, 1879-01-01
CHRISTMAS AT MUD FLAT.

came from, why she carae or who she was. no
onc c.r,1l tri lint at,c xas In comn o,.I t,J
49,. - .s ~ - ~"'' ~" ""-
eomo " st"y' lHsfo wa ~ aouot' cue was
quiet, modest, and simply c'ad-fhrec qualities
which commented her to tho readents OF Mud
F,at AZ rt,antr fron tho ordinary RIM NJ f,roiov
,ro from tn,e IN lima tnva,,.,1 fha n-o,f,.t. -
80. ..,.'a,s s ...,.s. ~ s"s 'Ao p'.e'ns1s u
that Classic sctt'ofnent. ......
Nor wero these tho only points which had
been mated by the bora. Al Andy AfcCork,e
Ind pa]ant,y handed l,er FINN fla ,nvcr .t,, ~
~. ND cos.,, ~ ~" s"s -, w.
~ u'"upespA.telc" coaeiA 10 'ne porttco Oh inc
aotel' eFer1ooaY saw that etla ciang almost con-
vulaive'y to the little child whose arms were
twlurt about her peck. Thcy observed uls1
that n.r featurcs wero na,n on,i hiorxt1...
10 an extent tnat "as almost p'litn'. BY
TINT delicate Intuition which sometimes exists
under the roughest extertors. tic sturdy miners
"as .ne,k Ts, ''oas me..u as "e!! ~ physical
Illness lheif ssmpathy was aroused In ter be-
half from that instant, aud every man In t'lc
place Immediately constituted hIu,sctf her
4 day litter, wien sho had rented a Cabin near
the outskirts OF tho town, without tiIscioaur to
any ono her intentions for tho fntttra or her
story OF the past, ti,cr interest vae ,I,creascJ.
substantial Ways. a great huap , of ilrs.wooI ID
was mystesluuelY deposited within cnsy reach
the tlrst hight. Dags Of ilout, % ouaniitiea f Of
rotree and sugar. whole hmm, and q quarter al
iresh venl.on likewise n,a.!o their appearances
iup, "'~'"'
1ittlo vas seen of tho recnicnt ,Y ,,,r.c trc..,
urcs, however. she had only been on lis stfcct
once, aud then only 10 purchase : few necessary
icr hsst, aWay. nrctrndinr moi To- s.t' NV when sHa
joylai I'm Cafter amu0gled 4 huge package ',n Of
candy Into tbs ch!ld's yapscjous nockct. I,nt
ns!tlc from TINT sho had remained nlltcn from
view, ami tho miners know as little ai,out her a.,
the fourth Iay as tboY l,atl on tho tl,st. va
Thu :sM Of December Was unusually cold, even
for that locality, As tho frozen muon ca.,,s III,
oyer a distant crav. cutting with rnil1v hsnds
t.,c duskY GLOOM, ouu mlRlt llaYc fsnclcti Hal
hr hatl sutidrnlv Men fransnio nrnI i'tn ~
Arctic regions, Tho ground wa c0yer..i viii,
= hin iaycr Of sI,ow, WHICH riistenr,i
iipre ana thera along fhe sI1tcs ~
ths Ruic1, vant usnca. stnut,fnU ri"
frl,ostIy sent.nes threw ene.tra1 shu1lnws acr,,.
ths wlIts eIpapse. The foar of Potato Creek,
ataeI to tlnys muillrd trirklinr Hn1 %n1 ' ,1,s
gtnd 9cntlv synr tl,r,gn ttn ma..sa "I mt,sn s.1
Eoiia., ,a,ciodics a,nonr nsrdes of nins III }ass
sels OF hemlock.
,oon. IN p.sty % or tha hoys wsre .ittine ar.m, r.
tlbts, upon whtot, stea,,cI u jarvu bowI. rm,it-
t[ne i fragrant and aroMattc Odor.
"WM,cver sho mouglt bc,'' obsesy+d tai,
M ..,iu na,ls as isour Tom isojlns~..wi!neysr nd s.r
lii" tu,i,bt H.. shnts sT,ur. h.rrint +het III
snd unnsrtected bcstdrs. she's sjrE,v. tnn. mi
frtar f,ey 4 dcctnr Tfts atntt mn Horf ri :.
nisca fur -a-fnvsrail." :" hn ro,,rIu,,e h"xi.
;uimuiy. reuoyiur liz hcayy hoot frnn h.. .,I1 ia.
hIn, mil hefnInv ktn,Mdf m 4 iihrrai siihxsu,.n
Of ths s,unch. rhom. Alter = ,n,,ss' ts cnn.in.
ueti. ii wonder what liz th,. critisr, anvhnwt',
IA msn,s al tns hnttnm ri #. rcntIn,ur,, ~,
~ - 49, -''t 80