, 1879-01-01

tion, "and COULDN'T help 1tssennen. "A near
As could ronke out, the talk vas like this:
"4When shall wc sec nnpa'
"sIIravcn knows. ny bsby. We have sought
him long, and when nod ii ready He will re-
"'1s Crismas comm soon. mammar
"'Yes. hahy darling. hut there WON'T be M
presents for my little ono this time We arc
away from home, and pour. bnt when va find
things, and then baby shall have pIeutY.'n
Here the Judge leaned forwa ard and whispered
10 mYttcrfous rofce, telling hta compantons
that be had heard the mother scpeat to her child
tho sad story of how her father had eoue West
Years bis letters, containing mnncy tof her sup
port, had come like rays OF sunshine through
the cto',ls; how they had suddenly stopped,
al no answers were received 10 hts aeonfzed
npptnla; how for TWO more years she had sup
posed him dead: how. At last, the Postmaster in
the little village where she lived had, upon tis
diving bed. confessed to having stolen tho
!sttsss ftom nsf husband 20 y to get tie money
him, for fear OF dlscovcry; aud how she had
started out with her little ono 10 find the lost
husband, who had btcu last heard from In Mud
Fiat.
An this tho Judge told to the few friends ,e
could trust, speaetng, 10 whisper, lest tho
precious secret should be passed 10 othcrs .n
"An,l now,'' he added, resumtnx hi. rhetoric.
men and Representatives OF Mud Flat cfivsirr.
shall this gal snd her kid, being too poor Ia
have Crts1naa Of thetf own-shail t1cY "a
without II Of nott Remember, gentlemen. hat
Kid ts kllc ftst one a. aver catnn into this place
and psraDs Shea our luck. Let us nurtnr l,cr,
IN. friends. and let Ns hllow llcr mother tibet NO
aln't SO lost 10 Ttt0o mn principle as not to ap-
prtc!atc Il when We l'ov good woman and ID
netcent E.d amongst us. Let ia Giyo 'eill
sctipttol,."
80 saylug. the gallant old man novel tho
puncfi-boWl TO- ono aide, and etupticti the con-
Others followed suit, and when tho last man
had placed III. contribution there tho pills con-
talncd good1y sum.
"Now. gentlemen. some QUO Of us la. got to
for'em. Who shall It tc1''
Let rue be your agent" responded deep
bass voice.
Turning, they saw a tall strangcr standing
the Judges cali for contributions. One or Two
IN the room recognized htlu ns miner wlU had
come In from the 1iEgfngs that afternoon, (Iay-
me found It too cold to work longer In the
They were inclined to resent the Interference
Ct az otta'dcr, and probably would not haye
hcctied MS request had he not spoken q second
t!mc; Drawing near the table. he said:
sell. but my wife. God bless her, is dead. For
have toward the remembrance Of nv little one
buried wItF' hcr' ask you to let the a'd in this
Tho saducss In bis voice spd face was 10 ain.
eere, and the utility Of scndlng man who had
been thar, and knowed Whist wIm.nen folks
would like" presented itself 50 fAvorably to TIC
miners tlht with but ftttlG hesitation they H.
lowed him TO do - he hn4l wished.
In an hour he was gone, And tho settlement
VIA lost In speculation is to what be would
brtnG back 1or the stranRe lady aud her child,
Tue morning Of Dec. 25 dawned crisp md
cold. The frcsh, biting air Of the mountains
raced among the trees right mcsrily, whsking
tho snow into Ilttle Hrcaths, and fro&tckiur
a,nonR the branches With real holiday xaretf.
II Has nearly noon When the stranger rode Into
CAMP. loaded with bundles. At tho Magnolia
ho mct an eager crowd Of miners, who, headed
by Judge Gashwtlder, wcre soon on tile road 70
the stEange lady's cabin. Arrived there, thew
fslt a sudden hesitation about entering. It was
they were Rtalost tempted to deposit thcir bun.
tlca upon tho thrcaho!l anti Ay.
"You take tho stuff" said the Judge to tho
stronger, "and 10 10 f.tst. You'vs bin familiar
Titl ,t,, wl'nmsn, aud know how to handle 'em.
hut the stranger felt the samo hesitation,
Perhaps Ills long o1scnce from feminine sWirty
made hin, 6sslfEl. Pcrhaus thought OF Tie
tlcmory he rcsorea, caused him TO hold back.
Finally the judge col,sahkct! to tnke tho lead,
and, dolIlnE hEa hat, knocked softly. The door
was opened by tho child, who bade him enter.
Beside tho tire sat the fn0ther. who rose to meet
thou,. Az passed in but the stranger, VINO
"slarm," saa tho Judge, who somehow had
lost hts u1ual ease Of speech and gesture, "wu
that Is, tho citizens of Mud Flint, has coIt,s to
xlst you merry Christmas, and to oiler you
Having thus delivered lluisell, tho Old gen.
tleulan drpottteu the bundles on lie tabe, and
stood oeaniuR sefenely on all his companions.
The strange lazy, completely overcome by this