The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1885-12-26

if Santa really would forget them. He
heard the mother, in choking voice,
tell her treasures to get ready for bed,
heard them lisp their childish prayers,
the little girl concluding, "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 Jesus sake-Amen !"
After they were IL bed, through
small rent in a plain white curtain he
saw the widow sitting before the fire,
her face buried in her hands, and weep
ing bitterly. On peg, just over the
fireplace, hung two little patched and
faded stockings, and then he could
stand it no longer. He softly moved
away from the window to the rear OF
the cabin, where some objects flutter-
ing in the wind met his eyes. Among
these he searched till he found a little
blue stocking, which he removed from
the line, folded tenderly, and placed
in his overcoat pocket, and then set
out for the main street of the camp.
He entered Harry Hawks gambling
hall, 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 up in a chair
and called for attention, the mum Of
voices and the clicking OF checks sud
denly ceased. Then, in an earnest
voice, he told what he had seen and
heard, repeating every word OF the
conversation between the mother and
her children. In conclusion he said:
Boys, | think | know you, every
one of you, an l know jist what kind
O. metal yer made of. I've an idee
that Sanity Claus knows list whar'
tibet cabin sitiwated, an I've an idee
he'll find it afore mornin'. Hyar's
one o. the little gals stockin's tibet |
hooked off'n the line whar' | heard the
wilder say she hung 'em with the
washin'. The daddy O. them little
'uns was a good, hard-workin' miner,
an he crossed the range in the line OF
duty, list as any one OF Us Is liable to
do in our dangerous business. Hyar
goes a $50 piece right down in the toe,
an hyar 1 lay the stOckin' on this
card table-now chipin much or little,
as We kin afford"
"Hold them checks o mine on the
ace-iack, " said Brocky Clark, gam
bier, and, leaving the faro table, he
picked the little stocking up carefully,
looked at it tenderly, and when he laid
it down another twenty had gone into
the toe to keep company with the one
placed there by Dawson.
Another and another came up until
the foot OF the stocking was well filled,
and then came the cry from the gam
bling tables:
"Pass her around, Jack"
At the word he lifted it from the
table and started around the hall.
Before he had circulated it at half a
dozen tables, it showed signs of burst
ing beneath the weight OF gold and sill
yer coin: and strong coin bag, such
as Is used for sending treasure by ex-
press, was procured, and the stocking
placed inside of it. The round of the
large hall was made, and in the mean
time 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 a party at his heels, Jack went
from saloon to saloon. Games ceased
and tippiers left the bars as they en-
tered each place, and miners, gamblers,
spectators, 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 acquainted with the generosity
of Western men will feel no surprise
or doubt my truthfulness when | say
that after the round had been made
the little blue stocking and the heavy
gold and silver coin.
Horses were procured and a partydis-
patched to the larger town down on the
Costumes, from which they returned
near daybreak with toys, clothing
provisions, etc, in almost endless va
riety. Arranging their gifts in prop
er shape and securely tying the
mouth OF the bag Of coin, the party
noiselessly repaired to the widows
humble cabin. The bag was first laid
on the step, and the other articles
piled up i'll a heap over it. On the
top was laid the lid of large paste
board box on which was written with
a piece OF charcoal:
"Santy Claus doesn't always Civ
poor foxes The shake in This camp"
Christmas morning dawned bright
and beautiful. The night had been a
stlnging cold one, and when the rising
sun peeped over the chain of mount
aims to the east and shot its beams
! upon the western range the sparkling
frost flashed from the snOw-clad peaks
as though their towering heads were
| sprlnkled with pure diamonds.
! Mrs. Stewart arose, and shade of
| pain crossed her handsome face as the
! empty little stockings caught her ma
| ternal eye. She cast a hurried glance
! toward the bed where her darlings lay
sleeping and whispered:
"Oh, God, how dreadful is power
tyl"
She built glowing fire and set about
! preparing the frugal breakfast. When
1t was almost ready she approached
the bed, kissed the little ones until
] they were wide awake, and lifted them
to the floor. With eager haste Totty
ran to the stockings only to turn
away, sObbing as though her heart
would break. Tears blinded the moth
er, and, clasping her little girl to her
heart, she said IL a choking voice:
"Never mind, my darling; next
Christmas | am sure mamma will be
richer, and then Santa Claus will bring
US lots of nice things"
"Oh mamma ?"
The exclamation came from little
Benny, who had opened the door and
was standing gazing in amazement up
on the wealth OF gifts there dis
played.
Mrs. Stewart sprang to his side and
looked in speeches. establishment.
/ She read the card, and then, causing
her little ones to kneel down with her
in the open doorway, she poured out
her soul in a torrent OF praise and
/ thanksgiving to God.
Jack Dawson's burly form moved
from behind a tree a short distance
away, and sneaked off up the gulch,
/ great crystal tears CHASING each o+ bar