Cleveland County herald., 1919-04-10
THE ELI6HT IN THE RLFARlN6l A TALE OF THE NORTH COUNTRY IN THE TIME OF SILAS WRIGHT
 W IRVINE HAEHELLER
  HOLDEN
 

surveyed 1t th0ughtfully for moment without speaking.
 You ain't goin' to have to suffer that way no more," she said in low tone. We're goin' to be more comf'ta- go West, but I couldn't bear to go off so fur an leave mother an father an sister Susan an all the folks we loved layin' here in the ground alone-I want to lay down with lem by an by an wait for the sound O the trum- pet-ayes !-mebbe it'll be for thou sands O years-ayes l"
 To our astonishment the clock struck twelve.
 "Hurrahi It's merry Christmas" said Uncle Peabody as he jumped to his feet and began to sing of the little Lord Jesus.
 We joined him while he stood beat ing time with his right hand after the fashion of singing master.
 "Off with yer boots, friend!" he ex- claimed when the stanZa was finished. "We don't have to set up and watch like the shepherds"
 We drew our boots on the chair round with hands clasped over the knee-how familiar is the process, and l yet haven't seep it in more than half century! I lighted a candle and scampered upstairs in my stocking feet, Uncle Peabody following close and skipping my thigh as if my pace were not fast enough for him. In the | midst of our skylarking the candle | tumbled to the floor and I had to go back to the stove and relight it. How good it seemed to be back in the old room under the shingles! The heat of the stovepipe had warmed its Hospitality.
 Its been kind O lonesome here," said Uncle Peabody as he opened the window. ''I always let the wind come in to keep me company-it gifts so l warm"
 "Ye can't look at yer stockin' yit," said Aunt Deel when I came down. stairs about eight o'clock, having slept through chore time. I remember 1t was the delicious aroma of frying ham and buckwheat cakes which awoke me ; and who wouldn't rise and shake off the cloak of slumber on a bright, cold winter morning with such provo cation2
 This ain't no common Christmas I tell ye," Aunt Deel went on. Santa Claus won't git here short O noon wouldn't Wonder-ayeSr
 About eleven o'clock Uncle Hiram and Aunt Eliza and their five children arrived with loud and merry greetings. Then came other aunts and uncles and cousins. With what noisy good cheer the men entered the house after they had put up their horses I remember how they laid their hard, heavy hands on my head and shook 1t a little as they spoke of my "stretchin' up'' or an ancient token of good will-the first form of the accolade, I fancy. What joyful good humor there was in those simple men and women-enough to temper the woes of a city if it could have been applied to their relief. They stood thick around the stove warming themselves and taking off it's griddles and opening its doors and surveying it inside and out with much curiosity.
 "Now for the Christmas tree," said Uncle Peabody as he led the way into our best room, where a fire was tNurn- ing in the old Franklin grate. Come on, boys an girls.'
 etc ,a Christmas tree-the first we had had in our house-a fine spreading balsam loaded with presents! Uncle Hiram jumped into the air and clapped his feet together and shouted: Hold me, somebody, or I'll grab the hull tree an run away with it."
 Uncle Jabez held one foot in both hands before him and joyfully hoped around the tree.
 These relatives had brought their family gifts, some days before, to be hung on its branches Tine thing that caught my eye was big silver watch hanging by long golden chain to one of the boughs. Uncle Peabody took 1t down and held it aloft by the chain, so that none should miss the sight, say ing:
 "From Santa Claus for Bart !" A murmur of admiration ran through the company which gathered around me as I held the treasure in my trem- bling hands.
 "This is for Bart, too," Uncle Pea body shouted as he took down bolt of soft blue cloth and laid it in my arms. "Now there's somethin' that's jest about as slick as kittens ear. Feel of it. It's for suit O clothes. Come all the way from Burlington. Now get-ap there. You've got your load"
 moved out of the way in hurri- cane of merriment It was his one great day of pride and vanity. He did not try to conceal them.
 The other presents floated for mo- ment in this irresistible tide of laugh