Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1885-12-24

iety, and his news first made her laugh
and then cry. But after few moments
given to her long pent-up tears he felt
much better and entered into lis plans
heartily.
The two captives up in the attic
were to be Christmas presents to the
girls, and the rabbits were to make the
long anticipated pie. As for plum-pud.
ding, of course that couldn't be thought
of.
''But don't you think, mamma" said
Willie, eagerly, 'that you could make
some sort of cake out of meal. and
wouldn't hickory nuts be good in it?
You know have some left up in the
attic, and might crack them softly up
there, and don't you think they would
be good?" he concluded, anxiously.
"Well, perhaps so," said mamma,
anxious to please him and help him in
his generous plans. II can try. If
only had some eggs!-but seems to me
I have heard that snow beaten into
cake would make it Highland there's
snow enough, I'm sure" she added,
with faint smile, the first Willie had
seen for three days.
The smile alone he felt to be great
achievement, and he crept carefully up
the ladder, cracked them to the last
one, brought them down, and mamma
picked the meats out while he dressed
the two rabbits which had come so OPP
portunely to be their Christmas dinner.
swish you Merry Christmas! he
called out to Nora and Tot when they
walked. ''See what Santa Claus has
brought you!'
Before they had time to remember
what sorry Christmas it was to be,
they received their presents, live bird
| to each, bird that was never to be
kept in cage, but fly about the house
till summer came, and then to 90 away
if it wished.
Pets were scarce on the prairie, and
the girls were delighted. Nothing papa
could have brought would have given
them so much happiness.
They thought no more of the dinner,
but hurried to dress and feed the birds,
| which were quite tame from hunger
saw preparations for dinner, too. Nam
ma made crust and lined a deep dish
the chicken-pie dish; and then she
brought mysterious something out of
the cupboard, all cut up SO that it
looked as if it might be chicken, and
put it in the dish with other things, and
then she tucked them all under thick
crust, and set it down in tin oven be-
fore the fire to bake. And that was not
| all. She got out some more corn-meal
and made a batter, and put in some
sugar and something else which she
slipped in from a bowl, and which
looked in the batter something like
raisins; and at the last moment Willie
brought her cup of snow, and she
hastily beat it into the cake or pudding
whichever you might call it, while
the children laughed at the idea of
making a cake out of snow. This went
into the same oven, and pretty soon it
rose up light and showed beautiful
brown crust, while the pie was steam
ing through little fork-holes on top, and
sending oat most delicious odors.
At the last minute when the table
was set and everything ready to come
up, Willie ran up to look out Of the scut-
tie, as he had every hour of daylight
since they were buried. In moment
came wild shout down the ladder.
They're coming. Hurrah for Old
Tint"
Mamma rushed up and looked out,
and saw-to be sure-Old Tim, slowly
coming along over the crust, drawing
after him wOOd-sled ON which were
two men.
Its papa!' shouted Willie, waving
his arms to attract their attention.
Willie!' came back over the snow,
in tones of agony. els that you? Are
all well?'
"All wellr' shouted Willie, "and
ner."
Dinner?' echoed papa, who was
now nearer. "Where is the house,
then?'
90, down therer' said Willie, Gun
der the snow; but we're all right, only
we mustn't let the plum-pudding
spoil"
Looking into the attic, Willie found
mamma tainted away, and this news
brought to her aid papa and the other
man, who proved to be good friend
who had come to help.
Tim was tied to the chimney, whose
thread of smoke had guided them
home, and all went down into the dark
room. Mrs. Earnes soon recovered,
and while Willie dished up the smok-
ing dinner, stories were told on both
sides.
Mr.. Barnes had been trying to find
them, and to get through the snow all
the time, but until the last night had
made stiff crust had been unable to
do so.
Then Mrs. Barnes told her story,
winding up with the account of Willie's
Christmas dinner; "and if it hadn't
been for his keeping up our hearts
don't know what would have become
of u.s." she said at last.
"Well, my son." said papa, ''you did
take care of mamma, and get up din
ner out of nothing, sure enough; and
now Wen eat the dinner, which I'm
sure is delicious"
So it proved to be; even the cake or
pudding, which Tot christened snow
pudding, was voted very nice, and the
hickory nuts as good as raisins.
When they had finished, Mr.. Barnes
brought in his packages, gave Tot and
the rest some ''sure-enough waisins, J"
and added his Christmas presents to
Willie's, but though they were over
joyed, nothing was quite SO nice in
their eyes as the two live birds.
After dinner the two men and Willie
dug out passages through tho snow,
which had wasted good deal, from
| tho doors uncovered tho windows and