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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron News-Record, 1894-12-19, Page 14A MERRY CHRISTMAS. TO ALL. BEItr1'HA'S CHRISTMAS. "I declare," said Mrs. Holland, "I don't know when I ever was in such tt heap. Here it is only two days before Christmas, and the great pike ot bakin' I've got to do! And tate children's true to git ready and all! John's folks hey put ma mit awful, first sits'" they couldn't come, and lest the last niinuta chaagin' deer minds. 1 wouldn't caro if there with only more time to prepare for 'ern, though of course I'm awful glad the 're corrin' s' fur's that goes." She was rolling out pies in a little cleared space on the kitchen table. The rest of the table was piled. up with un- washed dishes, as was also the sink. She was talking to her husband, who in his "chore" overalls, was tiling a tool in the warm corner back of the stove. The filing ceased. "Wall, mother, 'tain't no use frettin'," he said, in his easy way. "Why don't Fanny help ye, stid o' screachiri' away in the parlor 2" "Why, she's practicin' her carol that she's goin' to e:ng to the church, Christ- mas,' answered Mrs. Holland, with asperity. "You ain't no call to say it's sereachin', when Fanny's as pretty a little singer as you'll find hereabouts. And she's helpin me lots, too, by takin' .care of Elsie." The filing and the baking went on a While longer ; then, "Say, mother why don't ye get Berthy to help ye out?" The woman stopped, and the fretful expression .disappeared. "Why." she said gently, "I- dunno but 'twould be a good idea. Go right over, father, an' see if she'll come." Very carefully he put away his tools in his shed and donning his great coat that hung behind the kitchen door, he started out across the snowy yard. In a few minutes he returned. "She'll be right over," he said, cheer- fully. "She scented to be reel pleased at the chance. I guess they must be pritty poor off, her father bein' out of work so long. Mebbe they're poorer offn we think." "Well, I guess that ain't very bad, then," scornfully said Mrs. Holland. "I. guess there wouldn't anybody be suffer - in' much in Easton on account of hun- ger, with the church societies an' mis- sion, an' everybody willin' to do." "Pooh 1" retorted her husband. "Some folks 'ud be toceproud to let you' know on't." "Poor folks ain't gen'rally baek'ard about tellin'of their'trials. That's what I've found out," was Mrs. Holland's reply. Nevertheless, her sharp eyes watched Bertha when she entered the room. The girl appeared just the same as ever. Her cheap print dress looked • "YES, YliS, YOU MUST BE SANTY, JOHN." neat end clean, her pretty hair was braided down her back and tied with a blue ribbon' that was certainly old and faded, but clean and smooth, and her face wore the sante calm, peaceful ex- pression. She hung up her hood and shawl be- hind the door, then rolled up her sleeves a little. "My," she said, "what a lot of dishes,ti gpess you want them done first, dont you Mise Holland ?" Soon Elsie toddled into the kitchen, and, in a very business -like manner, marched straight up to her mother. "Mamma," she said, `tan me stay here wi' Berta?" "You'd be a bother. Go back with Fanny." "Don't want to:" Then Mr. Holland came in. "Say, mother," he said, "can't I beat up cake, or stun raisins, or somethin'?" "Good land 1" retorted Mrs. Holland, irritatedly, "you'd better all on you ,poke right into this kitchen ! I should -think this house 'was big enough not to to crowded. Say, fattier, take Elsie away, so that Bertha and I can get things done up. It's nice and warm in the dining -room. "Me don't want to !" said Elsie, em- phatically. "Como think on't," said Mr. Holland, -quickly. "I've got some chores to do in the barn." And out he trotted. Elsie sat ?own in her little chair, and l3ertha went on washing dishes. Sud- 'denly Mrs. Holland turned around on the child to see what she was doing so quietly. "Good land, Elsie," she said, '`what in the world are you watching ;Bertha for?" "'Cause me like to." "Well, that Midst be groat fun. Ho* id Teddy, Bertha?" "Well, thank you. I left him with father." "Your father hasn't any work now, has he ?" "No ma'am." "And ain't had for some time, has 4e ?,r "No, ma'am," "It must be rather hard for you to get along ?" "Yes, ma'am; but we have done very well. so far." "Be you gain' to have any Christ- mas 2" "0, yes ! Toddy's going to have a tree." "Hum," thought Mrs. Holland,"guess there ain't much poverty there. Father's a bid goose to think there is. She reply acts as if she'd got a fortune to put on that tree." Bertha worked for Mrs. Holland all that day and all the next day until late 'in the afternoon, when she started for home, with the pleasant chink of money in her pocket. It was only a dollar, but TEDDY'S TREE. to Bertha it was of untold value,. for it meant that she need not quite vet ask for charity to buy her little brother food. She and her father could get along some way. There were