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The Exeter Advocate, 1916-12-21, Page 6• f \+hat One Little Girl Gave on Claristmas Esther Hawley sat in the low rocker writing paper that you can give xne' in her own room with a very doleful for twenty-five cents," she said to the expression on her little face and seven -a clerk. ty-five cents in her lap. r "All these boxes are twenty-five ".What shall I do?" she said. for the cents. fifth or six2 & time as sly:, :.egerdee the Esther soon found one that suited money. "Only seventy-five cents to her, and then started on her way to spend for Christmas." the post -office. Esther's father had only a modes- ` "Twenty-five two -cent stamps, ate imeene. ''heir pretty h(:me was • please, she demaztde.d of the clerk their own, and as long as Esther could there, reme:abee they had always enjoyed the The stamps were co,anted out, put; comfrrte of life avid h.4 a little mar in a little envelope, and handed to her.F gin left ever for see of the laxuries.Esther laid down her half -dollar in' • In ev mt:eh money can I have to: payment and went horse happy. , speryl f ' Christmas this year?", `.What have you there?" asked Mrs.' Esel a r. had s i• ed her mother that ; Hawley, as the little girl came in with' very morning as she wiper' the break- cheeks glowing from her brisk walk. fast di ]hes and put thein away. I "My Christmas gifts," replied Es- "Sene, dear, I don't believe you .can ther, brightly. "I am going to give have tiny,. Mrs. Hawley had answer- two dozen this year in spite of hard ed, very soberly. "Poor papa is so times.". a ors iee to meet the bare household; It wanted still two weeks URI experses that I am sure he will have' Christmas, and every day EstherI nothing to spare for extras." ? worked carefully at her gifts. "0 nseartna," saidE eth er, almost, :mosTwenty-four sweet Chri trigs let tearful., , "I wanted to make so many p tern were written in her prettie't ! children were obliged to go to school Tcree • and he sat and dreamed, per- `tile old people nda as both she and asked causethe siege o aris never seer.." agreed that they should stay on fora The Penile rlt's Prayer ' „ a ed the of e i fi f Ia' `` E� thankfa l this year that we have osr '.See my Christmas gifts, m,.mma, l k When haps, of grandchildren whops he had May were rather delicate, it was + *• little while. home azin f eo•i and-lath'n-' " E-ther' :aid Ether, as she danced into the g an i eating little presents." hand -writing, and the same r..umuer but small good dui it do . Jaek, n "I i:c t.vw it. dear, but we must be of envelopes directed and stamped. answered skn a d " td mnce a i * pie,'" while the little €;irl who instigate "I sewse I we rather foolish, feel t At last all sat round the hearth fi:aielati the dishes very quietly and Fitting -room on the twenty-fourth ofed the trip would have failed utter - then, but it's given xne a deal a' plea.' watching the log fixe grandfather had . ly in lien spelling but tnat "pudding" sure, and you don't begrudge me it, do built for them: I remember many flier, weet up to her oven mem to December with her heads full of let- I' b theShe d t onlyspent that J lin a happy Christmas but this beats t cin - mutter ever. ze (3g�': a er.. came to her, and she had managed to you? I tat money o , t a little hex on the dressing table and Mrs. Hawley looke'l them all over learn that word. sent me last August. I tell you when them all," said the old man. John, my' rat just a little boy, clear Lurd, took ot:t the money which she had been one by one, and then with a sudden Such fun they had packing grand- • I win; cutting out the bits of pastry goy, this visit ss ill give us tslk for : A boy You never knew, savint, i r weeks. Her malty little quick movement chew the child t' her mother's presents. Everyone wanted this afternoon (don't laugh at pie), 1 years to come." I hate to bother lou at You have e know guts .elle had planned to give! simple and kissed the happy little face. to give to the dear one who had been, acut:tlly