Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-01-20
\ PRETTY CHRISTMAS STORY
CORA SoRwoop's CHRISTMAS PRESENT.

The brightest and pleasantest story Of
the Christmas season comes TO The Daily
Press and Knickerbocker, from Maine.
Indeed il is veritable romance, and
almost like u fairy tale. In village
of the Pine Tree State, which bears the
prosaic name Of "Bucksport," lives Cora
Norwood. the heroine of our story, who
employs her busy little nine-year-old fn-
gers in knitting mittens and gloves, to
assist in meeting the expenses Of the
family. One day last year, while Cora
was deity and swiftly engaged, not in
spinning yarns but in weaving their
varied colos into the useful articles
which were to protect some brawny hands
from the biting frost and the cutting
wind, visions Of the ice and the snow, Of
Christmas frolics and Santa Claus with
his reindeers, came fitting through the
little maiden's mind, until she seemed
transported into the winter days. When
the gloves into which she had woven 50
many day dreams and airy visions were
at last completed, she wrote little note,
saying:
This pair OF gloves were made by Cora
S. Norwood, aged nine years, OF Bucksport,
Maine. As my parents are too poor TO
give me a Christmas present, would be
much pleased 10 receive wax doll for
Christmas, and hope that the person who
buys these gloves will think enough Of 1t TO
comply with my request
This note she placed on the inside Of
the gloves. Together with Others the
glove, with its precious message, passed
through many hands unnoticed, to Boston,
to New York, and finally to Chicago.
There in the Phoenix city of the great
west, clerk in the store Of Keith Bros.
L. Co., found the wish so modestly and
prettily expressed, and calling the atten-
ton Of the proprietors and his fellow
clerks to the matter, purse was raised,
the doll procured, and given into the sure
hands of the United States Express COM
pany to deliver to the little girl away by
the sunrise sea. To Mr.. B. Schermer-
horn, President of the United States Ex-
press company, was related the story Of
the little girls request and the purchase
of the doll, which so pleased him that he
determined at once to secure the free de-
livery of the present to the hands of the
intended recipient. The following is the
copy of the way bill, as made out by
him, and to which he attached the note
found in the glove:
United States Express Co.-One box.
ConsignoI, Keith Bros. & Co. furnishing
goods, Chicago, Ill. Address, Cora s.
Norwood. Destination, Bucksport, Maine.
| Advance charges, gift. United States
charges, gin. Kansas Pacific charges, gift |;
collect nothing. Prepaid, with love. Re-
marks Be happy. The letter pasted on,
is a request found in pair Of gloves, and
this box contains the desired wax doll,
being the gift of employees OF the arm SELL
ing the gloves. Please let this way bill 60
through and be delivered with doll. Those
who handle the way bill may indorse on the
back their Happy New Years, etc.
| (Signed) b. SCHERMERHoRN.
The back Of the way bill bears the fol-
lowing endorsements:
MERRY Christmas to Cora; B. Scher-
merhorn."
"A. Carleton sends his compliments !;
Michigan Southern route"
"Schneider wishes that all your requests
| in life be granted as readily as this. Dun
kirk and Toledo route"
C. Rac-"Heaven's blessings be with
you, hoping you Happy New Year"
"To Miss Cora-As you gently glide
down life's rugged river, be ever watchfal
OF the many deceitful rocks that SO thickly
line its banks, and you will always have q
Happy Christmas. A. Shaw, train IL, De-
cember IL, 1879"
"w. H. Phelon wishes Cora a Merry
Christmas"
"a Merry Christmas and Happy New
Year to Cora Norwood. William Hutch
inson and partner, Boston, Dec. 2l, 1879. "
81 fully concur in the above. A. D..
Keith. Boston and Bangor route"
The last messenger through whose
hands this bill and its precious package
passed, wrote:
Respectfully referred to Cora's young
man"
! The doll thus brought and carefully