a few potatoes yet left in the cellar, the only remainder of the product ot their little garden. That was all there was • to eat in the house— or in their part of it She and her father could live on them while they lasted, but frail little Teddy couldnrt That night for supper Teddy had nice new milk to drink? and .bread, and the greatest luxury of all, butter to put on it. There was probably not a single person in Easton but who, if he had known of Bertha's circumstances, would have jumped to offer her and her father as- sistance. But the very idea of charity was repugnant to both. They .knew, however, that the hateful truth must be known to others than themselves before long, for in a few days their month's rent was due, and there was no money to pay it. Bertha had not been home lona before Mr. Holland hitched up his family team and went to the depot tor "John's folks." They made the big sleigh pretty full. There were John and his wife, Tommy, aged ten, Rosy and Bella, six and four respectively, and Grandpa Holland: There wasn't even room enough left for that proverbial "one morn." After a merry supper, the elder ones left the children cracking nuts on the kitchen hearth, while they talked over a very secret little plan to give the little ones pleasure. "0, yes," cried Fanny, enthusiasti- cally, `some one must bo Santa Claus, and come and pay the children a visit. There's enough good stuff left over frorn our last year's theatrical club to just fit up a fine-looking Santa, And Uncle John's figure is just right for the part. Uncle John must be Santa Claus." "Yes, ,Yes !" cried her mother. "You must be Santy Claus, John." Then big, burly John roared, and everybody aughed with him, except Grandpa Holland. Grandpa Holland had been ono of the merriest of the party since his arrival. Now he sat in his chair looking quite dejected and unhappy, just as though he had lost every friend he ever had on earth, and never expected to have another. "Why, father," suddenly cried John's wife, "what's come over you so sudden? Don't you feel well ?" Fanny, her father and mother, and Uncle ,loin turned their startled, anxi- oue faces on the old man. "No.' he stammered, "1 ain't—well. I—I guess—I'd better go to bed," Anxiety gave place to alarm. "Why, father," said John's wife, "Yen don't mean it, do you? Sick on Christmas eve, when we were going to be so jolly?' "I know what 'tis," said Fanny's mother, confidently, "it's a sudden weakness. My currant wino will fix him all right in no time." . Grandpa obediently took the currant wino, but grew worse. Bertha had now come Over to help clear up the dinner dishes and wash them, and was stepping occasionally be- tween the diniug•room and kitchen. No one paid any attention to her and her mind seemed to be intent on her work. Suddenly, however. she stepped up to Mrs. Holland and whispered a few words in her ear, then moved quickly away. Tho woman stood transfixed with surprise and incredulity. She kept looking in a perplexed way from John to the old man. Then, on some pre- text; she got the former out of the room, and held a short, whispered con- versation with hi'm, He suddenly pretended to have had an errand outdool's, and then cattle stamping through the hall into the kitchen. "Say,' he exclaimed, rubbing his hands over the kitdhen stove "you folks did a very thoughtless thing in choosing mo for Santy, jest because I'm ,:e' Only the Scars Remain, ",Among the many testimonials which 1 see to regard to certain u»edtolnes perlorm. Ing cures, cleansing the blood, etc.," writes it/Olxr 8gnsox, et the James Smith Wooleu Maobtnere Co., PhUadelebia, Pa., "mono Impress mo More than my own ease. Twenty years ago, at the ago of 18 years, I bad swellings come on my lees, which broke and became running Sore& our family physician could do me no good, and It was feared that the bones would he affected. At last, my good old mother urr'd me to try Ayer's Sarsapartlla. I took three bottles, the sores healed, and I have not been troubled since. Only the scars remain, and the memory of the past, to " remind me of the good Ayer's Sarsaparilla has done me. I now weigh two hundred and twenty pounds, dad am In the best of health. I have been on the road for the past twelve years, have noticed Ayer's Sarsaparilla advertised in all parts of the United States, and always take pleas- ure In belling what good it did for me." For the cure of all diseases originating in Impure blood, the best remedy Is AYER'S Sarsaparilla Prepared by Dr. S. C. Ayer & Co., Lowell, Maes. Curesothers,witi cure you .nv a big chap. Bless you. I ain't no hand with young ones. I'd stare 'am to death if they conic near me. Now a real Santy, you know, understands e•ltildrou, and knows how to talk with 'em to gain theirconfide.nce. I couldn't do that no more'» nothin' in the world. 