Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 December 1897 — BROADACRE'S CHRISTMAS, [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BROADACRE'S CHRISTMAS,

At Christmas play and' make good cheer. For Christmas comes but once a year. —Old Rhyme.

HRISTMAS comas but once a year.” Well, gosh all fishhooks! who ’At has the Christmas bills to pay 'ld ever ask fer two Or three or four, or any more ’an what we have to-day? There may be some, but say, by gum! I aint built that-a-way.

I’ve got to git a sled fer Ned and buy a doll fer Nan, And Hooks and toys and lots of-joys fer little crippled Dan, Fer he can’t go about, you know, like other boys, and run. And that is why we all must try to help him have his fun. And 'Liza —how these girls come up!—she don’t want dolls no more— She's got a beau—it can’t be so!—a-clerk!n’ ——-—ln a store: : . But after all, she’s ’bout as tall as was her mother when We fell in love—we’re In It yet—lots deeper now than then. And so a year ’at didn’t bring a Christmas, seems to me. 'Ld be about the saddest thing a mortal man could see. Fer who would miss the Christmas bliss because there’s bills to pay? There may be some, but say, by gum! I ain’t built that-a-way. —Nixon Waterman.