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Show AWEJL IteESENl """"nT was Just two days before I T I ('nrll,(rna! Outside the III wind was whistling and the 1 snow falling fast, but they rHI on,y ",ai1'' (! "ndma l.nr- LmHVJ ing's pleasant and cheerful RVBd kitchen all the more picas- IVB ant and cheerful by con- BffJM A bright fire was burn l'v5wl 'ns " hearth, around """" which were three rosy, bright-eyed children Nellie, Josle and Willie, roasting chestnuts and as happy hap-py as happy can be "I iroudnr whal 1 shall tin re this year1" said Josle "I h d, oh, such beautiful piesents last Christmas a book, a tea set and a work-box!" "And I had a top, a white wabblt, and, oh! such a lot of t odles'" said little Willie, who was the oungest of the three. "I know what I'd like," continued Josle,' "I'd llke(a wax doll like Katlo Ilronn'8, that will open and shut Its eyes, and has leal hair, and cries like any baby; wouldn't ou, Nellie?" Nolllo was taking the chest nuts off tho fire When she turned h'er face, rosier than usual, towaid tho light, it had a rather sober look. "Y-es, I'd like It. Hut a doll like that costs lots of money, and papa feels almost too poor this jear, I heard mnmmn say so I shouldn't wonder won-der if I rii t have any Christmas presont at all'" These solemnly spoken words fell like a damper on the spirits of Josle and Willie, who loved dearly their gentle, gen-tle, Bweet-tempered llttlw cousin. nIs I'ncle John poor, grandma'" said Josle. "No, dear, I'ncle John Isn't poor, but ho has met with somo losses this year that makos him feel as If he were." "Cousin Nellie B'all have a Christmas Christ-mas present'" said Willie stoutly. "I'll glvo her my my white wabblt." Now tho white rabbit was the most precious of all Willie's jossesstons "And I'll k've her my box of puzzles'" puz-zles'" cried Josle, not to be outdono In geneioslty Orandma lirliig smiled "I urn glad to find iu; chlldron so unselfish, hut I think Nelllo will be provided for Indeed, 1 shouldn't wonder If her piesent was the nlceat of all." "Nicer than Katlo llrnwn'H doll?" "A great deal ulcer." "What Is It, grandma?" cried both the llttlo girls In a breath. Ornudnia shook her head mysteriously mysteri-ously "It's n beer 't Nellie Isn't to know till sho gets home." Then tho door opened nnd In walkod a tall man. his shnggy gieat-cont so whlto with snowflakes as to mako him look something like the "polar bear" that he, laughingly, called himself. him-self. Hut Nelllo did not mind this. "Oh, papa! papa!" she cried, llylng Into his arms, which gavo her a boarlike boar-like hug that nearly took away her breath. Half-aii-hour later Nellie was seated on her papa's knee, treating him to tho chostnuts sho had roasted, In a very happy and contented frnmo of mind. Sho suddenly bethought herself. "I'apa, grandma says that you'vo gol n. Chrlstt.as present mr me homo that's nicer than any I've had vet?" Mr. Laring looked across thu table at grandma and smiled "So I have, daughter, a present that's worth morn than all tho presents pres-ents you ever had put together." Nellie looked wistfully Into tho smiling oycA of tho speaker. "Is It a secret, papa?" sho wills-pored. wills-pored. "A groat i-ret, little girl." Nelllo .said no more, p.ir.ly becauso alio know it would bo of no uso, and then sho was not ono of thoso llttlo girls who mnko themselves and everybody every-body around them unhappy by continual con-tinual teasing "What Is my llttlo daughter think-Ins think-Ins nbiwf" said Mr Laring on Christmas Christ-mas morning ns tho two were on their way back to tho city "About in) Christmas present, papa. Shall I have It as soon as I got homo?" "Just as hooii as jou get homo." Nelllo did not tlnd her mother In the Bltttng-ioom as she hd oxpectod. "I think in tmma mii-u bo In her room," said Mr Luring, "wo will go nd find hor " And taking Nelllo by tho hand ho cd her upstnlra Into n plcnsant loom, whom hor mother was sitting, and tfho klsbed her many tlmos. "Nelllo Is anxious to sco her Christ-lias Christ-lias present." ho said, looking toward i woman nt tho other ond of tho room, whom Nolllo had not noticed, ind who had a funny-looking llttlo Jundlo of flannel hi hor lap. At n sign from Mrs. Laring the xrorann laid this bundle very caro-,'ully caro-,'ully In hor arms, nnd hor motlior bo-tan bo-tan to undo Its various wrappings. As ebu reached tho last ono Nelllo ittcrcd a scream of delight, for there ay just tho dearest and sweetest Jaby you can Imagine with such Drlglit eyes and cunning llttlo hands ind feet that Nelllo fell in love with It directly. "It Is none of your make-bclloves," iho bald In dilating upon hor good for-tuno, for-tuno, "but a llvo, euro enough baby I" Nolllo had often wlshod for a llttlo brotlior, and now hor wish was gratified. grati-fied. And tisho began to tonow hor, as l.e very Boon did,' and to latvgh and prattle, her dollgbt lncrc&4 dully N. V. Weekly. t |
