The Arkansaw traveler., 1883-02-24
BY WADE wHIpPLE.

excited. IL was the afternoon oi SnTlst- mas eve, and in the public hall were as- sembled hundreds of people waiting for the inauguration of the Christmas tree ceremonies. The introduction of this to them-quite novel ceremony, had been long anticipated with pleasure. and as only the arrival of Major H (who had been cho- sen to personate S,. Nicholas, on the oc- casion) was needed to complete arrange ments, his unaccountable absence gave rise to no little concern. The recent fa- vors the winter had shown the people of this section n the matter oi snow visita- tions, had tempted the major to purchase a cutter, and an opportunity to use Il had taken him few miles from town with the promise to return m few hours. Midaftemoon found him absent some time beyond the hour he had confidently been expected, and as evening ap- preached and the anxious walters looked vainly toward the doorway for his com ing. grave msgivings were being formed. and search parties were beginning tQ be talked of by his much alarmed friends.
 While this state of things obtained n the settlement quite another scene was being enacted in the woods near by. ka- fus and Cuffie Pedigree, two very unim- portant and very dusky citizens of the suburbs, were celebrating Christmas eve by wood-gathering frolie, and between the rallies in business direction, they would perch themselves on a convenient stump, and talk about the jolly old Christmas god, whose history and quaint method of making donations they had but just heard. The boys had been in the woods since early morning, and had witnessed the approach and climax of the storm-and an event worthy of witness ing il was, too. Had you been among that grand old army of trees on that win ter day, you would have paused in pass ing through, to study the froiie of the flakes, and the fantastic drapery they were giving 10 the giant trees and lowly shrubbery.
 The storm was one of the sort ,hat mak the best pt iis rla;etal the flakes did not. as some al..kes Ge, gi.mEet ! moment oa stone at sod and then 90 out oi si satl and memory. bas aakins ten= dcr.y c tEl.. and lImh. and WhdcuiHs with ther kisscs .he raaSS-Iobed ro, ks and the 3c, verdaut tes,afe Dl laurel and fern, they waited the ot.stHs. ot then tsssI fying re;iuue and Iomed with i5em n weaving all sasts of damny maniles and crystal coronets for the s.tnts and lille puts of the expansive wood. IL was Il grand reach of tmherl4nd these htiie emhlems of purity had undertaken to drape in win;ry uniform. for look which ever way you would up the steep till u merged in oloudland. along the tig-Fag fence that curved in either direction around tie mountains base, or over the toot-hills that crcpt toward the town lying somewhere oa there through the mist of snow-the great oaks and poplars vieing with the plane and beech trees in their towering aspirations, spread out in inn posing columns, and interlocked their long arms n altnos, breaohless phalanN.
 No, one bit disheartened. though, were the wintry messengers whose mission il was 10 drape this almost boundess waste. Little by little the boughs gave token oi the chastenlng visitation, the nests of squirrel and hawk that offered inviting rallying spots were domed with crystal pillows, and among the fallen leaves that massed themselves below. lacy networks were being woven, and silvery ridges were linking the intervals from tree to tree. Then. as the snow chariots opened the,r more abundant stores, and the milky ,a,,ers grew m sitc IS they m- creased n numbers. mliochs ot white were formed alous the boughs. and siAin- less tugs were spread upon the logs that '~were blocked here and there along the moGatan 9sdc the Yiae-hunS ever greens were drapci ia white ic.iooncrt. he '',s. one at,el another, lad ,hejI raskcd sCafs. wsoc robauds oi !eaghe9 frost wound themseAc, iH hroSeH b3.Gs about tlc sn.,F cd lree-,ranks, cotton ike puts doNc. She ,te'te'S s'o'cd hy tha ch and br.r.a,e, aaG Il L5s.. N.;h oocn;'ess wlna! w9lis ye; merymak.ns in the wayeicss air. Nes.uc.ts ot snow over spread all the landscape.
 This was the picture that Rufus and Cuifie had for a background h the mo- ment we introduce them. The snow was still falling and. associated as Il was n their minds with the rotund god of loll,y and his Jingling bells and reindeers, they looked upon the hurying flakes IS her aid of the quaint old genius. and, with big-eyed expectancy, imagined him breaking suddenly from -s-me ovelhang- ing snow-cloud and blessing them with shower of tangible tokens of good will
 Rufus. suddenly exclaimed his com panlon, "didn', da, story say da, dis yer Sandy Claws sub saftin Ter all good chil- lens:;'
 'Dat's les what he say. Cuiiie." was the reply.
 A moments pause ensued. and the d;- alogae was continued:
 Has yo' been good, Rufus: =
 Ears my 'memhunoe goes speck | has-'ceptin' dat time whar scope IF wunner Mars Jonsinss waiermillions.
 "Sho. dat don couat nuifin ca1e don yer member how der wateunllhon brdk whiles yo' was gi;,;n ober der fence, an da. keow dat war 6rowsin on de udder side de fence kim long ah' lap UP dc fragments an yo' didn't git de mS' mo'sel?'
 ,las, members dat. bu, 70 see l.s'en. wha, da, arr"
 These las, eNclamations of Rufus were caused by sqund oi linging bells, So al z-. IA