Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1882-06-20

"Your clean stockings are on the line
outside, and l cannot 60 out and hunt
for them this bitter cold night. You
may hang up your old ones but oh !! dar-
ling, l fear you will be so terribly disap-
pointed in the morning. Please let it go
till next Christmas, and then we may be
richer"
"No, mamma; am going to try it,
anyhow"
Jack Dawson's great heart swelled till
it seemed breaking from his bosom. He
heard the patter of little bare feet on the
cabin floor, as Totty ran about hunting
hers and Benny's stockings, and she had
hung them up, heard her sweet voice
again as she wondered over and over if
Santa Claus really would forget them.
He heard the mother tell her treasures
to get ready for bed; heard them lisp
their childish prayers, the little girl con-
cluding "And, oh, Lord, please tell
good Santa Claus that we are very poor,
but that we love him as much as rich
children do, for dear Jesuss sake,
Amen ~
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 bitter
ly. On peg just over the fireplace,
hung two little patched and faded stock
ings, and then he could stand it no long
er He softly moved away from the win.
dow to the rear of the cabin, where some
objects fuitering TO the wind met his
eyes.
Among those he searched until he
found little blue stocking which he re.
moved from the line, folded tenderly, and
placed in his overcoat pocket, and set out
for the main street of the town.
He entered Harry Hawks gambling
hell, the largest in the place, where a
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 Of ivory suddenly
ceased. Then in an earnest voice he
told what he had seen and heard, repeat.
ing every word of the conversation be-
tween the mother and her children. In
conclusion he said:
Boys, think know you, every one
of you, and know what kind o mettle
yer made of. I've an idea that Santa
Claus knows jist where that cabin is sit
iwated, and I've an idea he II find it afore
morning. Hyars one o the little gals
stockin's thet hooked off n the line whar
| heard the widder say she'd hung 'em
with the washin'. The daddy o them
little 'uns was a hard workin' miner, an
he crossed the range in the line o duty,
jist as any Of US is liable to do in our
dangerous business. Hyar goes twen-
ty-dollar piece right down into the toe,
and hyar lay the s,ockin' on this card
table now chip in, much or little, as ye
kin afford
Hold them check Of mine on the ace
jack" said Brocky Clark, gambler, and
leaving the faro table, he picked the lit
tie stocking up carefully, and looked at
it tenderly, and when he laid it down,
another twenty had gone into it, to keep
company with the one placed there by
Dawson.
Another and another came up, till the
foot of the stocking was well filled, and
then came the cry from the gambling
table:
"Pass her round, Jack"
At the word he lifted it from the table
and started round 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 a
strong coin bag, such as is used for send
ing treasure by express, was produced,
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:
"Send the stockin' round the camp;
the boys are waitin' for it.
With party at his heels, Jack went
from saloon to saloon. Games ceased,
and tipplers left the bars as they entered
each place, and 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 acquaint-
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