The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1882-12-23
The Drivers Christmas.


Yes, sir, it is pleasant time, as
you say, for many folks and it is a
good work for those who have their
fill of happiness and to spare, to
look Thorn up that are less fortu-
nate. 1t seems now to me as II |
never want to hear of Christmas and
its pleasures, without wishing my
self dead
You see it's only one mans expo
rienee, but there's plenty like it il
the world. No, don't mind tell
ing you-it can't make it any hard
er. Kitty-that's my wife, sir
and | were young and strangers
when we came out West to start in
life, and she was kind of delicate
and not used to roughing it, while |
was q farmers son and more accus-
toned to hard fare. [ never could
tell how Kitty loved mo first, or
why she eVJr l0sod ms az ali, poor
girl, but we were in love with each
other from tho time we attended
the district school together, and I
was only too happy when she real
ly promised to be my wife, and,
though her folks were unwilling
and looked for some city chap to
make lady of her-she was one al
ways, God bless her-we were mar
ried at last with their full consent,
and came West to live.
Maybe you have heard of misfor-
tune following man sir; we'll, |
was that man. We had enough be-
tween us to start a neat little bust
ness and were getting on nicely
when, in one night, it all burned
down, and not penny of insur-
ance ! then got a situation in a
store, and baby Kitty was born and
died, and that made my wife low
spirited, and last winter you will re-
member was hard one. / wanted
her to go home and stay bit and
be nursed we'll by her folks, but my
dear girl smiled and put one thin
arm around my neck and ask ed !:
ado you want me to GO, Dick r
and | saw she had cast her lot
with me for better or for worse, and
it did seem as if it was all worse
There was long silence, during
which the driver flicked the ears of
the leaders with his whip and look
ed sad and thoughtful, and the pas
senger On the box wondered if he
would get home in time for Christ
mas, and if the driver was hurrying
for him or on bis own account to
meet Kitty, and he asked at last
"You got out of the woods all
right, did your"
"Oh, it wae about last Christmas
| was telling you, sir, wasn't it 7
At least, that's what led to it,
Well, just as was getting on my
feet again, took down with rheu-
matte fever and for two months |
never walked step, and all that
time Kitty took care of me. When
! got ny | noticed the furniture was
all gone but the bed | lay on, a
table and stove, and Kitty was az
thin as a ghost. There never was
such brave little girl. She declar-
ed she would not ask for help from
strangers, and as to writing home
of her trouble she never would do
1t. / knew, sir, some help must be
bad, and l wrote plain statement
Of the case to my father, and asked
for money enough to help me start
fresh, and 1 didn't tell Kitty. 1t
broke my heart to see her looking
so wrotched, and her love and care
for me were like a reproach but /
got out at last, and then, sir, she
took to her bed just worn out. The
first day 1 was able to be on the
street went to the man that owns
these horses, and the proprietor Of
the biggest livery in town, and said
. TO him.