christmas morn. Some days
before, the parents went down to
the Maplewood or Wildwood store
on what seemed to the children a
mysterious errand, as on their re-
turn only wise telltale look gave
any hint of hidden things locked up
in the bureau drawer. For weeks
the children had been talking and
planning for Christmas, and been
making merry since Thanksgiving
Day in anticipation of the joyous
occasion. Their most ardent wishes
were that Santa Claus might bring
them an earthern DOLL a picture
book, pocketcomb, a harmonica. a
new apron, tippet, scarf, a pic
ture handkerchief, a wallet a jack
knife, a cap, a hood. a bright
painted sled, pair of skates and
such like simple gifts. With any of
these their happiness would be COM
plete. 1t mattered not how cold
and bleak and stormy the day, it
was Christmas! Merry, merry Christ
mas. Down at Maplewood and Wild
wood the Christmas bells were ring
ing. They sounded far away to the
mountaineers, but near enough for
them to hear the invitation resound-
ing, Come down-n-n-n- Come
dOWn-n-n-n- -
A large sled-load of the mountain
folk needed the glad summons and
went down drawn by a sprightly
pair of oxen, driven by Hunter
John. They found the large white
meeting house thronged with glad
people, and Merry Christmas shining
in every face from grandparents tc
babies, their gleeful voices mingline
in Christmas greetings. Spruce anC
hemlock wreathes encircled the spa
n