articlesforchristians

How the wind blows tonight!” said father after supper. “It whistles around the corners. It nearly whistled off my hat, when I came home.”

“I should think that you would wear a cap,” said mother.

“Fur caps will be needed soon,” father said. “The cold weather is here to stay. No more warm weather until next spring. Let’s celebrate, this evening.”

“I know what celebrate means,” said Polly. “It’s what we do on the Fourth of July and Thanksgiving and Christmas.”

“Birthdays, too,” said Peter. “I had a birthday party.”

“That is so,” Polly said. “But what shall we celebrate tonight?”

“Let us celebrate winter,” father said. “Let us give Jack Frost a party. Come now and begin.

“First we will light the fire in the fireplace. Light your end, Polly. Light your end, Peter. We will see which end burns brighter.

“Mother will fix the chairs while I am down in the cellar. You two look out for sparks. That kindling wood is snapping.”

In a few minutes, father was back. Can you guess what he brought?

A pan full of apples. They came from a barrel in the cellar. They had grown out in the orchard.

Besides, he had a bag with ears of corn in it. And he had another pan, and a corn popper.

“Oh, oh, oh!” cried Peter and Polly. “How could you carry so many things?”

Father put down the pan of apples. “We will each roast one,” he said. “Pick yours out, children. Now we will put our apples on the bricks near the fire.

“Peter, you may watch them. After a while, you must turn them around. Do you know why?”

“What shall I do, father?” asked Polly.

“You may shell some corn into the popper. We cannot pop it jet. We must wait for the flames to die down a little.”

“Next week is Thanksgiving,” said mother. “Won’t it be fun to go down to grandmother’s for dinner? I wish that we might have a snowstorm before then.”

“I am thankful right now,” said Polly. “I am thankful for you and father and Peter and grandmother and this fire. I shall be thankful for popped corn, when I get some.”

“We will try it now,” said father. And he began to shake the popper over the coals.

Pop, pop, pop, pop went the corn. The white kernels hopped up and down. They seemed to be trying to get out.

“It is nearly done,” said Polly. “See! The popper is full.”

Just at that minute the corn caught fire.

“Oh, oh!” cried Polly. “It will all burn up! It will all burn up!”

It did not. Father quickly blew out the flames. Some of the kernels were black. He poured the others into the warm pan. Mother put in salt and melted butter.

Polly shelled more corn, and father popped it. Soon the pan was full. Did anything ever taste so good as that hot, buttered popped corn?

At last father said, “This celebration is almost over. I believe that it is long after bedtime.”

Polly said, “I am sure, now, that I am glad winter has come. I was not sure before. I have had a good time at our winter party.”

“So have I,” said Peter. “I am going to kiss everybody goodnight. I have had such a good time that I have lots of kisses in my face.”

“Pass them around then, my son,” said father. “Then run upstairs to bed. Jack Frost’s party is finished.”