The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1886-12-24
Poor Moses Happy Thought
A Christmas Tale.

JN"LS OANI HASFoNJ IN "SO ANO DAAS"St
just ten; and last but not least, Mehi-
table. The latter was only eight
months old, but she ruled the family
and we all loved her sweet tyranny,
No queen upon her throne could have
been more loved or admired. We con-
sidered her the most beautiful baby in
the world, with her dimpled cheeks as
delicate in hue as the fairest rose
petal, with eyes as blue as the loveliest
summer skies, and little short rings
of gold, covering her round head.
No one manifested more love for the
baby than poor Nose. Mother trust
ed him with the care OF her with per-
feet confidence. For poor Nose, who
went about with a perpetual smile on
his thin, homely face, vas invariably
gentle, and cared for the "little queen"
as tenderly as if she was some rare
bric-a-brac that a rough shake would
utterly demolish.
Those we're troublous times, then,
away back v a hundred years ago,
and though we had as much fun then
in our way as boys do nowadays we
had more excitement OF certain kind;
al anxious, blood-curdling kind, that
often made our hearts beat like trip
hammers while our hands grasped
our muskets.
The day before Christmas a a
busy one in our log-cabin. The big
fireplace glowed, and the hugh iron
kettles sruttered away as they cook
ed savory messes Tor the morrow's
dinner. Eph and I picked chickens
and ducks, while mother baked huge
loaves of white and brown bread,
doughnuts and pumpkin pies, Nose,
meanwhile, watching dear little Mehi-
table. The little witch would persist
in creeping toward the andirons on an
exploring expedition, to get a nearer
view of the sizzling tea-kettle or of our
pals of hot water in which We dipped
our ducks, or in attempting other
venturesome journeys. Poor Nose,
how patient he vas, how untiring!
In the middle of the afternoon,
mother said, "Now, boys, take the
basAet of provisions to old Eben Har-
ter's. You must hurry, too, so that
you can get back before night"
We did hurry, but such a basket,
packed full to the brim, with bread,
cakes, roast chicken, spsre-rib, and
who knows what elsel Didn't our arms
ache when, at last, after wading
through snow-drifts and climbing over
ice-barriers, we reached the little hut
of Eben Harter and delivered up our
burden! Eben Harter was an old
man, so helpless that it was with dife
ficulty that he could hobble around his
one small cabin room. The other mem
bers OF the family were his feeble, aged
wife and a young granddaughter.
Your folks are so kind, and you
boys SO good to come to us through
the singing cold that 'twould be
selfish to ask more, but
"What is it, Mrs. Harter2" asked
Eph, quickly. eff there's anything
We can do for you, We'll do it,
"Bless vcur dear heartl" was the
fervent response, 81 feel dreadful fear
some tonight, somehow; s'pose on
account of the doin's OF them savages
at the corner. 'Twould be somethin'
to be forever grateful for if we could
have one of you stout lads here all
night"
"We'n get mothers consent, then"
Eph said, and in another minute we
were IN our way homeward. Mother
willingly gave permission, so we trudg-
cd back to the Harter's, carrying APP
piles and corr which we roasted and
popped while the old man told stories
of our childhood. In the morning we
hurried ~homeward, wondering If there
were any gifts for us; but when we
reached the place whore there had
been a little unused hut halfway be-
tween the Harters' and our house, all
thoughts of gifts was lost In fear, for
only the ashes remained OF the Init.
20, Eph, the Indians must have
been here. S'posing they've been to
our house."
Eph's face blanched, but he said re-
a~suringly, 'If they've been there fatE.-
.er's managed them"
We raced on toward home, upon
reaching which, father said, in a voice
heavy with emotion, nMehitable's
gone"
my baby's killed." sobbed mother.
Nose lifted his terrified eyes to our
faces, his hands working convulsively.
"Tell us, quick, what do you mean?"
begged Eph, dropping on his knees be-
side mother. In broken words moth
or told us the narrowing tale, how she
and father had been called away in
the night to 90 to Uncle Hiram's,
whom they thought dying. There
.mna ~ nfhnn NO ~ hut 40 lao .ra Mahsf-