The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-12-14
N,C6ristnlas
HPiddarce
52g) IA
BY WILLIS BROOKS


HUR village paper had issued 4 very
~ credltabie Christmas edition.
WIS looking over the news soc,
ton by the front window NY wife
sni near, absorbed Ia the story part.
What's thntT" she asked. listening,
She was always on the lookout Tor
more eggs. What she heard certainly
did sound like d hen announcing the
arrival Of onc.twelfth 81 dozen.
That" ! answered, als Ezra Barn.
stable Ia stntc OF amusement"
We looked through tie window. and.
sure enough, here be came down the
street, an expansive smile iliumlnat-
ing his mconilke face.
"Whnt on earth cnn the man be
laughing 80 about all nlonrf" my wife
wanted 90 know. She was that way
never content to let man be happy
unless she knew the reason why.
SO I went 90 the door aud sang out
% Ezra, isn't n kind Of stlngy 10 en-
Joy 4 al by yonrsciffp
When he had unw0und the wool tip
pet from his neck and taken the rock
Ing chair which the mIssis had set be.
fore the fireplace for him he leaned
back nnd cut gashcs Ia the atmos-
pierre with another flourish Of his
eharp cnchlnnntions. 'I'ye heard q
Santa Claus playin' tricks before now
said he, 'hnt ! don't guess he ain't
never played none no funnler than
this.
1T was like this; Three, four days
ago my boy Chet come homo with a
rahbit-one o them big white critters
with che pink eyesthat he'd snapped
on one o his mitteng 70 the one armed
Mayhem boy Ger. When he come In,
iuggiu' tho thing Ia his arius, his ma
gst him whose II was an he said II
was his'n an It's name was Jimmy an
Eddie Mayhem give Il 70 him.
Them Mayhem boys ain't givln'
nothiu' away fer n0thin'," says she.
'Mhntd you give him fer ltf
'Chet knowcd he was cornercd so
he owned up shnt he'd give Eddie one
o. his wool mlttens Il don't never
wear but one much anyhow. says he,
AN, besides. Eddie's poor, one armed
boy, an his hand was cold, an II was
comm Chris'mus.
Il seen the look IN his mas eye, an
felt sorry fer Chet, 30 ! says. 'Chet.
says I. Soyere-like, you come to the
barn along o. me, like was COLA TO
HEX him.
v'rhat satisfied his ma. SO Chef an
me went 20 the harm an made box
70 keep the rabbit In. ! knowcd the
thing a freeze to death II he KEEP Il
anywhercs but IN the house an
kn0wed his ma wouidn't listen 70 his
doln' that. 80 l puts him up 20 gittin
ria ~ Il by invitin' his Cousin Arti,
over FER Chrig'mus an giyin' Il 20 him
FER a Chrlsmus present
"Artie, you know" Ezra explained
rs my wtfe's brothers boy. You re-
member my wsfe's brother. Dan Baker
over IN Center township. the one that
died an' left wilder with eight chill
dcrnt
"wnai. when Chct told his ma wha
he was goin' 10 DO she said he coulS
Keep the rabbit 10 the attie TN Chris
mus an not minute longer. So b
writ 90 Arsie. an this mornln' hrigh
an early here comes the hull family
Mis- Baker am the huh eight chlidern
-Chet. he hndn't even got up yet bu
/ rousted him out. an when he CONS
down he tolt Artie about the Jimml
rabbit he was goin' 20 give him. Thel
Mis- naker chips In an says she neye
laws ane a. her children 20 hccep
presents unless all the ethcrs gifts Ia
same thing II makes the others ieal
GUS. says she. an creates dlssenslons,
n seen trouble conln 70 Chef Il
norku an herds an I says 20 mysel
they's jcst one way 70 settle this thinr
You know, n yon give a rabbit littt
rufY on the back 81 his neck he neye
knows what hit him. SO I sneaks Vi
10 the attic. but ole Santa Claus haI
got there ahead o me"
Era rocked back and iet out n fcy
mare staeeato notes of merriment.
~what had happenedf" my wifi
asked
SWIFT ria tell you. said Ezra
called Chet 10 come up quick, an b
COME a.ruhnin'. Look here. says / {
Lin. 'you give the elEhf little ones I
he children an the old one g MI
Baker. II yon o. Il nice she can
refuse em specially when the httl
rabbits needs fhe services 81 Jimm
Ter awhlle yit So Chet he lueged "a
hull boz D rabbits downstairs an mad
~sch ; eloksnf presentin' speech shr
The wfGder couldn't do nothlu' bS
thank hsH an take the hun mess hon
with her