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

tied into the COnsumnl river seyera
miles below Both the dwellings anl
, business houses-or, more properl,
speaking, cabirs-were constructed o.
unhewn pine logs, the creviees between
the timbers being ''chinked" and plaster
least dozen saloons, or saloons and
gambling houses combined, and in thesf
hells much of the hard earned money oi
the miner parted company with him, to
take up its temporary abode III the saloon
till or the pocket of the professional
| gambler. The dwellings of the town
We're scattered along the creek or built on
the side of the mountain, the majority OF
them being rough "bachelor deps, " for
women were scarce in the newly discov-
cred diggings.
In small cabin in. the upper end of
the town sat a woman in widows weeds,
holding upon her knee bright eyed,
sunny faced little girl about five years
old, while a little cherub Of a boy lay
upon bear skin before the open fire
place.
1t was Christmas Eve, and the woman
sat gazing into the fire. She was yet
young, and as the glowing flames lit up
her sad face they invested it with wierd
beauty.
Mary Stewart Was the widow of Aleck
Stewart, and but two years before had
lived comfortably and happy in a camp
on the American river. Aleck was
brawny miner, but the premature explo-
sion Of blast in an underground tunnel
had blotted out his life in an instant,
leaving his family without a protector,
and III straitened circumstances. His
daily wages had been their sole support,
and now that he VAS gone, what could
they do2
With her little family Mrs. Stewart had
emigrated to the camp in which we fad
them (all western mining towns are called
camps), and there she earned precarious
livelihood by washing clothes for the
miners. Hers was a hard lot, but the
brave little woman toiled OF cheered by
the thought thai her daily labors stood
between her darling little ones and the
gaunt wolf of starvation. Their clothes
were patched and shabby, and their food
plain, and sometimes scant, yet they were
never reduced to absolute suffering.
Jack Dawson, strong, honest miner,
was passing the cabin this Christmas Eve, |
when the voice of the little girl within |
attraeted his attention. Jack possessed |
though his manly spirit would abhor the
sneaking practice of eavesdropping, he
could not resist the temptation to steal
up to the window just moment to listen
to the sweet prattling voice. The first
words he caught were:
"Before papa died we always had
Christmas, didn't we, mammal"
'.Yes, Totty darling, but papa earned
money enough to afford to make his little
pets happy at least once a year. You
must remember, Totty, that we are very
poor, and although mamma works very,
very hard, she can scarcely earn enough
to supply us with food and clothes.'
Little bright faced Benny raised his
curly head from its soft nest in the warm
bear skin, and cheerfully said:
''Des' wait till dit to be 6 man, NAM
ma, an 'oo won't have to wort. Use doin'
| to be dreat bid miner ike papa was,
an dit 90 ever SO much money, but |
won't do near 'em hateful blastin' tings
an dit titled ike papa did"
Jack Dawson still fingered upon the
outside. He could not leave, although
| he felt ashamed of himself for listening.
"Why, bless my little man, what a
brave future he has planned! l do hope
and pray, darling, that you will grow up
a strong and a good man, and one who
will be q blessing and q comfort to mann
ma when she gets old"
eve hung up our stockings last Christ
mas, didn't we, mammal" questioned the
little girl.
"Yes, Totty, but we were poor then
and Santa Claus never notices real pooI
people. He gave you little candy then
Just because you were such good child
ren."
SIS we any poorer now, mammal
ooh, yes, much poorer. He woulc
never notice US at all now.
Jack Dawson detected a tremor of sad
ness in the widows voice as she uttered
the last words, and he wiped suspicion
; dampness from his eyes.
"Where's our clean stockings. mamma
: I'm going to hang mine up anyhow; may
! be he will come like he did before, jus
J because We try to be good children,
said Totty.
at will be no use, darling. 1 am sur
Z he will not come, )" aud tears gathered il
the mothers eyes as she thought of he
, empty purse.
| 81 don't care-Im going to try any
how. Please get one of my stockings
mamma" pleaded the little girl.
"Your clean stockings are on the lin
outside, and L cannot go out and hun
: for them this bitter cold night. You ma
; hang up your old ones; but, OH darling
l fear you will be so terribly disappoint
5 ed in the morning. Please let it so ii
: next Christmas, and then we may /
: richer"
I "No, mamma; ] am going to try an.
le how"
e Jack Dawson's great generous heal
in swelled until it seemed breaking from h
81 bosom. He heard the patter of lit
e bare feet on'the cabin floor as Totty RI
about hunting hers and Benny's stool