Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-12-25
LITTLE BENNIE.
4 Story IN Rhyrae Of Uncle Amos
and his Christmas Gifts

and His Christmas Gifts
An through the day the wind and ran
HHd driven Ger each street and lane
OF our bsE c1iy. til AZ last
ne tEillEht shadows gathered fast
Ana rwinkslnE through the gloom about
Ine nasty city lEhts shone outs
Some from tse homes wherr love and peacc
Would help discomfort quickly cease:
Sonlc fr5m the homes where hand in hand
Grin porcrry ana paiE would stanr;
And souse. alas, from hauntS where men
forEed for their woes new chains again
Amid TIE crowd that sostled hy.
VITA tired feet and sli1ed sich.
Went Bennie Moore. a blue eyed lad.
1he only Joy his mother had
She was widow Day hy day
she seWed her health and sfrengfa eEsy.
" nlle her young son. via anxlous nezlrL
To help her bravely tired his part
And walked the busy ctty through
SEEKING some work % and and do
tet search was vain Men said that be
Looked roak an -.errzut-hoF 70 be-
Looked sck and small IN fact they had
No iubs 60 give 30 Young a lad
And - with each d-scourAgcd night
Came tears % dim the blue eyes hght.
Nhile Bennie In his hearf would say-
PicAsc. Lord. dn help mamma pray.
Al thrc fhis d1y Of calling rain
The boy bad tired and tried again
~Odd jobs " % ind. OF any kind
Or hard or Iixht he would not mind
But nos. still ernrry-handed. he
Melf s1lverinE ho1cward, Wcarilys
ne earne<t question on his tongre-
Mamma. q nine yeArS old toe young
For work. -De9r child" she answered.
you
Are not As stronr-alass 'tss true
As many other boys you meet
Each day upon the busy etrcet
4e pat eut I'll yo1 re older grOwu-
IbEn mother VIII not tnil alone"
- ttrle Bennie's heart grew sore
rT4IIh .
III sudoe1lF a happy thcught
d his quick. carer brain was caught
Ncr did he let q 20 dn he
Had studied Il most thnroqEhly.
he knc~-whzf little boy does mott
~ thaf rlost fascinating spot
LeLed County Ere-y dear child knows
y = lovely place that grows
O1tside OF city walls and hes
Al 1rs.e beneath the sta1f skies
Our BoEn4e had no map % trace
= town locality or places
ne only knew that EIIlcnf1cFE GrUW
HtEh hills. and happy valleys, too.
Ee only longed. wlth AL his hcart,
f-0m cifS ways ami woes 20 part.
TO 20 wh.sre ooys were not - many.
And Nc could elrn an honsSt penny.
Al night 1e pondcrcd on his plan
I'll morning came. Dear 1.-THE man.
how quIek his tongue found leIve 10 SPEAK.
When mo hers kiss sFss on his cheek
MothEr. 4 sar mother. must gos-
Ne plead for In ny heart know
Ihaf s1Ins kind farmer VII employ
;,d And nlsd sesae erEands for your bog-
Tea whe8 the Chr. .stnaS time shall come
Il br-ng ny earnings safely homes
Ana you snd L on mother. dear
Va have happy Christmas eheer-
An. hcn1e e. no. Snc sadly sad
but Rzun e. n she shook her head.
tcl back upon his last resource
Nov lock az m. mamma Of course
saaA ne growing strong and vel
ln the frcsh air. You can not tel
How sur an that Il vii be
Ihe very 1ast OF times FOR me-
His mo1hfr Gzzed upo1 him there
4he liftle facf. was far too fair
Tor perfE-d health snd well she knew
The shndfir In toe eycs 50 blue
Can a be sod : own plan thought she
Mh-ca. TO 4 take ny child from me
eI OlerE te1ll1 and strength 70 b NJ
Dare roiuse.~ Her eyes grcw dim
she laid hcr hand upon his head-
Coz bies- yOs 8enaie. go;- she sid
O1d Amos Green came I'd the hsil
From his 1rcad meadow land below,
srst ~ tie sortinl sun hae shcd
Ger hia en1 dale is crimson glow
Tae farnser whistlcd Is he uaikel.
And 70 / - shepherd dog he talked
VIA k-l-dly notice -S1ep. old boy
Life Art,.r AL 4 fnll Of JOS
II foiks would only lcok about
An try 10 , ck its comforts out.
lnslead ~ l-rumblIu day By day.
