Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 289, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 December 1914 — The Unwelcome Pair of Mittens [ARTICLE]

The Unwelcome Pair of Mittens

The day after Christmas Josephs was busily gathering'-together cards, boxes, ribbons and tissue paper—the day-afterOrristm as accumulation — when she found a. heavy*PMteboard box, and exclaimed-with vexation as she opened it: ’ - “Here is that pair of mittens! How am I to rid myself of this Christmas gift? Nannette, can you make any suggestion?” Her friend shook her head, but after a moment's thought said: "You might give the mittens to Elmira.” “O, Nannette I She -would be Insult-ed.-Elmira Ramsey is a very stylish young colored -lady. Why, she might leave without giving notice. I am surprised at your lack of tact!" Josepha stood knitting her brows in bedding the pair of gray and garnet mittens up for the inspection of Tom, who had just entered the room. “Send the box to the Salvation Army, sis, along with that freakish hat you wore yesterdayhe ‘Commenced. But James Bieree, coming In, cried in alarm: “Don’t, Josie, don’t The mittens would be fine for golf." “So glad you spoke, James. Here, wear them, and —remember me.” “I mean for yourself—l couldn’t deprive you of them." > “But, they’re miles too big! Take them, that’S a dear.” "O, no, I beg to be excused," backing towards the door, but Tom held him, and the two girls forced the mittens into his pocket “The punishment fits the crime,” said Tom, "Say, who gave you the beauties, sis?” “Aunt /Manassa." “I’m not surprised,*’ laughed Tom, “Whatever has become of that pair of slippers she embroidered for me?” “I do not know," answered his sister. Then, for James benefit she gave a description of their grandaunt Manassa, who was living in the mountains, a dear old soul, who either knew not, or cared not, for Fashion’s changes. “Once she sent us a patchwork quilt,” said Josepha, *T>ut the worst of it is, we are at out wits’ ends to know what to send her every Christmas.” Josepha swept*the paper; ribbons, etc., into a huge paper bag, and thrust it behind .the coal vase. “Ellhira will be thatokful for this when she starts the fire in the morning,” she remarked. Then they gathered around ho piano, all except Nfcnetter*.who, busied herself with some needlework. It wUs a special piece that Bhe was anxious to finish that .-.afternoon, and. she was too engrossed that, she did not qptlce James when he pulled the mittens from his pocket and dropped them on the carpet beside her. As usual, the trio at the piano became so interested that an hour slipped by, and--another; -when- Josephexclaimed, with a shiver: “I’m a hospitable hostess, Indeed! The fire's gone out—almost—and It is cold as the grave in here.” So she called upon the maid to bring in wood, "and plenty of it, for a blazing log, and on armful of twigs are worth a ton of coal or five thousand cubic feet of gas." In a few minutes thq flames were rivaling the magic fire scene In the Valkyrie, as Tom expressed it a cheerful warmth was steading through the room, and the musical snapping and crackling of the twigs shut out the distant rattle and roar of thr trolleys: Josepha leaned her elbow on the polished, mantel while sh# read some line* from a letter that sb-had--received that morning from s friend in Italy. Joeepha was growing prettier every day, thought James; that sdfttwool dowH of deep blue exceedingly becoming, and that styV/ ! of coiffure made a., lovely frame f<her oval face./ James was ,ratlu.. jealous of the' ehap> who.wrote buc> interesting letters to her. Nannette let her work slip into h*--lap and her eyes wandered to th blazing lire; then suddenly she spra p to her feet, shrieking: “Your dress; Jtesepba—4t is on fire” James fell on his knees and -crush ed the flamea with his hands, been-, ing badly horned, when . spied the mittens and pulled the™ p so quickly and seconded James in h efforts that in short time the fire w exttngulsbed. and Joeepha was laugi... ing at her funny appearance. For the next ten minutes Jame was the recipient of-tender utter f tlons and praises for his heroism Bat when the hands were bandage he waved one In protest, saying: “I believe that Grand-Aunt Manas da's mittens did the biggest part or the work, eh, Nannette?” And; Nannette nodded. "If you bad not thrown them just within reach your hands would have fared worse James.” - “Three cheers tor the mittens!” cried Tom.