Page 88 - HSLChristmasAnthology

HSL Christmas Anthology page 88

TWO CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS 209
the bills. But how will you arrange it for Christ
mas?"" Well," said Kindly, who had an organizing head,

" we'll have a children's party. I'll ask all under fif
teen, and if some older ones come in, no matter; I
hope they will. Of course the fathers and mothers are
to come and look on, and have a real good time. We
will have them in the new hall. I wonder why they call
it the new hall ; there never was any old one. We will
have some plain cake and lemonade, music, dancing,
little games, and, above all, a Christmas tree. There
shall be gifts on it for all the children under twelve.
The people who are well-to-do will give something
to buy the gifts for children of their own standing,
and you and I will make up what is wanting for the
poor ones. We'll have little games as well as a dance.
Mrs. Toombs — Sallie Wilkins that used to be — the
minister's wife, has a deal of skill in setting little
folks -to play; she has not had much use for it, poor
thing, since her marriage, six or seven years ago.
What a wild romp she used to be ! but as good as Sun
day all the time. Sally will manage the games; I'll
see to the dancing."" The children can't dance," said Uncle Nathan ;

'* you know there never was a dancing-school in town."" Yes, they can," said Kindly. " The girls will

dance by nature, and the boys will fall in, rather more
clumsily, of course. But it will do well enough for us.
Besides, they have all had more practice than you
think for. You shall get the pine-tree, or hemlock,
and buy the things — I'll tell you what to-morrow
morning — and I will manage all the rest."The next morning it was fine, bright weather; and

the garments blossomed white on the clothes-lines all
XIV—14