forgot the boys had grown Yes, indeed, said the mother, sigh-! TBut1il was sent to bed without and inexp:enelve, but expressing so I wonder if my little girl knows "mother" to father when he was a lite' up, and I made some of those pastry ing• I 1 herfriends. how happy she hid made mei" she } dolls theyused to1'1 ' Well, well. "Oh no, mother" said John Masonn My supper now I Bray c�; a was one to Grandma ass ey, said,ass r much r;::e for tie hays. The offering were a lar: titer- l o s ice so! e ■ 1 , r , t - �t, , Th G a lI t he elea'ed her "The slid istie. litcy. the elder girl of fifteen, We've got a deal to be thankful for, taking her wrinkled hard in his; it Malte me forget I xn hungry, please, who was confined to her invalid's dent thought to me about this Christ- brought come de!i;acte edging she had father. The boys are well and thrix- shall never be so again. We will And wash my sirs assay. chair. And Aunt Nell, whnee little mas was that you would be ilisap-- been making; for herself. Jack, see-• ing, if we can't have therm here. Now come and see you every year, and per -1 girl heti gone to heaven since lash Chri'trea:. and who would be so lonely and sari thin year, and Aunt Bess, who Aiwaye invited Esther to her bea;atiiful home for long, delighted vents. I; tfi we't all over the list several tune. ,I taunted it up a:n her fang re. Yes. tt i:e rare fully twenty-five gamin , cousins, and friend., whem she '° t •.d to remember, asci and;- ;ere::., ;ivi; cents to s;aenn. As she cit •i:ti -+:..a.:1 over the problem, a ver e of the Sand. y school le eon which h: lean :tidied a few weeks be. fare nee.: ate her mind. ••If there Le flee e e s..;:: opined, it is accepted tunneling to that a snap hath, and net C4r4i .'r tots ,t he hath not." -.Weil. the willing mind he all right," :.l i.• -hoe, to herself, "but I sweet cie ,;f the ones that "hath rot," pointed about your allowance. Eether's face grew sober for .an in - scant. "Well. I was, just at first," she ad- mitted, •bit---l'm .going to post thee new,' she added, the .miles the] .dim - gee, e ming beck, 'and they will all be recei e i to -morrow.'" Gran::ma Ileweeee sitting :lone in her invalid chair, read the loving het - ter with its mirthful gle m.;. tine. her ing this self-denial, brought his new if they were in want we might feel Iseps oftener, and everyChristmas•—, paint box. "It's the thing I value unlike Christinas." if God is willing—we will spend with They blew my bed -time candle out most," he said, but aws must relieved "That's so, mother," said the old you, and, if you would like, we will When I got into bed; when wither proposed hook.; in'tead. man. "I don't taloa but you had lend you one of our bairns to bet a They never even Itieeed,me, Lord, Ge rge, the secend boy, vva:; pinned- better sinned yoarr tale to -morrow, comfort to yen, and then, you see, that Or stopped to pot my head. eal, and thrifty. "I got thee ." he ao:.?':,-read of taking the dinner round will ensure my coining up and down You see, my folks are cross with met Said. putting tw O ,'Airs cif : pe.: taeles to the Mor ey e, III phut in the horse to have a peep. I don't know how it . And we had lemon pie into the hex, "old pee le always lose :and bring a lea,] of them up here." has been that we've not been before, For supper and I missed it, so their glasses." The o d lady drew her chair to her but until lately we seemed Buried in Please help me not to cry. But Lily. ae, she (-ellen the 'itt!e girl, Imelsar:•1's sh1 and laid her head on his money difficulties and small mouths to " had the ]supe eet ideas. S h 4. vented knee; her h e:t w ae Ina fell to spe:;lc, feed.; now, thank God, I'm doing wen II III. eyes grew dim with hae'py tears. „none to nthee near by anal came back It '. at threennn,nient the travellers in business, and you'll see how I shall Now it is netting; pretty dark; -That is the sweetest gift that I loam,. • renehed the kitchen windows and keep the railway lines alive! It's awful Ionea°ame, too; have received