The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1877-11-29
OUR STORY TELLER.
All KIN'S CHRISTMAS TREE.

mDuLn, IOT seNcId TcdSons. LII IuC
first place, it is as strictly true
as it is strange; in the next, it en-
ables me to justify gratitude in quar-
ter where justification is seldom accorded;
and again because it places our patiently
suffering, much abused John Chinaman
in better light, and shows him to be
as fully susceptible to humane and gen
erous treatment as his more fortunate
fellows of less slanted optics and less
pronounced expression of nose and
cheek-bone.
As the winter holidays of 1856 ap-
preached, they found me in very un-
enviable state of mind.
was living, with my family, in the |
little mining town of Red Gulch, not
hundred miles from Marysville, CalifOr
MIA. A continued run of i'll fortune
had reduced me from the proud position
of mining speculator on my own ac-
count to the superintendency of small
average paying quartz mill. 1t was
barely sufficient 10 subsist on in the
provoking hard times that prevailed.
Long continued ill success had broken
my spirit and undermined my individual
energy, and it was only by observing
the strictest economy in everything
that my good wife and / managed to
make both ends meet in the conduct of
our household, and at the same time
send our three children to respectable
school, and preserve an outward SEM
blance to the thrift and decency that
had distinguished us in our prosperous
days.
And one of our sources of annoyance
Just at the time of which l was speak
ing was that our little ones would
have to be put of with their Christmas
tree, TO which they had been accus-
toned once a year from the time they
were born. But they took it better than
could have been expected when their
mother prepared them for their disap-
pointment beforehand.
Tommy, the eldest, who was a veri-
table little philosopher in his way, stoutly
asserted that he had outgrown such
childish luxuries, and would manage to
make merry enough if we would treat
him to a new pair of boots, of which he
was sadly in need, poor fellow.
Bella also pretended to think nothing
of the disappointment; but if little
Jenny, whose brief recollection could
not include more than two Christmas
trees at the furthest, looked a little
down-cast when told that Santa Claus
would this year have nothing for her but
q cheap doll and a picture book, she did
not whimper about it, butbore it like a
trump.
"Still, / know that they feel the dis
appointment bitterly at heart" said
my wife sadly; "and hope we shall be
able next Christmas to make amends tc
them"
"Suppose / cut one of the dwarf frs
out on the mountain, and hang it ovel
with sugar plums and cheap candiesp
i suggested. at would be better thar
nothing"
"Idon't think it would after the beau.
tiful and expensive trees to which the
darlings have been accustomed"
"Then let us think and say no mere
about it," said i with some impatience
al wouldn't mind their disappoint
ment so much," continued my wife, &" i
it was not constantly aggravated by the
Cameron children, next door, who arr
forever growing over our chicks by de
scribing the magnificent tree thei
parents are going to provide for them.
"I have a notion to move to the othe
end of town." / exclaimed, biting m,
lip, for Mr.. Cameron was one of my EN-
ployers, and the one who most persis
sition, having known me in other day
when l was as we'll off as himself.
"That would cost more than wei
loaded Christmas tree, / am afraid,
said my wife.
Just then Master Tommy came stumI
ing in from school, with his satchel O
his arm, and brighter look on his fac
than had seen it wear for some time.
Hoorayp he cried, "we're going t
have a Christmas tree after allw
eyes indeedp exclaimed Bella, VIII
just then made her appearance at hi
heels, towing in Jenny, whose eyes wei
also dancing in her head; a better an
more wonderful tree than is in all Cal
fornia."
"hnd where is it to come from? ?' sal
/ in much surprise.
"Ah Kin is going to give it to u.s."
But my wife and myself burst oil
laughing at this.
All Kin was simple minded, Chine:
laundryman, who had formerly been en-
ployed by me in my little shaft on Featht
River, when was delving for gold on m
own account. He had been taken with
dreadful fever, from which only IL
most unremitting care on our part, t
gether with fortunate doctoring, had r
stored him to life and usefulness thoue
to the latter only with impaired al
broken faculties. He had never bet
strongminded at his brightest, and
convalesence left him so devastated
his small store of Oriental cunning as
verge upon imbecility, while his ply
ical energies had only recuperated 81
fciently to enable him to earn a pr
carious subsistence at neighbour
laundry that was carried on by one
his countrymen. He had at first join
showman's enterprise in the capaci
Of" the great original Chinese juggler, u
vocation in which he according to /
own account) had been proficient in t
fowery kingdom; but his impaired fl
ulties had deprived him of his form
skill-if, indeed, he ever possessed a
and he had at length settled do
as spiritless and unambitious m
washerwoman. But he had never f
gotten our humane treatment during
illness, though we had come to look up
the stupid expression of his gratitu
as containing as much intelligence
would have been betrayed by weld
positioned Newfoundland dog.
at will certainly be fine tree v
will obtain from All Kim" said
"Better put such notions away at on
my dears."
But, papa" said Tommy, earnest
he swears he will come here Christn
morning and make lovely Christn
tree grow right out of the ground"
Yes" put in Bella, "and he pro
ises that IT shall be ever so much bet
than the Cameron girls are to have"
All covered with silver and dol
ehimed in Jenny, clapping her lii
hands.