Charles E. Burchfield (1893-1967)

“Why we’re going to have a tree” explained Frances
“And we don’t want either Fred or Mama to know it; and I thought this would be a good time.
“Sure,” chorused Bill + Jim “we’ll go.”
      We seized out hats and went scrambling up the alley to Fifth; it was icy and cold. We raced all the way to Aunt Maggie’s, where we secured the tree and hurried back, hiding it in Lodge’s back yard. Then we went up to Edith’s to get the dishes, a present which, Jim, Frances, Louise + Joe were giving to Mother. By this time it was supper-time, and the fellows went home, saying they were going out to Schnurrenberger’s in the evening.
     After supper it was hard to get settled down at anything – I forgot whether I played solitaire or read; possibly we played Five-hundred; it doesn’t matter – whatever it was, it was done spasmodically and intermittently or something of the sort. Frances told me how they were going to get Mother and Fred to bed: they were going to tell Mother that Joe had a special funny present that he had to get ready and she must go to bed; Fred was to sacrifice himself and go to bed so Mother wouldn’t be so reluctant to go. This scheme worked fine, altho Mother somewhat piqued