yet," she said. •'I'e("p:e "They're for the r rtiy 1:41111' tole peened in. There were tears of joy in the old' 1 guess I haven't got a friend cro net care to write letters to stn old us of. I expelginielmether`s parte Thedoer was opened by Lily, who woman's eyes as she kissed her thanks. In all this world lint You; woman, and at Christmas time every cutter is quitevrcrn cast, incl th. a ase cal:(d out: "We're conic home far If Eau could spare an angel kind one is too Itue,y to even think.tvf s.zeh neve thin;;, rhe bus ,'ever nen— cen--^ they (ia al , ine grereenivther!" Behind her Topsy-turvy Christmas. To come down here and keep a thing. shire like -i1 rHr. Such a lot Faf thugs w J:»ek, then ;clay, George, mr#her, ; I. Mo company a little while, Aunt Nell read her letter, and aft:,r two FhAlii: ' . ' with the baby, andthen father. "Twas C.hristi:nas, and a snov:ier one Perhaps I'd go to Seep. strange soothing Greet into her heart. Father and mother ailed the trunk; It was olmoet too much for grand- was never men before, which was so sore over the ICK:; of her' (;slid .cies awl ..e eene vert elm- mother; but joy seldom kills, and the 'Chen r:a€at;:'s sacro--somethinn IV. tar hew; ":: l;a world I atm going to get own lift'(' girl. .And Aunt Iles, said creeks." as Paten t:;I ,l them, sift}]' old hely ;.opt teeing again and again: drew un before his door. I'm not so very awful scared, new— twenty-nee;ire.-tints for ,erenty-favo as she read her little greeting: ;: Be"'es mean the eioeia,;; r,f the l'el a me . -••-••'°'h, tlint•er wee ready before you �'T(,o stormy," " said the good old vvls•,ht, But I can hear, down -stairs, tent: t a tune than 1 can Ee." She her. I have received a great main- t•, ae:,lc, mann.. came."" ,.at a It ey titiehing for ct,rno tune, beautiful things which have come (;;.t iecsein euia;. mornin they eternal; Thin s=. Christmas it was! Ciazulmo- "To take the reindeer out to-nistltt. The supper things that rattle so, II. And everybody .hares r tf•r1 :..a e iy e:;ci, imed: • of the abundance of w•or:,ly eotees- tush en exeit d, htan;ay p .rten Chriet- then; basis were always aired, and the was packed ti ht The lemon pie they've got but me, •"Ir. c'.o it.' while the cloud lifted signs; but this is worth them all, fa' nay:, sa:a:( written a!1 over neer fees. tiaiscllere were:: on fast asleep, and Tit_ bag; tonneau wa pa e1 g it seemed as though 'twouldpop, So please, if You can fine s'••,i 1r r• cue e if be' magicr end two it has come out of the fuiln rss or a shards asp(: ported v.c.re to lalt�: •eht- • r.t c on (' wlet:nal; morning to hear. �� little time to spare, I whit ;'t z le ,ei,yrt•,: i ,hex• cheeks. Es- lies+t'p neve." e�1. P•t''..•nr;nee keen! :I ,gin and :smiled the church bells reeling merrily and to When Santa, booted, farrerl and cap-, : t > m r nt ,+ .>, } > } the •;fit i4. t �` peal, leaped t0 his seat on top, lOtt'Cl help me not to mind, • ivi ;:v. 1r . i..,is• ,�::.> .t ..,:.i fiat 1 swish I had Tillie ip . en you ell ;:,•mea: ht tlly they beer." rap- , to th . (ley old church 'where fatly i 'art : a x;. .loving letters teat hent Pack: in':`ati- ttyela x hs.•`eet,: „f"ma,n'rt hes" one car wee christe:rrd, and then came' the And, pr esto! through the stormy blast �, ,„ , , ,.,, x, a tl Esther ,> ,f. The holy saint went speeding fast. I It .su Y , le little, swsr to those which i.:tht._ sent. ekatarg. la/V, t,1.LIt xait inti „- entle- dir.ntr. , t in tr.rt... �•. t1: : ,lid, lt.�,..ime ;see the "This has been the ver • lu ^.'est man coaxed her t n hi:, lave said pity- What serer:roe of delight when III. Please wont You help me ju.stnhisonco n alien a ere ain:., rtes c. very i., z,.5;ist Christmas I have ever spent mamma;" ingese "Yon'ie too tad to gee home to g•raamimether brought out the past* Foneet the lemon pie? y Down to the earth he turned his way,' , f::e, :. t. I li :s::t g '. r Lrcd v.li, t > 110 said as she read them all • over, your gremenlothsr, aren't yen?" which tiny ! nether ineiste(1 on hiving the but knew not as he went Dont let me shiver in the dark z , child Invest . , And help me not to ore- Lel t me cin lee.. Esther vvaaire •i "end I don't believe I would have ever caused Barth a laugh thet tate chile hid Iix3..,t. •.t. one. The trunk was almost The Brost kn had before him been, on Let some kind anon' comfort r.to ^:.vt a dere: she tei'trt, . t(a?t tiatnM flan thought of the plan if it had not been her face in t•onfusio', but the old man forgotten but cant in relendidly when elfish mischief bent; ' the .