The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-03-24


would forget them. He heard the moth
er, IN choking voice, tell her treasures
to get ready for bed, heard them lisp
their childish prayers, the little girl con-
Guiding: "And, ch, Lord, please tell good
I Santa Claus that we are very poor, but
that we love him as much as rich children
do"
After they were In bed, through small
rent in the plain white curtain, he saw
the widow sitting before the fire, her
face buried in her hands and weeping
bitterly. On a peg, just over the fire.
place, hung two little patched and faded
stockings, and then he could stand it
no longer He softly moved away from
the window to the rear of the cabin,
where some objects fiuttering in the wind
met his eyes. Among these he searched
until he found little blue stocking which
he removed from the line, folded tender
~, and placed in his overcoat pocket, and
then set out for the main street of the
camp.
He entered Harry Hawks gambling
he'll, the largest in the place, where
host Of miners and gamblers were at play.
Jack was well known in the camp. and
when he got upon chair and called for
attention, the hum of voices and the
clicking ofiYory checks suddenly ceased.
Then, in an earnest voice. he told what
he had seen and heard, repeating every
word Of the conversation between the
mother and her children. In conclusion
he said.
Boys, I think know you, every one
OF you, and | know what kind o. metal
yer made of. I've an idea that Santa
Claus knows jist whar that cablns siti-
waited, an I've an idee he'll find it afore
mornin'. Hyar's one O the little gals
stockin's thet [ hooked off'n the line whar
L heard the widder say she'd hung em
with the washin'. The daddy O. them
little 'uus was a good, hard workin' min
er, an he crossed the range in the line
oduty, just as any of us is liable to do
III our dangerous business. Hyar goes
a twenty dollar piece right down in the
toe, an hyar [ lay the stockin' on this
card table-now chip in, much or little,
as ye kin afford"
"Hold them checks Of mine on the ace
jack, said Brocky Clark, a gambler,
and, leaving the faro table, he picked the !
little stocking up carefully, looked at it
and when he laid it down, an
other twenty had gone into the toe, to
keep company with the one placed there |
by Dawson.
Another and another came up, until
5he foot of the stocking was well filed,
and thel. came the cry from the gambling
''Pass her around, Jack.
At the word he lifted it from the table |
and started around the hall. Before he |
had circulated it at half dozen tables it |
showed signs of bursting beneath the |
weight of gold and silver coin, and
strong coin bag, such as is used for send
ing treasure by express, was procured,
and the stocking placed inside of it. The
round of the large hall was made, and IN
the meantime the story had spread all
over the camp. From various saloons
came messengers saying:
ssSend the stockin' round the camp;
the boys are waitin' for it. y
With party at his heels Jack went
from saloon to saloon. Games ceased,
and tipplers left the bars as they entered
each place, ard miners, gamblers, specu-
lators, everybody crowded up to tender
their Christmas gift to the miners widow
and orphans. Any one who has lived IN
the Far Western camps and is acqualnt-
ed with the generosity of Western men,
will feel no surprise or doubt my truth
fulness when | say that after the round
had been made the little blue stocking
and the heavy canvas bag contained over
eight thousand dollars in gold and silver
coin.
Horses were procured and party des-
patched to large town down on the Con
gummes, from which they returned near
daybreak with toys, clothing, provisions,
etc, in almost endless variety. Arrang-
ing their gifts in proper shape, and Sc
curely tying the mouth Of the bag of coin.
the party noiselessly repaired to the wild
ow's humble cabin. The bag was first
laid on the step, and the other articles
piled up in heap over it. On the top
was laid the lid of large pasteboard box
on which was written with a piece OF
| charcoal:
".Saata Claus doesn't Arrays GiUt
poor folks The. shake an this camp"
Christmas morning dawned bright and
beautiful. The night had been a sting
ing cold one, and when the rising sur
peeped over the chain of mountains tc
/ the East aud shot its beams upon tht
Western range the sparkling frost flashed
from the snow clad peaks as though thei
towering heads were sprinkled with pure
| diamonds.
Mrs. Stewart arose, and shade of pail
crossed her handsome face, rs the empt,
little stockings caught her maternal eye
She cast hurried glance towards the be,
where her darlings lay sleeping, an'
whispered:
/ "Oh, God! how dreadful is poverty.
She built a glowing FIRE, and set ahou
preparing the frugal breakfast. Whei
it was almost ready she approached th
|, bed, kissed the little ones until they wer
wide awake, and lifted them TO the floor
With eager haste Totty ran to the stock
ings, only to turn away, sobbing a
though her heart would break. Teal