The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1882-12-28
struck her, an cries OUT
John, I wouldn't believed it Of you!
What did ebo co,,2,,

body, an asked me Mhere'd she CO."
Doyou know, my wife moved her cheer
away from me, an looked me in the
eyes. Then she pointed out Of the win
dow whar' we could see, across the clo-
ver-meadow,-allw white with snow now,
the grave of our little dear Mary. The
big tears was rolling down upon her
hands that's never done doing for mo,
and couldn't stand it. No. I just took
her in my arms an laid her dear old
head against mine au' says ~
"Betsey. wife, Don't you shed no
tears for any ways Of mine. aint got
It stone for heart, if am up an down
with folks sometimes. I'll tell You what
thought. Thinks | Here's Christians
coming and there Amt no baby-stockings
children to stand tree fur, and maybe
it will be scrap Of comfort to my Betsey
to do leetle something for another lone,
motherless GAL Wan t I right, mother,
hey?"
Betsey kissed me-, soft-like, on my
wrinkled old face.
II knowed the girl wouldn't miss COM
ing back for her tree" says I, "an' left
doing anything TIL we'd had talk over
it, Betsey; an if you feel like fixing the
tree for her, why I'll carry it in to.mor.
row. If keeps her believing in provi-
dence, it's more than most of US il ado.
ing, fur all our professions.
70 Johnw cries my Betsey. ~ on are
my good John after all. We've he'd so
much trouble, thought you was getting
hard and money~lnaking.'
I was up early the next morning, get.
ting ready to 60 into town with the mar
ket-wagon. Everything was packed, as
snug as could be, an was just laying a
few eyerlastings on top of the load, when
l saw Betsey coming with hemlock-
us purity and trim leetle one 10 q lady
out of drawing room would want
THAT'S a beauty, wife," says I, "whar
did you git it?" wondered, because we
had to 20 quite distance into the fields
for them evergreens.
She took me by the arm an led me t.
the corner Of the porch, an pointed over
10 the ieetIe white grave agln.
She he'd cut down the hemlock we had
planted over our baby!
didn't say nothing. couldn't,-bu.
took the tree that Petsey laid in my arms
rs if it was human creetur, almost, an
says
tits all right. You was led to do it
from the dead"
The last l saw of Betsey's face, as I
drove away, it was a.smiline at me from
the window; an whistled a good bite
Of the way over to town. It did seem
as if there never was brighter sun,
come up, an the clean snow on the road
side glistened an sparkled in the morn
ing rays, as if it, too. was glad for the lit
tie girl.
Well. had got NY load of from the
wagon, and was Just setting up couple
Of green's, when I knowed the gal was
coming. l heard them shoes Of hers
an then saw her eyes laftin' round tn
corner Of my stall.
"Good-morning, mister" she said.
You amt forgot HE, have you?"
IF had. l reckon I'd never have the
heart to sell another Christmas tree"
thought to myself; but said aloud, II
allus keep my word, sissy. Did you
bring your coppers?'
"Oh, yes, mister; / wouldn't have for
got them" she says, opening her leetle
fingers. III declare if I don't believe
shed slept all night squeezing them in
her hand, so to have them ready.
l took the two cents,-yes I did.
wanted that ere child to think she was
buying that tree. A gal that pays ful
things as she goes, wont be apt to want
what don't belong to her for lothing.
My Betsey wouldn't have done it, but
was right.
Then I took out the tree. Wen,
wish you could have seen the gal laugh,
-curls, eyes, an teeth! An then she
rolled up them overcoat sleeves, an held
cat her arms jest as if it was baby she
was going to take into 'em. An when
ia 1oi \ x1,1o ok., - kho,
want an atom of her to be seen. She
was clean covered up. But all the time
l could hear her laug ching to herself, an
every leetle while she'd hug the boughs
till they'd CULVER all over a. if they was
human, an know'd how she loved 'em
was forgetting my stall entirely when
she said from behind her tree
"Thank We, mister! It's nice one
fur two cents | know therell be some
thing put onto it. TN let you know
what it is. Goodby"
1t took her longer to git out with hel
load than it did to dance in without 1t,
but before she'd gone it occurred to me
to ask her whar she lived. She hollered
back the number of the miserable place
au' I wrote it down, an that was the last
Of the gal for that day.
Betsey WAS waiting impatient to hea,
| what had to tell her, when got home
| at night and she wiped her eyes agin
but thar was smile round her mouth
Well, I've allus kissed that smile, -
ever since the day We were married
forty years ago,-an' when l give he,
that slip of paper--that told whar' the
gal lived-she TUX it an put it inside the
big old Bible we allus kept our Mary's
| lock OF hair in, along with the births and
| deaths.
When see my wife do that, / know'd
| thar was more in her mind than she'd
spoke ont to me. But allus give my
Betsey time, an in the end she agrees
| with me an agree with her.
So it came the day before Christmas
| an thar hadn't been much more said
about the gal and her Tree; but one
morning, after Betsey had got me 8
right down good, breakfast, an l was
wrapped up ready to start for market
up she came, an putting her arm in mine
she eays,-
John, its Christmas tomorrow. an
you haven't forgotten that leetle gal
have yer"
cheek; II know. But John dear, / an
| lCCIl1lS 0O NOOut tAAuV SAAAN. L 0AA<SA AC0
till I've done my mite towards her tree
Why can't 60 in towards evening,-yor
waiting fur mean both on us 60 lool
her up? l tell you, John, she'll be
watching and waiting as those of ole
watched for the star o'Bethlehem.
Besides, dear" she said kinder softly
"there's our baby in heaven. Maybe
she's making her Christmas on earth
through this poor homeless belivin
! lamb"
No man could resist that. Betsey't
| heart was in her eyes, 80 l says
"Of course you'll go wife, an God bles!
you for thinking oft. You come in, an
we'll see that the Lords tree aim
empty"
At five o'clock that afternoon Betse,
joined me in town. She was allus vel
come in the market. Folks had a sof
way with her; an when she told some
| of the women at the stalls about the ga
an her tree, they give my wife some
thing all round, and Betsey herself tut
a lot of apples an some honey, an
hurried few notions fur her in my biz
pockets, an away to Pin Alley we went
| The house that gal lived i'll was lik'
plenty Of others, dirty, an cold, an