•tet,•.:ser`;,. for thee verse, 'If there first be a said: the excitement of "waiting, on them -`As angels sometimes do, h �}And, frolicsome and full of fun, Some time, perhaps; I'll have a chance "I went the ves;r prettiest box of wallies mind it is accepted. "You're deco r u \wive thing, sir; the solve: << Lily called it, was over. I Had changed the street signs, overt' To do something for You. old :teople need et -en .ttentiene•�-vi e i e The tins seemed to cease grandmenths one. apt to be overlooked," sift] titan Lily er mot of all, told her mete cutter TV. VI t . self. So when the grocer and butcher held close till she- fell aelcep on his 'MIS Lialcen! Lily v:as the darling of Thus, when a stately avenue or boule- vard he sought. Please bless ale my dearteachers,Lord, An alley gloomed before him. "This is And bless my parents, too; And help theme xather strange," he thought. thto forgive me, Lord, "These places aren't familiar quite• For all ththings I do. '� But, then, the signs aresurelyright" Bless Henry Begg and Stubby Weekss Bless all the boys I know; V. And cure. up Henry's dog, because And so he went his cheery way, and The boys all like him so. gaily sped along, Adown the chiznneys took his load, VII. suspecting nothing wrong. And please remember all theoor; "Small chimneys there; I fear I'll Send them a lot to eat; p stick; Bless orphan boys especially, I'm growing stout," quoth goodSaint , They get cold hands and feet VI Nick.•From not enough warmclothestowear; And when there is a storm, And this is why, when CI ::;c�nas morn Help them to get inside somewhere burned redly in the skies. So they'll be nice 'and warm. 11 A Pinion called they received unwonted orders. • Mary Adams, from the farm, tante in - , by chance, and stayed to help, and, ose the old lady enjoyed the unwont-, ed bustle! By "Christmas i:; gamin` next week, the evening there was a beau ti -1 father; it scetns as if v: e ought to ful turkey ready for the oven; wh',e' take rt,rne notice of it." mince pies, cakes, and pastry steod' Mrs. Mason spoke nervously; she on the pantry shelf. The home was s knew that she spomight pewee ever so fragrant with Christmas odors; but much so well, but -.Father" was when Mary Adams had departed and the her '• Providence,'" and disposed, seldom old lady sat down in her Cham met,..t, a reaction set in, and she almost st heeding her plans. called herself, what she knew "Fath - "I'm not going to keep Christmas," er" would call her, "a fool for her answered the old man. ''I don't see' pains," any cause for it. A bit of our own pork with apple sauce'll do me; what's "What splendid times you had! I the good of turkey and puddin' for wish we lived on a farm and could help us?" to get ready for Christmas." Mrs. Mason understood her husband, "And Grandmother made you dolls and made allowances. She knew he out of pastry," said the little girl, was thinking of the time when four ; seated on her father's knee; "I wish I sturdy sons and a pretty daughter could see her and get her to make me had sat round his Christmas table. ' one." He rebelled at the way the boys had i John Mason sat gazing in the fire. forsaken the old folks to better them-' His heart was in the Cumberland hills; selves; and worse than all, the pretty he hardly heard the children's talk. daughter had married a worthless fel- i The four coaxed him to tell in the low and had died of a broken heart. Sunday twilight of his early life. "Father has cause," she whispered, Mother was listening with baby on and said