'There ain't airy of us could nuttier, 'sept father. Father's the one that ought to be Santy. The fun'll be all spout if he's goin' to be sick." Grandpa Holland half way raised his head. An expression of interest set- tled over his features. There seemed to be all at once a sort of telegraphic communi- cation between the members of the little company. "Why, yes!" cried one after the other. "What in the world were we thinking of ! Grande Hol.'and is the one who ought to be Santy. He understands children !" "But he's sick !" regretfully cried John's wife. "I'm better 1" cried Grandpa. quickly. "I reckon tho currant wine'. beginnin' to take effect. An'.'twoulrh►'t mako no diff runce if I was sick. I ain't a-goin' to have the children dis'nointed along o' me. I guess I kin sten' it." Each glanced at . the other undor- standingly, and yet with bewildered surprise. But the old. man was quite chipper. Fanny, amid much laughter, helped him to don the queer rig and padded him to the proper bigness, Then after a little Santa visited the children and the fun commenced. "Why," cried Mrs. Holland, suddenly "we ought to have invited Teddy over. I wish I'd thought to speak. to Bertha about it when she went Home." "The pretty little girl.that was helpin' of you?' asked Grandpa. "Yes, that was*'Bertha. Teddy's her. brother. - • "I could] go an' make a special visit to him," cried Grandpa. "Why, so you could !" said Mrs. Hol- land. '"And I'll go with you, and wait outside till you come." So "Sante" made his adieux to the children and slipped out. Mrs. Holland . met him, and they went directly'to Bertha's house. It was a very small, double house. On the side in which Bertha lived, a. very dim light shone forth from the kitchen window. Mrs. Holland suddenly moved up to this win- dow and looked in. Then she stepped back and said, "Well, well, well, I do declare !" Then she looked in again, and the old man looked in with her. The night was mild and the window glass quite clear. The lamp in the room was turned very low, ostensibly to save the oil. Bartha's father sat on the opposite side of the room, his head leautng dejectedly on his hands. Bertha sat in a little rocker, with Teddy in her lap. An expression of extreme content and satisfaction was on the child's face. and as his head loan- ed back on Bertha's breast, his eyes were fastened on what to him appeared a glorious vision. A tiny Christmas tree stood in a little box on the table. Strings of white popcorn were tastefully arranged about it. As for its other contents,2'there were three sticks of colored candy and ono orange—nothing else. So this was Teddy's tree ! When Mrs. Holland observed it, and other evidences of poverty and want, her vision became so blurred that she could no longer see. She called Grandpa away, and they went up the road to- gether, without making the intended vis? t. Early the next afternoon, when Ber- tha wont over to 1frs. Holland's to help with the dinner dishes, her face was radiant with happiness. "0, Mrs. Hol - teed, ' she cried, there isn't a girl in this world so happy as I am this day! Father's got work at last. The Ray - bone Manufacturing Company sent their man down to offer him a job as night watchman. And you ought to have seen poor father cry over it. And somebody sent us a big box full of chicken and everything else, and we all had such a glorious dinner. And Teddy is so happy he doesn't know anything what to do. He thinks it was alt Santa Clans' doings." "And it was," said Mrs. Holland. But Bertha didn't understand, and she was so happy that she didn't even try to. BEYOND COMPARISON Are the gond qualities possessed by Hood's Sarsaparilla. Above all it puri- fies the blood, thus strengthening the nerves; it regulates the digestive or- gans, invigorates the kidneys and liver. tones nuc1 builds up the entire system, etu'es Scrofula, Dyspepsia, Catarrh rind Rheu'tnatism. Get, Hood's and only .Hopd'a. Noon's Prete; cure n11 liver ills, bil- iousness, jaundice, indigestion, sick headache. laic. John Young, a former well known resident of Morris township, was acci- dently killed while working in an elel valor in the town of Bartow, in Scot- land, where he went last summer. • Mackay ook. 1 CLINTON C iarisf ins Novelties are at his store ingreat variety �y In Ladies and Gent's GOLD [SILVER --AND--- WATCH ES' c We cannot be beat. are another of our leaders, WE HAVE THEM FROM 5,110 '$50 SILVERW s We pride ourselves on the excellence of our stock in this particular line, for we claim to have as large a stock, if not larger, than any store west of the cities, and in Christmas Novelties WE DAVE Opera Glasses, Fancy CLOCKS, Gold Spectacles, Fans, Sterling Silver Spoons, Stick Pins, fair Pins, Finger Knives, Finger Files Bang Combs, Links, Bracelets, And all the LEADING NOVELTIES to be found in a first class Jewellery Store J. B. RUMBALL. CLINT011. ';'ESTABLISHED IN CLINTON, 1363.± Watts & Co. Chemists and Druggists, PILBERT ST., CLINTON, Beg to express thanks tothe public for past patronage and solicit a continua- tion of it. FUSE WATTS' PECTORAL FOR Coughs and Colds ; 40 years before the pa- ne has proved its merits. ATTS & CO., Brick Biock, -Clinton.