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Show Bless mer How Blifl Mamma Graham Gra-ham did feel when she woke at -last in her own bed at home, for Santa Claus had faithfully brought her back at tho right time. As if anybody wouldn't feel stiff who had slept iif-i teea yearo straight through. But; then, she didn't know, of course, what a trick that wicked old Saint Nick had played on her, and that this wasu't tho very same Christmas morning on which she had gone lo sleep. So she only said, as Bhe got slowly out of bed and began to dress aB fast aa possible with such still' bands and arms: "I wonder how long I have slept. It must he vary late. Poor papa1 must be dreadfully tired of takiug care of the children, and hungry, too, wailing for his breakfast." When she opened the dining room door, there sat papa, reading the morning paper. Tbe children must have tired ' him, for be certainly seemed a good deal older as he looked up and s:iid with a smile, "Well, mamma, have you bad a good nap?" "Oh, yes, indeed," said mamma, "only you oughtn't to have let me sleep so long. I'm afraid you are all dreadfully tired wailing for breakfast, though I Bee you have got the table set. Where are the children?" she asked, aa she walked on to the kitchen out railing for him to answer. How strangel There was tbe turkey, all stulled and trussed on the kitchen table, the strawberries picked and in the kettle ready to be set on the stove, and tbe plum pudding all made 1 Tbe coffee for breakfast was on the stove, while before it stood a tall young lady, in a handsome brown merino dress and pretty white apron, broiling a beefsteak. Mamma began to feel rather bewildered. be-wildered. Was this fine young lady a new girl whom papa bad eugngd while she was asleep? Just thou tne "new girl" turned around and saM? ber. Throwing down the knife and fork she had in her band, abe ran to her, and threw ber arms around ber neck. "Why, mamma darling, ia that you? Santa Claus said this was the morning for you to wake up, and I've been getting everything ready. Do you fel rested?" "Rested? To bo sure I do," said mamma, staring at tbe fine young lady, who acted so queerly. "But where are the children?" "Here's Harry," said tho young lady, as a tall youug fellow of aboat 20 entered. "Hellol if there isu't minima," he1 exclaimed, going up and giving her a good hug. j "Charley, here, say!" he called to some one outside. "Here's mamma woke up," and then another handsome hand-some fellow, who seemed lo he about 18 years old, camo up and kissed her rather bashfully, "What does all Ibis mean? and whero uro the children?" asked mamma, putting her hand up to her head, anil feeling ready to cry.: "Where's my bahy?" "Oh, hu'a out snowballing," said one of tho boys carolessly. "My baby! Good gracious, he'll catch his death ot cold," said (he distracted dis-tracted mother, rushing to tho door, where she ran against another great boy, about 10 years old. i "'Can you remember mamma,; Frank?" naked the young lady. j "M- fJB.. . 1 II I "Mr. Graham, will you tell mc what this mean?" said mam ma, turning to hor husband, who stood in i the door behind her. "Who are all these young people kissing me, and where are my children?" "Well, Mary, this ia Alice, 22 last month, all her fiummcries made up; Will Tiplofl' impatient, and bo!h only waiting for you to wake up, and sny you're willing." (The young Indy in the brown merino blushed dreadfully.) dread-fully.) "I bis is Harrv, just 20, in the junior class, top ol hia class, loo. This ono is Charley, 18, and a sophomore, sopho-more, studying hko a beaver; and this is your 1(J year-old baby, Frank, almost Ibrounh tho preparatory! Arn't thev a finn IniV" But mamma looked from one to another in hopolesn bewilderment. A.t last uhc said: "Well, Paul, ynu:ll bavo to explain all this, for I don't nderstaud a bit ol it." "Well, my clear, don't you remember remem-ber eaying when you wont to sleep, that you wished you could sleep fifteen years? Well, old Santa Clans took you at your word, and you have been asleep in tho White Cotton Niyht-Cap country all this lime." "Fittern yearsl children all qrown up, no litlle girl, no dear little bm-s no baby? repealed poor mamma' sitling down on a chair, and l0kini! around at the young people. "And Pli never eee my Utile children chil-dren again, all grown up without me Oh. papa, how could you let me sleep no? she asked, beginning lo cry " Bekkus weddy, mamma," Ba'id littio voice closo to the bed "Ali an papa dot it all by they luncaoa," .antheyBentmo to see of you waa It was little Harry, not an incb taller than when Bho went to sleep sucking the last leg of a sugar hors V be. WeU, lam gUil didn't Leo fifteen years, after all," Bhe said tu herself, as eho took Harry's band to go down stairs. The door knobs were all sticky, and there was everything in the world lo do, but Bhe didn't mind it o ie hit. It was bo much better bet-ter than that dreadful dream of waking wak-ing up to find everything in order, her children all grown up, and not even a baby to bo pelted. Jenny E. Zimmerman in the Christian Union. |