Cause things don always 60 their way"
ehep E4--rud bis t-1il. r1cn paused 10 mark:
L|NALLLI
Went Duunding forward 70 the gaze.
Where be had seen figure wait
a lItie 11ure. thinly clad.
A tired yet = hopeful lads
FOR on t.ln farmer Sunburned face.
Surprise 20 kindly srn.ics gave place
Why. tleSs ny sJlli- u1o have we loros
Ils.1 Hs.nuio. without shame or fe=tr.
1uid 10 ne was and whence be cEme-
Showed his 81 AL foeL. 50 bruised and lame
Prom climbing halls. and w1lkln< o e.
Long roads he ne er h d seen belorc-
: bid also sr1sE be- q come away
NON home. In = strasIIe pace % stay
We sroppo1 AZ many = house % see
II anybody rauted mes
But N TOO nrtIe- D5n1 coIks knaw
Z h1t iIrtie boys can bt171T Grows
be stoppcd a1d IA 4 hrs son. pale cheek
On chep broad head Shep co1idnt spsai. /
D-lt via his eFes ne seemel % say-
Master. con send the boy away
Vel I'D. whar i 4 you Ncuit dog-
Askeq Farmer Greea. stay here with you. /
And do odd Jobs and thinEs You'll see
How useful VII ny % be-
Ma Bennie's c1Eer answer. while
He EgtIfene1 meath the cd mHn smile.
Please. SIR. I'm tired with my walk.
And most TOO tired - even TAX.
Then came the farmer sister. Prue-
stleiored Of children uere tnOse two.
Who IN their cteerrul home together
Had bzaEely SHARED hfes changc1ul weath- /
err
Those two alone. and loving an
1ounE folks around. or izr<e or small.
Were lovingly by children GAINED
And Incle.~ Auntie.- they were named, 4
6ze came. AsTnf Prue. and lad her hand
On Beanie brow I'VE understand,
l,oor hf1le hoy. Don't tresrhie -.
Amos. ne i nc-d h ; help. I know,
As liffie chore boy surely we
NoL I s1-;idee the pay 10 such IS hoL-
III
Nov fancy little Ben each dav.
Ms youIg heart growing liEht and gar,
Ind nor t1au thar. 50 grateful. too.
for all the work be found % do.
And dcar mzrnuia- Il % rlurh better
z he told hts mother IN his lctlrrJ
To i've up here where 1eld- are vide.
And tnere i lots Of sky. bcs-de.
And sners know, that every day.
u T. Isr BlE 1 earn my pay.
Ny farmer = 50 kind to me-
! cal him [ nelc AIngs-he
ls TINT 70 al The chiidrcn keEc
1 N slrc you l1@-c him mother de1r."
Al tiils. and more BESIDE. id Gen
II hia 0En fashion write; and then
he Kind Old farmer dnupped Il IN
NE nal lsox. with a merry l-rin-
To think how Bcnnie little knew
inst WITH 4 ,reai-a --greenback.- tFc.
Wei. days slpIaed by. and Amos Green.
As Il was plainly 20 hc seen.
Grew YER ford of Ben. the while
Aunt frxles devotion made him smile
You Il sPol the bsy!" he oltea cred.
30 lesS VII you. Aunt Pr.le replied
And Ben except for missing uloiher
Preferred this home - znF other
November reign Was o CT ~ iasf-
The - holidays were coming fast
Lacn week len dropped his pennies in
The Ittie sarsn<s bank Of un-
E2ch Eeek be fen fts weight again
Twas growing heavier. tlar was pain
'1os lar, how very FAR sway.
To Benuic seemed that dismal day
D. wind ana n n. the last oce IT,.
Had walked the sfresrs - tear1ully=
Because be tired the long daF through
And had nor found a -.iob 20 do.
,ince t1en how happy ne had rrro~n.
and how tise days had fairiy lowu
y N all t.le chores hr had on hand
He ne er was slle. understand.
\ hile yet one dcf- was undoac
Before Ene st.ttins- OF the sun
BE bclpoi the farmer feed the cows
And helped % turn them out to browst.
he took the horse u water tiIen
lfslc bare oacs ~ the barn aEslin.
1e fed the chickens every dag.
) nd hu1red for tie ezz-s % wdl6e.
and Ted tIe great white pi- ard OH
- busy he from murn tsl night
that ncic AncS uscd 20 say.
tel you. ben. do rot kaow