no more of her longing for . her knee. a little cheer at Christmas time. - "And Grandmother hasn't seen you The boys had prospered and marn since you had us?" said the little ried "town girls;" as Mrs. Mason' girl, after a long pause. "Who wilp called her daughters-in-law. They she cook Christmas dinner for now? , never forgot to send presents at I just wish," and the child sat bolt! Christmas; 'but there seemed no time upright in her excitement, "that we - to visit the old folks at home, and could creep in at the kitchen door fa- "Mother" a"Mother" did not often send answers ther told us of and .surprise her. to the short, business -like letters of. Wouldn't that be a Christmas?" the boys. The hand that wields a k "Well," said father, 'why shouldn't mop and broom cannot easily hold a we'?" pen. The children fairly held their Though she tried to stifle the feel- ; breath—could father mean it? But ing, Mrs. Mason strongly desired to mother looked at baby and shook her cook a Christmas dinner. I head smilingly. "It seems as if it would do me good "Oh, you needn't put it off because no end to be choppin' and mixin' for a of that little chap! - He is the tough: heap of folk. Two people are so picky est of us all, and would never know with their food! There's the ten • the difference between a train and his shillings John sent me on my birth-, nursery. I admit it will cost a good day. I could buy everything troth it,' sum, but if we give up Christmas pre - and then send what es left to the poor s sents for this year we can do it." Motleys if there wesn't no one to • "We will—oh, we will," they chorus- share it; but, perhaps if I made ready, er, and in five minutes the thing was something would happen." settled. They were to start on Wed Circe nlstances favored Mrs. ]Mason, nesday morning and "creep in at the and as the old man was called ten kitchen door' by, eight o'clock that miles' away to see a sick animal, and night! was sire to be gone till late at night,' You. can imagine the excitement she made up her, mind to please her-! during Monday and Tuesday. The The tenements were all agog witlehap- py children's cries; With holly wreaths and stars and bells . And all that "Merry Christmas" spells. VII. VIII. Lord, please forgive a little boy That) You may hardly known I'm awful hungry in the dark, Please tell my parents so; Ask them to save a piece, of leie Wee Patsy had a gorgeous drum that When I am good again. ' filled him with amaze; Now help me go to sleep so 1 And Jimmy Nolan had a sled with scarlet paint ablaze; And Maud Patricia's Paris doll Was hugged by little crippled Moll. VIII. Wan little faces, drawn with pain, smoothed to a moment's ease; And tiny hands stretched eagerly, ehe lovely things to seize; And every narrow, crowded room, Was gay with Christmas joy and bloom. • IX. When Sa.nta Claus his blunder leaxned, he showed no discontent, But, with a twinkle in his eye, lie: for the Brownies sent. • And every one he feasted high With dainties rare. I wonder why.? Choosing a Turkey. When choosing a cock k turkey, nc- tice that its spurs are short and its legs black. These signify youth. If Old Saint Nick the spurs are long and the` legs pale Kicked Old Saint Nick; and •rough, the bird is old: If the 01d Saint Nick bird has been long killed, its eyes will be sunken and its feet dry. Turkeys should hang seven days after killing before being dressed. Among the early English, Christ - Won't think of it.—Amen. 4 The Christmas Spirits. Old Saint Nick Cried: "Give, give, give!" Old Saint Nick Cried: - "Costs to live." Old Saint Nick Cried: "Thoughts do count. Old Saint Nick Cried: "note amount." Old Saint Nick • Cried: "'Tis love, pure," 01d Saint Nick - Cried: "Blackmail, sure.,, Old Saint Nick . Cried: "Joy oe yore," 01d Saint Nick Cried:' "What a bore." . Nicked Old; Saint Nick. n Madge: "I suppose she's happy no - she has all the things that money can buy?" Marjorie: "No.. She's now mas Eve was known as.. "Mother's after the few things that money caul Night: buy."